Hurley Loves LA?

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855-212-4227 is the number to jump on in 855-212-4227. You could always get at me on Instagram where I'm straight flexing or via the good old cesspool of Twitter acts at Zach Gelb, that's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. Got Ryan Botcher, Moist Mike rocking and rolling with me all the way up until 6 PM Eastern, 3 PM Pacific time. Chris Brockman of the Rich Eisen show, mega Boston Celtics fan, he's going to stop by 40 minutes from now.

The host of Lakers Nation, Trevor Lane will join us in the second hour of the show and to kick off the final hour of the extravaganza for today, ESPN college basketball analysts and dear friends of the show in Seth Greenberg. I got a lot of good sleep last night. I woke up late today. I rolled over at about 9, 10 AM Eastern time. And when I looked at my phone, I saw 10 different people texting me.

And I'm like, Oh, what the heck happened overnight? And what happened actually was about an hour before I elected to wake up, Adrian Wojnarowski had a Woj bomb. So let me recall earlier in the week where Shams Sharania and the next chapter of Woj versus Shams said that the Lakers are zeroing in on JJ Redick to be their next head coach. And if you listen to this show, you know, I am not a fan of JJ Redick and I would instantly be rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers to go 0-82 if JJ Redick became their next head coach. Cause I think he's arrogant.

I think he's smug. And quite frankly, I think he's very condescending and I'm not a fan of JJ Redick. And it would just be to basically genuflect to LeBron James.

So you keep LeBron James there, you probably draft Bronny. And then boom, you have JJ Redick coaching the team and just being the facade there in LA as LeBron's really the coach. But that thought is now, I don't want to say evaporating cause it still may happen, but that thought is placed on hold because Adrian Wojnarowski's information, who let me remind you very close to the Hurley family, from Bob Hurley senior to Bobby Hurley and Dan Hurley. Very, very close confidant of the Hurley family is Adrian Wojnarowski. And Adrian Wojnarowski's report today is earth shattering information and can not only rock college basketball, but it could rock the NBA. And that is of course, as you know, the Lakers are targeting Danny Hurley as their next head coach.

Now let me be clear. It doesn't mean it's going to happen. And as I sit here today and you ask me, Zach gun to your head, is Danny Hurley going to be the next head coach of the Lakers? I'm very uncomfortable in answering that question if a gun's to my head, by the way, because it very well could happen. But in this case, I still think Danny Hurley is going to be back at UConn, but why would he take the Lakers job?

So I really need to explain it. Hey, it's the Lakers. And also the money is going to be absurd.

Think about it. If Monty Williams who made the NBA finals with the sons, if he makes $13 million a year on a six-year contract, that's what Danny Hurley is going to be making. So they're basically going to be doubling or leaving a little bit more than doubling his current salary per year at UConn. So I'm thinking this deal, if it does go down, and we don't know if it will, Danny Hurley had a practice today, according to John Fanta, he told his team, yes, he's talking to the Lakers, but it's business as usual right now.

And everything's operating as normal. But I would think if this deal does go down, if I just had to guesstimate, it would be a six-year deal worth $80 million in that line. Now, Batra, you look at me like I'm crazy. You don't think it's going to be that much? You think more than that. You think more than that?

Yeah. That's a pretty lucrative contract. $80 million over six years is $13.3 million a season.

No, I just used my calculator to figure that out. That's about what Monty Williams got. He's better than Monty Williams. I would agree, but you're going from college to the NBA. And he's not going to get pop money, but that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA. But here's my message to Danny Hurley.

And this is where I really want to start the show. Don't take the Los Angeles Lakers job. Yes, you'll be making a lot more money with the Los Angeles Lakers than you would be with the Yukon Huskies. Yes, there's no doubt about it in the year of 2024, it is easier to be a pro coach than it is to be a college coach. But the reason why I don't think you should take this job, even though he does have NBA aspirations, is I don't think you're a good fit.

You got to know yourself. And when you look at Danny Hurley and why so many of us love him, it's because of his passion. It's because of his intensity. He's a demanding coach and he's also a quirky dude. And usually those types of coaches don't last long in the NBA with this era of NBA players. This is an era of NBA players that they like to get coddled and they don't like to have a coach that is a drill sergeant and that is very demanding. Look how rare it is to have a Tom Thibodeau in the NBA and he's voted as the least likable coach in the league by the players. It's not because Tom Thibodeau wasn't a good coach, it's because Tom Thibodeau is demanding and it's a grind to play for him and it's a grind to play for Danny Hurley. And I just don't think Danny Hurley in LA is going to be a fit from a personality and coaching standpoint. So if I'm him, I would stay at UConn. But as I know, money talks, the Lakers are an enormous brand and this is a creme de la creme job in the sport. And a lot of us, if we got told, hey, you could get a job where you're going to be paid double, maybe more than that, and it's an easier job. Most of the times, 9.9 times out of 10, you would take that job with that understanding.

But this should be the one tenth of a time that you don't take it. Because we have seen before, college coaches in football and in basketball go to the pros and usually more times than not, it doesn't work rather than it working. I think the world, the world of Danny Hurley, I love Danny Hurley as a coach. I was on the Danny Hurley train early on when he was at Rhode Island and I got to see at Temple University when Temple played Rhode Island, Bobby Hurley was actually on his staff, Danny and Bobby Hurley both screamed like maniacs. It was so fun to watch.

It was awesome. And I thought to myself, maybe one day Danny Hurley was going to be coaching St. John's and St. John's has hired a bunch of coaches. Years ago, I was saying Danny Hurley needs to be the next head coach of St. John's and he eventually got the UConn job and he has brought UConn back. He has made UConn back to their dynastic blue blood ways.

That's what Danny Hurley has done. And he is a back-to-back champion with a chance for an actual three-peat this year. He has UConn humming. They are phenomenal. They are awesome.

They are sensational. And it would be a shame if he did elect to leave, but I can't understand why. Because it would be more than double the money and it's an easier job, but I just don't think he meshes in the pros. There's just certain coaches when they go from college to the pros, you could say, okay, I could see it. Other coaches where you just go, I can't see it. And when it comes to Danny Hurley, because of what made him great and how demanding because of what made him great and how demanding he is and how much of a maniac he is on the sideline, I just don't see that style working. Can you imagine him chewing out LeBron James as LeBron gets what?

He just finished making a putt on the 17th hole of his career and now he's teeing off on the 18th hole. Anthony Davis, he would be running to the ground. I don't think his body would hold up with Danny Hurley as the coach. It's just a difference in the type of error that we're in right now and the way that this sport is. The NBA now is a sport where the star players are coddled and we always talk about resting and load management and all that nonsense. And what made Danny Hurley great and what turned UConn around is because of how much he asks out of these players. So I just don't think it's the proper fit.

I don't. And it's not just, oh, cause he's going to Lakers. You know, this would be for probably every job in the NBA.

Now the NBA is always going to be there. I don't know if the Lakers will always be there for him and it's going to be a tough decision. And I think this is a legitimate decision that Dan Hurley has to make. And could he be maybe using the Lakers to get more money on his contract?

I guess. Does he need to do that though? He could have got the Kentucky job if he wanted it.

He could have. He elected to stay at UConn and I know they extended him after or or changed up his contract after his first championship. How haven't they done that though yet? How haven't they already figured out a new deal with Danny Hurley to reflect the type of coach he is in college basketball? That doesn't make sense to me. That's a nonsensical approach that the UConn Huskies are operating in right now. So I guess they're just hoping that he's not going to leave and maybe this will change something and make them come to the table because he said no to Kentucky. But are you going to say no to the Lakers when they're going to come calling to you with a bare minimum offer I would think of 80 million dollars over six years?

And then guess what? If you don't work out in the NBA, you have like a good season, a second good season and the players end up hitting your guts. You always go back to college and you could walk back to college and people would be begging for your services. Look Brad Stevens has been away from college for a decade. People still bring up his name.

You take a look at, you know, in Chicago with Billy Donovan. He was at the Thunder, then the Bulls. He's been gone for a long time.

His name still always gets thrown into the mix. So college will always be there. The pros will also always be there for Danny Hurley but this is the Lakers and this is what makes it a difficult decision. But we saw Danny Hurley's father stay at St. Anthony's for all those years. He could have got a pro job.

He could have got a college job. Bob Hurley Sr. knew what he was born to do and that was to coach in high school. I think Danny Hurley is the perfect definition of what a college coach is. I'm not saying that he wouldn't be willing to alter, he wouldn't be willing to adjust and there's no way he couldn't have success in the NBA. I just don't think it's a fit with the Lakers and I don't think it's a fit in the NBA right now and he's even talked about it before. He's got to mature a little bit more and he's got to mellow out a little bit more to go coach in the NBA and I think it'd be too soon. I really would and this would be an enormous contract that I think in three years or less we'd be looking at Danny Hurley and he's probably trying to get back into the college game. Danny Hurley is a college coach.

He should stay in college and I hope he does and my gut tells me he will but I can't say that with a hundred percent certainty. It is the Zach Gelb show on the infinity sports network. Do you think Danny Hurley should take the Lakers job?

What say you eight five five two one two forty two twenty seven eight five five two one two forty two twenty seven. Also we have a poll question up there. It's a question I just asked you can find it on insta on twitter excuse me at Zach Gelb or INF Sportsnet. Should Dan Hurley leave UConn and take the Lakers job? Right now fifty nine point nine percent early return say no forty point one percent say yes. Take a time out when we come on back if Danny Hurley does leave the UConn Huskies.

I have not one not two not three not four but five names that could replace him in stores Connecticut. Coming on back you're listening to the Zach Gelb show. All right it is the infinity sports network and it is the Zach Gelb show. The big story of the day it's not that the NBA finals tip off tonight which is crazy. After how long of a layoff we've had waiting for the NBA finals I thought for sure the opening segment of the show yesterday when I signed off at 6 p.m eastern time for tomorrow which is today a Thursday I would have thought for sure it was going to be game one of the NBA finals but then Woge had a Woge bomb that the Lakers are targeting Danny Hurley as their next head coach. Now we'll see if Danny's going to take the job if he does I have five names for you that could replace Danny Hurley at UConn but I really love this story even though I don't want to see Danny Hurley leave and depart the UConn Huskies that I hope he does stay but the reason why I love this is because I can't stand JJ Redick and this feels like it's JJ Redick if Danny Hurley does get the job just getting left at the altar and I can't wait to see tonight how they cover this on ESPN because everyone was thinking yesterday that JJ was going to be the coach of the Lakers now there's a report about Danny Hurley.

Samter I don't know if they'll bring it up Mike Breen can do whatever he wants at ESPN he is a legend he is a sensational broadcaster he is the voice of the NBA and the NBA finals and I love Mike Breen but don't you have to bring this up in some capacity to JJ Redick like even if you just make a joke about it but I don't know how you do this broadcast tonight and I get it the the main course the filet mignon at the wedding tonight is the NBA finals with the Celtics hosting the Dallas Mavericks but I don't get how you don't bring this up tonight I think it's on Mike Breen tonight to and Mike Breen's very witty going back to when he was an update anchor on the Imus in the morning extravaganza Mike Breen I know him he's a hilarious dude whether it's just directly bringing it up to JJ Redick or making some vague joke you need to bring this up Samter it would be broadcasting malpractice if my friend the great Mike Breen does not bring this up in some capacity to JJ Redick tonight I don't know man I mean if it's tough because you got an ESPN guy in woads reporting it but you've got an ESPN guy in JJ who's involved in it an ESPN guy loosely hey okay he just got I know he's been there for the last few years but he was planning on leaving you anyway so guess the rat's ass about him right now what I mean is he's actually on the ESPN broadcast yeah I mean JJ would have to be like they would have to talk about ahead of time he would have to be okay with it and I don't think JJ Redick does a very good job of taking jokes I'm just gonna go on a limb on that one very serious I will just say this I would be surprised if they make any mention of it whatsoever with JJ there like maybe during one of the like segments they might mention here's the report and then they get hired but at the end of the day they're the biggest story in basketball today this Danny Hurley thing is the biggest story in basketball if he gets hired for sure but even today just to report that we have sat here for over a week talking about the NBA Finals because of how long this layoff is what else is there to say before the game that we haven't said already no no I'm not saying for our purposes I'm saying for ESPN for ESPN as they're previewing the finals they might make mention of it but I don't think they make mention of it with JJ there you're probably right that's a shame though it's a real shame and you know what maybe this is an unhealthy hatred that I have of JJ Redick but I thoroughly enjoyed you know that photo where the guy is looking at the sexy girl walking past him while holding the hand of his girlfriend so that's like a big meme on the internet right away after I got my coffee and my brain started working this morning after processing this news I said oh I gotta create a photoshop with Rob Polinka being the guy holding the hand of JJ Redick as Dan Hurley is walking by and I put that on my social media and you know what I really did enjoy Samter searching sad looking JJ Redick photos and this is not an anti-duke I'm not an anti-duke guy uh growing up as a kid I actually liked JJ Redick when he was on the college basketball game cover I was a fan of JJ Redick but the last two three years in his media career and just how condescending and obnoxious he is and how he just never smiles and he went on that Boston radio station 98.5 the sports hub and was asked legitimate basketball questions and he was just being a jerk I enjoy people like that potentially getting stood up I do I enjoy it even though I I don't want to see Danny Hurley take the job and I my preferences for Danny Hurley to stay with the Huskies I I can't lie I'm not going to be devastated if he goes to the Lakers because JJ thought this job was handed to him on the silver spoon coming from the king Lebron James and imagine them going back to do that dopey podcast now imagine Lebron James and JJ doing the the podcast hey JJ I tried I did everything in my power and then Danny Hurley swoops in and says hey you want to be my assistant you want to work under me oh that would be wonderful it does sort of feel like you done us Haslam Iverson thing it's like hey you know it sucks yeah but it is Iverson like it is Danny Hurley who's a two-time defending national champion in college basketball and he clearly can lead a team JJ Redick is not qualified to be the Lakers coach it doesn't mean that he can't get the job right we've seen guys go from playing or from the broadcast booth right to to getting a job but if you base it off qualifications like Sam Cassell should get the job before JJ Redick even James Borrego should get the job before JJ Redick now sometimes you get your first head coaching job with no previous experience and it works but I don't think JJ Redick is qualified enough to get the job and I think he should have to be an assistant before getting the head coaching job but to JJ's credit and I'll say something nice about JJ he's put himself in a spot where he's been obviously attractive enough to more than just one organization to be in the running for a head coaching job but based off purely qualifications I don't think he's qualified one thing I'll say though is I think there's a difference between qualifications and experience right you can he doesn't have the experience that's for damn sure but to be qualified for something you just have to be a good basketball mind who understands how to draw plays and run a team and be able to communicate with people tell me it's it's this era of the NBA you have to be a player's coach and you have to like JJ Redick does he ever rip an NBA player he he did go after Doc Rivers a coach but has he ever ripped an NBA player and I think JJ Redick is actually more conducive to the NBA in the year of 2024 as a coach what players are looking for than what Danny Hurley would be now Danny Hurley is by far and away the better coach Danny Hurley runs circles around JJ Redick but because Danny Hurley is demanding and because Danny Hurley wants the most out of his players and in a nice way he's a maniac that doesn't fit this day and age of the NBA and coaches like that in the NBA now don't last very long where JJ would come from the player's view where it's basically kiss everyone's ass oh you missed the shot slap him on the ass you'll get him next time don't worry you want to take off 20 games in the regular season don't worry I'll allow that so in a weird way santor JJ actually may be the better fit even I will say that as a JJ Redick hater JJ may be a better fit for the Lakers than Danny Hurley but it doesn't mean that JJ Redick is more qualified than Danny Hurley and at the end of the day LeBron James with the coach of whatever team he's on anyway so it doesn't really matter who the coach is as long as LeBron is there so hire whoever and they'll be happy okay so if Danny Hurley does leave UConn to take over the Lakers job here are my five names that could replace Danny Hurley at UConn in no order Bruce Pearl who is currently at Auburn we know Bruce Pearl is a northeast guy too even though it's been a long time since he lived in the northeast but that is an energetic passionate coach he kind of feels similar to Danny Hurley in a lot of ways and you know he's never leaving to go to the NBA here's another one and I would hate for this to happen to Providence because Providence lost Ed Cooley and they found the right replacement I think Kim English the coach of Providence even after one year being there I know he's at George Washington before he will be a rock star in this sport and it would be a sensational move by the UConn Huskies how about little more big biggies on Big East crime you know Rick Pitino will want a bigger job than the one that he has right now and that's not saying anything negatively about St. John's it's being realistic like Rick Pitino would have crawled back to Kentucky if they would have been interested in but they weren't interested in him so maybe they look to just kind of continue to to capture this greatness of UConn for like three more years and that's Pitino's final stop and then here are the two names that I think are probably most realistic well actually one's realistic the other one I don't I don't know where this guy's mind is at but Scott Drew won a championship at Baylor he saved that Baylor program it's maybe the greatest rebuild we've ever seen in the history of college sports he didn't take the Kentucky job when Kentucky was begging him but the Kentucky job comes with more pressure than the UConn job so if Scott Drew is looking for a big job UConn is a blue blood UConn is a big job and it's not much as a pressure cooker as the Kentucky job is so you got to put make a phone call to Scott Drew and hear Scott Drew say no but you know I think would be I don't know if it's a number one candidate but if you ask me right now Zach you have to make one guess on who the new head coach is of UConn assuming Danny Hurley leaves and take the Lakers job it's actually Kamani Young who right now is on that staff as an assistant he has been at UConn since 2018 and I know people could say well Zach you know can't UConn get a bigger coach sure but Kamani Young being there would be very important because it would save all these guys from probably hitting the transfer portal it would be very similar to what Michigan did where Michigan lost Jim Harbaugh after winning a national championship big name coach and Cheryl Moore ended up taking over so Kamani Young has not left UConn to become a head coach which is surprising at this point with all the success that he's had he could be able to get and I think he he would end up getting the job that would be my guess right now if in fact Hurley does leave so those are the five names that I thought of Bruce Pearl, Kim English, Rick Pitino, Scott Drew and Kamani Young and I'll tell you I saw was it Rob Dowser I think it is and that's the the site that Fanta works for which I enjoyed those guys the field of 68 and Dowser I think is a UConn graduate and he's been covering college basketball for years I saw him throw out the name Ed Cooley it is weird I have never turned on a coach quicker than Ed Cooley I used to love Ed Cooley but the way Ed Cooley left Providence for Georgetown I said this I tweeted this out I rather have Kim English right now than Ed Cooley even though Ed Cooley is a lot more accomplished I have soured significantly on Ed Cooley and I would not want to see him get the UConn job if in fact Danny Hurley does leave okay we'll take a break and this is Zach Gelb showing the Infinity Sports Network Chris Brockman is on the Rich Eisen show and he's going to join us when we come on back in about five minutes Chris is a big-time Boston Celtics fan we'll get his view and not only Danny Hurley but also more importantly for Chris's sake game one of the NBA Finals as Kyrie Irving returns to Boston tonight in a Dallas Mavericks uniform as Boston and Dallas both four wins away from being NBA champions so we will take that to be an NBA champion so we will take that time out we'll come on back with Chris update time first here is the act man Rich Ackerman this episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance whether you like it or not this episode is brought to you by Progressive. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Doors take us to summers away or winter adventures and afternoon getaways. Your dedicated Fidelity advisor can help you open those doors by working with you on a comprehensive plan to help you reach your wealth's full potential because doors were meant to be opened.

Visit fidelity.com slash wealth investment minimum supply Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC member NYSE SIPC. Listen as Selenia tells us why she chose to vaccinate her daughter. I definitely felt like the pros far outweighed the cons the diseases that I am protecting my child against they're still here and at the end of the day it's my job as a mother to keep my child safe.

Talk to your child's doctor and learn more at YVaccines.com brought to you by Merck. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. Game one of the NBA Finals is tonight as the Boston Celtics welcome back a foe in Kyrie Irving who is of course with the Dallas Mavericks along with Luka Doncic however game one of the NBA Finals has been hijacked today because of this Adrian Wojnarowski report that Danny Hurley is getting targeted by the Los Angeles Lakers to be their next head coach we'll see if it ends up happening. The poll question today at Zach Gelb at INF Sportsnet should Dan Hurley leave UConn and take the Lakers job currently 61.7 percent say no and 38.3 percent say yes. This portion of the show is sponsored by the new Hyundai Tucson available with complimentary class-leading Blue Link Plus.

Now it's easy to use your phone to control your Tucson. We should be joined momentarily by Chris Brockman who is of course with the Rich Eisen Show. The first time I met Chris was actually in the studio when I was filling in on the Maggie and Perloff show. He's a friend long time friend of Andrew Perloff and I guess he was up for an Emmy and that's why he was in New York City and Perloff brought him in and we were talking a little bit about the Boston Celtics. He is a mega mega mega mega Celtic hunk and we know he's going to be rooting for the Celtics tonight as that is his childhood team so we'll see how the NBA Finals do play on out. To give my official prediction I'm going to say that the Boston Celtics are going to win the NBA Finals and the Boston Celtics are going to win the NBA the NBA Finals in six games. Every it seems I don't wanna say everyone actually it just seems like a lot of people are on the Dallas Mavericks in terms of the media world and that's the way that it just feels like this is playing on out right now and a big reason and it's not really from an X's and O's standpoint in the series but a big reason why I feel like you're going to see the the the Boston Celtics win this series whoever's been the team in the NBA postseason like I thought it was going to be the Denver Nuggets well then they lose and then everyone thinks it's going to be the Minnesota Timberwolves and then they lose and then now a lot of people are on the Dallas Mavericks so I just look at Boston there's not been a reason to really praise them and that's because their road has been rather easy to get to the NBA Finals but now this is go this is go time and you got to see the Boston Celtics finally rise to the occasion with this core and this team being better than what it's been in years past I know you have Tatum I know you have Brown and Al Horford's been there forever but you take a glance at having Drew Holiday on this team and a championship player like that and the importance of a Drew Holiday in addition to also having Kristaps Porzingis and it looks like he's gonna be back and we'll see how healthy he is I just think this team is a better more well-rounded team even though Luka Doncic is the best player in the series and Luka and Kyrie are the better duo than Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown I the Celtics to me are the more well-rounded team and it feels like for a team that's just been so good all throughout the year that this is a squad that just isn't getting enough national credit and enough praise because they've one of those teams where we just expect and anticipate that until they end up getting a NBA championship they're just not going to get their moment in the spotlight so that's where I kind of lie with the Boston Celtics in this series I think the Celtics gonna win this series and I'm gonna pick them to win this series in six games I hope it does go seven I do I hope that this is a seven game series I would love to see it be a seven game series and it wouldn't shock me if the Dallas Mavericks end up winning this series because of how great Luka and Kyrie has been and Jason Kidd getting Kyrie to buy in and the moves they made at the deadline and what PJ Washington has done it wouldn't shock me if the Mavs win I just expect that the Boston Celtics are gonna find a way to win this series alrighty let's go out to a crazy Boston Celtic fan and he works obviously on the Rich Eisen show that is Chris Brockman kind enough to join us right now for a few minutes as we'll get the Celtic fan perspective on this one Chris great to see how you've been my man Zach what's up buddy thanks for having me how's everything everything's been great so kind of take me through how you're feeling with the Celtics team because this is a Celtic squad that all year they've been damn great but they haven't got the national praise because we know this is championship or bust for banner 18 for the squad you know it's hilarious and I heard you the last couple of minutes as I was getting checked in you seem like the only reasonable member of the media that I've been hearing and reading for the last couple of well last week I guess while we waited forever for these finals to kick off has any has everyone just like only started watching basketball in the last six weeks I'm so confused this Celtics team has been historically great historically dominant since the season started I'm talking since late October they've won five out of six games for the whole season and now Dallas makes a couple of moves Luca hits a cool step back and is cursing it uh Rudy Gobert and a fan sitting courtside and now everyone's like oh my god Mavericks in six what are we doing I look and I understand that I'm a homer I am an irrational uh Boston fan just what we need more in the media a mass hole is what we like to call you guys everyone calls a mass hole I totally get it and I don't begrudge anyone anyone for labeling us as such but have they watched this team point clearly they have not but you know what they are Chris Chris this is what they are they're the rares and they're the bills no one's gonna praise them for what they did in the regular season no one's gonna praise them for this easy ass road that they've had uh in the postseason so far it's go time for this group and we're gonna see if Tatum and Brown can get it done it's totally go time and everyone who was saying break up the J's for the last couple of years look uh was it bam out of bios block on Tatum in the bubble uh blowing a 2-1 lead in the finals against the Warriors totally understand totally valid but now's the time look everyone had to go through obstacles before they won a championship okay we saw it with every great superstar across the board across the history of the league and now is the J's time and you're gonna see it I heard you say Celtics in six Celtics in five oh come on have some cajones you may as well just go Celtic sweep if you're gonna go Celtics gentlemen gentlemen I'm a gentleman I'm going to play golf here in a minute that's a gentleman's game I'm feeling gentlemanly today you're not a gentleman you're friends with Andrew Perloff you can't be a gentleman that's a great point that's a great point look I think it's going to be look I love Luca as a player I've actually really enjoyed watching Kyrie the basketball player this year there's been no off the court drama no social media drama with him it's been really kind of refreshing like that guy we saw with the Cavs who was so great you know dropping 40 in the finals hitting the game-winning shot it's been awesome to see him play but are those two guys collectively better than the Celtics team top the bottom absolutely not all we need is 15 to 20 minutes of Kristaps Porzingis he's going to spread the floor he's going to be disruptive around the rim let the J's and Derek White and Drew and Pritchard off the bench and Big Al let them do their thing and I don't think this is going to be a close series look that could come back to bite me I'll be on a parade of gas bags on other shows and that's totally fine but the Celtics have been the best team all season long they've been the best team in the playoffs and they're going to be the best team in the finals to see the other side of your Chris Brockman if the Celtics were to lose this series why is it what concerns you the most as someone that's even very confident heading into this series yeah so just look at the two games that the Celtics lost in the playoffs and there's your blueprint it's a horrific night from shooting on the outside on behalf of the Celtics and it's the opponents it's the Dallas Mavericks having uh historically great shooting night it's PJ Washington hitting six of eight from downtown and suddenly scoring 28 points it's Derek Lively it's Derek Jones it's Kleba having uh a sensational just being those x factors that they have to be for Dallas to win it's not Dallas it's not Luca going nuclear it's not it's not Kyrie going for you know 35 a night I kind of expect that actually like you think about it Dallas has to score what 120 points to beat the Celtics in every game the Celtics offense is great their point differential is great their defense is great we know how great Dallas's defense has been in the postseason but they need everybody else uh to really elevate their games to levels that have never been seen uh from them and they need Boston to shoot eight from 38 from three and to just really have you really think Boston's going to have four bad nights from three-point land in this series seems unlikely to me Chris Brockman we know the fans can't stand Kyrie they have every reason to despise him in Boston how is that storyline you think gonna play out early on in this series Kyrie kind of downplayed it the other day you know I don't know if it will get to him like it has in years past what are your thoughts on that storyline being the Bostonian I kind of feel like I don't love this storyline I know it's something nationally people want to talk about but look it's not like the Celtics the Celtics team these guys love them Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum they love Kyrie they look at him as an older brother but we've played Kyrie in the playoffs before swept Brooklyn a couple years ago so this is kind of a kind of a non-story for me but I know the national media loves it because they're not kind of following day to day look our fans gonna boo the ever-loving s out of him when he get touches the ball probably for all of game one tonight yeah I would imagine so but then hopefully after that we can just kind of move on I love what Kyrie said earlier this week he really squashed it and you can kind of see how he's matured he's moved on he's in a better place in his life and whereas in the past he's kind of fanned the flames a little bit and kind of kept this going that led to the bottle throwing incident a couple years ago and some of the things that has been said and I really kind of credit him for for downplaying all this hopefully the fans and the rest of the media kind of take that and take his guidance there and kind of do the same I expected to be a little bit of a big deal maybe tonight but after that not so much last thing I'll ask you Chris Brockman because we thought we were going to be talking all about the NBA Finals today on this show and then the Danny Hurley story drops it it's the biggest story yeah it's crazy the biggest story in basketball as you got an NBA Finals game gonna tip off tonight but the interesting dynamic is ESPN has this game we thought it was going to be JJ Reddick being the coach now it won't definitely be Hurley because he could say no and go back to UConn you've been in the sports media world for a long time does Mike Breen bring it up in the broadcast tonight to JJ Reddick and Doris Burke very interesting question initially I would have said how can you not but that's really not part of the storylines tonight even though look I don't know sham said like two days ago that they were focused on JJ yeah and then the watch comes out and says now they're just doing due diligence and now JJ Reddick is a due diligence interview even though he's got a podcast with LeBron uh does he mention it tonight what can I get for odds on that is that a plus number that he does I would think it's a plus number I think they're going to try to avoid this story but I think it'd be broadcasting malpractice and they don't mention it maybe yeah I kind of I kind of agree with you there maybe they make a joke maybe Doris makes a joke about it that would be kind of the way to go I think you kind of like haha laugh let me throw one back your way we had a caller on the show call in and ask me this say the celtics don't win the title and Danny Hurley should he wait to see if the celtics fire Joe Mazula well that's a good question maybe become the Boston coach I think there's a zero percent chance that Joe Mazula isn't coaching the celtics next year that's what I said and then thing is like well kind of like the Lakers but they're not where the celtics are right now they're not ready to win a championship they're kind of I'd rather the celtics job rebuild and retool I'd rather the celtics job you don't have to move that far much much better job you don't have to move and we're tired we're ready to win a title right now he is Chris Brockman of course you can catch him on the Rich Eisen show Chris hit him straight all right my friend thanks Zach love you guys go cease there you go Chris Brockman joining us whenever you need a Boston perspective he's going celtics in five that's that that is some prediction I give him credit for it it does fit kind of the stereotypical way that you would assume that the Boston fan would kind of operate but I respect that I'm going six season six what I hope happens it goes to game seven and the game just tied with about 90 seconds left take a time out when we come on back we got to get back into this Danny Hurley story and the LeBron factor of it too this episode is brought to you by progressive insurance whether you love true crime or comedy celebrity interviews or news you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue and guess what now you can call them on your auto insurance too with the name your price tool from progressive it works just the way it sounds you tell progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget get your quote today at progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust progressive progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law here's why April chose to vaccinate her child I think actually meeting someone who was not vaccinated 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