WEBVTT - 07/15/21 DPS Hour 2 Trey Mancini 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.520 You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox 0:00:03.560 --> 0:00:06.800 Sports Radio Our one on this Thursday, Dan and the 0:00:06.840 --> 0:00:09.399 Dan n Stan Patrick Show. Come in and stay a while. 0:00:09.600 --> 0:00:12.440 Chris Mannox he's covering the NBA Finals. He'll join us 0:00:12.440 --> 0:00:15.760 coming up in a little bit. We will get to 0:00:15.840 --> 0:00:18.440 phone calls coming up as well. Eight seven seven three 0:00:18.520 --> 0:00:21.880 D P Show Email address DP at Dan Patrick dot com. 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:25.280 Richard Jefferson, he was at the NBA Finals for the Mothership. 0:00:25.320 --> 0:00:28.840 He'll join us coming up as well. And Trey Mancini 0:00:28.960 --> 0:00:32.560 he finished runner up and the home run derby great story. 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:35.920 Came back from cancer and he'll join us coming up 0:00:35.960 --> 0:00:38.240 a little bit later on. Got a poll question, play 0:00:38.240 --> 0:00:40.880 of the day, stat of the day, all forthcoming here 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:44.639 on the program. Say good morning to our TV partner Peacock. 0:00:45.000 --> 0:00:47.959 You can stream the show all three hours. You can 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:50.440 do so for free, just download their app. And we 0:00:50.520 --> 0:00:53.159 say good morning to our radio affiliates around the country. 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:56.520 Eight seven seven three D P Show Email address DP 0:00:56.560 --> 0:00:59.880 at Dan Patrick dot com and Twitter handle at dp show. 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:02.040 This program, of course, brought to you by the great 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:05.880 folks at Mercedes Benz Vans. They go far beyond from 0:01:05.880 --> 0:01:09.319 their customization options, cutting edge Tech five star Sales service 0:01:09.400 --> 0:01:12.440 financial support crew go the extra mile, taking the all 0:01:12.440 --> 0:01:17.480 important first step into an authorized dealership. Today, it doesn't 0:01:17.480 --> 0:01:20.280 happen often, but sometimes the defensive play is the highlight 0:01:20.319 --> 0:01:24.800 of a game, whether it's football, baseball, basketball, any sport, 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:27.800 and this could be the highlight of the series. And 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:30.920 last night in crunch Time, Jannis had one of those 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:35.520 plays as DeAndre Eton peeled off for what looked like 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:39.200 an easy allie, and the Greek freak is guarding Devin Booker. 0:01:39.240 --> 0:01:42.920 First of all, he's guarding Devin Booker and then he's 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.400 going to go back on DeAndre eighton. Very few players 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:49.120 in the history of the sport could be guarding a 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:51.960 guard like Devin Booker then go back and then go 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:55.800 up and challenge a dunk. Now we have Lebron's chase 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:59.320 down block of Andrea Gudala that was in the NBA 0:01:59.360 --> 0:02:03.960 Finals that wanted championship. That's like Malcolm Butler's interception against 0:02:04.000 --> 0:02:07.280 the Seahawks that was the twenty sixteen finals. So the 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:09.840 series is tied at two games apiece, and ultimately the 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:12.560 historical importance of that block is really going to be 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:15.880 determined by who wins this series. If the Bucks come 0:02:15.880 --> 0:02:19.400 out on top, then this will be the defining moment 0:02:19.440 --> 0:02:23.040 of the playoffs. If the Sun's win, will think back 0:02:23.040 --> 0:02:25.720 and go, oh, that's right, that was an incredible block. 0:02:26.560 --> 0:02:29.079 It might get lost in history. I like to bring 0:02:29.160 --> 0:02:32.760 up Julio Jones's catch against the Patriots in the Super 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:37.200 Bowl loss. The Falcons blew the twenty eight to three league. 0:02:37.520 --> 0:02:40.680 Julio Jones had this unbelievable catch put the Falcons in 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:42.799 prime position to kick a field goal. They would have 0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:47.200 won the Super Bowl. But it gets lost because they 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:51.240 didn't win the Super Bowl. You know, if the Giants 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:54.519 don't have that touchdown pass to Plexico Burst, then David 0:02:54.560 --> 0:02:59.200 Tyree's catches. Wow, that was a fascinating catch. But that catch, 0:03:00.200 --> 0:03:03.840 make a case, is greatest catch we've ever seen Super 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:07.280 Bowl history, or certainly on the short list as far 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:11.120 as the importance goes. Anybody who was complaining about this 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:15.519 finals matchup isn't watching because there's some great basketball being played. 0:03:15.520 --> 0:03:20.239 There's some really stellar performances. Devin Booker was great last night. 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.919 Some questionable officiating that allowed him to stay in the game, 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:27.280 but he scored forty two. Unfortunately, he had thirty eight 0:03:27.480 --> 0:03:30.359 in the first three quarters, got into foul trouble and 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:34.400 should have fouled out. But Jannis's block one of the 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:38.960 more dramatic defensive plays that we've ever seen. Mcleven got 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:41.440 a pull question today, Well, a lot of people are 0:03:41.440 --> 0:03:45.400 doing this one. Which was greater Janie's block or Lebron's block. 0:03:45.480 --> 0:03:50.560 I guess it depends how you define greater. Yeah, I mean, 0:03:50.600 --> 0:03:53.360 I think Janis is maybe more athletic in a way. 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:59.880 I think Lebronze is easier because it's a chase down block. 0:04:00.600 --> 0:04:04.240 This is Jannis guarding one player and then sort of 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:07.480 pivoting and then going up against a seven foot or 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:11.600 a Fellows seven footer. And I just think the athleticism, 0:04:11.600 --> 0:04:13.920 really the creativity of this. And I'm going to bring 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.039 this up to Mannix. Just the thought of I'm going 0:04:17.080 --> 0:04:20.440 to go up there and try to block this, just 0:04:20.560 --> 0:04:23.400 that thought and then to go up there and block it. 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:27.039 That to me, it goes back to what Pete Sampras 0:04:27.160 --> 0:04:31.080 said to me many many years ago, and we were 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:33.719 talking about the greatness of Roger Federer, and I said, 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:37.240 how great is Federer? He said, he thinks of shots 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:41.360 that I never thought and he completes those shots like 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:44.880 having the imagination, and it's something that you normally don't 0:04:44.960 --> 0:04:49.320 hear about with athletes, your imagination, because Gretzky had to 0:04:49.360 --> 0:04:53.560 have imagination. You have to think, Okay, how can I 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:56.960 do something like this? All the great players know, whether 0:04:57.000 --> 0:05:01.200 it's you know, Jordan Magic, like, they had this ability 0:05:01.240 --> 0:05:04.960 to go, I'm thinking of something you're not thinking, and 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:08.400 I'm going to do something that you're not even thinking about. 0:05:08.680 --> 0:05:10.479 And I think what you saw with the honest and 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:13.440 I got to factor this in. Keep in mind the 0:05:13.560 --> 0:05:17.200 hyper extended knee that was probably going to end his 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:21.960 playoff run. So if I factored degree of difficulty of 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:26.120 trying to block a seven footer or while pivoting and 0:05:26.240 --> 0:05:28.520 you know, it's not one of those running starts. Lebron 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:31.320 had a running start and Igudala didn't know he was there. 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:36.200 But that did win a championship. You know, Malcolm Butler's 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:41.400 play against Russell Wilson that won a Super Bowl. He 0:05:41.640 --> 0:05:45.880 turned a loss into a win with that play. And 0:05:45.960 --> 0:05:48.680 you could make a case that's as great a play 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:51.040 as we've ever seen in the Super Bowl in Super 0:05:51.040 --> 0:05:55.800 Bowl history because the importance of it and you look 0:05:55.800 --> 0:05:59.600 at the time of it. This wasn't a third quarter interception. 0:05:59.760 --> 0:06:04.000 This is game on the line. There's a talking hair 0:06:04.120 --> 0:06:06.200 due right under the goal post, ready to go out 0:06:06.200 --> 0:06:08.800 there and hand out the Super Bowl Trophy, and I'm 0:06:08.839 --> 0:06:12.680 thinking I'm handing it to the Seattle Seahawks, and then 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:16.520 that happens and you realize, like it takes the breath 0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:19.240 out of you. I don't know what that did to 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:23.760 the Phoenix Suns, but Dame Lillard tweeted in real time, 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:26.839 Jannis just won the game and there was over a 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:32.160 minute to play. But what that did to Phoenix, it's 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:34.720 not just hey, denied you two points and you were 0:06:34.720 --> 0:06:37.280 going to tie the game. That's something that just sort 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:40.719 of hangs there. That's almost like a hangover the next day. 0:06:40.760 --> 0:06:44.200 But it's happening right now. You're going, WHOA, what just 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:48.719 happened here? And I think give the Greek free credit. 0:06:49.279 --> 0:06:53.640 He thought he had the imagination to think, I'm gonna 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:56.839 back pedal. I'm gonna go yeah, I'll go up and 0:06:56.880 --> 0:06:58.560 try to block. Now I'm going to block it and 0:06:58.640 --> 0:07:04.400 block it cleanly. But win a championship, we'll think back 0:07:04.480 --> 0:07:07.960 that'll be the signature play and maybe the signature play 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:12.000 of Jannis's career, even though it's still very bright and 0:07:12.400 --> 0:07:16.280 a big future ahead. But that last night I have 0:07:16.320 --> 0:07:19.760 a special yes here. And to say that the block 0:07:19.960 --> 0:07:23.160 Lebron had is easier isn't to say that it's an 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.560 easy play to make. I mean, Lebron's block was incredible, right, 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:29.800 but it's just it's not as difficult as the one 0:07:29.880 --> 0:07:34.480 Jannis made, is that right? Yeah? Yeah, But the importance 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:38.200 of Lebron's is winning a championship. And Richard Jefferson was 0:07:38.360 --> 0:07:41.600 Lebron's teammate with Cleveland back then, so he'll have a 0:07:41.680 --> 0:07:45.000 better opinion on this. But you know, a chase down 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:49.960 block where somebody doesn't see you, and then what Jannis did, Yeah, 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:51.400 I thought he was going to get dunked on. And 0:07:51.440 --> 0:07:54.280 I thought, you get dunked, you dunk on the Greek freak. 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:56.880 I thought it could have gone really bad for Milwaukee, 0:07:57.600 --> 0:08:01.320 that Aton has a dunk, survived a bad call, that 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:03.680 Booker stayed in the game and he should have fouled out. 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:08.440 Chris Paul hasn't played well. You win this game, You're 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:11.760 gonna win the series. I mean, the importance of that play, 0:08:11.800 --> 0:08:14.600 I don't think can be understated, because I do think 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:17.880 that could have been You're dunking on the Greek freak, 0:08:18.360 --> 0:08:21.880 and I think momentum wise, boy, it changed. It was 0:08:21.920 --> 0:08:25.640 a seismic shift there with what happened. But Mannox will 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:27.440 join us coming up a little bit later on Richard 0:08:27.480 --> 0:08:30.760 Jefferson from the Mothership will join us as well. Yeah, Paul, 0:08:31.320 --> 0:08:34.440 I'm rewatching the Warriors game with Igodala and Lebron going 0:08:34.440 --> 0:08:36.520 for the block. If you watch it from behind, Igodala's 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:38.600 about four feet five feet from the bass. He's about 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:40.480 to go in. Lebron is on the other side of 0:08:40.480 --> 0:08:41.880 the court. He's on the left side of the court. 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:44.160 Igodoala's on the right. It doesn't appear like if you 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:46.520 freeze frame it that Lebron could get there. And the 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:50.160 same thing if you rewatched Jannis as he's turning in, 0:08:50.200 --> 0:08:52.319 his back is to eight and you're like, how does 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:54.960 he get there? It doesn't make sense? All right? Age 0:08:55.000 --> 0:08:57.559 seven seven three D P show email addrestp A Dan 0:08:57.600 --> 0:08:59.760 Patrick dot com. McLevin, what kind of pulled question do 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:01.640 you have? Do you want to do greatest defense to 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:03.679 play in a championship series or a game? We could 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:07.240 know Malcolm Butler probably brought up the Mike Jones tackle 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:10.400 in the Rams Titan Super Bowl. Uh, you certainly have 0:09:10.520 --> 0:09:14.720 the Jannis block, the Lebron block. Uh, there's probably some 0:09:14.760 --> 0:09:18.240 other sports. There's nothing baseball is there. Willie May's over 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:21.040 the over the shoulder ktch Was that catch that great? 0:09:21.040 --> 0:09:24.960 I've always wondered that. Well, you know, the center field 0:09:25.120 --> 0:09:27.439 I think the center field wall was four hundred and 0:09:27.520 --> 0:09:30.440 fifty four feet. I mean it was he had so 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:33.160 much room to run, but he had to cover all 0:09:33.200 --> 0:09:37.080 of that ground and it was an over the shoulder catch. Um, 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:43.679 you know, I think so, I mean check on that. 0:09:43.800 --> 0:09:48.640 I think center field was cavernous back then in uh 0:09:48.679 --> 0:09:51.280 in Cleveland. Yeah, Pa, here's one. I don't know if 0:09:51.360 --> 0:09:53.640 makes it because if it's earlier in the game Pittsburgh 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.160 Arizona super Bowl, Kurt Warner is about to take the 0:09:56.160 --> 0:09:57.839 team in for a touchdown to end the first half, 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:00.280 they would have gone up fourteen ten a half, said 0:10:00.360 --> 0:10:02.520 James Harrison gets that interception and takes it all the 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:05.199 way back. That was again earlier in the game, probably 0:10:05.200 --> 0:10:07.080 doesn't belong in this poll question. But before did that 0:10:07.160 --> 0:10:09.920 change that game? Well? I think now had that been 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:12.160 in the second half, in the fourth quarter, then we 0:10:12.160 --> 0:10:14.240 would look at it differently because it's one thing that 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:16.920 you stopped them from scoring, but you also scored in 0:10:16.960 --> 0:10:20.760 the process, and you stayed inbounds and you scored right 0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:24.720 before the end of the first half. I mean, I 0:10:24.760 --> 0:10:29.319 actually think it's an underrated play in Super Bowl history. 0:10:29.360 --> 0:10:32.720 And they know what the play is. They knew the play, 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:35.040 they scouted the play, they knew what Kurt Warner was 0:10:35.080 --> 0:10:37.720 going to do in that moment, and Harrison backed up 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.760 instead of you went in to try to sack Kurt Warner. 0:10:41.040 --> 0:10:43.760 He just fell back in coverage and you make the 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:46.240 interceptions one thing, and then he avoids like six or 0:10:46.280 --> 0:10:49.880 seven tackles and stays inbounds and then scores. But that 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:51.560 was at the end of the first half. That's one 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:56.200 of those where you're going into halftime and I'm watching 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:58.800 from the sidelines, and all of a sudden, you're thinking, 0:10:58.800 --> 0:11:01.240 all right, we're gonna go up fourteen ten, and I'm 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:05.120 thinking this is Arizona, that this is their night. And 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:07.000 then you watch it and you go, oh my god, 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:10.960 Warner just got picked James Harrison stool He's still run. Wait, 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:17.000 he's gonna James Harrison just scored a ton what like, 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:20.559 It's just one of those crazy, crazy moments. And then 0:11:20.600 --> 0:11:23.280 you had Larry Fitzgerald scoring a touchdown and I thought 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:25.680 the Arizona is going to win. All they have to 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:28.640 do is shut down Roethlisburg this two minute drive and 0:11:28.760 --> 0:11:32.120 they couldn't do it. But you're right the moment. When 0:11:32.120 --> 0:11:36.760 you have a play like that, you know history's kind 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:39.040 to you when you do it towards the end of 0:11:39.080 --> 0:11:42.000 the game. We forget sometimes you can have great plays 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:44.440 in the first quarter or the second quarter, at the 0:11:44.559 --> 0:11:48.360 end of the first half. What else mclovin. By the way, 0:11:48.440 --> 0:11:50.520 just to confirm what you're saying, the center field was 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:53.000 about four hundred and fifty feet with a little part 0:11:53.040 --> 0:11:56.400 that jutted out to four hundred and eighty three feet. Yeah. 0:11:56.440 --> 0:12:00.280 Willie Mays was four hundred and twenty feet from home plate. Yeah, 0:12:00.320 --> 0:12:02.800 so that that makes it even more incredible. I had 0:12:02.840 --> 0:12:04.960 to cover a lot of ground out there in center field. 0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:06.880 Did Oddie Smith ever do anything in the world. I 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:08.960 feel like he had a home run in the World's here. Ye. 0:12:09.160 --> 0:12:13.080 But Craig Nettles, Brooks Robinson, well Brooks Robinson. But that 0:12:13.160 --> 0:12:16.280 was an entire World Series in nineteen seventy against the Reds. 0:12:16.520 --> 0:12:19.079 Like I think he took took the heart out of 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:21.000 the Big Red machine. He took the engine out of 0:12:21.040 --> 0:12:23.679 the Big Red machine. Absolutely, that's the only case where 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:26.680 I could ever remember a defensive storyline to a series 0:12:26.800 --> 0:12:29.800 like that was the storyline growing up. Brooks Robinson win 0:12:29.880 --> 0:12:33.840 the World Series in my opinion, yes, and those were 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:39.160 my Cincinnati Reds, but absolutely because he caught everything and 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:42.520 you could tell where the Reds just felt like we 0:12:42.640 --> 0:12:44.840 can't hit to the left side of the endfield because 0:12:44.840 --> 0:12:47.640 Brooks Robinson is going to scoop it up and he 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:51.320 demoralized the Cincinnati Reds. Yeah, mcclun just to satisfy our 0:12:51.320 --> 0:12:54.320 hockey friends. Is there any like goalie performance, Well, it 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:57.640 feels like that's every other Stanley Cup final where you go, 0:12:57.679 --> 0:13:02.560 oh my god, like Patrick Waugh. I'm sure Marty Brodore, 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:09.200 there's been goalies down through the years that you probably 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:13.120 say that the team won because as they would always say, hey, 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.560 Steve standing on his head, and my favorite hockey term, hey, 0:13:16.559 --> 0:13:19.480 he's standing on his it's always this goalie is gonna win. 0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:23.760 He's standing on his head. Which I never quite understand understood, 0:13:24.360 --> 0:13:26.640 but it's like he's standing on his head and he 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:30.080 can stop everything. There five hole in peanut butter shelf 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:32.120 and all those things. Yes, I remember one time we 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:33.760 had the Bruins goalie on the show. I think his 0:13:33.800 --> 0:13:36.439 say was Tim Thomas, and you asked him, what standing 0:13:36.480 --> 0:13:37.960 on your head? Is he at? What are those? Yeah? 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:42.000 Yes he did. Yeah, but those guys know it, you 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:44.520 know when you say, hey, you're standing on your head. Yeah, 0:13:44.559 --> 0:13:47.000 you're right, you know. All right, we'll come up with 0:13:47.000 --> 0:13:49.440 a pull question. Your phone calls are welcome eight seven 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:51.840 seven three d P Show email address DP at Dan 0:13:51.880 --> 0:13:55.480 Patrick dot com, Twitter handle at DPS show. We'll take 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:58.920 a break. It's fifteen after the hour, just getting started 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:04.199 Dan and the dant Patrick Show. It's amazing. Discover matches 0:14:04.200 --> 0:14:06.240 all the cashmac you earn on your credit card at 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:08.480 the end of your first year, automatically, no limit on 0:14:08.520 --> 0:14:11.640 how much you can earn. It's amazing. Even more amazing 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:15.080 because of all the places where Discover is accepted. Ninety 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:17.240 nine percent of the places in the United States that 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:21.080 take credit cards take Discover, which means get used to 0:14:21.120 --> 0:14:23.080 hearing the word yes more often. When it comes to 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:26.960 this credit card. Learn more at discover dot com slash yes, 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:32.200 that's Discover dot com slash yes. Limitations apply. Thanks for 0:14:32.240 --> 0:14:34.680 listening to The Dan Patrick Show podcast. Be sure to 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:37.680 catch us live every weekday morning nine until noon eastern 0:14:37.760 --> 0:14:40.560 six to nine Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, and you 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:44.320 can find us on the iHeartRadio app at FSR or 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:47.320 stream us live on the Peacock app. Keeping an eye 0:14:47.320 --> 0:14:53.200 on the Open Championship underway at Royal Saint George's. Trey Mancini, 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:57.120 the Orioles first baseman cancer survivor, finished runner up in 0:14:57.160 --> 0:14:59.280 the home Run derby. He'll join us coming up next hour. 0:14:59.400 --> 0:15:02.880 Richard jeffre person from the Mothership covering the NBA Finals, 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:06.680 as is Chris Mannix. He's the senior NBA writer for 0:15:06.720 --> 0:15:09.880 Sports Illustrated. He joins us on the program. What would 0:15:09.880 --> 0:15:13.560 the storyline be today if Phoenix had won last night? 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:20.400 Chris Oh, referee's gone wild would have to be have 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:24.720 to be right? I mean, that was one of the 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:27.720 more egregious non calls that I've ever seen. In the 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:32.840 explanation to the pool reporter after which is probably worse, 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:37.920 I mean to paraphrase it. It was. You know, I 0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:40.720 thought there was a clean swipe, which there wasn't that 0:15:40.840 --> 0:15:42.920 I saw the hand on the back, which there was. 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.880 I mean, Dan, it's hard not to look at that 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:51.080 play and not see a referee that was determined to 0:15:51.160 --> 0:15:54.120 keep Devin Booker in the game had five fouls, So 0:15:54.160 --> 0:15:57.120 if they had, if Phoenix had won that game, all 0:15:57.200 --> 0:16:00.520 we would be talking about today would be a referee 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:05.160 conspiracy theory for the Suns to win. So what should 0:16:05.200 --> 0:16:09.960 the headline be today? You know, to me, it's the 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:13.640 ascent of Chris Middleton continues. Like I was writing this 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:16.040 last night, Like there was a couple of years ago 0:16:16.080 --> 0:16:18.920 when Chris Middleton made his first All Star team when 0:16:19.560 --> 0:16:21.760 you looked at Chris Middleton and he said, all right, 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:24.080 we'll put him on the All Star team. But it's 0:16:24.120 --> 0:16:27.760 mostly because the Bucks are really good, and you can't 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:31.160 have just one All Star on a team that in 0:16:31.240 --> 0:16:34.720 mid season is sitting at or near the top of 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:38.400 the conference. He almost benefited from the success of the Bucks. 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:41.600 But you know, he's had some good Finals games. Game 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:45.360 one was his best prior to Game four. But that 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:48.560 forty point performance in Game four, I think that really 0:16:48.600 --> 0:16:53.560 cemented Chris Middleton as a true top twenty type player 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:57.920 in this league. So his breakthrough, to me was the 0:16:57.920 --> 0:17:01.600 biggest story of that game for those who didn't see 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:05.280 the Greek freak's block on DeAndre Ayton. You, being a 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:12.359 word smith, how would you describe it? Unique? You know, 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:16.880 what Lebron did in twenty sixteen was remarkable, Like the 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:21.800 the sheer athleticism of Lebron to get back and block 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:26.359 Iguidala was remarkable. I don't know that there's any player 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:31.640 in league history that can do what Jana's did on 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:38.080 that play. To be defending the ball handler on the screen, 0:17:38.160 --> 0:17:42.840 Devin Booker, and then have the athleticism and instincts to 0:17:43.040 --> 0:17:48.480 get back and then have the strength and timing to 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:52.159 block a seven footer at the rim. I don't I 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:53.480 don't know. I can't think of too many guys that 0:17:53.560 --> 0:17:55.480 could do it. Like I guess, go all the way 0:17:55.520 --> 0:17:57.879 back in time and think of Bill Russell, one of 0:17:57.880 --> 0:18:01.320 the great defensive players in NBA history. But players in 0:18:01.320 --> 0:18:05.480 that day weren't anywhere near as athletic as the players 0:18:05.520 --> 0:18:08.000 of today. So that's the kind of block like we 0:18:08.200 --> 0:18:11.280 might see, and frankly, Lebron's done it multiple times we 0:18:11.359 --> 0:18:13.640 have seen it. We might see it a block like Lebrons. Again, 0:18:14.240 --> 0:18:16.439 I don't know that we ever see a block shot 0:18:16.480 --> 0:18:20.040 in that situation like Jannis. Two things that stood out. 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:24.240 You got to reflect back on the injury that he suffered, yeah, 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:27.320 and you got to factor that in. The Other thing 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.960 is I think just the thought of trying to block 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:34.480 it fascinated me. Not that he blocked it, just that 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:36.960 he was going to think about going up to block 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.240 it and then like you would go, okay, I'll just 0:18:39.320 --> 0:18:42.600 let him have that slam dunk. That to me was 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:45.680 that's the fascinating part of it. You just go, oh 0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:47.800 my god, oh my, you know, like he's going up 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.560 to block. Oh he did block it. And Dame Lillard 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:54.720 tweeted in real time he said, Yannis just won the game, 0:18:54.960 --> 0:18:56.840 and you know there was a little over a minute 0:18:56.880 --> 0:18:59.720 to go, so I give him credit that what that 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.960 didn't to the rest you know, the next ninety seconds 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:07.040 he I mean, he took away Phoenix, you know, whatever 0:19:07.080 --> 0:19:10.679 it was, he took it away in one play. Yeah, 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:13.480 it was about one fourteen left to play, and if 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:16.040 Aiden converts that dunk, it's a tie game. And all 0:19:16.080 --> 0:19:18.160 of a sudden Phoenix had a little bit of momentum there. 0:19:18.160 --> 0:19:20.680 They get one stop, and you know, Devin Book or 0:19:20.720 --> 0:19:23.080 Chris Paul, however, can erase any of the issues of 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:26.119 the previous quarter. I'm with you the like I think 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:29.200 Rudy Gobert is the best defensive player in the game, 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:32.240 you know, fundamentally day to day. I think Gobert deserved 0:19:32.320 --> 0:19:34.960 that Defensive Player of the Year. There's no way Gobert 0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:37.879 even considers blocking that shot. Doesn't get back there in 0:19:37.960 --> 0:19:40.359 time to do something like that. Guys like Janis and 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:45.800 Lebron have such confidence in in their athleticism and in 0:19:45.840 --> 0:19:48.040 their timing and all the things that make them so 0:19:48.160 --> 0:19:50.600 physically great that they might be the only two players 0:19:50.600 --> 0:19:54.080 in the league that would believe that on that play 0:19:54.240 --> 0:19:56.600 they can finish it with a block shot. Chris Mannix 0:19:56.600 --> 0:20:00.320 Sports Illustrated NBA senior writer, Should we be concer learned 0:20:00.359 --> 0:20:03.040 about Chris Paul? If you're a Phoenix Suns fan, I 0:20:03.080 --> 0:20:05.360 think a little bit, and not because I think there's 0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:07.679 anything wrong with Chris Paul. I think that Drew Holliday 0:20:07.680 --> 0:20:09.840 has had his number the last couple of games. And 0:20:10.200 --> 0:20:12.960 you go back to Game three and Paul's numbers were fine. 0:20:12.960 --> 0:20:15.360 I think it was eight to fourteen nineteen points nine assists. 0:20:15.359 --> 0:20:17.240 It'd be a good game, but not. It wasn't the 0:20:17.280 --> 0:20:20.520 takeover type games he's had in the previous two games 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:24.439 and in previous series of these playoffs. Holiday did something 0:20:24.640 --> 0:20:28.359 in that Game three, picking Chris Paul up at about 0:20:28.400 --> 0:20:31.160 three quarter quart or more, and I think that put 0:20:31.200 --> 0:20:34.200 a lot of strain on Chris Paul. I mean, Holiday 0:20:34.240 --> 0:20:37.240 is a big, long, sturdy defender. I mean he's really 0:20:37.280 --> 0:20:41.119 good at that position. I think the pressure he's put 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:45.879 on Chris Paul has generated some fatigue in him at 0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:47.520 this point. And if you're in Milwaukee, you've got to 0:20:47.560 --> 0:20:51.320 feel like that matchup is working for you. So I 0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:54.920 don't know that it's an adjustment Chris Paul necessarily can make. 0:20:55.119 --> 0:20:58.040 But if I'm Monty Williams, one of the things I'm 0:20:58.080 --> 0:21:01.280 doing going into game five is finding a way, whether 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:05.000 it's through early screens, bad movement, of getting Drew Holiday 0:21:05.040 --> 0:21:07.679 off Chris Paul to get him back into a rhythm. 0:21:09.280 --> 0:21:13.200 Ending update on the Ben Simmons trade market, not really, 0:21:15.200 --> 0:21:18.840 you know, the Sixers. I think we talked about this specifically, 0:21:18.880 --> 0:21:24.439 but predictably are valuing Ben Simmons like he's basically like 0:21:24.440 --> 0:21:26.760 the playoffs last year did this year didn't happen like that. 0:21:26.880 --> 0:21:29.960 He is the All Star, two time All Star defense, 0:21:30.080 --> 0:21:34.000 highly Ray defensive player, elite guy. And from what I 0:21:34.040 --> 0:21:37.359 was told by one team that talked to Philadelphia, they're 0:21:37.400 --> 0:21:40.240 not looking to take any steps back like they want 0:21:40.640 --> 0:21:44.960 dollar for dollar value or better on Ben Simmons in 0:21:44.960 --> 0:21:48.440 a trade because justifiably, I mean, Philly looks at itself 0:21:48.480 --> 0:21:50.159 and says, look, we got MB at the peak of 0:21:50.160 --> 0:21:52.600 his powers, Tobias Harris had a great year. We got 0:21:52.680 --> 0:21:55.159 enough shooting to help us win. They don't want to 0:21:55.200 --> 0:21:58.320 trade for you know, younger players and draft picks. They 0:21:58.359 --> 0:22:01.200 want a guy back in return that will help them 0:22:01.200 --> 0:22:05.400 win a championship next season. And honestly, even though even 0:22:05.400 --> 0:22:08.800 though Houston or Philadelphia is really able to deal with 0:22:08.800 --> 0:22:12.080 twenty nine other teams because of Ben Simmons contract, I'm 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:15.880 not sure that's available to them right now. And I've 0:22:15.880 --> 0:22:18.719 said this to you before and it bears repeating. If 0:22:18.760 --> 0:22:23.400 I'm Philadelphia, I'm just circling Portland like a vulture. I'm 0:22:23.440 --> 0:22:26.679 just even if it takes you into next season, like 0:22:26.880 --> 0:22:29.760