4.5.23 - JR SportBrief Hour 1

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45% off selected products at Blinds.com. Rules and restrictions may apply. You're listening to the J.R. Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the J.R. Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio.

It is the J.R. Sport Brief show on CBS Sports Radio and I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Hope you had a terrific Wednesday. I'm going to be hanging out here with you for the next four hours. So go ahead. Just get settled. Get situated. Have fun at work. Have fun in the car. Go home.

Stay home. Whatever you do and just stay tuned in. You can listen to us the whole four hours if you want.

Go for it. We're broadcasting live on the free Odyssey app. A.U.D.A.C.Y. We're broadcasting live to hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of CBS Sports Radio affiliates all over North America. We're broadcasting live to everybody locked in on Sirius XM Channel 158.

And we're also broadcasting live to anybody here tuned in and locked in on a smart speaker. You want to holler at us? You should know this by now. If you don't, it's fine.

First time for everything. The phone number here is 855-212-4CBS. That's 855-212-4CBS. So if you are locked in on a station called.

The ticket, the fan, the score, the zone, whatever it is, it could have another name. Let me just tell you, thank you. And so we got a lot to do.

Thank you so much to super producer and host Dave Shepherd. Shep, how are you this evening? I'm doing fantastic. How are you, sir? I'm good, man. We got a lot to do here over the next four hours.

And we'll share this with you next break. Congratulations to the Milwaukee Bucks. They just clinched the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. They just, I don't want to say rolled over the Bulls, but it's the Bulls.

The final score was 105 to 92. This went down in Milwaukee. And now there's going to be some sad sap of a team in the play in tournament that will take on the Bucks and probably get smacked and smashed around unless somebody gets hurt. And even if somebody gets hurt, somebody primarily being Yanis at the Kumpo, the Milwaukee Bucks will certainly probably still go out there and kick their ass. So congratulations to the Bucks. We'll hear from, I believe, Bobby Portis.

He just spoke to ESPN. And so we'll play that audio for you next break and take a deeper dive into the numbers. Every other NBA game for tonight is basically done.

It's basically cooked. We have one more game that has yet to start. It's going to get going in about nine minutes. That's the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers. They are tied at 41 and 38 all. They are also battling and jockeying for playoff position in the Western Conference. The difference from the East is the teams that kind of sort of at the bottom of the Western Conference.

They can tear up the teams at the top and you can attribute that to a lot of the injuries off and on that a lot of these players have gone through throughout the course of the year. We know Paul George not playing for the Clippers. We know LeBron James, Anthony Davis.

They've been in and out of the lineup. LeBron James just coming back from that foot injury. LeBron is playing tonight. He was questionable. Anthony Davis is playing tonight.

He was questionable with his foot injury. And so we're going to talk a lot of basketball tonight, especially as this game goes on. Also, it's Wednesday night. Every single Wednesday night into Thursday morning, I bring you a new top six list. And with all of the attention placed on women's basketball this week, thought it was an appropriate time to take a look at the top six female athletes that the sports world has ever seen. And so I'll deliver that list to you in two hours. It's a new top six list.

It's what we do every single Wednesday night into Thursday morning. There's even NFL news that we will get into. John Elway is done with the Broncos. He's been done as the GM and he's been done now as the president.

And now he's just he's just done. How much of that has to do with a new coach and Sean Payton or less influence? So we'll get it to John Elway.

The Ravens are honestly talking about different contract or excuse me, different quarterback options as they try to figure out the contract situation with Lamar Jackson. So we got a busy show. But I want to get this out the way. And I want to tie this up in a bun because last night to the much shock and surprise, we had people calling from all over the country.

It's nothing new. People call from all over the country all the damn time. People really had a lot of opinions on this parade that is being planned. May not happen, may happen for San Diego State.

I would say eight out of 10 people. We don't we don't need no stinking parade for a second place team. Why are they giving them a parade? And that's fine.

Here's the deal. UConn got back home. UConn is back in Storrs, Connecticut, after their victory against San Diego State on Monday night. And UConn, they won. UConn, they are having a parade.

There's no ands, ifs or buts about it unless there's some type of disaster. UConn and the Huskies are going to celebrate their fifth national championship. And good for them. They won.

They're the champions. Give them a parade. But outside of that, what the hell is going on in Storrs? I thought the people up in Connecticut were supposed to be upstanding individuals. They won that national championship and they went out there. They being the student body. They decided to lose their minds. There were more than a dozen people arrested after the victory. For just just whiling out, pushing over lampposts and damaging the student union hall and battering doors and what type of celebration is this? I mean, even if you're drunk or wasted, where's the fun in this? The UConn Husky fans, the students, some of them will be facing expulsion.

It's not a way you celebrate. WFSB three up in Connecticut. They talked about this and the graffiti and the pain and the dead. Take a listen. This sidewalk here was full of graffiti and different markings on the ground, spray paint, things like that. Even some right outside the Jonathan Husky statue. And students were back here in daylight throughout the day taking pictures of all of this. They say they are not surprised that things got out of hand.

It was definitely a highlight of my time here. Celebrations quickly turned into chaos, leaving behind boarded up windows, graffiti, even more than a dozen lampposts toppled over. Come on. What?

What are we doing here? What? I didn't hear nothing about no vandalism at LSU. They know how to party out there.

I guess they're used to it. Hey, shop, I thought everybody in Connecticut was supposed to be a sophisticated. Wonder how many people actually are from the state of Connecticut that celebrate who go to UConn. That's what I want to know.

J.R. I think a lot of people at the UConn for the most part is northeast. People who go from the northeast. No, wouldn't you say so?

I think so. But that that means Massachusetts, too. You're going to blame it on the Massachusetts people.

OK, I wouldn't be surprised. Love Massachusetts, Connecticut. We don't do that. Yeah, I was like, wow, Boston does that. You stay out of Boston, OK? Just stay out of there.

Stay out of there. We don't. I don't want you getting beat up in Boston.

I tried to. You're correct. I don't think anybody on the New York side of Connecticut wilds out like that.

But then on the Massachusetts side, you you very, very well might be correct. And we know UConn. They won. There were 15 people arrested in that. I don't even want to call it a celebration. There were 16 people who had to go to the hospital. And UConn has started to identify a lot of the folks knocking over lampposts and battering their buildings.

And they said they might expel them. Where's the might? I mean, if you don't know how to celebrate a championship, you got to turn over a light post. That's things are like 15, 20 feet tall. What you knocking them over for? There's not enough alcohol in the world that would make me want to get up and just knock over a lamppost or turn over a car.

And how about this? All of those folks in UConn that was celebrating. They were very, very few of them. This was the least viewed championship game ever. It averaged 14.6 million viewers on CBS. The previous low was 16 million in 2018 when Villanova beat Michigan. And that game was on CBS. The championship for the past several years has alternated between CBS and TBS. You got to go back to 2004 when UConn was back in it against Georgia Tech. That was the lowest on CBS until last night. That was 2004.

And that was 17 million viewers. Hey, ain't too many people running to see UConn, although they got five championships. And we know there aren't too many folks running to see San Diego State. These are not gigantic schools with just alumni and history all over North America. These aren't your giant schools. And so, yeah, we might have more parity in college basketball, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's leading to immediate ratings.

We know this. If there was a superstar, if there was some hype there, maybe it would. The women's game set records on Sunday. That was on ESPN with 10 million viewers. The most watched women's basketball game. Ever.

Period. Someone who doesn't care because he won a championship. It's Coach Hurley. He spoke to the media today. He's back home. I know he didn't turn over or move a light post.

He didn't damage the student union. He's just getting paid millions of dollars. He says, man, it feels good to come home with a championship.

Listen. Coach, how does it feel seeing all these fans at four o'clock on a Tuesday? Feels great because that means we just did something big. So, yeah, I mean, it's obviously it's always a thrill to play in Gampel, but to celebrate something in this magnitude with, you know, the people that support you and supported us all throughout the year, even when things weren't going great in January.

Can you describe your emotions as you're driving down the highway and the overpasses, people in the overpasses, people all through campus? Yeah, you just, you know, you just it's a bit it's a big deal. You know, you the NCAA tournament's a big deal. Playing in the Final Four is a big deal. And then obviously basketball is a big deal to the people in Connecticut. University of Connecticut men's and women's basketball. It's the pro sports team of the state. And you just see the incredible pride that people have in their Huskies. And it's probably the first time we had a chance to actually take a deep breath because most of us just passed out on the plane. Good.

Congratulations. The Yukon Huskies are actually a team. They deserve a parade because they won. And their students who are out there turning over cars and destroying their own buildings and just being a bunch of, I don't know, you fill in the blank with whatever word you want to. They just deserve expulsion. Maybe they shouldn't deserve a parade when the students act like that. Now, it's probably punishing too many people, but you get my drift.

It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. We are just getting started. Speaking of a celebration, the Milwaukee Bucks just, I guess, can you win the top seed?

Well, anyway, they just did. Nothing to celebrate about too much. Nothing to go wild about because the Bucks are competing for a championship. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, they just tipped off. And guess where?

Los Angeles. They are also battling for playoff position. And so I'll update you on those games. Bobby Portis played out of his damn mind tonight with no Giannis. I'll give you that explanation. He just spoke to the media.

Bobby Portis did. So we'll hear from him on the other side of the break. We got a lot to do. NFL, NBA, college, a new top six list. It's oh so early. It's the JR Sport Brief Show. CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. JR wants to hear from you. Call him now at 855-212-4CBS.

That's 855-212-4227. It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. I told you the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers have a big basketball game against each other tonight.

They both have records of 41 and 38. The game is underway. Only about four minutes has passed and the Clippers have just started off hot.

Fifteen to now six here. And it started off 15 to three as Eric Gordon woke up and decided to just pop threes right out of the gate. The Los Angeles Lakers starting off one of seven, but now two of eight from the field at the Angela Russell three gives them some life. And the Clippers continue to pour it on right now.

So we'll keep you updated on that game as things continue to roll on. A game that concluded right at the beginning of the show right before we started. Well, another championship contender, it cemented their status in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs. And that happens to be the Milwaukee Bucks tonight against the Chicago Bulls. I don't want to say that they took things easy.

That's that's not the case. There was no Giannis. Giannis is dealing with a sore knee.

There is no Pat Condon. He didn't play dealing with an ankle injury. Grayson Allen is dealing with a knee injury.

You won't see him maybe until the start of the playoffs and the Bucks beat the Bulls in Milwaukee. The final score 105 to 92. Who would you expect to really light things up for the Milwaukee Bucks with no Giannis? You would think Drew Holliday would go and do it, right?

Yeah, he did. 20 points, 15 assists, four of eight from downtown. You would expect Brook Lopez to show up and he did.

26 points. Brook Lopez did his job, right? The leading scorer tonight for the Milwaukee Bucks was the dude who basically was substituted in in the starting lineup for Giannis. And that would be Bobby Portis, everybody's favorite dude off of the bench. He finished with a Bucks high 27 points, 13 rebounds and he knocked down six trays. Bobby Portis has been balling all year and Bobby Portis is like, who needs Giannis?

Not tonight. I want you to listen to this as the Milwaukee Bucks started to run away from the Bulls. This is one of Bobby Portis six threes. This one was late in the game that helped put the Bucks up 10. Holliday, the other way from Milwaukee, slings it to the corner, catch and shoot three. Bobby Portis cans another big one right in front of that Bucks bench.

Another Michelob ultra three. And that was a big one. A soul sucker, if you will, from Bobby Portis. Everybody loves a good soul sucking three from the Bucks radio network.

Good work, guys. Anyway, on ESPN after the game, Bobby Portis, he talked about this. He said, listen, folks, I know my job with the Bucks. I am not the starter, but I do come off the bench and I need my love. This is what Bobby Portis had to say. I mean, obviously, I'm on this team. I'm not going to start.

Giannis and Brooke, they're going to hold down to four to five. So I think it's vital for me to come off the bench, bring energy each and every day. I think bringing energy to the game is a skill. You know, some guys can't get up each and every day, but I think I do. You know, winning the six man a year award, that's been a goal of mine for four or five years, even though the first couple of years is probably like not realistic. But, you know, now I think I got a I got a great shot.

So them voters, man, check me out, man. Yeah, nothing wrong with unrealistic goals. You got to shoot for something, right? And good for Bobby Portis. He's played in 68 games coming off the bench for the Bucks. He's putting up like starters numbers. You're talking about 14 points, 10 rebounds. And Bobby Portis, he'll knock down some threes every now and then tonight. He had six of them and he brings more than the stats on the sheet. Bobby Portis will punch you in the mouth.

Ask Maritich. Not an NBA right now. Maybe Bobby Portis made him go back to Europe. Either way, it's pretty cool to see how Bobby Portis has progressed in his career, not only as just a champion, but a contributor.

And he's he's always been good, but his game has continued to elevate. So congratulations to Bobby Portis on a damn good game. And congratulations to the Milwaukee Bucks for securing the number one overall seed. Now with a record of 58 and 22, there will be no catching them for the Celtics. There will be no Sixers catching them.

Nobody. We know the Cavaliers and New York Knicks, they're stuck at the four and five. And pretty much we just have to see where the Nets kind of settle in at and what happens with this ridiculous plan. As of right now, the Heat, the Hawks, the Raptors and those loser Bulls who just got beat by the Bucks, they're in the play in and they're pretty much trying to figure out who's going to play into the hands of the teams at the top. To get smacked.

Sorry, that's just the reality of it. And speaking of getting smacked. Last night, we talked about Joel Embiid and the 76ers. Joel Embiid decided to absolutely go off last night. Fifty two points against those Boston Celtics. The Sixers won 103 to 101. And Embiid basically said this last night, he put his stamp on on the MVP as far as I'm concerned. The Nuggets lost last night. Jokic has been dealing with a busted up calf. He only had 14 points. And Doc Rivers, after the game, he pretty much said the MVP race.

It belongs to the big giant dude from Cameroon. Listen, the P race is over. I'm really like tonight. We had we couldn't make shots. We had guys making shots with open shots. The manager scored half our points in the NBA game. And I'm biased. But the MVP race is over. Doc Rivers said that with the conviction.

As if you were to ask him whether or not. Hey, shut. What's that guy who don't play basketball no more? The big point guard.

There's a lot of big point guards. The one from Australia that doesn't like baskets. Back hurts. Oh, oh, Mr. Simmons. Yeah. Ben, Ben. He used to date who now? What? Ben Simmons. He does.

But he dated a car. They're not a general. You are correct, sir. Yes. Yeah.

He don't play basketball, though. For for for now. For now. Yes.

OK. The guy who doesn't play basketball, who dated a Jenner, who wears the wild outfits on the sideline, who basically put up an argument against the 76ers to get paid. The dude who quit the Sixers because Doc Rivers said, I don't know if he's a championship point guard. Yeah, him, Ben Simmons. Anyway, Doc Rivers said that Joel Embiid deserves the MVP with the same conviction. Pretty much of when he said, I don't know if Ben Simmons is a championship point guard and Ben Simmons took his ball and went home. Hey, I think Joel Embiid has it locked up.

I would I would certainly agree with him there. And then meanwhile, I told you about the other competitor for MVP. I thought he was in the lead for it last week until everybody stopped playing. That's Mr. Jokic. Nicola Jokic, she ain't think he's winning MVP.

I think that's that's done. I thought he would last week and then he didn't play and his leg hurts, his calf hurts to try to hold him off. Mike Malone doesn't care about the number one seed. He just wants to see Jokic healthy. And they got smashed by the Rockets, 124 to 103. The Rockets play basketball like they were on the street. They're just going up and down like it's the Rucker making ridiculous decisions.

And Mike Malone, he spoke as well and he said, you know what? We just soft out here. We had a chance to clinch number one tonight. And we talked about it this morning.

You know, the opportunity at hand. And we definitely did not take that opportunity seriously, because the way we played tonight was unacceptable playing like that this late in the year. That's how we're going to play.

We'll be out in the first round. Easy, easy. You know, when we don't do our jobs, there's accountability. And I speak the truth. And me calling us soft tonight isn't something I'm saying to you. I just told our team that. And I dared somebody to challenge me that it wasn't true. No one did, because we as a group were soft tonight.

I'm not saying we are soft, but tonight we were. But when I came in there, I think, you know, a couple of vets, you know, were saying stuff. And that's great. Great. It's not always on me. The players take ownership.

We're in this together. And when you have veterans willing to step up and speak, you know, you hope that it's impactful. I love hearing that. And that's good. He has a team that's supposed to be out here competing for a championship.

Supposed to be. I don't. Maybe part of this is why they're soft. I don't necessarily know who on a consistent basis. For the Denver Nuggets is going out there and playing defense. I don't know who their defensive stopper is, who's who's a star. You know, Michael Porter Jr.

I mean, you want to throw Gordon out there. He's supposed to be your best defender. He ain't going out there defending guards. Murray is not necessarily stopping anybody. And the big guy in the middle who you need on the court to move the ball and make sure that you actually score. Jokic ain't playing no defense. He can lift his arms up in the air. They try to hide this man. He's not doing anything. And so I love it when a coach calls his team out. We need more of that.

Tell him that they're soft. Wake up. Wake up call. This is no surprise.

And he's right. I mean, you think about the first round for the Denver Nuggets. We're talking about the Lakers and the Clippers, who are currently in action in the first quarter. They might have to play any combination of, I don't know, the Clippers, the Lakers, New Orleans, Minnesota, Oklahoma City. Sure, you beat Oklahoma City. Sure, you beat Minnesota. But we're thinking that they're even going to advance.

So let's come to earth. Anybody who advances and has that eighth seed, they're going to give them a fight. It's it doesn't matter if it's the Lakers or even New Orleans. Speaking of people who are missing.

Talked about Ben Simmons. Hold on. I need to check something, Chef. This is very important right now.

Let me check this real quick. He didn't announce a sudden retirement, did he? Who? What are you talking about? No, with Ben Simmons, because that wouldn't surprise anybody at this point.

No, no, no, no. Ben Simmons is... I don't know. What do you think Ben Simmons... Well, what does he think? He's rehabbing right now? What's he doing? Man, I think he's doing everything he can to position himself to play in a small market. It's the only chance he has to revitalize his career, like J.R. When is the last negative thing that was said about Markelle Fultz? We haven't, because that's what happens when you play in Orlando. And slowly but surely, he has turned himself into a pretty reliable NBA basketball player that never would have been the case had he gone to a big market. Well, Philadelphia ate him alive.

They did. Speaking of people who don't play. Zion Williamson, he also doesn't play basketball.

Oh. And right now, Zion, I assume, I don't have that game on, the Pelicans and the Grizzlies are tied at 124. Four tenths of a second are left on the clock right now. And I'm sure Zion is on the bench, and he is probably thinking about dinner or his next snack, which is a problem. So even if the New Orleans Pelicans end up in the playoffs and advance past the plan, with or without Zion, I think that they wouldn't be an easy out. I'd take the Nuggets over them, but they're not just going to roll over. And they're getting ready to go into overtime right now, Memphis and New Orleans. So I'm sure Zion is disappointed he has to wait another 20 minutes for his snacks. Sorry. It's the J.R. sport re-show here with you on CBS Sports Radio 855-212-4CBS.

That's 855-212-4CBS. If Zion actually played basketball, we know he's an athletic freak. He's one of the most exciting guys on the basketball court because he's built like a linebacker, defensive end, a wide one, a gigantic running back, but can't play. When we come back from break, I'm going to tell you about another athletic freak who did something for the first time in a baseball game that anybody's ever done.

I'll tell you, these new rules are pretty ridiculous. It's the J.R. sport re-show on CBS Sports Radio. You know what? We've got a basketball game going on. You're listening to the J.R. sport brief on CBS Sports Radio. First of all, one of the most well-rounded shows on CBS Sports Radio 855-212-4CBS. You have it.

Don't change anything. You're listening to the J.R. sport brief. Call in now at 855-212-4CBS. It's the J.R. sport re-show on CBS Sports Radio. I guess the Lakers are going to bounce back in this.

I mean, they've got no choice, really. Forty-six to thirty-six, the Clippers lead. About three minutes have gone by here in the second quarter. DeAngelo Russell, nine points, and Russell Westbrook is just, I guess he's just angry. When I see him play basketball, he's always angry. Just running and jumping and dunking and scowling. That's why when he goes out onto the street, people just want to get angry with him. Because when he's not scowling, he might be missing jumpers. So far tonight, he's doing damn good.

Two of two from downtown. You know, Russell Westbrook gets a bad rap. It don't bother nobody. He's just intense. And he makes bad decisions, but people...

I'll correct myself. A lot of times when he speaks to the media, he doesn't do himself any favors. He doesn't. He can be very combative. And I can't blame him.

He's got people calling him Westbrook. He just makes terrible decisions sometimes. We've got a lot of superstar players who do that. Not everybody can make just pinpoint decisions. Not everybody is going to be LeBron James or John Stockton, Jason Kidd. Not everybody's just gonna use their brain.

I'm sorry. I think J.R. Smith is one of the most talented basketball players I have ever seen in my life. But sometimes J.R. Smith's decision making?

Going beyond not knowing what's on the clock, who has the ball, what the score is in a finals game. Man, he's just... sometimes he's just out to lunch? Man, J.R. Smith is... he was a Hall of Fame level talent. He just didn't have the... how can I say this politely? He didn't have the decision making to go out there and make it work.

His talent was nuts. But anyway, now he's getting a degree. Shep, you heard about the degree and now he's playing golf.

You heard about all that? Yeah, it's a North Carolina school. Yes, correct.

HBCU, I believe. Yeah, you're right about that. And for an individual to be a 16-year... because remember, he didn't just win with Cleveland. Now, he wasn't in much different roles. He went with the Lakers, a two-time NBA champion, a 16-year NBA veteran. In the bubble?

The one that he just kind of showed up to at the end? Ah, okay. When we talk about J.R. Smith, when we look back on his life, no one's going to say one-time champion in the regular season, in a regular atmosphere, and a one-time champion in the bubble. It's going to be a two-time champion.

Nobody's saying champion at all, man. Come on now. Let's be real.

Wait, wait, wait. First of all, I can't believe that you were shouting this rhetoric about another J.R., but with that being said... There's another J.R. with a show named Dallas and he got shot.

I mean, what can I do? That's fair. And you can say his career was shot, that being J.R. Smith, when he decided to call a... and not call a time-out and not realize that they had one, but I digress. Well, no, his career was shot because he took too many of them. Oh, yes.

That would be fair. And other things, not to mention on your show, but J.R., the point is they don't come close to winning an NBA championship with the two-way player that he was back in 2016. He was unbelievable in that game seven. They relied on him in the beginning of the second half.

No one else can make a bucket, including Kyrie Irving, including LeBron James. It was J.R. Smith who they went to early in the second half that kept them in that game. He was imperative. He was indispensable.

He was the fourth best player on a Cavaliers team that beat the greatest regular season in the history of the NBA. Yeah, it'd just be nice if he was like that a little bit more often. I agree.

You can't make everything connect for everybody every time. But he had an amazing career. God bless him and all the love to him and going back to school and also getting into golf and letting... He's inspiring other people.

So much love to J.R. Smith. And I had mentioned someone else who just... And he's going into the Hall of Fame. Won an MVP, has yet to win a championship. He gets a lot of flack. That's Russell Westbrook. You know, I said he gets a bad rap for his intensity. Sometimes he takes that into the locker room and it gets lost on how nice of a guy he is or can be. And if you need a reminder, here's Russell Westbrook, one of his famous press conferences. Take a listen.

You seem to be in a really great rhythm. What allowed you guys to be so successful? Did a good job execution. Hey Russell, that first stretch Nick was talking about, the 15-2 run, you went with a small lineup with five really good offensive players on the court. What does it do for your offense when everybody out there is really accomplished as an offensive player? Just good. Russ, you had eight assists in the fourth quarter. What did you see from them defensively that allowed you to focus as much as you did on passing the run?

Oh, we did a good job executing. Now, are you upset with something? I just don't like you. You don't? No. Do you not like Nick either? I love Nick, but I don't like you. Well, you gave us about the same answers.

Yeah, you got another question? That was cute. Let's ask Kevin Durant how he felt about playing there. Such a nice guy.

855-212-4CBS. In a few minutes, I'm going to tell you about someone else who is a supreme athlete. He don't say nothing.

He doesn't say a word. Carl is calling from here in Georgia. You're on CBS Sports Radio.

What's up, Carl? Yeah, I want to talk about the Hawks. I mean, they won by 15 points tonight more. If they had a little defense and played just a little bit of defense, they could have been 10 games ahead of 500 by now. You can score 165 points if you want to, but if you give them 166, guess what? You lose. So if they play a little defense, we can win it all. Simple as that.

Carl, listen, I want to help you out here, Carl. Don't put money on that, okay? I don't put money on it. I just want to play a little defense. That's not going to happen with this group. I will just tell you flat out, if you are expecting a championship with these Atlanta Hawks... No, I'm not expecting a championship. I just want to play a little defense. If we did all year long, we'd be 10 games... No, no, but that's the point.

These players are not going to do that, so don't hold your breath on it. Look, if fish had wings, they'd be flying, but they don't. They're just fish. They don't fly unless you throw them. Flying fish. Yeah, there's flying fish out in the West Indies. They call them flying fish because they jump out of the water, but that's not even real flying. I'm talking about legitimate flying fish. Asking the Atlanta Hawks, and how about this?

This actually makes sense here. The Hawks are birds. You're asking the Atlanta Hawks to just go swim. They don't, man.

They're not built for the water. If the Atlanta Hawks played some defense, then we might have won another 10 other games, and then we'd be out there competing. Yeah, well, if the Atlanta Hawks had the soul of Akeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan, and they brought back Bill Russell... I mean, yeah, they'd be championship contenders now, wouldn't they?

They're not realistic. Let's have a parade when the season is over. We could run it right down Peachtree. I don't know. Come on, now.

Good ones there. What, a parade? I mean, we had a parade here for, at least they went to the World Series.

They lost. That's what they got to do. They got to go to the postseason after they go to the finals and lose? I mean, come on. I'm just being real. A lot of the teams, a good amount of the teams that are left here in the postseason in the NBA, they're just waiting on the year to close, man.

I'm sorry. The Hawks happen to be one of those teams. They played the Wizards tonight. I didn't have time to go to the game, but if I did, I might have looked at it and gone, do I want to see this? The Sixers come to town on Friday.

I hope I can stop by there. I ain't thinking about that. Nobody running around to see that. Shuff, does anybody care about the Wizards? I feel bad for some of these teams, to be honest. I feel bad for their head coach. He's such a good guy, Wes Unsell Jr. They said they're going to bring him back. Right. He's such a good dude, but the reality isn't, and you know this, JR, and anyone that follows the Wizards does, they pretended like Bradley Beal was a top five player in the world, and he wasn't.

He just wasn't even close. And Porzingis, we know what he's been in the NBA, whether it's the Knicks and the Mavs, and he's not a second guy on the championship team. They got what they asked for. Yeah, they're just paying people. You think it's too late for us to, you know, get some of that money?

Man, you know, it's funny. You talk about, to this day, the most beloved player they've had in the last 15 years. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

15 years? Yeah, and I say that because... Anton Jameson? Well, I would, well, it's technically 13, but John Wall, that was a great relationship, and when John Wall left, I'm telling you, something happened to Bradley Beal. I know he had a great scoring season, but he never, Bradley Beal was never going to be a franchise player. John Wall was.

You remember this. If he had not gotten hurt, they would have beat the Hawks in that playoff series and would have found themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals. Yeah, who cares? John Wall is, he's watching basketball just like me and you.

No, I get it, but I'm saying, like, there's no identity. Like, Gilbert Arenas, when he played there, people connected with him. They can't connect with Bradley Beal. It's just not that important to him. Let's be thankful that nobody's connecting with Gilbert Arenas.

That's a good thing. They loved him on the court, JR. They loved Gilbert, they loved the agents that are on the court. Yeah, yeah, he had his stretch, but he's better off being a sad podcast host. But anyway, it's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio.

Somebody else who might be sad. It's John Elway. John Elway, no longer a part of the Denver Broncos. John Elway getting the boot, or is he leaving on his own accord? And I'm going to tell you about a superstar athlete, unlike Russell Westbrook, you don't say nothing. And he had another first today. His name is Shohei Ohtani.

We're going to talk about Elway, Ohtani, the Ravens. There's a lot to do. More basketball here on CBS Sports Radio. Don't move. Last year, you may have made some smart decisions and you may have made some not so smart decisions, like maybe putting too much trust in those friends you met at the hotel in Sicily. The good news is making smart financial decisions is easier than you think. Nerd Wallet's Smart Money podcast has the weekly know how you need to get ahead. Sean and Sarah, the hosts of Smart Money, break down the latest financial news and give you honest, objective money advice.

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