1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: This episode is brought to you by All State. Some 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: by checking all State first. Like you know to check 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,440 Speaker 1: the date of the Big Game first before you accidentally 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: buy tickets on your twentieth wedding anniversary and have to 6 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 1: spend the next twenty years of your marriage making up 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: for it. Yeah, checking first is smart, So check all 8 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: State first for a quote that could save you hundreds. 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: You're in good hands with All States Savings. Ferry terms 10 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: apply All State Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois. 11 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 2: This episode is brought to you by Unstoppable. Discover the 12 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 2: inspiring true story about Anthony Roebliss, who defined every expectation 13 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 2: to become a national wrestling champion and Unstoppable, a new 14 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 2: original movie from Amazon MGM Studios and director William Goldenberg. 15 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 2: Evoking the excitement and camaraderie of classic sports dramas and 16 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 2: thrilling wrestling matches. Unstoppable features an all star ensemble cast 17 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: including Jurelle Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, Michael Pania, and 18 00:00:54,880 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 2: Bobby Knavali. Watch Unstoppable now exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. 19 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 3: Welcome in to another special edition of the What's Right 20 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 3: with Nick Wright's podcast and YouTube show, the fourth part 21 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 3: of our continuing series the fifty Greatest Players of the 22 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 3: last fifty years in the NBA. We get to players 23 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 3: thirty nine through thirty five today. If you haven't listened 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 3: or watched the previous episodes, I highly recommend you do so. 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,040 Speaker 3: The first episode we lay out the rules, the parameters, 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: who was too old to make the cut, and the 27 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 3: honorable mention to the guys who just missed. And then 28 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 3: the next few episodes we get through players fifty through forty. 29 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 3: As I said, today are players thirty nine through thirty five, 30 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 3: and it's a perfect little quintet of players because player 31 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 3: thirty nine is not a controversial inclusion, but incredibly difficult 32 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 3: to rank, and player thirty five also I don't believe 33 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: to be a controversial inclusion, but maybe the single most 34 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 3: difficult player to rank. But they are difficult to rank 35 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 3: for very different reasons. So we will start with number 36 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 3: with player number thirty nine. One of the older players 37 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 3: on the entire list, Player thirty nine is none other 38 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: than Bill. 39 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 4: Walton, Number thirty nine, Bill Walton, Bill Walton. 40 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 3: Is a two time NBA champion. He won the nineteen 41 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 3: seventy eight NBA MVP and finished. 42 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 5: Second the previous year. 43 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 3: However, he is only one time first Team All NBA 44 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 3: only one time second. 45 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 5: Team All NBA. He did win a rebounding. 46 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 3: Title of Blocks title and later in his career a 47 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 3: sixth Man of the Year and as you can see, 48 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 3: two time All Defense. So he started his career as 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 3: the way he finished his college career as one of 50 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 3: the greatest players ever. Unfortunately for him, a foot in 51 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 3: he derailed everything. But at the beginning of his career 52 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 3: he walked into the league and was instantly dominant, as 53 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 3: you can see not only from the MVP in the 54 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 3: second place the previous year, but what he did in 55 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: those NBA Finals in nineteen seventy seven, the year before 56 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,919 Speaker 3: he won league MVP. He won Finals MVP twenty eight 57 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 3: and twenty in his first finals game ever twenty twenty three, 58 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 3: seven and eight to win the title game six, closeout game. 59 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 3: He averaged nineteen nineteen five and four for this series, 60 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 3: and at that point it looked like, Okay, Bill Walton 61 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: is going to be one of the ten twelve greatest 62 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 3: players in basketball history. Unfortunately for him, it never came 63 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 3: close to that again. For that entire championship run, he 64 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 3: was eighteen, fifteen, six and three and then the injuries 65 00:03:59,040 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 3: ruined him. 66 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 5: Now, to his credit, he was a valuable role. 67 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 3: Player for what some people believe the greatest team ever, 68 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: the eighty six Celtics. He averaged eighteen minutes per game 69 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 3: for them in their playoff run. So he was a 70 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 3: part of that, but he was not even close to 71 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 3: a leading part of that. And so Walton is incredibly 72 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 3: tough because we know how hot the fire burned in 73 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 3: the beginning. We know it wasn't an outlier because of 74 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 3: what he did in college. And by the way, like 75 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 3: college doesn't matter for these lists, but it adds context 76 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 3: for Bill Walton and Demons's going to join me in 77 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 3: a moment for some of Bill Walton question. But I 78 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 3: you know, I know you don't know much about Walton. 79 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 3: I'm certain you don't know much about his college career. 80 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 3: It should be noted Bill Walton started his college career 81 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 3: going seventy three and um a seventy three game winning 82 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 3: streak for UCLA to start his college career. He played 83 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 3: three years because back then you couldn't play as a freshman. 84 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 3: He was Player of the Year all three years, the 85 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 3: first two years when he won the national championship. Well, 86 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 3: the first two years he won the national championship, he 87 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,279 Speaker 3: was Final four MVP both years, and the one year 88 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 3: he didn't win the national championship, he lost in double 89 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 3: overtime to NC State by two points, so he really 90 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 3: could have gone three for three. In college, he's the 91 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 3: second greatest college player ever, and for his second national championship, 92 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 3: he went twenty one of twenty two in the National Championship, 93 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 3: twenty one of twenty two from the field for forty 94 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 3: four points. So he was that player in college. Then 95 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 3: in the pros he almost immediately was an MVP caliber player. 96 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 3: Won a title with the Blazers, the finals MVP. The 97 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: numbers were insane again twenty twenty three seven assists, eight 98 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 3: blocks to win his first championship, and then put injuries 99 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 3: ruined it. So he's hard to rank. I have to 100 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 3: use full context. I have him at number thirty nine. 101 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 5: What's your bill, Walton blest Hey, let me eat this straight, okay? 102 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, at thirty nine, you've got a cinner with one Yeah. 103 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 5: Known for his passing and creativity. Yeah, sounds a lot 104 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 5: like Jokic to me. You know, how can you like 105 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 5: Walton so much? But I hate Joki so much? 106 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 3: Okay, I don't hate Jokic. I just thought he shouldn't 107 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 3: have won MVP last year. And by the way, by 108 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 3: the time you guys hear this, Jokic might have two MVPs. 109 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: And if he does end up winning this year's MVP, 110 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 3: then he probably deserves a spot somewhere in the lower 111 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 3: forties on this list. But the reason that I can 112 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:38,159 Speaker 3: justify it is because Jokic doesn't have anything close to 113 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 3: the finals, MVP and the championship. 114 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 5: Forget Walton's second championship. If Jokic had had. 115 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 3: Carried a team to the NBA Finals, had it carried 116 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 3: a team to a championship, it's a totally different ball game. 117 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 5: Instead, Jokic has had. 118 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 3: One career playoff run where he went past round two 119 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 3: and he got annihilated by Anthony Davis. And so because 120 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 3: of that, I don't yes, Jokic is the best passing 121 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 3: center since Walt and Jokicic is building a resume that 122 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 3: if I were to do this in twenty five years 123 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 3: and I did the twenty five best player or the 124 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 3: seventy five best players of the last seventy five years. 125 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 3: Then Jokicic is building a resume to be on that. 126 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 3: But as of this moment we're recording this, he has 127 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: one MVP, no super deep playoff runs, and hasn't done enough. Walton, 128 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 3: to my eye, had done more. And Walton was a 129 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 3: better player. I mean Walton, the injuries kill him, which 130 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 3: is why he's as low as he is. But Walton 131 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 3: deserves me number thirty nine. If you didn't know much 132 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 3: about number thirty nine, you definitely don't know anything about 133 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 3: number thirty eight. 134 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 4: Number thirty eight. Bob McAdoo. 135 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 3: All right, some respect for the old timers in Bob McAdoo. 136 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 3: So here's what Bob McAdoo was able to do. He also, 137 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 3: by the way, like Walton, was only one time first 138 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 3: team All NBA and one time second team All NBA. However, 139 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 3: he came into the league and by year three, I'm sorry, 140 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 3: by year two he had a three year stretch where 141 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 3: either won the MVP year came in second. He went 142 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:13,239 Speaker 3: MVP in seventy five, second place in seventy four, second 143 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 3: place in seventy six, and Rookie of the Year in 144 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: seventy three. He was a three time scoring champ, averaging 145 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 3: thirty two per game years two through four, and as 146 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 3: you can see, from nineteen seventy four to nineteen seventy 147 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 3: nine average twenty nine and thirteen. The problem for McAdoo 148 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 3: is the lack of championships as the best guy, but 149 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: it doesn't kill him that much because of what he 150 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 3: was able. 151 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 5: To do in the postseason. 152 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 3: His first playoff series ever, which is in year two, 153 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 3: he has two forty point games he averaged. The year 154 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 3: he won MVP nineteen seventy five, which was his third year, 155 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:57,959 Speaker 3: he averaged thirty seven and fourteen in a playoff series 156 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 3: against Elvin Hayes and the bullet It's an excellent Bullets 157 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 3: team that a few years later would go on and 158 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 3: win a championship. He averaged thirty seven and fourteen against him. 159 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 3: He in that series, he had thirty four points in 160 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: every single game and put up a fifty to twenty 161 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 3: one Again. 162 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 5: This is year three to the ear he won the MVP. 163 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 3: During that three year peak, while his team never won 164 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 3: a championship never made the finals, he averaged in the 165 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 3: playoffs thirty two and fourteen in forty six minutes per 166 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 3: game in his first and then he changes teams, goes 167 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 3: to the Knicks, first playoff game ever with the Knicks 168 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 3: forty one points, and then he eventually goes to the 169 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 3: Lakers eighty two Lakers. Nobody thinks about Bob mcadee, but 170 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 3: he was important, so he ends up winning two titles 171 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 3: with the Lakers. One could argue the reason they didn't 172 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 3: win the eighty four title was because McAdoo got hurt. 173 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 3: He gets hurt in Game six of the eighty four finals, 174 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: or else maybe they win that series. But in eighty 175 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 3: six he was just a role player, but in eighty 176 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 3: two he was an important player for that team. Magic 177 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 3: wins finals MVP, but to get into the finals to 178 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 3: clinch his first career Finals birth as a not a 179 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 3: role player, but not the leading guy on the team 180 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 3: with Magic and Kream, He's twenty six to eight in 181 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 3: the Western Conference Finals in the final game to clinch 182 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:16,840 Speaker 3: the finals. 183 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 5: Birth. 184 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 3: In those finals he averaged sixteen to five, So an 185 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 3: important piece on a championship team. And if we want 186 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 3: to add a little bonus after the winning the title 187 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 3: in eighty six as a role player, he went to 188 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 3: Europe and won two EuroLeague titles. A true professional scorer 189 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 3: who again walked into the league and by year two 190 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 3: was a top two MVP candidate for three straight years 191 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: and a scoring champion for three straight years. Player number 192 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 3: thirty eight is Bob McAdoo. I believe you have a 193 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 3: question about Bob McAdoo. 194 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 6: Let's hear it, Nick, you know, as the wise elder 195 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 6: statesman at first things first, your tutor. Oftentimes I'm glad 196 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 6: to see you give us some love to my man, 197 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 6: Bob McAdoo. McAdoo can do. That's what we used to 198 00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:08,599 Speaker 6: say back in the day, kind of a precursor to 199 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 6: Kevin Durant, to be honest, obviously not as good as Durant, 200 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 6: but very much of six ' nine at that time. 201 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 6: Stepping out, hitting the jump shot could take you off 202 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 6: the bounce as well. But I gotta be honest, I 203 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 6: don't think i'd have him ahead of Dwight Howard and 204 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 6: Anthony Davis, especially Dwight who obviously led a team to 205 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,679 Speaker 6: the finals twenty six and thirteen against Lebron, beating Lebron 206 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 6: when they had I believe the best record of the league. 207 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,560 Speaker 6: But outside of that, I love you giving love to 208 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 6: McAdoo can do. 209 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 3: All right, Brew, Listen, those are fair points, and Brew 210 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 3: obviously knows his NBA history, and I love that he's 211 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 3: being a part of this with us. And I don't 212 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 3: have McAdoo a far ahead of Dwight n ad It's like 213 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,199 Speaker 3: four or five spots ahead of them. My argument would 214 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 3: be Dwight nade have both come close to winning league 215 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 3: in DP Bob McAdoo won it and finished second two 216 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 3: other times, and as dominant as their peaks were, I 217 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,200 Speaker 3: think mcadow's was a touch more dominant, certainly on the 218 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,840 Speaker 3: offensive end, not obviously not on the defensive end. But 219 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 3: it's not a bad argument that he's making. But I 220 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 3: think McAdoo was a had a touch more impressive career 221 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 3: than Dwight Howard Dida. Assuming Dwight's crew is basically over 222 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 3: and then Anthony Davis has up to this point. 223 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 5: If Anthony Davis. 224 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 3: Doesn't eventually pass Bob McAdoo, something went terribly wrong. 225 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 5: But there's player number thirty eight. 226 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 3: Bob mcadee, come right back with player thirty seven, who's 227 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 3: someone all of you remember for a finals loss, But 228 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 3: do you remember how important he was in a Finals victory. 229 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 5: We'll do that next. 230 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 3: All right, Welcome back into What's Right with Nick Wright 231 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 3: Podcast Special fifty Best Players of the Last fifty Years edition. 232 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 5: This is our fourth episode in this edition. 233 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 3: We are already to player number thirty, so let's waste 234 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 3: no more time an all time player who I think 235 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,439 Speaker 3: it gets a couple moments of his career have been 236 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 3: forgotten to history by many people that even consider themselves 237 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 3: NBA fans. 238 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 4: Number thirty seven, Clyde Drexley. 239 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 3: So he's one time first team All NBA, two times 240 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 3: second Team All NBA, two time. 241 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 5: Third Team All NBA. 242 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 3: He almost won MVP in nineteen ninety two, but Michael 243 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 3: Jordan did that year. He also he also almost won 244 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:32,680 Speaker 3: the title, but Michael Jordan did more on that in 245 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 3: the moment. He is one other top five MVP finished 246 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 3: where I say people forget things about five People remember 247 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 3: him losing to Jordan in the finals, and. 248 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 5: They remember, ah, yeah, he was on one of those 249 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 5: rockets champions. Okay. 250 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 3: What I don't know if they remember is before he 251 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 3: lost to Jordan the finals, he led the Portland Trailblazers 252 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 3: to the nineteen ninety NBA Finals, where they lost to Detroit, 253 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 3: you know, the bad boy Pistons who could have won 254 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 3: three titles in a row. 255 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:05,319 Speaker 5: It lost Isaiah Thomas. No shame in that. 256 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 3: So nineteen ninety Clyde to the best player on a finalist. 257 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 3: Nineteen ninety two, Clyde is the best player on a finalist. 258 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 3: And let's talk about how he did in those finals. 259 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 3: In the finals, lost to Detroit, a Detroit team that 260 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 3: up to that point in time had truly bedeviled Michael Jordan. 261 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 3: Clyde averaged for those finals twenty six, eight and six. So, yeah, 262 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 3: Detroit one in five, But it was not because Clyde 263 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 3: didn't do his thing twenty six, eight and six against 264 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 3: the bad Boy Pistons in the finals in nineteen ninety 265 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 3: Then two years later against Chicago and Michael Jordan, the 266 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 3: defending champion Chicago Bulls. 267 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 5: What does Clyde do in those finals. 268 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 3: Twenty five, eight and five in those finals to Chicago 269 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 3: and that postseason he was twenty six, seven and seven. 270 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 5: Now, du'll see throughout this series. 271 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 3: Sometimes for postseason accomplishments, I talk about individual monster games. 272 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 3: Clyde didn't have a ton of monster games in the postseason. 273 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 3: He only had a handful of forty point games. He 274 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 3: was just incredibly consistent. He had so few stinkers, if 275 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 3: you will, that despite not having a bunch of the 276 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 3: thirty eight, forty two to forty four point explosions, he 277 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 3: still had a career playoff averages of twenty seven and six, 278 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 3: which were all slightly better than his career regular season averages. 279 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 3: So he's a guy who was actually better in the 280 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 3: postseason than he was in the regular season. And as 281 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 3: you saw earlier, in the regular season, he came you know, 282 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 3: he was an MVP candidate, a legitimate MVP candidate for 283 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 3: a few years. But I'm still leaving out one finals appearance. 284 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 3: And before I talk about that finals appearance, let me 285 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 3: bring in our friend Rick Huker, who wants to ask 286 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 3: about Clyde Drex. 287 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 7: Phenomenal athlete. Clyde on the level of Jordan, but Game 288 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 7: five fndamentally was not as refined. I just wonder, Nick, 289 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 7: if you would look at him the same way if 290 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 7: he hadn't gone to Houston and won a championship with 291 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 7: a Keeam, because that was a matter of being in 292 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 7: the right place at the right time and had more 293 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 7: to do with the Keeams ascension than Clyde's okay. 294 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 3: So this is where with respect to Rick, he's just wrong. 295 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 3: And it was so in those finals that if we're 296 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,000 Speaker 3: talking about the finals that he won against Shack and 297 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 3: the young Orlando Magic, what could have been Orlando Magic 298 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: in those finals Clyde averaged twenty two to ten and seven. 299 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 3: He was the clear cut second best player for the Rockets. 300 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 3: But that under sells how important was. It's not just 301 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 3: that they were the sixth seed, in large part because 302 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 3: they didn't get Clyde until later in the year and 303 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 3: they went all the way to winning the title. But 304 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 3: if you remember that Rockets team was they faced elimination 305 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 3: a number of times throughout the postseason and then came through. 306 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 3: So how did they come through? I mentioned before Clyde 307 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 3: didn't have a bunch of monster playoff moments. Maybe his 308 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 3: best playoff game ever. One could argue forty one, nine 309 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 3: and six facing elimination in round one against Utah to 310 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 3: keep the season alive. So Game five must win, facing 311 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 3: elimination in Utah thirty one to ten in forty seven 312 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:25,360 Speaker 3: minutes in. 313 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 5: A four point victory. 314 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 3: The very next round, Houston falls down three to one 315 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 3: to Phoenix and Berkley, What does Clyde do there? Game 316 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 3: seven of that series twenty seven, twenty nine and eight 317 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 3: in forty one minutes in a one point victory. So 318 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 3: the idea that Clyde was his right place, right time, 319 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 3: it's not true. And then in the finals, I told 320 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 3: you he was twenty two, ten and seven, so he 321 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 3: was incredibly important. So yeah, he wasn't as I mean 322 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 3: Rick said he wasn't. Michael Jordan Again, I know Michael Jordan. 323 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 3: I know this is gonna shock you. Michael Jordan's gonna 324 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 3: show up in the top three on this thing. Now, 325 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 3: where's he gonna be in the top three? Who knows 326 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 3: he's gonna show up in the top three? I got Clyde? 327 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 3: Where do I have Clyde at thirty seven? So yeah, 328 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 3: there's a gap there. But the idea that Clyde was 329 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 3: this right place, right time. If he's not on that 330 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 3: Rockets team, they don't win the title. He absolutely deserves 331 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 3: credit for it. And one other thing to my friend 332 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 3: Rick Hucker, because Rick is contributing questions and Demons's contributing 333 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 3: questions of course, also Chris Brussard's contributing questions in a 334 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 3: clip we didn't end up using that was about a 335 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 3: different player. Brew went on a little tangent about that 336 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 3: player's ranking in comparison to Clyde the Glide Drexler. I 337 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:45,239 Speaker 3: echo everything you're about to hear from Chris Brussard. So 338 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 3: in other word, Rick, it's two to one Nick and 339 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,400 Speaker 3: Brussard against you. So we're right, you're wrong. Here's Brew 340 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 3: on Clyde before we move of. 341 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 6: Clyde led the Blazers without a perennial All Star teammate 342 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 6: to three straight troops of the Western Conference Finals and 343 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 6: two appearances in the NBA Finals, lost to the great 344 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 6: Isaiah Thomas. And of course Michael Jordan then goes in 345 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 6: teams with Elijah Wan fits in plays well, is an 346 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 6: All Star, twenty points. 347 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 4: A game and a ring. 348 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 6: Clyde don't get enough love, my man, including on your list. 349 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 3: Now the player number thirty six who never sniffed the title, 350 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:27,320 Speaker 3: which is why he's not higher than. 351 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 4: This number thirty six, George Gervin. 352 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 3: So Gervin five times first Team All NBA, which is remarkable, 353 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 3: two time second team All NBA, and he played in 354 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 3: the ABA in the beginning of his career. Two time 355 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: All ABA second team. You're seeing it right there. Four 356 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 3: times he's top five MVPs and those happened all in 357 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 3: a row. Four years in a row he's top five 358 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 3: in MVP voting and two times he came in second. 359 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:57,400 Speaker 5: Four times scoring champ. 360 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 3: And this is a fun one that the maybe I 361 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 3: don't know if we'll ever see this again quite like this. 362 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 5: George Gervin and David. 363 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 3: Thompson, going into the final day of the season, were 364 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 3: essentially virtually tied to the scoring title. David Thompson scored 365 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 3: seventy two to try to win the scoring title. 366 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 5: Gervin needed I think in the high fifties to win it. 367 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,679 Speaker 5: Did you see this game? Did I see this game? No, 368 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 5: this is before I was born. This is well before 369 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 5: I was won. 370 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:29,880 Speaker 3: So George Gervin sees Thompson scored seventy two, He goes 371 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 3: out and scores sixty three points in only thirty three minutes, 372 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 3: didn't even play in the fourth quarter. That was how 373 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 3: he won his first scoring title for his career. George 374 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 3: Iceman Gervin twenty five points per game. That is tenth 375 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 3: all time. And you know our list is not all time, 376 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 3: it's last fifty years of the last fifty years. It's 377 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 3: fifth all time, behind only Jordan Lebron, Durant and Iverson. 378 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 5: So why wouldn't he be higher. He's now higher because 379 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 5: he never won in the playoffs. But when you. 380 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 3: Dig into it, he's smeared with the ah, the guy 381 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 3: never won. How much are we blaming it? So let's 382 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 3: go into it. For his career, he averaged twenty seven 383 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 3: points per game in the playoffs. In the playoffs, which 384 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 3: is top ten all time in the ABA. Let's go 385 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 3: to the ABA, facing elimination, drops a forty two and 386 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 3: seventeen and then a thirties in nineteen seventy five to 387 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 3: avoid elimination, but then they lose the next game and 388 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 3: they're out. The next year, they're facing elimination again, drops 389 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: a thirty seven and fourteen to avoid elimination, but then 390 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 3: they lose the next game and they're out. He lost 391 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 3: his first six career playoff series, but then finally gets 392 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 3: a playoff series victory and then nineteen seventy nine y'ur 393 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 3: in the Eastern Conference Semis against Doctor J. He puts 394 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:52,440 Speaker 3: up a thirty three, twelve and five to eliminate Doctor 395 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 3: J put up the very next round forty two and 396 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 3: six to get up three to one on the Bullets. 397 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 3: Because this is a weird time when the Bullet when 398 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 3: the San Antonio Spurs were in the Eastern Conference. 399 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 5: They had play Philly and then the Bullets. They then 400 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 5: moved to the Western That doesn't matter. 401 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 3: He puts up forty two and six to go three 402 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:12,320 Speaker 3: to one on the Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals. 403 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,959 Speaker 3: He puts up another forty two and six in Game seven, 404 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 3: but they lose by two and he never makes the finals. 405 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 3: For that series, he averaged thirty one and six. They 406 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,439 Speaker 3: lose to the Bullets again. A Bullets team that we 407 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 3: mentioned earlier would go to back to back NBA Finals 408 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 3: and win one championship. 409 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 5: Eighty two gets back to the conference finals. 410 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,360 Speaker 3: This time he's in the Western Conference Finals against those 411 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 3: eighty two Lakers we were just talking about a few 412 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 3: minutes ago that at Magic in Kareem and Bob McAdoo. 413 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 3: He averages in those Western Govermends finals thirty two, eight 414 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 3: and six, and he swept, swept, And then the very 415 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:50,920 Speaker 3: next year he loses to the Lakers in the Western 416 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 3: Reverends Finals again and that's it. So got to the 417 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 3: Western Conference finals a few times, never got passed there. 418 00:22:58,040 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 5: But how much are we putting on him? 419 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 3: Yes, he blew a three to one league with a 420 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 3: chance to get to the finals, probably his best chance ever. 421 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 3: But he put up forty two and six in game 422 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 3: seven and lost by two, and so I think he's 423 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 3: slightly underrated historically. Let's see what our caller has or 424 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,119 Speaker 3: our questioner has on George Iceman Gervin. 425 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 7: Who George Iceman Gervin at thirty fourth? Are we given 426 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:29,000 Speaker 7: extra credit for all time great posters because the one 427 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 7: with him sitting on the ice blocks is one of 428 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 7: the best of all time? But my goodness, he was 429 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 7: a scorer and that's all. 430 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 5: He was. 431 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 7: Phenomenal scorer. Finger roll beautiful, but just a scorer. 432 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 5: Yeah, But the scoring is important, That's the thing. I agree. 433 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 5: He was mostly just a scorer. But scoring when you score. 434 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 3: At that level, when you are one of the of 435 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 3: the last fifty years, one could ARDU ten greatest scorers. Ever, 436 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,479 Speaker 3: it at least gets you firmly in the top forty 437 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 3: of players. So I mean, he was Rick's not wrong 438 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 3: there that he was a pure scorer, but scoring is 439 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,680 Speaker 3: the most important part of the game. He did it 440 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 3: better than just about anybody ever, aside from a dozen 441 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 3: or so guys, so he absolutely deserves his spot at 442 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 3: number thirty six. Now number thirty five is a player 443 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 3: that some people would swear must be in the top twenty, 444 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 3: and some people will swear has to be outside of 445 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 3: the top one hundred, and will do him as our 446 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 3: final player on this installment of the fifty Greatest Players 447 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 3: of the Last fifty years. 448 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 5: He's next. 449 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 3: All right, Welcome back in final segment of today's edition 450 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 3: of the fifty Greatest Players of the last fifty years 451 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:52,959 Speaker 3: in the NBA on the What's Right with Nick Wright podcast, 452 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 3: Now we are here, Player number thirty. 453 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 4: Five, Number thirty five, Russell Westbrook. 454 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,560 Speaker 3: Russ was maybe the single hardest player to reign of 455 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 3: this entire enterprise because so Russ's regular season accomplishments are 456 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 3: up there with the twelve to fifteen greatest players up. 457 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 3: Two time first Team All NBA, five time second Team 458 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 3: All NBA, two time third Team All NBA, so he's 459 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,640 Speaker 3: nine time All NBA. He won an MVP three other 460 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:28,920 Speaker 3: times he came in top five. He has two scoring 461 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 3: titles and three assists titles. One of the only players 462 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 3: in League history, Tiny Archibald, Oscar Robertson, Lebron James, and 463 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 3: Russell Watsbrook are the only guys to ever do it once. 464 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,719 Speaker 3: Russ has done it two scoring doules, three assists, titles 465 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 3: average a triple averaging a triple level hadn't been done. 466 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:46,880 Speaker 5: In fifty years. 467 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 3: Russ did it three straight seasons, then took a year off, 468 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 3: did it a fourth straight season. 469 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:54,359 Speaker 5: He is going to be known for the triple doubles, 470 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 5: so let's dig in there for a moment. 471 00:25:56,119 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 3: He has won one hundred and ninety four career regular 472 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 3: season triple double as of this recording. 473 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:06,679 Speaker 5: That's not only the most all time. Only Lebron, Jason Kidd, Magic, 474 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 5: and Oscar Robertson even have one hundred career playoff career 475 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 5: regular season triple doubles. Russ is likely going to finish 476 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 5: his career well north of two hundred career triple doubles 477 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 5: in the playoffs. He's third all time in triple doubles. Okay, 478 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 5: so that's the good of Russ. We'll get to the 479 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:26,879 Speaker 5: bad in a moment. 480 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 3: But you guys know how much playoff stuff matters for 481 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 3: me on this It's unfair and disingenuous to act like 482 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,159 Speaker 3: russ never had good playoff mantles. 483 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 5: He did. 484 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 3: So let's just we're gonna go in chronological order, and 485 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 3: we're gonna need some time here. 486 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 5: In the twenty twelve. 487 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:48,120 Speaker 3: Finals, the only game the thunder one in that series, 488 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 3: he was twenty seven, eight and eleven as a kid 489 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 3: in the finals. In that In game four of those finals, 490 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 3: which they lost, he was the best player on seam 491 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 3: by a mark with no dispector Duran. He was forty 492 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 3: three seven and five on twenty of thirty two from 493 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 3: the field in game four of those finals, forty three 494 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:13,159 Speaker 3: seven and five to try to stay alive instead of 495 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 3: falling down three to one, but they end up losing. 496 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 5: For that. 497 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,480 Speaker 3: For his first finals ever, he's twenty seven. His only 498 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 3: finals twenty seven, six and seven. So we can't act 499 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 3: like that that didn't happen. Now, let's move on to 500 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:32,840 Speaker 3: twenty fourteen. Twenty fourteen, he's twenty seven, ten and sixteen 501 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 3: on just sixteen shots. In game seven of the first 502 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 3: round against Memphis, helped them propel them what would have. 503 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 5: Been a disastrous loss for them. In that same year, 504 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 5: Western armog Semis. 505 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 3: The next round, you guys, remember everyone remembers the CP 506 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 3: three Meltdown game. Say the Clippers have the big lead 507 00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 3: CP three, try to draw the foul. He doesn't get it, 508 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 3: but gets forgotten. Is Russ in that game? Went tottoe 509 00:27:57,800 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 3: with Chris Paul and ate him up. 510 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 5: He would was. 511 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 3: Thirty eight, five and six and got fouled. At the 512 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,400 Speaker 3: very end of the games the Clipper from Melting Down 513 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 3: hit all three free throws to. 514 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 5: Win the game. 515 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 3: That very next round Western Conference Finals, the Thunder down 516 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 3: two to one to the Spurs. 517 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 5: The Spurs were going to win the title. 518 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 3: Russ was forty five, ten and five up to this point. Yes, 519 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 3: he was a little inefficient, a little careless with the ball, 520 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 3: but nobody was killing Russ. 521 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 5: So that's twenty fourteen. Let's go to twenty sixteen. 522 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 3: That's the year the seventy three win Warriors were down 523 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,239 Speaker 3: three to one to Russ's and Katie's thunder. Let's talk 524 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 3: about what he did there in Round one against Dallas 525 00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 3: thirty six, twelve and nine to send Dallas home. Average 526 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 3: for games five and six of the Western Garmend Semifinals 527 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 3: against the Spurs to send them home average thirty two, 528 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 3: seven and twelve in those two games. 529 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:04,960 Speaker 5: So again, it's all going good. 530 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 3: To go up three to one on the Warriors in 531 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 3: the Western ARMOURGS Finals average twenty seven, seven and twelve, 532 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 3: including thirty six, eleven and eleven in Game four to 533 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 3: go up three to one. 534 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 5: The problem is since then, she's gone real sideways. 535 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 3: Since then, since the Klay Thompson game, since that moment 536 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 3: and then Katie leaves, it's been bad, and it's been bad. 537 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 5: In the playoffs for five six years. 538 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 3: So Round one versus Houston, the first year without Durant, 539 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,720 Speaker 3: he did have a fifty one, ten and thirteen sixty 540 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 3: and fifty one tripled over in the playoffs average for 541 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 3: the series thirty seven to twelve and eleven. 542 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 5: But despite that, they lost in five. Why did they 543 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:50,280 Speaker 5: lose him five? 544 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,720 Speaker 3: Because even though Russ was averaging all those points and 545 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 3: assists and rebounds, he shot thirty nine percent from the 546 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 3: field and twenty seven percent from three, and he was 547 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 3: shooting ten threes a game. The next year in the 548 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 3: first round against I think it was Utah with Paul George, 549 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 3: he had a forty five to fifteen and seven to 550 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 3: stay alive and a forty six, ten and five in 551 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 3: game six, And if you go back and look at it, 552 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 3: that forty six, ten and five where they lost, he 553 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 3: wasn't good and that was with Paul George, and then 554 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 3: the next year Dames sends him home and then Paul 555 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 3: George leasing. So his career averages for the playoffs are 556 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 3: twenty five, seven and eight, which are exceptional, and his 557 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 3: career playoff percentages are forty percent from the field and 558 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 3: thirty percent from three, which are awful. 559 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 5: So what do you do with Russell Westbrook? 560 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:43,959 Speaker 3: I still feel like because it's been so bad as 561 00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 3: of late, and this last year with the Lakers, with 562 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 3: such a disaster, people forget how dominant he was at 563 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:51,120 Speaker 3: his peak. 564 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 5: Flawed but dominant. The MVP's got a matter. 565 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 3: The triple doubles might have been slightly overrated, but they 566 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 3: have to matter to a degree. He was the single 567 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 3: hardest player to rank in this entire enterprise. He's player 568 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 3: a number thirty five from Russell Westbrook. And now we 569 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 3: have a surprise questionaire. No one has told me who 570 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:10,280 Speaker 3: this is. Let's see what the Russell Westbrook question is. 571 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,240 Speaker 8: Hey, Nick, your old buddy el we're out of akl 572 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 8: from White Plains here Russell Westbrook at thirty five. We 573 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 8: love the effort, We love mister triple double. But Russ 574 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 8: at thirty five. Come on, neck, You've got James Worthy. 575 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 8: Big Game James ten spots down the list. At forty five, 576 00:31:29,480 --> 00:31:32,480 Speaker 8: you have George Gervin, never been to an NBA final. 577 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 8: Ahead of Big Game James. You have Gary Payton, who 578 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 8: won a NBA title. Is a parting gift. I had 579 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 8: a big game, James. You have Sidney Mokrieve, who I 580 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 8: loved one of the triple tremarkets. 581 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 4: I had a big game James. But Russ at thirty five. 582 00:31:47,240 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 4: Big Game James at forty five. 583 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:53,400 Speaker 8: One Finals appearance for Russ. Big Game James, three titles, 584 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 8: most valuable player in one of the great game seven 585 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:01,960 Speaker 8: performances in the history of the National Basketball Association. His 586 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 8: numbers in the postseason leaps and bounds the regular season. 587 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 8: This guy got it done when it was the most 588 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 8: important time to get it done. While Russ has been 589 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 8: a shrieking Violet moved that camera up a little closer. 590 00:32:12,840 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 8: In words that I know only you could understand this 591 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,640 Speaker 8: old man. He ain't lying, all right. 592 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,640 Speaker 5: That's the greatest sports radio caller ever. My friend Alan 593 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 5: white Planes. 594 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 3: Unfortunately, Alan white Planes instead of really asking me Russell 595 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 3: Westbrook question, he used his time to really just make 596 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 3: the case for James Worthy. James Worthy was a hard 597 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 3: one to rank as well as we talked about it. 598 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 3: If you want to go back and listen to the episodes, 599 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,479 Speaker 3: James Worthy doesn't have the all nbas and the MVP 600 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 3: votes and all that stuff because of the team he 601 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 3: was on, but he was unbelievable in the biggest moments. 602 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:49,960 Speaker 3: So I do understand the kind of reversal there. So 603 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 3: you have one guy who has all the regular season stuff, 604 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 3: all of it, and not a lot of the playoff 605 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 3: stuff in Russ, and another guy who has all the 606 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: playoff stuff but not a whole lot of the regular 607 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 3: season stuff in James. 608 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 5: So am I overvaluing the regular season? 609 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,840 Speaker 3: I would agree, possibly if a Russ didn't have any 610 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 3: substantial playoff moments. But I think I laid out that 611 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 3: early in his career. Up until Game five of the 612 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 3: twenty sixteen playoffs forward game five of the Western Urbans Finals, 613 00:33:20,960 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 3: I should say, basically from the moment Katie left to now, 614 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 3: up until then, he was actually a very valuable playoff performance. 615 00:33:28,280 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 5: So I think that, so I think Russe. 616 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:34,680 Speaker 3: Let me put it like this, Russ's playoff resume, one 617 00:33:34,680 --> 00:33:37,520 Speaker 3: can make a strong case, is heftier than James Worthy's 618 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 3: regular season resumes, and Russ's regular season resume is eye 619 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,800 Speaker 3: to eye with James Worthy's playoff resume. Russ's regular season 620 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,600 Speaker 3: resume is that of an all time guy. So again, 621 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 3: though I said at the beginning that Russ was maybe 622 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 3: the hardest player to the rank, I'm comfortable with Russell Westbrook 623 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 3: being the thirty fifth best player of the last fifty years. 624 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 5: My god, this thing's going by fast. 625 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:02,600 Speaker 3: We're going to finish off or at least come close 626 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 3: to it the top thirty next week at this time 627 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 3: for the fifty greatest players of the last fifty years. 628 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:10,879 Speaker 3: Part of What's right with the Great podcast series. We'll 629 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,920 Speaker 3: see you next week.