JR SportBrief Hour 4

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One year upgrade requires Go 5G Next plan, financing new qualifying device, and upgrading in good condition after six months with half paid off. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. And I'm coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you to super producer and host Dave Sheppard.

He's holding it down in New York. You can always listen to the show on the free Odyssey app, your local CBS Sports Radio affiliate, Sirius XM Channel 158, and a smart speaker. If you got one, you walk in the door, laying in bed, you're too lazy to get up in the kitchen, wherever you got that smart speaker, just ask it to play CBS Sports Radio. Technology is cool, right?

Or it's creepy, pick one. Anyway, I'm going to be with you for one more hour. I'm here every week night, 10 p.m. Eastern Time, 7 p.m. Pacific.

It's been a busy, busy day, a busy, busy night. We started off the show talking about the retirement of Dusty Baker. He's going to have a press conference on Thursday to announce his retirement. God bless him. Seven men, only seven men have won a championship in baseball as a player and a manager. Dusty Baker is one of them. Thank God he got that championship last season with the Houston Astros. He won his championship as a player in 1981 with the Dodgers.

I've never heard anybody have a crossword or negative thing to say about him. Good on Dusty Baker for a career that will, without a shadow of a doubt, put him in Cooperstown when he's eligible three years from now. We talked about Brock Purdy, Brock Purdy dealing with concussion symptoms after the 49ers lost to the Minnesota Vikings this past Monday night, 22 to 17. No clue whether or not he's going to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. And so we just might see Sam Darnold trying to snap the 49ers two game losing streak.

Yeah, not not all that great of a thing to think about. Also, Victor Wambenyama, he made his debut tonight for the San Antonio Spurs, had 15 points, had none of those points in the fourth quarter to try to help the Spurs mount a comeback. Ultimately, they lose the Dallas Mavericks beat them 126 to 119. Victor Wambenyama did all of this in limited time, 15 minutes in the first three quarters, and he picked up his fifth foul in the fourth. And so Victor Wambenyama not necessarily going out there and just lighting the world on fire. But I don't think that's that's the expectation for him. Even tonight in a loss, he's able to go out and show glimpses of what he can do. Luka Doncic has a triple double, so he's already on schedule, 33 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists. Kyrie Irving has 22 points and six assists. And Victor Wambenyama, his full stat line in 23 minutes of work due to foul trouble, 15 points. Victor Wambenyama was three of five from downtown, had five rebounds, two assists, two steals.

And his first big play of his career was a block on Kyrie Irving. Devin Vissel had 23 points to lead the way for the San Antonio Spurs in a loss. And then also, because it's Wednesday night into Thursday morning, I gave you a top six list. And as I do, I try to make it relevant to what's going on in the sports world right now. And I gave you a top six list of teams that I think have the best chances of winning a championship this year at right now. We don't know who's going to get traded, who's going to get moved. Let me give you a quick recap at six. I gave you the Warriors at five. I gave you the Lakers at four. I gave you the Nuggets at three. I gave you the Suns at two.

I gave you the Bucks and a number one. I gave you the Boston Celtics. And the Celtics, I think, finally have an opportunity this year with a revamped team and Kristaps Porzingis and Drew Holliday to go ahead and win it all.

I wouldn't be shocked if any of these these top three teams won it. The Suns, Bucks or Celtics, if you want the full explanations, you can go ahead and hit rewind on the free Odyssey app. I told you the Celtics beat the Knicks tonight, 108 to 104. Kristaps Porzingis making his debut for the Celtics and he broke a record. Kristaps had 30 points tonight.

That's the most points ever by a Celtic in their debut game. And Kristaps, this is what he had to say about beating the Knicks in Madison Square Garden in his Celtics debut. That was awesome. That was awesome.

I'm not going to lie. Playing here at the Garden is always special as a home team, obviously, but also on the road here, it's really fun. We stayed poised and we stayed calm and we were able to finish out the game on making some big plays, getting some free throws and overall fun game to play in, for sure. Yeah, it's it's why people forget how big Kristaps Porzingis is himself.

Seven foot two. This man was five of nine from downtown with 30 points in his debut. Jason Tatum able to chip in 34 points.

Jalen Brown, a quiet one, 11 points. All things considered, I think we've reached a point now where the Celtics have an opportunity to get over the hump. I think a lot of it is going to depend on whether or not you have Kristaps just available by the time the playoffs come around. I think that's what it boils down to.

I heard Shep on the last part of the break when I guess a rat or something ate my wires here in the studio. You made the point of the Celtics and Tatum. You know, I don't I don't think what has happened in the past is always a precursor to what exactly is going to happen in the future. And so we'll find out soon enough. I would be surprised if at some point over his career that Tatum isn't the best player on a championship team because he is one of the most talented dudes in the league.

And he's had a lot of success, not the ultimate success at being now only 25 years old. So I think it's going to be real fun to see this season play out. Unfortunately, just like all professional sports, injuries play a role.

They play a factor into the games. I would love to see a Celtics Bucks final in the East. I think the Bucks are just as capable of winning a championship. And I want to see the Suns in the West. Maybe the Lakers, the Suns, but I don't even know if the Lakers are going to get that far.

I would probably be the Nuggets right back. But as I mentioned last hour, I'm concerned about the Nuggets and their depth. I don't know how much they improved to keep up with some of the other teams. They're going to be a constant. They're going to win their approximately 50 games unless there's injuries. I just don't see where they can take another step unless Michael Porter Jr. says, I too also am going to try to play like an All-Star.

But some of his decision making and his shot selection is just maddening. 8-5-5, 2-1-2 for CBS. That's 8-5-5, 2-1-2 for CBS. Ellen calling from Wisconsin. You're on CBS Sports Radio.

Go ahead, Ellen. The king is the king until somebody knocks him off the throne. Everybody looks good up until April. In April and into June in the championship run, you've got to have a bad man. Somebody who's willing to just put the team on his shoulders and be a bad man.

The Celtics don't have anybody willing to be bad and get that rebound and fight. These guys are all Fidesz players. I love Drew Holliday, but he's a foot short to be the bad man. Thanks for taking my call.

Thank you, Ellen, for calling from Wisconsin. I disagree. We can play the Rick Flair to beat a man.

You've got to beat the man all the way that you want. This is not the same team in relation to the Denver Nuggets. What the Nuggets did last year can't necessarily be applicable to what's going to happen in the future. If you can go ahead and tell me who's going to step off of the Nuggets bench and provide depth, please let me know.

When Nikola Jokic steps off of the floor and steps off of the court, who's the next big that is consistently going to step up? It's a long season. You're correct. But if you've got to think about how the talent actually matches up, it's not all that great. If the best defense of the Nuggets is, well, the Nuggets have the best chance of winning the championship because they just did it last year, that's a whole lot of emptiness.

It's not accurate. Last year was last year. We can look at what took place. We can look at who stepped up. We can look at the best player that is obviously Nikola Jokic. But when you think about the team and how it applies to the rest of the teams in the NBA, what did the Nuggets do to outwardly today show you that they improved?

Can I ask you a question, JR? Go ahead, Shaq. So you talked about this in game number four. Excuse me, it was game number five.

Christian Brown, who 90% of the country thought was Christian Braun for the first three quarters of the playoffs, just was completely phenomenal and outplayed his rookie status. Fair? Yeah. So I'm not saying you're wrong.

I just want to be clear. They had an eight-man rotation last year in the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals. Bruce Brown and Jeff Green obviously no longer there. Bruce being with the Pacers, Jeff going back to Houston. Those two not being there, you're saying now the Nuggets go from the best team in the NBA by far, where they won the NBA playoffs 16 games to four losses, to being the fourth best team in the NBA because of those two departures?

It's not best. I'm looking at the teams that I think have the best chance of winning the championship based on what they are today. And for Christian Brown, we have to see what he does, and it's not just him. Am I going to trust Reggie Jackson throughout the course of the season? Am I going to trust this roster? The Nuggets have to do some development as the year goes on, and I'm sure they will. What this team and this roster looks like today, by the time we get to the playoffs in the postseason, I'd be shocked if this were still the roster. Because for what Christian Brown has done in the postseason, he is still going to be inconsistent throughout the course of the year.

That's just the nature of being a role player. I mean, we have very few players in the NBA who on a night-to-night basis, even on a bad night or a bad game, are going to be able to contribute. That's why you have a Jokic.

A bad night for a Jokic will be, I don't know, 16 points and 10 rebounds and only 3 assists, and that's pretty damn good for a quote-unquote normal guy. And so it comes down to depth for the Nuggets, and they got some work to do there on the depth side. That's fair.

Understood. Yeah, it's just, what are y'all doing? It's not, oh my God, they went from winning the championship and now they're the fourth best team.

When it comes to odds of winning a championship, if you want to look at it that way, I think today they would have the fourth best odds based on their current roster construction. 8-5-5, 2-1-2 for CBS. It's 8-5-5, 2-1-2 for CBS.

Mark is here from Montreal. You're on CBS Sports Radio. JR, if I'm too lazy to get out of bed, what's going to help with the smart speakers in the kitchen?

Man, you got to scream. What's your problem? What do you got, a big-ass house?

How big is your house? I don't have a smart speaker, so I don't... Oh, you don't have a smart speaker. Okay.

Well, it sounds like you've been sleeping already, so what's up? I'd say the Bucks are the best team, and this is just me, but when it came to the Damian Lillard trade, the only thing I've heard is about Damian leaving Portland. No one's talking about what he's going to do with the Bucks, because now you've got a guy who could actually chuck threes. You don't need Brook Lopez just lobbing threes, and JR, if your life depended on it, who's going to play more games this year? Damian Lillard or Prezingis? All right.

Well, thank you, Mark, for calling from Montreal. Hey, Shep, that dude was like, what's a drug that you would take to go to sleep? Possibly lithium. Lithium? Yeah. I know that's on the periodic table.

You get that in Walgreens? Lithium? It does help sedate you, but JR, as sluggish as Mark might have been, and I will say... What did he say again? I forgot. There's validity to his question. He's basically saying what I know you know as... No, but help me.

What is the question? Because he literally put me to sleep. What did he say? Well, the question is, when it comes down to the final shot of the game, Damian Lillard... Basically, Mark's take was Damian Lillard to Milwaukee is not being talked about enough. The main narrative has been him leaving Portland, and it should be about what he's going to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo, which I think, frankly, you have talked about in plenty and tenfold. Now, what he's saying is, is there one individual outside of Damian Lillard you trust more to hit a game-clinching winning shot?

And the answer is no. Didn't he ask me about Sumbo Porzingis? What did he say about Porzingis?

Well, he also made the reference, and we all know this, who's going to play more games during the regular season. Now, Damian Lillard was limited by a calf injury, but honestly speaking... They faked that crap at the end. You believe that? Yes, they wanted scoot. JR, Damian Lillard is a guy who's still very much in his prime, and they were not out completely out of it when he had that calf injury.

Yes, they were. I watched Damian Lillard play with my own two eyes here in Georgia, and he was out there busting ass. And then a couple of days later, all of a sudden at the end of the season, he ain't played like the last eight to nine, ten games. Like, they told him to sit down to improve their draft stock, and they weren't going to do nothing. Like, the writing was on the wall, and he did the good soldier thing, and he sat down. Like, that was BS.

He was perfectly fine. I don't think a guy in year 11, which he was at the time, who's averaging 32 points per game, which was a career high. No one had ever done that in year 11 or after at 32 years old. There's no way, JR. Damian Lillard co-signed on sitting so they could get a higher draft pick. Very well knowing in the back of his mind, he wanted out of Portland, and this was going to be the last dance for him there. I don't think for one second he would agree to that. It makes all the sense in the world, because he knew he was on his way out the door.

If they improved their draft stock, if they had any chance or opportunity to flip it, they'd been able to do it with a higher pick. Like, he's not stupid. This is the larger point.

Like, you're thinking about some warrior competitor dude. His checks are still coming. He knows the team ain't going no damn where.

Either he's out the door, or if he is on a last-ditch hope that they trade for somebody, they're going to want to have a higher pick. And that's it. And they got that. He's not stupid.

He's not dumb. Okay, so in other words, it was Victor or Bust. If they didn't have the number one overall pick, he was leaving. No, it wasn't Victor or Bust. I mean, the odds are pretty much split at 14% between 1, 2, and 3. And so they ended up with Scoot.

It's not the worst thing in the world. He got what he wanted. Granted, he didn't go to Miami, and they got what they wanted. They were able to pick Scoot Henderson and move on.

Trust me, they asked him. So if you're Damian Lillard, the objective of his legacy and his career is go join a guy that's a two-time regular season MVP and a finals MVP that won two years prior. Go link up with him and win a championship. That's tough to swallow, JR. What's tough to swallow? He knew he wasn't winning anything in Portland, and he left.

You know what? He's got to look again at Shaden Sharpe. He's got to look again at Anfri Simons. He's got to look again at Jeremy Grenn, and he's got to see that the best overall prospect outside of Victor Uemunyama's ceiling and potential is Scoot Henderson. He made a mistake by leaving Portland. Whole eyes.

I had to scratch my beard for a minute. JR, so he's giving himself this year a better chance at winning a championship. I get that, but Giannis is also in year 11. Brook Lopez, like you said, is 36 in the spring of 2024.

That's an older team. Damian Lillard made a mistake by leaving Portland. Yes, he did. Now listen, I don't blame the guy. I understand why, but this was the one guy in this generation that wasn't going to be duped by the paycheck, and he wasn't going to sell out going to the better team when he was the guy. You just called him a better team.

What do you mean? You just called. You just said Damian Lillard went to a better team. He did, for this year. For this year. The man is going to be best.

The clock is ticking. So go out the Reggie Miller way. Go out the Reggie Miller way. Go out the John Stockton way. Because I have a lot more respect for those guys that were right or die with the franchise that drafted them, and that's how they ended their career.

Don't slow down, Shep. Ain't nobody thinking about who you have respect for. The fact is that from his perspective at 33 years old, he wants to win a championship. He wants to have better odds. And so, just like you said, he went to a better team. There is no guarantee that any of the guys on Portland are going to develop, and Damian Lillard is going to be 36 and 37, and the Blazers are going to be competing for a title. He has a better shot to go ahead and strike now, and that's what he's doing.

Okay, so then I think you're admitting, and correct me if I'm wrong, JR, I would never speak for you. What you're saying is, Damian Lillard, like every other superstar of his generation, with the exception of Giannis and Steph Curry, took the easy way out. I didn't say he took the easy way out. He's going to go compete for a championship.

That's called normal now. That ain't easy. So he took the easier path. If you want to talk about the easy way, then go ahead and say, oh, Kevin Durant joined the team that whooped his ass. I'm not going to, quote, unquote, paint it.

And JR, it's why... But hold on, stop. Thank you. I'm not going to paint it as the easy way. It's real simple. It's plain as day, and I personally do not care. I'd rather have entertaining basketball. I don't give a damn where anybody goes. I'm not upset that this guy went here. I don't have less respect than this. I'm not mad at anybody if you want to sit on a sinking ship or whether you want to go join on a plane and fly high. Doesn't matter to me. I could care less. And so for Damian Lillard to go ahead and say, yo, I've been here for 10 years. Like, I'm out of here. I'm going to win a championship and try to go.

I don't care. I'm looking forward to seeing him go out there and play with Giannis. Damian Lillard ain't lose no respect by me. And to be honest, if the goal and the idea right now is to play on the best team or a better team with better teammates and compete for a championship, man, I'd leave too. Like, what's he supposed to... Why is he going to stay on Portland for what?

Because if he were to win a championship, it would be the most remarkable championship of any guard in recent memory. Jay, just like Nikolai Jokic. Listen, Nikolai Jokic, I know Jamal Murray. I need drugs. Jamal Murray bowled out in the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals. There's no denying that. But Nikolai Jokic did not have a single All-Star in his rotation last year.

I need drugs. It's why when we look back at this particular championship in 2023, it's the most impressive championship of these past 20 years. Because Kevin Durant's two titles, sing whatever you want about those, it's not going to be the same. I'm not debating any of that.

But we got to look at specifically what you're talking about. It's weighing the odds and weighing the reality. The odds are higher that Damian Lillard can win a championship in his career now and into the future at this very moment and point in time with this squad and think about the future later versus staying in Portland where the odds are lower and you're basically in the unknown. Who the hell wants to do that? Anybody who wants to achieve or attain anything in life, you got to weigh the pros and the cons of what's happening now.

You got to think about the now and the later and you got to make the decision. The odds are low that he would have won anything in Portland besides just having more of a pain in the ass. That's it. I'm not mad at the guy. He might win the championship.

And if he does, I think that'd be awesome. For all the years that he had to carry the organization and go to a Western Conference Finals and shoot around with a short C.J. McCollum, man, go get a ring. What do I care?

No less respect. It's the J.R. Sport Brief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio, 855-212-4CBS. We come back. I'm going to get some more of your calls. And then we'll hear from another sensation.

I think at some point he'll be good, but who knows? It's Victor Winbenyama. It's the J.R. Sport Brief Show, CBS Sports Radio.

You're listening to the J.R. Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. Out of all the talk show hoes that this station be putting on, you're the best, man.

You're the best. When you're not on, they lose customers. Call in now at 855-212-4CBS.

One of my favorite drops of all time. I told you when to play that, chef. I told you when to play that. Hopefully we never have to experience that, but yeah, play that at my funeral.

855-212-4CBS, that's 855-212-4CBS. A hundred years from now, you got it. Say again, chef? You said your funeral. I said a hundred years from now, you got it.

Oh, thank you. Well, we'll have the robot officiant play it at my funeral, okay? Sounds good.

The robot will play it for us. Tonight, I gave you a top six list. NBA teams, I think, have the best odds of winning a championship, considering where we stand today. Warriors, Lakers, Nuggets, Suns, Bucks, Celtics, in that order. And then we have the debut tonight of Victor Benyama.

We talked about that briefly. The Mavericks beat the Spurs in San Antonio, 126 to 119. Victor Benyama has a slow start, gets into foul trouble, finished the night with five fouls. Only played 23 minutes, but then came on late to finish with 15 points, five rebounds, two assists. He had a block early against Kyrie Irving, and he was six of nine from the field. Three of five from downtown hit some big threes at the end of the game.

I think he had nine points in the fourth quarter. Victor Benyama, yeah, he ain't start off hot, but he showed why he is one of the biggest prospects that the NBA has seen. And Victor Benyama, he spoke to the media not too long ago, and you'll hear some highlights in the background. This is what Victor Benyama had to say about the loss tonight. You know, it might be frustrating, but always keeping the head up is good for my teammates, you know. I can't show it on the court, and it's, you know, we learn. We learn everything.

Of course I'm going to think about this game because it's the only game I've ever played. But, you know, it's a long season. We got, honestly, we got other things to take care of, and it goes by. Our rhythm is so quick that we're going to, we're already focusing on the next game. Yeah, they're going to be good, man. Well, he's going to progress, I believe, into being good. Let's see, sky's the limit.

That's the fun part about watching. 855-212-4CBS, let's go ahead and hit the phone lines. Let's talk to Barry from Boston. Go ahead, Barry. How are you, brother? I'm good, go ahead. So, I don't take any drugs.

No Tylenol, no aspirin, none of that. I like Mack, who was the last caller. So, I think the Celtics, your number one pick, could not be more perfect.

Your top six list was phenomenal tonight. But the Celtics, I think, are the best. Are you biased calling from Boston? Little Celtics? Yeah.

Favorite season? A little bit, sorry. Okay. It's okay. It's all right.

It's all good, Barry. Thank you for calling from Boston. The other element that I like the Celtics is, I like more of their depth. And I think they've been through this.

You know, I think there comes a point in time you get punched in the mouth enough. You know, I think Tatum will bounce back. And they have some versatility here. I like them. Isaac is calling from San Diego. You're on the Gerald Sportbrief show. Hello, can you guys hear me? Yes, yes, we can hear you. Go ahead, Isaac.

How's it going, guys? I just wanted to chime in on Damian Lillard and how real this guy actually is. I don't think that there's a lot of people who are understanding that there might be other outside influences in his decision to actually leave Portland. He might not have ever wanted to, despite any other stuff on the court.

He just filed for divorce from his wife. So, I can't substantiate on everything. Maybe I've heard something.

Maybe I haven't. But I think that there's more of a personal relationship situation with the organization, with his wife, that caused him to actually leave because of who he is as a person. Okay. Well, I don't want to get into hearsay on what took place between this man, his wife, and the organization. So, I hear you. But I ain't going to sit here and do that on this show.

I mean, if you want to play Mari Povich in Captain Investigator, then you go ahead. I think in the simplest terms, as an overall, regardless of any of his personal issues, the Blazers realized that time was up and so did he and they moved on. You know, any other factors are external. And I think in the big picture, if they were winning and busting ass, then he would still be there.

The fact is, they weren't. 855-212-4CBS, Stan Scoll from Dallas. Go ahead, Stan. Hey, JR.

Appreciate you letting me on. Hey, listen, I mean, Wimby had a nice debut tonight. I don't want to take that away from him. But I'm kind of concerned about, not that I'm a Spurs fan, but I'm just kind of concerned. How did he get into foul trouble? Is that going to be something that, you know, Popovich is going to have to just, you know, teach him, hey, man, this is what you got to do to stay out of foul trouble. That's number one. I would say, well, let me respond to that.

Yeah, sure. That's that's that's normal, man. Like if the guy is seven foot four, big men get into foul trouble. And especially, hold on, being in being in his first game, like what is surprising? Most and this is not even just big men. Guys have to get used to playing in the league. I don't see any issue. This is all natural.

Tonight. He could have finished with two fouls. He could have had three. He had five of them tonight. Like it's it's not a surprise or shock.

OK, well, you know, that's all well and good. And I know Kareem had like forty six hundred personal fouls called on him over his career, which is like second all time. So I get that some some of the big men really do get into foul trouble, you know, and I know Wilt Chamberlain was a whole different, you know, beast. But Wilt Chamberlain never fouled out of a game.

In fact, in one season, I think it was a sixty one sixty two season. He played all but eight minutes of that season because he got disqualified. He got ejected from a game with eight minutes to go because he had two technical fouls back back to back. He played every minute of that season.

So I mean, yeah, Stan. In the modern NBA, guys are going to commit fouls. Players getting used to defending stars in the league are going to get fouled.

I think Victor when Benyama, how he approaches the game, I would think from a defensive standpoint is going to be different next game, next week, a month from now, two months from now, two years from now, three years. It's it's part of the process. So I'm not all that concerned about him fouling. It's part of the process. And yes, I'm sure absolutely certain that they've already had a discussion with him about his positioning on defense to try to limit that.

But what's your next question? Well, no, that's that's basically, you know, what I was what I was concerned about. Just, you know, is this going to be something that, like you say, I believe it's going to be a process as well. I mean, a lot of it was expected of him at an early at an early age and an early, you know, basically, I think league. Yeah, I think from the outside and a general consensus because of his potential, I don't think internally with the Spurs. I think they're going to let this man grow and I think they're going to mold him and give him an opportunity to do so. Hey, Marco Balletti, the sky is falling.

Victor women. Yama had five fouls every game. He's going to foul guys five times. That sounds about right. Isn't that the math? Yeah, every game.

If it happens once, it happens 82 times. He's going to average. He's going to average five fouls a game.

What a what a disappointment in the bust. He could be. And I'm being a jerk. But I mean, like, I'm not I'm not sweating to do because he had five fouls tonight. Is this going to be a problem moving forward?

Yeah, probably is. Every now and then he's going to get into foul trouble. It happens. And then what are we going to do when he has a game where he only fouls a guy twice? Like, it's part of development. Just let the guy play.

He got long ass arms. He's going to foul some folks. No, no biggie. Now, if he's five fouls every game for, you know, a week or two weeks, come back and talk to me. Not after tonight.

I'm not not sweating it. It's the JR Sport Brief Show on CBS Sports Radio. You're listening to the JR Sport Brief on CBS Sports Radio. Hey, JR. Thanks for having me on.

First time caller. You got a great show. I really like your show.

You're really patient and I think you're really objective. Call in now at 855-212-4CBS. It's the JR Sport Brief Show here on CBS Sports Radio. NBA is back tomorrow. We got Thursday Night Football. We got two teams trying to get their lives together right now. The Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to occupy our space, our time tomorrow. Thursday Night Football. And you got one team that lost to the Falcons by field goal. You got another team that lost to the New England Patriots at the end with a touchdown here.

Mac Jones. Buffalo Bills. They ain't looking all that hot in the Buccaneers.

Come on, let's just be real. Buccaneers are wasting everybody's time. They got Baker Mayfield out there. They won their championship with Tom Brady. Eventually, sooner than later, they just gonna have to rip things down there. They're in football purgatory. There is no getting back to a championship until you have a legitimate championship QB. But things will kind of be even until they get worse in Tampa Bay. Let's get to more of your calls before we have to roll out.

That's 855-212-4CBS. We got a lot of people here on the line. We got limited time. So just go ahead. State what's on your mind.

Just go ahead. Let's start with Tyler in San Diego. Hey, what's going on JR?

Let me say, that intro was official brother. I hope you're doing good. Quick, I don't think any team can compete with the Nuggets for right now. I like the tandem they got going on in Boston with Porzingis and out if they can stay healthy. I haven't seen anything from the Bucks yet. So that's still to come. Hopefully they can pull it together. But right now, I see the Nuggets not being knocked off the top. Shout out 757.

All my dogs go to heaven. Thank you Tyler for calling from San Diego. I just don't see what the Nuggets have done to improve to win a championship. That's it.

They're going to have to have multiple guys step up in a big way. Frank is here from San Francisco. Go ahead Frank.

Yeah, hey JR. First time caller too as well. But see, I just don't get where you're going with that because... So if you look at Jeff Green, he was a utility player. I mean he brought veteran experience, right? And you look at, you know, Bruce Brown.

Same thing. Kind of did the dirty work underneath there. But as far as guys that could step up, I mean Reggie Jackson proved on opening night that he's willing to kind of go to battle with these guys. And it's his chance to get a ring too as well. I mean he's been... He got one last season. He was there.

They didn't play him. Yeah, but I mean I get the idea that he's kind of ready to step up. Like he's got enough years under him and he can make some big time plays.

Like, I mean that's kind of what I'm wondering. Where is it that they lost the edge as far as a defending champion? He can, but it's not... The Nuggets aren't just competing with themselves. They're competing with the rest of the NBA. Reggie Jackson didn't even really step out onto the floor last season in the postseason. And I know what Bruce Brown did.

I know what Jeff Green did. But who else are you going to have full confidence in with this team versus some of the other squads in the league who have improved? Well, I mean you've got to look to your three guys.

You've got to look to your three-headed dragon. You've got to look to guys like Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Jokic. I mean, those guys are going to be the leaders. They've got the veteran experience.

It's not like it's just thrown on them. No, no. I didn't ask you that. I said, where do you see the Nuggets having improved at the rate of some of the other teams in the NBA?

Well, that's a true question. Who improved enough? Because I didn't see the Lakers improve. I didn't see the Clippers improve.

Oh my God. Listen to me. The Milwaukee Bucks, did they get better? Do you think they got better? Did they add more talent?

The Milwaukee Bucks? No, they didn't get better. Okay.

Well, Frank, let me ask you. Do you think the Celtics got better? The Celtics got better.

Okay. Do you think the Suns potentially got better? I think the Suns got more offensive power. No, no, no. Is it yes or no? Did they get better? Slightly on one side of the ball. Oh, no, no. I'm not asking you about one side.

I'm asking as a general sense. Hey, Frank, this is difficult having a conversation with you, man. No, because, yeah, okay, yes, they got better. Well, Frank, hold on. What I want you to do, Frank, call me back in two weeks and let's just try to have this conversation again. You want to do that? Okay. In two weeks we can look at, see where the Suns are at.

No, no, that's not what I want to do. I'm not, there's about three minutes left in the show. And for you to tell me the Milwaukee Bucks didn't get better by adding Damian Lillard is just comical to me. And the fact that you cannot identify to me where the Denver Nuggets have just clearly improved. You're telling me about a three-headed monster and you're telling me about Aaron Gordon is almost comical, Frank. I got to be honest.

Well, it's not improved. I think they... Okay. Scratching my head right now.

You can't hear it. I thought I asked him that like four minutes ago. Vince is here from Tampa.

You're on CBS Sports Radio. Yeah, I will start by saying Milwaukee definitely got better. But really where I wanted to go the conversation a little bit earlier with Shep talking about Damian and leaving Portland.

I mean, you get to a certain point in your career and you start looking at that clock, right? He stayed there Portland long enough and did not see any type of progression in your waiting on those graphics, right? He didn't leave like LeBron left, right? LeBron left chasing the ring to join that super team. He didn't do that. And so now he's at the point in the career, made the money, had the max deal, waited it out in Portland. And now he made the move.

I don't see anything wrong with it. Actually, I applaud him for that. You know, maybe the way he tried to force his way down to Miami, right? You know, that could have been done a little differently.

But outside of that, you know, you got to make that best move. And, you know, the clock is ticking. You've got to get the ring and hopefully he can get that with Milwaukee. Well, actually, no, because I'm a Knicks fan.

Oh, you don't hope. Well, the Knicks got their own problems. They needed a guy like Damian Lillard a few years ago. Now they got Brunson and now they need to get rid of that Julius Randle guy to hopefully get in some more talent. So, no, Vince, I agree with you.

There's nothing else for him to play for in his career except for a championship. And if he can get his hands on it, then so be it. Thank you for calling from Tampa, man.

Thank you. No doubt about it. Yeah, man, it's some tough going. Like this season is going to be absolutely fun. There's so many question marks, like even with all of the talent that has moved around, whether it's a Lillard to Milwaukee or you think about Bradley Beal now being on the Suns and you think about Drew Holiday and Porzingis on the Celtics.

There's nothing set in stone. Somebody's going to get hurt. Somebody's going to get traded. And this season is just going to be a fun watch.

Listen, I'm going to be back with you tomorrow at 10 p.m. Eastern, 7 Pacific. Obviously, we're going to talk some more basketball. We'll hear some words from a retiring Dusty Baker and then we'll talk some Thursday Night Football as well.

We got the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We got a lot to do. It's the Gerald Sportbreeze show here on CBS Sports Radio. Thank you much to super producer and host Dave Sheppard. Thank you, Shep. You Jr. And thank you to everybody tuned in all over North America.

If you missed a minute of the show, you can hit rewind on the free Odyssey app. I'm gone. I'm leaving right now. But you shouldn't leave. Why?

Because I said so. That's number one and number two and three and four and five. It's because Amy Lawrence. She's coming up next. It's number six as well.

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