THE HERD - Hour 3 - Chris Broussard joins The Herd

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd: Hour 3 with Chris Broussard

Episode Date: May 4, 2026
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)
Guests: Chris Broussard, J. Mack

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Episode Overview

This dynamic episode of The Herd delivers sharp, informed analysis on the NBA and NFL’s developing storylines, zeroing in on the Knicks vs. Sixers playoff showdown, rookie NFL jersey sales, the Celtics’ collapse, and broader trends in sports team construction. Chris Broussard joins Colin for deep dives and lively debates, with support from cohost J. Mack.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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Knicks vs. Sixers: Series, Matchups & City Rivalry

[02:34–07:33, 17:37–22:10]

• Setting the Stage:

  • Broussard and Cowherd are fired up for Knicks vs. Sixers, emphasizing the series’ intensity and unique city rivalry.
  • Both highlight how Philadelphia and New York's passionate (sometimes abrasive) fan bases add meaning beyond basketball.
  • Colin calls it "the best series by a mile," contrasting it with less compelling matchups like Thunder vs. Lakers.

• Fan Influence and Ticket Drama:

  • Joel Embiid publicly pleaded with Sixers fans not to sell their tickets to traveling Knicks fans, even offering to financially support those in need:
    • Joel Embiid [05:02]: “If you need money, I got you.”
  • The physical proximity of the cities stirs up fandom migration, making crowd dynamics a subplot.

• Team Identities Matter:

  • Detroit's defensive identity is contrasted with teams lacking such clarity:
    • Chris Broussard [03:33]: “Detroit knows what they are. They're a defensive team with a couple of scorers.”

• X’s & O’s / Key Matchups:

  • Edgecomb’s defense on Jalen Brunson highlighted as a tactical swing factor.
  • Embiid’s health and ability to dominate inside is the epicenter of Philly’s chances.
  • Knicks’ comparative depth could swing a long series.
  • The “Cat” conundrum (Karl-Anthony Towns): his tendency to commit fouls and act emotionally is seen as a Knicks liability if exploited by Embiid.

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Player Rankings & Matchup Nuances

[17:37–22:10]

• Colin’s Top 10 for Knicks-Sixers Series:

  • 1. Joel Embiid
  • 2. OG Anunoby
  • 3. Tyrese Maxey
  • 4. Jalen Brunson
  • ... (rest highlighted in episode)

• Debate:

  • J. Mack would bump Maxey to #2 (“Maxey is going to have more offensive opportunities than Anunoby” [19:19]).
  • Discussion of “Cat” as foul-prone vs. Embiid’s inside game—the matchup likely to decide pivotal moments.

• Key Quote:

  • Chris Broussard [20:02]: “Cat over the last three years has more fouls than any NBA player. That, to me, is a big component. Embiid going at Cat and forcing the Knicks to get Cat off the floor...”

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Celtics Collapse: Modern Basketball’s Limits

[22:10–27:18]

• Analyzing Boston’s Downfall:

  • Celtic’s overreliance on three-point shooting exposed under playoff pressure.
  • When shots stopped falling (0-for-7 from three in last 3:49), no plan B emerged.
  • Roster not athletic or deep enough beyond the maxed-out duo of Brown and Tatum.

• Insight on Team Building:

  • Analytics work over long seasons, but playoff series demand situational, flexible basketball.
  • J. Mack [25:48]: “The analytics, you can't solely rely on analytics... Play basketball. Sometimes you take the midrange shot, sometimes you go inside. Don’t just say, ‘Well, we shoot threes.’”

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Quick Hits: NFL Rookie Jerseys, Team Improvement, and Sleeper Picks

[07:33–10:15, 10:15–16:07 (selectively)]

• Rookie Jersey Sales—Surprises and Oddities:

  • Top sellers included Cowboys S Caleb Downs and unexpected players like Dolphins’ LB Jacob Rodriguez.
  • Miami’s surging jersey interest confounds the hosts.
    • “Who buys a tackle jersey?” – Colin [08:52]
    • “Two Dolphins picks. That’s weird.” – Chris Broussard [08:58]
  • Giants highly drafted but few jersey sales, possibly due to non-skill-position picks.

• NFL Roster Analysis:

  • Cowherd likes the Raiders and Giants as teams poised for major improvement in 2026 due to coaching and recent drafts.
  • The Jets, loaded with talent but lacking “right coach and quarterback.”

• AFC/NFC Power Shifts:

  • AFC West not as daunting as thought: Herbert praised but has “no playoff wins,” Chargers roster full of questions, Broncos “top heavy.”
  • NFC North seen as the "best division in football" now.

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KD, Houston’s Direction, and NBA Offseason Rumors

[27:18–29:48]

• Kevin Durant in Houston:

  • Rockets at a crossroads: build for now, or keep rolling with youth?
  • J. Mack: “Enough of that... You got a 37-year-old player. Go for the championship now.”

• Trades Proposed:

  • Mack floats the idea of trading Shingoon, Reed Shepherd, and picks for Giannis, pairing him with KD for a win-now window.

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Steve Kerr & the Warriors’ Window

[29:48–31:23]

• Kerr’s Future:
  • Uncertainty in Golden State: Could Kerr retire, broadcast, or manage elsewhere?
  • The Warriors’ options to retool around Steph are limited; a run at LeBron would be fun for headlines but unlikely to produce a title.
  • J. Mack: “The championship window is basically shut. And that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Kerr stepped away.”

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Finals Picks, Clutch Rankings, and Closing Thoughts

[31:23–37:05]

• Series Predictions:

  • Knicks-Sixers: Colin says “Knicks in 7,” Broussard leans “Sixers in 6 or 7 if Embiid is healthy.”
  • Cavs-Pistons: Split—Colin takes Cavs, Broussard likes Pistons.
  • Both see the Spurs and T-Wolves advancing.

• Best Clutch Players Remaining:

  • Who's most trustworthy with a minute left?
    • Cade Cunningham, SGA (on offense), Maxey, Brunson, Embiid all mentioned.
  • LeBron’s blend of offense and newfound defensive focus in the playoffs gets respect despite his age.

• Quick Hit Quote:

  • Colin [34:55]: "Just think about a minute and a half left... LeBron’s ability to get a bat... It’s remarkable. 41 years old and you want to count him out..."

• Lifestyle Sidebar:

  • Endearing banter on Detroit’s ritzy Birmingham suburb—the “Rodeo Drive of the Midwest" [36:49].

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Embiid’s Ticket Plea:

  • “If you need money, I got you.” – Joel Embiid [05:02]

• On Analytics vs. Situational Playoff Basketball:

  • “The analytics, you can't solely rely on analytics... Play basketball.” – J. Mack [25:48]

• On Warriors' Future:

  • “The championship window is basically shut. And that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Kerr stepped away.” – J. Mack [31:23]

• Colin’s Perspective on Knicks-Sixers Rivalry:

  • “Part of what makes the Knicks Sixers series great is the cities and the animosity and how close they are. And it's just perfect.” – Colin Cowherd [06:52]

• On Cavs-Pistons Series:

  • “Detroit knows what they are. They're a defensive team with a couple of scorers... Cade Cunningham's a great closer. So I'll take Detroit.” – Chris Broussard [03:33]

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:34 – Knicks-Sixers series setup, city rivalry discussion
• 05:02 – Embiid’s ticket plea to Sixers fans
• 07:33 – NFL rookie jersey sales surprises
• 17:37 – Colin & Chris’s Knicks-Sixers player rankings & tactical breakdown
• 22:10 – Celtics’ analytics downfall, playoff team-building
• 27:18 – Kevin Durant/Houston Rockets strategy debate
• 29:48 – Steve Kerr’s future and the Warriors’ situation
• 31:23 – Series predictions & clutch player analysis
• 34:55 – LeBron’s late-game value
• 36:49 – Side banter on Birmingham, Michigan

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Overall Tone & Style

• The episode is fast-paced, witty, and candid, with Cowherd and Broussard’s trademark blend of statistical insight, personal experience, and media-savvy banter.
• Frequent friendly disagreements and speculative "what if" scenarios keep the conversation lively and unpredictable.
• The episode feels timely and opinionated, touching on both immediate playoff matchups and broader issues in team construction and strategy.

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Summary:
A must-listen episode for NBA and NFL fans tracking playoff developments, team-building philosophies, and league rumor mills. Cowherd and Broussard dissect headline matchups, poke holes in analytics overkill, and forecast the futures of stars and franchises with both humor and authority.

Transcript

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[J. Mack]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Chris Broussard]

Thanks for listening to the Heard 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. Now let's get this party started.

[J. Mack]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

[Chris Broussard]

So fired up Knicks Sixers tonight. Knicks are slightly favored. I think a lot of it is the health of Embiid. Fascinating series. It's mostly starting 5 against starting 5. Not huge bench production either. Tame J. Mac with the news no, no, no.

[J. Mack]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news. All right, we're going to start with Cavs Pistons. Very exciting series on the horizon. Detroit's obviously favored. The Cavs had a good Game 7 win over the Raptors. I mean, in the second half, it was where Jared Allen was the hero. Colin. In the third quarter alone, Allen went for 14 and 10. Like Evan Mobley didn't have it. Donovan Mitchell, I don't know what's going on with that guy. He's just spraying threes all over the place. Absolutely bizarre. I am worried about this Pistons series only because of Cade Cunningham. He's a tough matchup.

[Chris Broussard]

You know, they play great defense.

[Colin Cowherd]

What's that?

[Chris Broussard]

They have an identity. You know, Detroit knows what they are. They're a defensive team with a couple of scores. One great score. You know, I think a lot of it is identity. What are you. These are close. Detroit games are close because Detroit doesn't let you score much. So Detroit's in a lot of very close games. And Kate Cunningham's a great closer. So I'll take Detroit, you know, a ceiling offensively, obviously. But years ago, I used to say, I like Tobias Harris. I have been redeemed after that series.

[Colin Cowherd]

I mean, he's been on like seven teams or something crazy. It's weird. Donovan Mitchell cannot guard Cade Cunningham. That's obvious. We know it's not James Harden and then you got like a Dean Wade Situ. Like this is going to be a problem. I mean, this is going to be a Cade 35 point series. The problem is, can he get any help from the other guys? And the other guys are not great. Okay, Tobias Harris maybe will have one game, but I'm gonna go Cavs. I like to go head to head against you. It's always fun. All right, let's move on. Colin, we got game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight. You revealed your big list of Pistons. Sorry, not Pistons, Sixers and Knicks earlier. Well, now we've got Joel Embiid coming out and begging, imploring fans not to sell their tickets to Knicks fans. The last time they met in the playoffs down in Philly, all the games had Knicks fans in the lower bowl. You know, they just drive down 95. It's like a 90 minute drive.

[Chris Broussard]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Here's Joel Embiid begging for the support

[Chris Broussard]

from fans, Knicks fans, they travel, they go and buy the tickets and there's going to be, you know, some people that need the money and I, you know, probably going to sell tickets. But don't do it. We need you guys. We got a pretty good chance. We going to need our support. We gonna need them to be extremely loud. And you know, if you need money, I got you.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. Joel Embiid basically saying, I got you for those tickets. I don't know what that means. Gosh, I can't. This is the best series by a mile. Colin. Okay, Thunder Lakers has no juice.

[Chris Broussard]

Well, there is something, you know, I was thinking about this going into the series. You know how like there are TV shows and I was reading a story the other day about how Breaking Bad was going to be shot in like Riverside and they ended up moving it because of, you know, you can figure out why to Albuquerque. And in the end, like the Wire with Baltimore, Albuquerque with Breaking Bad sometime. I just watched the show called DTF St. Louis and St. Louis was a perfectly square town to put it in. And there are, there are times that the cities matter, not just because of market size, because of their history. Philadelphia is rough and passionate and obnoxious and New York's got a little bit of that too. Nothing against Minnesota, against San Antonio, but Minnesota, the term people use about Minnesota is Minnesota nice. They're nice people. Nobody ever says about Philadelphia, those people are the nicest. There's just something to be said about. Part of what makes the Knicks six or series great is the cities and the animosity and how close they are. And it's just perfect. It's, it's fantastic for all these folks

[Colin Cowherd]

who are like, I missed the 80s and 90s where the teams hated each other, the players hated these. These teams don't like each other. Okay. They say, I can't wait for the series. I'm going to go Knicks tonight. Colin, seven is the line. I think the Knicks hammer them. I think, you know, a little bit of a hangover for the Sixers after the big win over Boston on Sunday. So I'll go Knicks here, covering the spread. Who you got? Seven.

[Chris Broussard]

Seven's a lot of points. Whenever you see a number and it's much larger than you think it should be. Take the favorite like when a lot you're like, I don't understand the line. This is like Vegas knows something you don't. Knicks are going to win tonight, probably by about 10.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. All right, we'll go to the final story. And that's NFL jersey sales for rookies. We've got some early, and I mean really early, best selling rookie jerseys after last month's draft. At the top of the list, no surprise. Caleb Downs. Cowboys have a Massive fan base. Everybody's looking for their new defensive jersey. So they got Caleb Downs at number one. Do you want to guess who? Well, we got it on the screen. Damn it. Number two, Jacob Rodriguez from the Miami Dolphins. Like what?

[Chris Broussard]

That. That is Malachi Lawrence at 3. It was a 4.

[Colin Cowherd]

Colin, you'll never guess where Mendoza went.

[Chris Broussard]

Yeah, that's 5. That's a weird.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a weak fan base.

[Chris Broussard]

They don't.

[Colin Cowherd]

They just don't have the imprint that we all thought they did.

[Chris Broussard]

Why would Miami's second round inside linebacker pick sell that many jerseys?

[Colin Cowherd]

There was a guy in Miami named Zach Thomas.

[Chris Broussard]

Remember him?

[Colin Cowherd]

A lot of many years ago. They're saying he might be the next Zach Thomas, but that's still a weird. Miami also had Chris Johnson, the cornerback at six. I think we need to dig into these jerseys.

[Chris Broussard]

I think Fernando Mendoza, I would have guessed would be number one by a mile. Caleb Downs, I get Ohio State. Huge brand. Cowboys, huge brand. Could be the best player in the draft. Totally get Caleb Downs.

[Colin Cowherd]

What about Caleb, the offensive tackle for the Patriots? I mean, who buys a tackle jersey?

[Chris Broussard]

I did. Two Dolphins picks. That's weird.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. I think you need to write the company and be like, what's going on, guys? It seems a little wacky.

[Chris Broussard]

I would think Jeremiah Love. After people see him play, they'll, they'll. They'll scoop them up.

[Colin Cowherd]

But Arizona has no fans. Come on.

[Chris Broussard]

Come on.

[Colin Cowherd]

They're not buying jerseys. What are your New York Giants? Two picks in the top 10 and nobody's buying their jerseys.

[Chris Broussard]

Well, it's a linebacker and a tackle.

[Colin Cowherd]

Maybe they're not buying the. The Harbaugh hype in New York. They fall flat on their face in week one. Licking my chops, baby.

[Chris Broussard]

J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by the Herd line news. By the way, I love Fernando Mendoza. Speaking of him, he is fifth on the. And again, I think offensive guys will start selling jerseys when you see them in the preseason. But he, he got the dates wrong on this. But he was asked about going to the White House, you know, for the Indiana Hoosiers national championship. And this is so Fernando Mendoza. I love this so much. Here's what he had to say.

[J. Mack]

As a rookie, you just try to

[Chris Broussard]

learn the most as possible. So right now there's a lot of information. You know, it's coming like a fire hose.

[J. Mack]

But at that time, I'm just trying

[Chris Broussard]

to take it all in to get better every single day. It's the attention to detail and it's really, you know, connecting with the teammates is so great in rookie camp, all coming together as an offense, as a defense, special teams as a team together to have coherent practices so it can all get better at football. Yeah. He should create a guidebook on what to say before you play a game in the NFL. He's literally been perfect. It is. I was reading, you know, after the draft, I like mock drafts, and I was reading about it and people have talked about it was one of the strangest drafts ever. The top of it was awful and the bottom of it was worse because of the nil. And, you know, there's a lot of back and forth on Fernando Mendoza and the impact. The difference is there's a lot of, you know, there's a. There's a pretty sizable group of bad NBA teams, bad baseball teams, bad pro football teams, but they're not all the same. I've said this about the New York Giants. The Giants needed the right coach. I think the Giants have six or seven really good players. I think the. And again, I would be. I think the. By adding Tyler Linderbaum and Naylor, the wide receiver from Minnesota, I think the Raiders actually have some players. And if. And I love their draft. So, you know, we've said this before you. The NFL. It's just so funny. A year ago, if I would have said on the air, Sam Darnold is going to meet the Patriots in the super bowl, that would have been the steamiest of hot takes. It would have sounded ridiculous. And if I would have told you Darnold is going to beat the Rams in the playoffs, he's not going to have a turnover, you'd be like, okay, now that you couldn't pitch that in Hollywood, they'd say it's unrealistic. So you just. There is going to be a couple of teams in this league that were bad last year, and they're going to be really good. I tend to think the New York Giants, by getting Harbaugh, I thought they did a really good job in their draft. I think the Giants are going to really improve. I got to tell you, if I had to pick a second right now, I think it's the Raiders. And you say to yourself, all the division's really tough. Okay, so let's just say it out loud. Justin Herbert, no playoff wins. I mean, don't make it out to be. They're the Rams. Okay, so. So they. And I love Justin, but how formidable is that? It's an imperfect roster. They had to draft four offensive linemen. Like they have offensive lineage. Well, Denver I like, I like Denver. I think they're a little top heavy on the roster and you know Bo Nick's coming off an injury has I thought Jalen Waddle ended up being pretty smart in a bad draft. Good pick. But I mean Kansas City, I think I'm more optimistic on Kansas City than anybody else. They still, you know, they, they you hope there are three top rookie picks. I think they're really good players. You hope they're productive, especially by Thanksgiving. But the idea that the best division in football is the NFC north, that division is, I mean your fourth place team, Minnesota, viewed as a fourth place team was four and two last year. Division beat the Lions twice and maybe has, you know, the best staff. I mean between Flores and Kevin o' Connell you have a great staff. So Raiders are fast. I don't think the Raiders when you got Linder Baum and Colton Miller and they had they drafted a interior O lineman first round a couple of years ago, their offensive line is going to be massively improved. They'll be better at quarterback and it looks like their wide receiving wide receiver room will be an upgrade. I don't know. I look at the Raiders and for the first time in a long time I'm like, I don't know. I mean now I think the jets have a lot of good players but they don't have the two most important things right. Coach and quarterback. Got a weird feeling I would pick the Giants today as the most improved team. I may go Raiders and I've been pretty good on that. Now I think there's also some teams that are overvalued. I don't know what quite to make of New England, the V situation. They're very young on the offensive line and that was their liability last year and it was a bad draft and they went and got a tackle out of Utah who's good, but it was the second best tackle on Utah. He's not considered terribly forceful, a little bit of a softer tackle. I don't know if that's going to have any impact in the afc. So should we take a break? Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, is Cavino and Rich from Fox Sports Radio. Now, in addition to hearing us live weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, we're excited to announce a brand new YouTube channel for the show. Yup, that's right. You can now watch Covino ENRICH Live on YouTube every day. All you got to do search COVINO and Rich FSR on YouTube again. Go to YouTube search COVINO Enrich FSR. Check us out on YouTube. Subscribe. Hit that thumbs up icon and comment away.

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[Colin Cowherd]

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the Enhanced Games. Some call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all. Embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

[J. Mack]

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on £10. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[J. Mack]

Hey, sweetie. Your mother showed me this Carvana thing for selling the car. I'm gonna give it a try. Wish me luck. Me again. I put in the license plate. It gave me an offer.

[Chris Broussard]

Unbelievable.

[J. Mack]

Okay, I accepted the offer. They're picking it up Tuesday from the driveway. I haven't even left my chair. It's done. The car is gone. I'm holding a check anyway. Carvana, give it a whirl. Love ya.

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[Chris Broussard]

Let's put up let's, let's

[Colin Cowherd]

put up

[Chris Broussard]

my top 10 players in the Knicks six or series which starts tonight. It turns out it's five on five but I put Joel Embiid again. He's probable for tonight. I'm going to get if I hope to get six games out of the series. I think when healthy he's the dominant player in the series now. OG on an obi I know a lot of you guys think Jalen Brunson could be there. OG right now is arguably the best two way player in the game and he's having a great, he had a great three point series. Tyrese Maxey the analytics tell you he's better than Brunson, much more athletic. At this point I have Brunson as the fourth best player. Paul George at 5, Cat at 6. Edgecomb who did very well against Brunson defensively at 7. Mikhail Bridges finally found his groove. I think it was game six. Josh Hart double double. Kelly Obray is just a long six eight athletic guy. I would say 11 would be Mitchell Robinson the center for the Knicks. So the Knicks are slightly favored. Chris Broussard is in New York co host first things first is joining us watches a ton of Sixers and Knicks. You saw my, my hierarchy there. I do think one of the keys of the series is Edgecomb has that young guy energy against Brunson. He was very good against Jalen on the possessions they matched up this year Jalen shot like 33% against Edgecomb. I think that's kind of a quiet matchup advantage for the Sixers. First of all look at my top 10 players. Anything you strongly agree or disagree with.

[J. Mack]

I think I might have Maxi at number two Now I love Anobi as you mentioned a two way player but he's not the offensive player obviously that Maxi is and Maxi is going to have more offensive opportunities than Anobi so I will put Maxi second and I think Jalen's the Knicks best player but I like your courage in putting an anoby at 2 but I would I think Jalen and I even think Cat are better than Anunoby but he is a great two way player and he showed off offensively against Atlanta. But I will put some of these stars ahead of Anunoby.

[Chris Broussard]

If you were a Knicks fan what would be the one thing that would really concern you? Cat over the last three years has more fouls than any NBA player. That to me is a big component. Embiid going at Cat and forcing the Knicks to get Cat off the floor and get the kind of offensively limited Mitchell Robinson in the game, which puts more pressure on. On Jalen Brunson. That's what worries me. If I was a Knicks fan, cats kind of constant weird, gets emotional, can get sloppy with face, kind of loose defensively.

[J. Mack]

No, I agree with you. And look, in most series, they have an advantage with Cat that was huge against Atlanta. They had nobody that could match up with Cat. Well, Embiid will not only match up with him, but he'll outplay him. And they played earlier in the year. I believe Embiid fouled Cat out in like less than 20 minutes of play or something like that. So Cat has his hands full. It'll be interesting to see how much they play him on Embiid. If Embiid goes down low like he did against Boston, they'll have to put some size on him. But that'll be an interesting matchup. And look, Colin, you know, these two have a history. Way back when Katt was in Minnesota and Embiid going at him. I think Embiid salivates when he sees Kat. I said last week I thought if I'm a Knicks fan, I would be pulling for Boston to beat Philadelphia because I think the Knicks match up better with Boston than Philly. I think the key is Joel Embiid's health. If he is healthy for seven games, Colin, or the entire series, I think Philly wins in six or seven games. I think the advantage the Knicks have, though, is their depth. Philly, basically, they played basically six players in that game, seven against Boston, so they don't have the depth. So that could hurt them later in the deep series. But I think Philly, with that big four, will beat New York if Embiid is healthy.

[Chris Broussard]

The. I mean, I guess I would ask this. I said earlier, it's so interesting that there was the Ben Simmons, the Jimmy Butler, the James Harden. Trust the process. And finally we kind of roll our eyes at Philly, and now they're good. It's the year that we talked about Tatum coming back and the Knicks and the Pistons number one seed in Orlando's town. So one year we just didn't really pay any attention to Philly. And this is the year. If I said to you what's been the key? I mean, obviously that the energy of Edgecomb is just a. He's just a tremendously gifted player. But I mean, to you, what's been the key to this whole. I mean, this is the year that we didn't talk about the Sixers. We were all exhausted from the promises.

[J. Mack]

Yeah, I think, look, none of us, we could all look at the paper and say, oh, wow, they got four. Once we saw Edgecombe was really good, we could say they got four. Four really good players and a championship coach. But they'll never be healthy. Like, I'm not even sure Embiid gets through the first half tonight. Who knows, right? I mean, there were like four times in game seven where it was like, oh my gosh, is he gonna be able to come back out, you know, on the court? So who knows? But Colin, if they are healthy like Paul George playing, you know, I mean, he sat out for the suspension and now he's fresh. He has accepted being the third or maybe at times fourth option. You see how valuable he is defensively hitting those three point shots. Embiid also, and I've been saying this, Colin, excuse me, since he came into the league, once he started playing, got healthy, go down low, big man. I think they would have won more playoff series in the past when they had him and Ben Simmons. And if Embi would have played near the basket more. He was always out shooting jumpers and he's a great mid range shooter. But you saw yesterday, the difference was he went down low and they tried to guard him with Jalen Brown. If he doesn't score on that, then he's kicking it out for an open three. I think that should be the same diet that they have against New York. Play him down low, of course, let him shoot the mid range jumper and. And you've got enough perimeter stars where they can handle the outside. Let him dominate inside and in the mid range.

[Chris Broussard]

The. It's interesting. I said the Celtics losing is almost as big a story as the Sixers winning. So when they shot 40% on threes this year, Boston won every game. I think they were 30 and oh, they were 500 when they didn't. They shot 100 more threes than the Sixers, 50 more than anybody else. And when they were down by a point at 349 to go, they were over seven. It feels like they're. I like formulas. They feel like they're completely beholden and paralyzed the way to play. They're not athletic enough. Aaron Gordon would be an interesting find for them. They're not athletic enough down low. They could use a point guard. They feel like, I mean, 70% of their cap is gobbled up by Brown and Tatum. I wouldn't move those two. Some are suggesting that. But when you watch the west and the depth and you watch Philadelphia and you Watch these teams. Indiana is going to be a handful. What if Billy Donovan takes the Orlando job like we thought Boston was grooved in? And you watch them against Philly and you're like, they're just not athletic enough. What do they do? What is your guess?

[J. Mack]

No, you're right. Like people wonder, well, why did, how did Philly beat them? Philly healthy is better than Boston. Well, more good players, more talent, right? I mean Jalen and Jayson Tatum are obviously two legitimate stars after that, Baylor Shireman and Kada. And then Peyton Pritchard, God bless him, is a really good, you know, six man and one of the best in the league, but he's not a star. Like they don't have a ton of talent. And I think that's because they built that team around the three point shooting. That's what those guys can do, is shoot the three. But we've seen it. Even Colin in baseball, the analytics work over the 162 games in basketball, over the 82 games when you get into the playoffs and you know, it's a smaller sample size, seven game series and you know, all types of other things are coming into play. Does a guy get nervous? Is a guy clutch? The analytics, you can't solely rely on analytics. And it came a point you mentioned late in the game they should have played basketball.

[Chris Broussard]

Right.

[J. Mack]

That means sometimes you take the mid range shot, sometimes you go inside, whatever that you can get off that defense do it don't just say, well, we shoot threes. Yeah, that'll average out over 82 games. Not in a seven game series and not in the last four minutes of a game seven as we saw.

[Chris Broussard]

Yeah, playoff basketball, playoff baseball is situational. It's like red zone in football. Some teams aren't necessarily, you know, great offensive teams like Pittsburgh, but they were really good in the red zone. With Aaron Rodgers, well that, that becomes really important in big spots. So I, you know, it's interesting the Kevin Durant. So what was fascinating about Durant, he had a very good year, played a lot of games. They get to the playoffs and the net rating, they're better without him. And we were saying this earlier that a little like Aaron Rodgers, it always ends sloppy. It always ends a little dramatic. Are we sure that Houston wants KD back?

[J. Mack]

Yeah, I mean, look, that's the million dollar question is do they keep KD and try to win a championship now or do they stay committed to the young players and maybe move on from him? Now look, there are teams out there as much as KD is Not a leader and all, like you said, it tends to end badly with him. There are teams out there that I'd be like interested in him. Does, would Milwaukee want to get KD and, and give it another shot with Giannis? Right. Denver, they certainly could use a kd. You know, there are other teams that want to, you know, would maybe think can he get us over the top? If I were Houston, what I would do, Colin, is I would put a package around Alper and Shingoon and probably Reed shepherd and then their host of draft picks and try to trade that to Milwaukee for Giannis. And then I could have if I'm healthy, Van Vliet, Amin Thompson, kd, Jabari Smith and Giannis. I got two awesome defenders in Amin, Thompson and Giannis. I've got shooters in Jabari and KD and Van Vliet. I've got Stephen Adams off the bench and Tari Eason off the bench like that. I would go for it. Now I've seen, you know that Houston is saying we don't, we're not win now just because we have KD. We want a 10 year window. They've had their runs of being great and close, but no ring. They haven't won a ring in 31 years. They were always close with Harden. Enough of that. You got a 37 year old player go for the championship now. That's what I think Houston should do.

[Chris Broussard]

Finally, minute left, Steve Kerr, word out of the Bay Area that they think he's leaning staying. He could go broadcast, he could coach elsewhere, he could GM somewhere, he could retire. He's got a litany of options. The warriors don't. They're crossing their fingers on Butler and Steph's health. They don't. I mean they don't have a lot of packages to get Giannis. I mean, actually one of the things that could happen to the warriors is what happened to Dallas last year when they hit the lottery. Well, they have actually the same odds on Sunday's lottery that the Mavericks did when they got Cooper flag. So I mean they could get a bit of a break there and get an immediate, you know, top end starter. Your, your thoughts on what you hear on what will Curtis sign?

[J. Mack]

Yeah, it's going to be interesting. I wouldn't be upset if he stepped away just because this run is over. Unless they could somehow, and I'm like you, I don't see the package they can put together to get Giannis, but unless they can get someone in there and keep Butler, get him healthy with Steph, then And make a run. I just don't see what they're going to do to be a contender next year. Now, could they get LeBron? Is LeBron with LeBron be available from the Lakers? They wouldn't win A championship with LeBron and step, but they'd be a heck of an exciting story. It'd be, you know, one of the big face of the league stories next season. And maybe that would keep Kerr around. I do think they'd be a pretty good team, but I. The championship window is basically shut. And that's why I wouldn't be surprised if Kerr stepped away.

[Chris Broussard]

Chris Broussard, first things first, after our show. Good seeing you, buddy.

[J. Mack]

You too, Colin.

[Chris Broussard]

Yeah, some good stuff. Knicks by 10 tonight. Lot of emotion. Philadelphia Embiid probably plays sparingly. Eff it all. And then, you know, the Knicks played great in the last couple games in the series. Rested, confident, feeling good about themselves. Little better bench. So they're probably got a ton of energy. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. You know, just thinking about LeBron, just his age. If I told you there's a minute left, there's a minute left. Games tied at 108 and both ends of the floor matter, right. You can't be a defensive liability. Both ends of the floor matter. Of all the players remaining, you got the Thunder, the Lakers, the T Wolves, the Spurs, Sixers, Knicks, Cleveland, Detroit. So there's a minute left. Each team is going to get at least one possession, so you need a defensive stop. Offensive players, where does LeBron rank right now? So I would say, I mean, SGA in terms of getting a bucket, but he's a little bit of a defensive liability. Wemby, I love him on the defensive end. I don't necessarily trust his offense. Cade Cunningham may be number one. I get both ends dominant, physical play. He's just a hard matchup. Looks like a linebacker. Ant is way up there. Maxi is, you know, he's 27, 28 points a game. Maxi's way up there. Brunson's up there, Chet Holmgren's up there. But it's interesting. Where's LeBron? If you, if you gave me a minute, minute 15 left, so it's, you know, each team can get a couple of possessions. LeBron's not very far down the list. SGA, obviously on the offensive end, I feel great, but you can attack him. And that's the thing that's been interesting. LeBron's actually played defense in that Houston series. Like played real defense. Amen. Thompson, if he was still around, you'd love on defense, you wouldn't trust offense. I just thought LeBron's ability to get a bat, he can still break guys down and you know, even, you know, his ability to find, you know, eight, not an alley oop or rui in the corner. It's remarkable. 41 years old and you know, you want to count them out. But just think about a minute and a half left all the start and, and, and this has always been my knock on Luca. He gets hunted on the defensive end. SGA is not great. He doesn't get necessarily always hunted. Holmgren and Wemby are tremendous defensive players. I trust home, homegrown offensively I trust to get a good shot. Wemby's not quite there for me, but I, I mean Brunson, you'd attack. So that worries me. I think Maxey's one of the better shots. Embiid, I mean again if Embiid's playing. So could you argue this? Embiid's number one defensive stopper and he's a great mid range shooter. Now he falls into this delusion that he thinks he's a three point shooter and sometimes you have to prod him to go low. And I've said before, Embiid's a huge talent. I'm not building around him because he's playing 33 games a year. But there's, I can think two things simultaneously. He could be the best player right now, both ends, minute left in a game. Could be Joel Embiid. But I'm not going to build around him based on his resume.

[Colin Cowherd]

I would just caution being a little reactionary to Embiid cooking, you know, third string centers in Boston. I mean this is how bad it was for Boston at the deadline. They got Nick Vuchevic, they traded away Simons V didn't even play in game seven. They're like, we can't put him on the floor because he's such a liability. So they had, you know, essentially a G leaguer in, in Kada and they tried Luca Garza and they were like that that's not going to work. Those guys aren't starting level centers. The Knicks have Mitchell Robinson, an elite defender and Cat who as long as he doesn't over think things, you know, and get fouls and shoot a bunch of work, Knicks are going to be okay against him.

[Chris Broussard]

Okay, all right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I was like, they're stopping him beat cause he's really good. But, but honestly, I'd rather have Embiid think he's going to go for 30 and 15. Okay if I give you try to

[Chris Broussard]

take over let's just guess these series outcomes. Lakers, Thunder 5. Yeah, I. I'm.

[Colin Cowherd]

I got to give LeBron a game they. They may not win one. I don't know. I. It's tough for me to get excited

[Chris Broussard]

about that series T Wolves six.

[Colin Cowherd]

Five or six. We'll go five, five.

[Chris Broussard]

Spurs. I take spurs. Six. Sixers, Knicks.

[Colin Cowherd]

Knicks and seven.

[Chris Broussard]

I'd probably do six. Yeah it just depends. I don't even.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's just not go overboard from this Celtics. There was no Tatum in game seven.

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[Chris Broussard]

How about Pistons, Cavs? I like Detroit in six.

[Colin Cowherd]

Cavs in six. I'm rocking with James Harden. My main man.

[Chris Broussard]

Go.

[Colin Cowherd]

Listen, the Detroit nightlife scene is not popping so Hardin should be locked in. Just.

[Chris Broussard]

I was just. I was just. You know, the players, they all. They stay in Birmingham.

[Colin Cowherd]

I heard that's a lovely suburb in America.

[Chris Broussard]

Not only a lovely suburb, it's one of America's. I was just there last weekend.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hanging out in Birmingham.

[Chris Broussard]

Yeah, my, my wife's got family there. Birmingham, Michigan, you don't even tell me. Is the Rodeo Drive of the Midwest. I'm not joking. You should go there. It's an hour flight. It's a 40 minute flight from where I'm at now.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'll go there for July 4th.

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[Chris Broussard]

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