Rachel Nichols stops by The Herd to talk about the Warriors surprising game 1 win over the Timberwolves, Steph Curry's injury, the future of the Lakers/Lebron, and more
Thoughts on Tyrese Haliburton and the ridiculous overrated label he was given
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Our two. Welcome in. It's the Herd. Wherever you may be, Oh whatever, I'll take you right now. You eat with your eyes before you eat with your mouth. I'm not eating a blue sour patch kid, I'm not eating blue food. And J Mack goes yellow and I'm like, well, that's a lemon orange orange.
When I used for full.
Straves, I get the pack of Skittles, I take out the orange and yellow and get into my kits and my I love that cover, only the red.
You all the same.
I don't get skittles.
That knew it.
No, No, we did skittles, Like, close your eyes, put the skittle in your mouth. What flavor is it?
And I hasty because I'm good at that. Sally ranswers Skittles gotta be air.
Some people are whine. Sam Aliet's you're good on skittles.
That sounds about right.
So I was thinking about this. So the Cowboys, it's so crazy. They gave up a fourth round pick for Trey Lance, who Kyle Shanahan's like, not gonna work. They gave up a fifth and a sixth round pick for Brandon Cooks, who I kind of like, a fourth and a seventh for Jonathan Mingo, which I said, as they did that ridiculous. They traded a third and a fifth round pick for George Pickens, which is too much for me, and a sixth round pick. I would not have given up that much for Pickens. But they they treat draft picks like office supplies, like, oh, you lose a pen, let's just order some more. There's a reason the best teams accumulate draft picks, because it's a volume game. Drafting is an inexact science. Fifty five percent of the guys never pan out. And that's I mean, they're they're I mean the Rams have done almost the possible. Every defensive pick the last two years has worked. And there are guys like John Snyder in Seattle, Jason lytton Tampa, Howie Roseman who hit on their picks. Howie Roseman, though, whiffed on a Stanford receiver. That TCU receiver in the first round. Who's bounced around the league? The great guys wh So you're trying to accumulate the most picks and just play the math game, the volume game. So like San Francisco this year, at eleven picks, if you could get five to contribute, that's about the league average. And we think the Niners are better run than most teams. So the Cowboys giving up all these picks for George Pickens. He is a volatile player that the Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Tomlin said, I've had enough. By the way, how has Deontay Johnson been since he left Pittsburgh? How was Levian Bell when he left Pittsburgh? How was ab when he left Pittsburgh? Generally speaking, when Mike Tomlin says see you later, it doesn't work out well. So if I had to pred what would happen is that Ceedee Lamb is gonna get the twelve targets in the nine catches and Pickings will throw a tantrum by about week seven or eight and won't like it. I do think he's really talented, but drafting is such an inexact science to just be giving away all these picks. I mean, take the Rams for instance. I'll use them again. They got Puka Nakua in the fifth round. Look at Puka Nikua's production, and they pay him a million dollars a year. This league is built on paying four positions quarterback, left tackle, defensive lineman, weapon, and then having cheap labor. If you don't nail some fourth, fifth, and sixth round picks. If you go look at the Seahawks near dynasty, Pete Carroll was nailing fourth, fifth, six, third, seventh round picks. The Rams have done that. On defense, they had an undrafted guy last year ended up being a really good safety. You gotta do that. So it's just a numbers game. It's a math game. So I don't I don't really understand what they're doing. I really don't get it. The other thing, well, I will go too far into that. So if you've not heard, is Rachel here yet. One of the things that the story now is Steph Curry. It's going to basically miss the next three games. I think Golden State can win one of those home games because I think their culture and coaching and defense is so strong that they'll just muddy up and ugly up a game. Game two is going to Minnesota. They had no energy last night. They'll play with great energy in game two tomorrow. And with that, Rachel Nichols now is joining us here in the Herd on our set. It is great to see Rachel as always. Yeah, I mean I used the example earlier. Remember Aaron Rodgers first game of the Jets, he got hurt. Zach Wilson comes in the Bills, have no idea what he is and he wins the game. Last night, It's like, we didn't prepare for the Warriors without Steph. So you know, it's like, well, buddy healed his Steph. And so I do think there are moments where you can come losing a star. But if I get a plan a series without staph, does it feel like to you the Warriors are done well?
First of all, report just came out while you guys have been on the air that Steph is going to miss at least a week.
Yes, and so that's three games.
That's that's a lot of games. First of all, look, I'm not sure it was, Hey, we didn't plan for not Steph. I think that Minnesota's offense has been pretty disorganized, not just this game, but the last game of the Laker series.
And in fact, it speaks to boy that game five.
The fact that they even won that thing when they had such a bad.
Three point shooting night and then again last night, the worst.
Combined three point shooting over two games and NBA history.
Wow.
I mean, that's not a Steph's not here problem, right, So part of it is just disorganization. The transition game was bad. Chris Finch after the game called it diabolical. Our transition was diabolical. I mean that when your head coach was out saying that kind of stuff. I think a lot of it, too, was just guys being disrupted by the fact that you are playing a Warriors team that has a multiple time All Defensive player in Jimmy Butler, a multiple time All Defensive player in Draymond Green. He also also Defensive Player of the Year, also considered one of the best defenders in NBA history. They're not used to that after what they saw in the Lakers series, which was not a strong defense with a huge hole in the middle of it. So this is an adjustment for the Timberwolves. Regardless of the Steph Curry of it all. However, as you just said, I expect an answer, big response in Game two because I think Anthony Edwards has been challenged by his head coach and by the Warriors, and I think that now that they can know that Steph Curry isn't going to be there, they know that they have the chance to take the series by the throat, and I expect them to try.
So it's interesting with ant. I'm a defender of him. I do think the world has changed. Where you got a season Chris Paul or a Ewing or I mean almost every great Tim Duncan where they came and as men. Yeah, tough college coach. And I've said this, I said this last hour, Rachel. When you go to the G League, never play in a pressurized situation and you don't plan in front of big crowds. So you know, Aunt's one year at Georgia. He at least gave it a shot. But there's those who have said he could have. It was a bad draft and you just took him. But there's always been this he's a bit immature. And I don't mind bad shooting nights, but when you come in with no energy and you lose staff and you don't have the wherewithal to go. Okay, guys, we're young and rested. They're old, tired and no staff. I thought it was a real It was a real dud by Aunt.
Yeah, I mean, there's no question it was.
He missed his first ten shots extending into the second half. He have one point in the first half, and again his coach called him out on it after the game. He's twenty three years old. I just think we do have to keep remembering that. So, yes, he is going to have some immature nights. He's not there yet. He's not seasoned as a twenty six year old would a thirty year old or even a thirty seven year old, which is what Steph Curry is. He's got a long runway still there. So yes, sometimes these nights happen. We'll have to see if he can learn his.
Way out of it. As they said, look terrible.
And I would also say this because I thought you mean some really interesting points about the G League.
I completely agree with you.
It's not providing those guys with these clutch time situations. I have long said that the NBA, which is currently still talking about should we remove the first year age limit thing again and go that you could go straight back from high school.
It should go the other way. Yes, they should.
Require people to spend two years doing something college basketball, playing in a league. Guys who have come out of the Australian League after playing a couple of seasons.
There have gotten a lot of seasoning do something.
And the fact that you now can get paid to stay in college, and in some cases people are being paid more in college than they are in their first year in the NBA, you don't have that ethical dilemma that the NBA has wrestled a little bit of, Like, man, we're preventing young men from earning money and supporting their families by doing this age limit.
That's not a factor anymore. So why not make it two years?
To your point, you had people doing the work for you right in college or overseas or wherever it is, and you would get a completely different preparation of player. And I'm just not really quite sure why they're not doing that. I know the Players Association, there's some agreement there with the CBA, but I just I think it would benefit everyone.
Well, you know, the other thing is, and there was that sort of ethical dilemma. You're not paying the kids.
I get that.
But even if the G League offered you a little more than Kansas or Duke, Kansas and Duke games are on television. So the truth of the matter is the shoe deal and the advantages. Zion gets no shoe deal at the G League. He got it because of Duke.
Absolutely.
So like I'd say this just as a cautionary tale about just getting the money. I understand it ethically, But even if the G League paid more, do you guys understand how much a commercial costs during a Duke game? Because there's so many people watching a Duke or a Carolina or a Kansas or a Yukon game. College provides unbelievable free marketing to your body, your feet, your shoes, your game, your personality. Take advantage of it. Baker Mayfield came into the league T Bowl Reggie Bush as stars. Okay, so listen, I'm not going to tell people. Dan Wooke and I argued for twenty minutes yesterday. So this is the worst Houston's going to be over the next ten years. This is the worst Oklahoma City's going to be. This is the worst Wemby and the spurs are going to be They're only getting better because they're rising athletic stars, ascending stars and a draft picks. Yeah. The idea that the Lakers are like, listen, we're not budget on Austin Reeves, to me, lax, it's deluded. Guys.
Do you think that's a tactic?
Though it has to be great?
I mean, that was my impression hearing that is it's a tactic.
It's sort of you know, hey, guys, yes, we're open for business, clearly because they are trying to acquire a center. But you know, the price. If you want Austin Reeves and the deal would be like super high, then we wouldn't give up anything else because my gosh, we don't want to part with him.
That's a tactic.
So I think that, sure, they really do love Austin Reeves, and Dan, who is as plugged into the team as anyone in the world, will tell you that they love him, and by the way, they do, and Lebron is very fond of him, and they feel.
Like he's this homegrown product.
But absolutely, if they get some you know, some incredible guide in the deal, and the only last stickler is throwing Austin reeves he'll be gone because I just they need a different sort of combination of players, and if they can get that, if they can get center help, if they can get some of the other things on the wing defensively that they need, and Austin has to go, I think that they have a responsibility to do that because you have Luca, a generational superstar, you have Lebron who is still willing to get his four now forty one year old soon to be body out of bed and come play for you. And I think they've got to build the best possible team around those guys.
So over the course of a life, everybody should evolve, and I think smart people, probably more willing to change and adapt, evolve faster, sooner and more often. Lebron knows what he's doing. He's a billionaire. Yeah, how about this suggestion, take a little less?
Oh, I think he should take a minimum.
That's what I think. So look, and you and I aren't hey telling people what to do with their money.
No, no, no, But look, Lebron has felt for a long time that he is large at large, big picture underpaid, and that is why. Ever since his first contract in Miami, after that, he has wanted the maximum amount of money, and he is absolutely right. There is no amount of money that the NBA at large or any team he plays for could pay him to compensate for what he has brought to the NBA.
So he is always going to be quote underpaid.
But to your point, he is a billionaire, So how much money he made in the next year or two, it is not even going to put a dent in his grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren's pockets. And if I were Lebron, the thing you cannot buy with whatever amount of money you do get in that contract is championship rings.
And if you took just the.
League minimum and that allows a third really sort of huge superstar to come in, not only could he win another ring, but if he sticks around, and there's certainly a lot of talk about the fact that he wants to now wait to play with his son, Bryce, who still has a year at Arizona coming up, and there's a couple of years until Bryce comes in the league. He could get maybe two ranks, and by the way, that puts him in.
One more ring puts them in the Kobe conversation. Two more rings puts him in the Michael Jordan.
Ring conversation, and I don't care how much money the Lakers can pay him in the next year or two.
They can't pay him more championship rings.
And I just if I were him, The thing money can't buy is this team, you know, going to the finals having juice. He talked over the summer about how much loved the Olympics.
He was playing for something.
I mean, think about this, Think about Denver, a team that we all kind of feel collectively like, well, they don't have quite it. They have Jokic and Murray and Porter, Aaron Gordon's an elite player, Westbrook off the bench, the kid from Kansas Brown. Okay, that's a that's a lot of guys either in their prime and Westbrook still athletically is in most people's prime. Lebron's out of it, Austin's limited athletically, and Lucas never in great shape. That's just the Denver roster. Oklahoma City is so much deeper an athletic than the Lakers. Like my take his guys, Lebron, you need too major moves to compete with OKAC going forward because Jannis is probably gonna go west.
Well, look, first of all, I just want to keep saying it. We don't know for sure that Yannis will leave Milwaukee, so I know it's our job to talk about where he might go.
But he could.
Yannis has shown a lot of loyalty to the Bucks, so we'll just have to see how that plays out. However, if he does want a trade, there's already been reporting he wants to go to a major market. I'm not sure he's going to have as much of a say as some other superstars in that position, because he still has two more years left on his contract, and I think and he's also a good guy. He's not going to try to, you know, play his way out of a team or you know, not show up or hold out if he goes to a smaller market. So I think any team would take even if it's just only two years of Giannis. I think teams would take that, even if he's indicating that he wouldn't resign. But let's just talk about that with the Lakers. If for some reason the Lakers could get him, wouldn't Lebron take a pay cut for that? I mean, I just because here's the thing, they can't get him financially. Before we even get to the fact that the thunder had more draft picks, the Rockets have more draft picks, the Spurs have more draft picks.
They can't even they can't even have.
That conversation because the money factor won't work. So I just again, I'm not telling Lebron James what to do with his money. He's made a billion dollars for a reason. He knows what he's doing.
If it were me, I.
Would prioritize spending my last couple of years on a team that's getting to the NBA Finals. That's dominant, that's fun, that's winning. You cannot buy that.
Look at this. The Warriors without Steph beat the t Wolves in Minnesota. The Lakers were backhanded by Minnesota. The game was a physical mismatch. Yeah, if you watched that game last night as raw Pulink and Lebron and you're like, Warriors have six guys contributing last night, I would say the lacrosse guy seven or.
Eight lacrosse guy, I love it.
Like, Yeah, the Lakers like their third guy didn't contribute. He wouldn't play Jackson Hayes. It's a two man team.
And look, I will say the Lakers knew this. It's not as if.
After they made the Luca trade they were like, we're done, We're great. Right, they made that trade, they knew it would seriously hamper their chances in the playoffs this year. You still make that trade fifteen times out of ten, right, and then you fix it over the summer. So this is going to be the question now is when Rob Polnka is on the clock, not the minute after the Luca trade run. But now, can you build a team around Luca? Can you convince Lebron to take less money? Can you part with Austin Reeves emotionally if you have to? Those are the big questions facing the Lakers for offices.
So somebody asked me yesterday and they said, you know, Halliburton went to the Olympics and didn't have a big impact. And I said, the Olympics are like summer camp. Everybody gets along at summer camp. That doesn't mean they'd be a great teammate for eighty two games, right. So you go to the Olympics and like summer camp, there's a hierarchy. People have been to camp before. You know, they get the best bunk that, they get the best place to stay, They know all the counselors. So don't judge a player based on the Olympics. What Halliburton does is ware well over time because he's a facilitator. And this this Indiana series is over because one team, even though Donovan Mitchell is great, doesn't have a quarterback. Yeah, Halliburton in this series. Now, if you're watching this and you don't get it, I mean, I think he is so unique. Everybody touches the ball. I think this is his coming out part. You know we're talking about Anton Tatum. This is a moment for Halliburton.
I mean, he's coming out party last year. Also, I mean I have been long on the tyrese. Haliburton is a great player and his underrated train because look at him and.
Look what he does at the end of game.
Right, He's had two last second game winners in the last week, right this.
Year with the team coming yeah, under two minutes to tie or take a lead. Tenn of eleven.
Right, you literally cannot ask for more of that.
When Tyres didn't play at the Olympics, the funniest tweet I thought from him saying, hey, when you get an A on the group project and didn't do anything for it, and he's got a great sense of humor about it. But when he was named the most overrated player in that Athletic poll a few weeks ago, I really cautioned everyone look at the numbers because the Athletic, to their credit, was very transparent about how many players would even answer each question. May they only got ninety guys to answer the overrated question out of four hundred and fifty.
In the league.
And by the way, with the percentage of how much tyree'se got of being quote overrated, the math works out to twelve or thirteen guys. There's twelve or thirteen guys in the NBA out of four hundred and fifty who think Tyrese Haliburton's quote overrated.
It can be a little bit of a petty league.
I was going to say, this is a league, a little bit of a petty league, A little bit. This is the most petty workplace on Earth right right, So I just don't I throw that overrated thing out.
He's obviously started to use it to his vantage.
You've heard overrate that from him again last night, and I love that he has.
That is a rallying cry.
He is a very very good basketball player that you want on your team, and his teammates love him. And by the way, that is a great indicator of what kind of guy he is, that he could be the summer camp guy even when he's at home.
I mean, we all talk about the great domestic player and we don't bring him up. And he is the best between Tatum, Ant and Hallie. He's the best late game closer of the three.
Yeah.
Finally, Okay, So when everybody said j Mack was like, I think, okay, so he's gonna sweep him. I'm like, bro, Winver's got too many guys, too many veteran guys who have been in too many playoff games. Were you surprised a little that you could see how nervous, okayse he was. They would have been better off in Denver? Yeah, they looked tight.
Look was like, yes, I was a little bit surprised at that. I will say that if Aaron Gordon doesn't hit another last second sort of miracle sort of thing, that even the disorganization of the thunder at the end of that game wouldn't have mattered. So I just some of these games are so razor thin, so tight. Nikoli Jokich is on the other side and energize Russell Westbrook, who got a standing ovation in a foreign arena in the playoffs, which is just something you never see, is on one right now. I just think the difference in that game. Yes, the Thunder didn't play up to their level. Yes, they still don't have the solid, solid, oh my gosh, number two option who can just come out there and score. Jaylen Williams hasn't developed into that as the number two to Shay in that way, and we are still waiting for that to happen. He is their number two option, but it's just not the kind of at the level of what Okac is going to need to win titles in this round right now so far, so let's.
See what happens.
I still have a lot of faith in the Oklahoma City Thunder, But anytime you send Nikolijokic into a playoff game, I don't care what he seeded, I don't care what his teams are doing. That is a connected locker room who is playing for a coach that they really like. I talk to a bunch of the Nuggets players last week and they just were singing the praises out of Adaman, and I just think they will remain an extremely dangerous team as long as they're in it.
Yeah, he's got a little Bill Russell, he's coaching, he's playing. He I mean, I.
Mean, he's one of the best basketball players of all time.
Yeah.
Period.
I said, outside of Kareem in his prime, No, because Kareem was an unbelievable defender and like sometimes could you know, it's funny when you look at Jokic, you think he's indifferent and a lot of times he's just coachable. But the minute the coach leaves, he's the coach.
He's screaming at his guys on the sideline.
So good. Yeah, Rachel Nichols, so much fun. These games are crazy.
It's amazing what these playoff games have been.
And it is also the first time in NBA history that you had four road.
Teams win Game one in this round.
Wow.
Never happened before that.
Good jam, good nugget. All right, live Li, it's.
The Herd one more Heard. The Herd streams twenty four hours a day, seven days a week within the iHeartRadio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you like.
I'm not into like escapism. I didn't watch Game of Thrones. I like reality, and you say, well, what about Mission Impossible. That's not a movie, that's a documentary that's really happening in real time.
Hold on, Tom Cruise was in interview with the Vampire.
I didn't watch it.
I thought he was your guy.
No, I don't do vampire movie. I don't do wizards and sorcerers. I'm not into that stuff. I like documentaries, news, politics, sports, Okay, highbrow elitists. Yes, what am I escaping from? I talked sports for a living. I don't need to escape to some realm. I got nothing against sinners. But it's vampires.
So Game of Thrones.
Someone told someone smart, said, listen, start watching Game of Thrones with your kid because it teaches a lot of life lessons.
I guess I haven't seen it. Have you seen Game of Thrones?
Yeah, a lot of life lessons. Sorcerer appears, don't be friends with him or a wizard?
What about the dragons?
It's just I'm not into that. So I guess Centners is great. But like when I watched Oppenheimer, that really happened? Well, okay, I didn't watch Barbie. That didn't really happen.
You didn't see Barbie. No, it wasn't bad. And listen if Margot Robbie's in a movie as a man.
I watched it. I just watched the movie by Steven Soderberg, The Black Bag, and it didn't happen, but it could happen. It's like espionage. I like reality. Don't throw in stuff that doesn't exist. I'm not interested in that. I like heist movies. I like, you know, anything that I have to figure out. I'm not into face stuff, escapism, escape from what.
You don't want to go sit in a theater for two hours and just escape reality?
Just oh, man, what is a cocktail?
Does that just as well? You know, just sitting there thinking about things.
But you sound like you're really fun at parties.
I'm not. I don't like part Oh I don't.
By the way, I invited Cowherd to a dinner tonight.
He's like, no, thanks, Well you really sold it. Hey, it's a bunch of local dads. And I'm like, why don't you just take a sleeping pill instead? Jmack with the news. No, no, no.
This is the mind.
Let's go to the Celtics colin their game one strategy of sixty three point attempts did not work, missed forty five of them.
Well, I think he's your friend. Timmy Legler aka Legs.
Absolutely tore the Celtics to shreds yesterday.
Man, he ripped them.
Here we go.
What the Boston Celtics did last night was an insult to basketball in my opinion, Man, that that's an abomination, an abomination.
Offensively to play the way they played.
And look, if.
People are gonna sit there, well, let's till they play all the time, may flip out of three, time out of three?
What are you talking about?
Watch the game.
What I didn't understand was why they were the Celtics playing as if for literally an entire eighteen minute stretch they played offense like there was three seconds.
Not up in the game.
He's so right with such a bad look. I mean Tatum. This goes back to my Tatum. They're so embedded in this three point culture that Tatum, who can beat guys off the dribble. You'll watch him beat a guy off the dribble and pull back to take a three, because that's what Missoula and the guys upstairs won. Like I'm sorry, get me up. That's what Jimmy Butler does, get me a basket. Momentum, basketball matters. The fans are right on the floor. Get last night the Warriors when it all of a sudden, here goes Minnesota. Minnesota's got it to ten. Butler's like, let's just get a basket. Quiet the crowd down this and again. I think I think Boston's really good. But watch Tatum will beat guys off the dribble. He'll pull back and take the worst shot.
Well, three is more than two step back three for Tatum.
What's the percent of John hitting a three over a two normally for Tatum? It's good.
They just had an off game, Colin, I am curious. Can you guess the line tonight? Celtics hosting the net told me the other day it was ten and a half. It's not ten and a half now, I would guess it's nine and a half.
I love it.
It's going the other way. Everybody thinks Celtics bound back big time.
Nel McHale Bridges played like fifty one minutes.
Yeah, I think he was three or thirteen, but he had a huge steal at the end. Like, I don't know that the Knicks show up again. I done just kept how I mean's done. This is a one possession game late, because if that's.
The case, then the Knicks can win the series.
Thanks, you're not gonna win this show.
I largely agree with you, but I'm a Knicks fan, so I got a ride with her. Next up, let's go to the Nuggets, Colin another big comeback. Look at this Jokic coaching, Yes, coaching against Okay. See, he had a masterful forty twenty two. Now there's some interesting stuff about him being a vocal leader in the huddle.
Listen to Christian Brown. Listen closely to what he said about.
Yokich obviously has mine you know, in basketball, maybe ever, but definitely has the best mind on our bench. And so when he talks to people, listen, and that's who he is. He wants to win. So when he's yelling and telling you things a lot of times it's pretty hard to understand, but you know he means it. He's passionate about it. What he's telling you. He's not telling you just to say something. That his mind is great and he wants to win. And that's the guy he wants to be. I think he wants to be vocal. I don't know that he wants to have to yell every time out, but when people when he talks, people listen.
Jokics has the best mind on our bench. Where does that say to you? That includes the coaching staff.
I'm not I know I supposed to be appalled by that. Look, I think Lebron's had a better basketball mine, not than Spolstra, but I think Lebron probably knows situational basketball better than JJ Ruddick.
So that gets to the point.
Is there a world where the Nuggets saw, hey man, Michael Malone, Let's just get him out of here.
Jokis can lead us in the Houddel lead us on the well.
I think stand Kronky, who owns the Nuggets, at one point said, like the most Joe's bad. Malone is a very critical dressing. He's rough on players and so so so certain coaches, not a lot of them, but they're really good with players. Maybe not scheme guys. Now. Kerr is both full for both, but Malone was more scheme first and getting along at a cocktail party second. And I think Malone barked a lot, and I think that wears players out. It's a players league, and it has been since the seventies.
Can I put Reddick in that class of the elite coaches?
Well, no, he's not a leade yet any playoff series. I think schematically, I thought the Lakers were a very good first half team, mission very intentional team. You could see the game plan. But I think there is It's not the NFL you got, you know, seventeen Sundays, you got eighty two games sometimes. I mean Chris Finch twice a year probably has to light his teammate, and he did. That's about what you get two to three times a year. You can light your team up. You forget Remember it's not just the games. You have three times the practices. So two hundred and forty days with these players, you get about three nights to light them off.
The coaching part's interesting.
Remember Kyrie Irving when he went to Brooklyn and was like, we don't even need a coach.
We got me stupid to talk.
I largely agree, but Jokis versus an interim coaches is interesting.
Final story Collins to.
The NFL, where the Lions have had an amazing run in the last two seasons, but still.
No Super Bowl trips. They were closed two years ago. Detroit legend.
Barry Sanders believes the running game of Gibbs and Montgomery can lead the team to their first Super Bowl appearance.
David Montgomery, He's been a great running back in the NFL for many years, and he just added to that. You know, coming over from the Bears, and you see what Jamiir Gibbs was able to do last season. Really from the time, you know, from the last two years that he's been here, But I feel like last year was more of a breakout season for him. You would think that if the Super in our future in the near future, and you would think that those two guys would be a big part of it.
No good line, good backs, good receiver.
Interesting in the running back hype, two running backs.
He said nothing about the quarter that who had four turnovers in the playoff loss to Washington.
I didn't notice GoF three picks in a fumble.
Well, Goff is the last one of the last three or four pure pocket passers. Cousin Stafford gob not many I get super Bowl. Oh, Goff's been to a Super Bowl.
Yes, look at that fifty nine years since the Lions were in the Super Bowl.
My my Jets are on that list.
I would guess I'll never see the Jets in the super Bowl in my lifetime.
I don't think they'll get there in the next.
I think I think Detroit's got Detroy's got a way better chance. Well, I will say this is gonna be a big year for Golf. If he stumbles in the playoffs, they'll just got a new contract, didn't you. Well, you know what, he is a good cornerback. You could put Goff every year. Eight teams are desperate for a quarterback. Jared Goff on the market would would find a job. Geno Smith has gotten multiple opportunities. Jared's beat up the Gino y. Sam Darnold totally resurrected his career. Baker Mayfield, you get opportunities. Jared Goff on the market would have suitor.
Speaking of Darnald, you'r Niner's last place take yesterday, forty nine ers fans on the internet were fired up. I know people are angry when they're coming to me saying you've got a talk sense into coward. Niners are not a last place team like people are your NFL takes in the office.
I said, you're working people up.
Hey, truth hurt, I said a year ago today, I said the Niners have peaked. It is not going to look the same, And I was right. They should have two years ago started moving pieces. They didn't, So this is and I thought Seattle and Arizona arguably had two of the top three drafts.
Niners lost that Super Bowl in overtime like they were close.
You know, that was their peaking year, eleven eleven wins this year.
Wait till the schedule comes out too. Hopefully it's not as tough as the Bear schedule. Jay Mack with the.
News, Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the herd Line News.
Julian Edelman stops by that whole Jordan Hudson Belichick thing. Do you know, do you see the story that Belichick could be looking for some quote, professional pr help, that Jordan Hudson has rubbed people the wrong way? I have no insight on this. This story is so weird. I don't know where to go in it. I'm about ready to wave the white flag on this whole story. I like it gets weirder every time there's a new story. She forced her way into the Duncan Donuts commercial with Belichick, like it's intense, But there's there's Edelman will have to give us some insight.
Yeah, well I made the mistake once you mentioned like her the story about her family, her parents, like what they do and stuff, and then I went down from rabbit holes.
I'm just going to stay out of the story. It's like you're waiting to go like, I don't.
Think I'll tell you the story. That's crazy is that guy going from Oregon to Hawaii. I'm a sailboat with his cat. Have you seen that thing on TikTok gripping?
Let's TikTok, my friend, come on, it's the hurt.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and noone Eastern non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together we're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app.
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As Kyle Tucker leads the Cubs against Juan Soto and the Mets, or the Giants take on Firron Buxton and a Twins. Check local listings for the game in your area Saturday, seven Eastern.
On pod, people are saying the Cubs should be the best eam in baseball, That's what they're saying. So Steph Curry will not play minimum next three games for the Warriors, So it's interesting. Here's a graph that he definitely won't play tomorrow. The Warriors are seven and five without Steph. The offense takes a huge hit when he doesn't play. They score like seven less of game. The defense is actually noticeably better, one ten to one oh five. Here's kerr on playing without Steph.
Talked to Hi about halftime, just you know, he's obviously crushed, but you know, the guys picked him up and played a great game and concerned about stuff. But it's part of part of the game. You just guys get hurt and you move on. It's an amazing group of guys. These guys are they're they compete and they're together. We've been the best defense in the league since the Jimmy trade and that's what's keeping us afloat right now.
Yeah. I mean they they took the Rockets in Game seven and the t Wolves in Game one, took them to the shed. And that that offensive performance was brutal by Minnesota last night. The other thing that happened last night, it was the craziest game. I mean, Calves are up seven, like there's a minute left. It's crazy. But this whole thing about Tyrese Halliburton the NBA has always been a very petty league, and guys play favorites, and there is some value in being cool, which is fine. It's doctor j was cool, Michael was cool. Uh there, you know, Iverson had so much street cred, like I get it. Halliburton maybe maybe he's not, but the numbers are insane. He is ten of eleven this year to tie the game or take a lead with under two minutes left. That is remarkable. That is unbelievably clutch. And he talked after doing it again last night about the whole overrated label.
Good for them, man, that came out of nowhere. But uh, it's just uh, I think now that that label's there, they're all that's going to be every time he plays them. But every time I'll row it. He'll probably follow me until the next poll comes out and then we'll see if I'm number one again. But you know, for me, I just control what I can man, And uh yeah, I mean that.
The other thing about Halliburton is he stayed in college another year and it paid off. He got to become a lottery pick. And I think you know I've said this before, is point guards are quarterbacks and Shader Sanders dropped in the draft, and part of it was people thought he lacks self awareness. And I think the players that understand the value of college basketball. I mean, look at the Warriors right now, Steph Clay was Draymond Green. Young players struggle with the Warriors. They just they young guys aren't mature enough to make the Warriors. Jordan Poole, they bailed on him. Wiseman cominga looks lost. And I think Halliburton's one of those NBA players that plays much older than he is, and I think college basketball deserves a lot of credit for that. This is you know, listen, I'm gonna give you my opinions. You don't have to like him. I've been on this for years. I confronted Adam Silver on it. The G League hurts growth. It hurts growth. You're just taking money. Go to college. It's better for marketing, you get better coaching. You play in march madness, which is an NBA environment, you plan sold out arenas. You're on a college campus. You're just dealing with smart people all over your college campus. You're gonna have friends that aren't basketball players. I you know, I'm Urban Meyer. When he in college, he always liked recruiting players who played other sports beyond football. He wanted basketball players and track guys. I'm really if I was an NBA GM, I would be more attracted to college basketball players. I think you've been coached better, You've had more sold out arenas, you've had more national television games. I mean the G league'es just G league. Give me a break. I mean, no, nobody's watching those games, nobody's going to those games. And the coaching. Now, Nick Nurse came from the G League. There are some good coaches. But I think if you're not going to go college basketball, go overseas, go play in Europe, and go play in these intense environments in Greece or Spain or wherever it is now. I don't think that's a terrible idea because again, there's intensity, and there's you know, there's a there's a press that's on you, and there's a community that it's pretty tribal and intense. I don't think the G League. The NBA just was on this G League thing, and I don't think it helps players There are by the way, NBA's most clutch player, best clutch player, Jalen Brunson three years in college, won two titles. Go look at the best. Who are the best clutch players? Brunson College, Halliburton College. Here's the guys that are lost cominga and Jalen Green.
Let me give you a couple of G League guys who have thrived in the NBA. Pascal Siakam has been excellent. Chris Middleton had a great run with the Bucks. Fred van Vliet won a title, and the list stops about there. Well, Alex Caruso with the Lakers had a good little on them, fine solid run. Austin Reeves started with the South Bay Lakers.
Yeah, but he also played a bunch of college.
They played a bunch of college.
Yeah. Yeah, No, I'm not saying Lebron James has to go play college or like Wimby. But the European system of basketball is more like our college system. You're playing sometimes against older players. An eighteen year old comes into Wisconsin and they've got twenty two year old seniors. So the European system is more like our college system with the elite coaching, real pressure, skills and practice matter, and you're playing against older guys.
There's also something that Halliburton being kind of an overlooked recruit out of Wisconsin.
They weren't even recruiting him in state. Same with Donovan Mitchell. He ended up. I think at Louisville, guy dropped forty eight last time. We haven't mentioned that he.
Had a great game.
Well, but like some of these guys who were overlooked underdogs, if you will, the Brock Parties of the world, Halliburton, a lot of these guys were overlooked and they.
Come out and they've got the chip on their shoulders. Well, whereas you know, the number one overall pick doesn't always feel that way.
I thought, I still think it's funny that a lacrosse player was getting minutes for the Warriors last night. So I went, indeed, I went and looked at it last night.
Unbelievable.
He went overseas, he wasn't even a dominant overseas guy, and the Warriors got his rights and just doing hook shots, running hook shots.
And his brother played on Yukon's national championship. When he came, I didn't even know that. I mean, this kid, he looks like a police officer with that mustache.
You know, he wears Thember sixty.
He kind of looks like Reno nine to one pop.
He almost looks like a parody of something and he's just out there playing and he's a tough guy.
By the way. Lacrosse. He reminds me of the sixty two year old guy at the YMCA who's doing hook shots and they go in off the glass. Guys, have you ever gone to the YMCA and had the old guy who like can't miss hook shots. It's like, what do you, George Miken, what does this game come from? All right, Julian Edelman's around the corner. We gotta go down Belichick and Jordan Hudson. This. We need an investigative I.
Team be careful on this one. Big guy.
Hey, I have supported that relationship. My wife has not supported I have supported this fren relationship.