Lakers Sending The Warriors Packing? (Hour 2)

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Donate today at your local CSL plasma center and be rewarded for your generosity. We continue this is the Zach Yelp show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. What a night last night in the association. The Nuggets just shred the Suns. And then the Sixers were getting begged by the Boston Celtics to put them out of their misery.

But the Sixers couldn't capitalize. And now we'll have a game seven coming up this weekend to see who will go to the Easter conference finals. Right now that series Celtics and Sixers head into a game seven. And tonight you do have the Knicks in the heat. Knicks trying to force a game seven. And the same could be said for the Golden State Warriors going up against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Let's head out to the guest line though right now. Welcome in a former NBA big man played in the association for 10 years. He does a great job as an analyst for the Rockets and that of course is Ryan Hollins. Ryan how you been.

Hey how you doing. Well I'm doing fantastic when you got to see that performance last night from the Suns. Just what came to mind because I could not believe that 17 to 0 run Denver went on at the end of the first quarter. I'd like to say it didn't surprise me but man they were they were mentally defeated. It looked like Coach Mike Malone and I played I played for Mike over in Sacramento.

He just he just figured out what it was man strength in numbers. They were physical. They swarmed and they forced Durant and Booker to be playmakers and they just they just really struggled.

This is the old school. But listen you know and they had a sense of urgency to say hey don't let the Suns get comfortable. You know we were beat by Booker and Durant before already but I think they put the league on notice. They made a huge statement in that game and you know we also can't make the mistake of like hey the Nuggets did what they're supposed to do without DeAndre Aiden and Chris Paul out. I don't fault the Suns too much. It didn't surprise me or over you know wasn't too much because they went all in essentially leveraging their future to see if they could get it done with Chris Paul and Booker now. And I think when organizations do so you got to pay your respects because hey you're not going to have that talented of a player or that type of team with those opportunities too often.

So when you have a shot you got to go for it. The Suns went for it and unfortunately they just could not get healthy enough. And I thought headed into the playoffs that Denver was the better team so I'm not surprised that Denver won the series. But the concerning part for me is this now back to back years for the Suns where they got just steamrolled by the Mavericks in that game seven and then you just get destroyed by Denver. It's like how don't they they show up and make this at least a game for a half.

It's it's it's amazing to me. Yeah well listen it's a it's a tough sample size because because the injuries you know you have Booker missing some time CP this time. And I think even bigger than the Suns I feel it's kind of tough sledding for Kevin Durant.

He is such an amazing player I think you know LeBron is the bronze one a one b one b and he hasn't been able to join forces or get a team or get the chemistry enough to win. Because talent wise we looked at the Suns as being the favorites we looked at the best is being that. And I think you just want to see Kevin Durant having an equal shot to play and it's tough it's either chemistry or the injury ball that's kind of hitting these last few years. And I think just the playoffs are good when you have the league's best in and just unfortunate I think this was injury and I think from the Suns man that they're getting back to the drawing board.

They're trying new things and just it didn't work out. Ryan Hollins here with us if we could get an honest conversation with Kevin Durant. Do you think at this point he regrets leaving the Golden State Warriors. No he had to do it his way.

I think he'd do it the same way. I think he's humbled I think he's paid homage and appreciative of his time there. But he knew that was Steph's championship and Steph's team and he's so great he's saying look man the one goal with Kevin just did a championship. And don't be one of these mega stars that didn't have a ring and you know when you retire that's going to be a story. He did it in his prime and now he's looking around and saying I got to do it my way.

I got to do it with my own team and I think that's what he's looking to find. But I don't think he'd have any regrets for leaving Golden State and I think he's thankful for the time and I think if he could do it all again he would go to Golden State the same way. And I thought anybody who tried to say that they wouldn't I can't stand the people that say they wouldn't go out and win a championship. Guess what every Hooper when we go and play pickup basketball we put the best guys on our team man. That's why I wouldn't leave Ryan because if I was him like that was controversial going to Golden State.

I agree with you I don't crush him like a lot of other people do for doing that. But he should have just embraced that that villain role and just give the middle finger to everybody and kept on winning championships and just stayed where it was working. Now look me and you would leave. I agree. I wouldn't have left out of this state and just kept on winning because it's funny you can even look at you can even look at the wonders and say man that shot that step couldn't get off. Imagine that KD one on one from the top of the key and you got Stephen Clay on each respective wing.

You know that's it that's a tough company. They still be winning. You know you you exchange Wiggins right now for Katie. This is this is this. They're still rolling.

You know you're right. They're still winning championships but I do respect that Kevin wanted to do it on his own. You know the same way when the broad you know when I left Miami and said let me piece together the right pieces in Cleveland and he brought the city a championship in which they never think. Let me ask you this Ryan Hollins. It feels like Nicole Jokic continues to get disrespected. Mark Jackson said he made a mistake but he didn't put him in his top five for his MVP Mike Greenberg even last night at halftime says Denver doesn't have a marquee star.

I'm like what are we doing here talking about Nicole Jokic. Does he not get the respect that he's deserving from in the NBA because I don't get why people like they still haven't fully embraced how great of a team Denver is. Yes and no it's still a team without a championship. Jokic is a two time MVP and honestly I don't know what the criteria for MVP but easily qualified to be a three time MVP. Nobody would have batted an eye if he was a three time MVP we just would have said do we really want to do that. So the criteria for MVP.

You know it really it really sways and it really flows along with narrative. He's not a flashy player you know he doesn't have that job Iran that direct that LeBron appeal but he does get the job done, but he's never won a championship. So it's not like this guy is a two time NBA champion and we're just like, he's not always cracked up to be.

Hey, if you go and I can only imagine Larry Bird's career and probably just see how many times Larry, Larry legend had to prove himself, you know, saying, you know, amen I'm for real I'm good I don't care how tall how fast I bet if you are, I will bust you up, you know, so I think the championship. Come there will be looking at it in a, in a completely different way so I think it is fair and obviously Denver is not Los Angeles it's not Miami it's not New York so you got to take market. Also, and a lot of people unfortunately I think what will say this was not there is the people who don't watch the nuggets, who criticize him.

You got to at least watch them before you have your take and I think some analysts aren't watching them. They're just assuming what he is or what he isn't. And I never see him play a bad game, like even when he doesn't have his best stuff it still feels like he gets a triple double. I think it's the assertiveness from him. So, he's now stepping into I think he's leveled up man he's gotten even better where if you're going to leave him one on one he just scoring at it, and insane click.

And I think everybody's getting the Android eight in the blue from this series, when he was guarding on the thing he couldn't guard him and he was just useless. Listen, he's been doing that to everybody. He has been doing that to everybody but he's more aggressive and assertive with the ball that I've ever seen from him.

So I think that is the difference but to your point, he does make the right play every time. Ryan Hollins here with us get into the other series from last night Celtics and Sixers. Celtics were begging at times for the Sixers to just go send them home and the Sixers advance to the conference finals. My biggest takeaway from this game and beat afterwards is complaining about not getting the ball the final six minutes he's right but you're in your own building this is your team, like demand the ball why didn't you LMB do that last night.

Ryan Harvard, so great. And I think it's, it's tough for him beat at the center to in those close moments go out and get the ball, and I think they got to figure out if it's going to be a high kick and roll or elbow I so you know what is the best place because, you know, he just, I mean, honestly, the Celtics are just doubling him off the bounce all series long so it's like hey, do I want to put the team in a situation where I'm getting double teamed I don't have a great flow so I do agree he's so great he's got to touch the ball but they're going to have to find something that works and I don't think anybody expected I mean the way Jason Tatum, he just got out of nowhere, everybody's like well take it to the game. So, I mean he was absolutely on fire and he reminded everybody why the hype around Jason Tatum is he lets you know I'm still that dude I'm still King Kong. I'm the best player on the floor right now. Please makes no sense, just when you start to think you haven't figured out, it totally flips heading into game seven. Is it 5050 in your mind you to give the edge to one team over another with what you've seen. Um, I'll be lying to you about that Boston didn't have the advantage there, they're at home. They went to the finals last year, they're a little more experienced in this situation. And I think, you know, this is the first MVP for her and be this is, you know, James Harden and these guys jelling I think you know hey how do they respond, you know, having the lead that they had. So I think it's more so new territory from even though they're up from the Sixers, I've been in from Boston but hey this is a chance for that next step to be taken from the Sixers, but we've just seen more from Boston so we will lean towards Boston clearly being at home is a huge advantage. And guess what, it's a sick one at home, so this is gonna be a good one. Ryan Hollins here with us for a few more moments How do you see heat and Nick's plan on out tonight I gotta think Jimmy Butler is good advance the conference finals tonight. Yeah, he should.

I think Jerry's going to know he's going to turn it on and be super Jimmy, he's gonna put a cape on. It's expected and, you know, you don't want to play around and find yourself in a game seven, you know they've been plenty plenty things that have been walked down and you don't want to be one of them, you don't want to go back on another team's floor so I think Jimmy Butler is going to have to take care of business so this is just honestly for the next this is a tough matchup for them you know that the heat plays so similar they're tough they're hard no they grab they hold they do a lot of little things, but I think Jimmy Butler is going to have to be that guy and I think they'll be prepared. I think so got caught off guard with from the 48 minutes from from New York guys so I think tips, obviously one that but I think you'll see even more desperation here from the heat. Yeah Brunson on one ankle was sensational and the other game warriors Lakers, who you're rolling with tonight as the Lakers look to get to the conference finals. Oh my goodness, put me up against the man, it is crazy to see because Golden State has struggled. Anthony Davis has been up and down and as, as, you know, confusing or hard for any of us analysts to kind of, you know, predict. I think, I think I'm going to go, man a game six clay godly there's so many factors here.

Tonight I'm going towards the Lakers. I think we're Wiggins, you know, possible no show. He's going to do a great job on LeBron James.

And if he doesn't play or he's 5050. LeBron James is going to be free to get in the lane, and maybe if it's not him making the play. He's gonna make sure the guys get looks and it's going to initiate a lot of offense.

I'm going to lean Lakers, because of Wiggins, and there's no one to slide over or Draymond has a fight over and guard LeBron, who's going to guard ad ad comes up, I'm sure he's here and everybody he he and haha about him he's gonna have to show up in a major way. Last thing I'll ask you Ryan Hollins I know you do the Rockets games as well they hired email Doka as their next head coach had to react to that one. I'm excited man, he made the third certified as the head coach no one questions that he commands respect. We got a young group that's looking to take that next step and organization that that's that's ready to win, and I think by going on hiring, he made it a real commitment to winning here in Houston so I'm excited man and I think we have as talented a young group as anybody. And I'm sure it's just he made clean, putting the little things together man and helping the guys get over that next step and you saw him, he was able to do that even though different situations in Boston so man I'm still a person. The thing that that I'm curious about is if James Harden's gonna wind back up in Houston because you know more he wants to keep them in Philly but you keep on hearing these reports and reading these reports that there could be some interest in James Harden going back to Houston.

Man, that would be. Wow, I mean you talk about listen, in terms of Houston and harden. There's just so much like this is one more exciting off season from Houston standpoint that I remember from even I mean got started up there with LeBron's decisions, you got the NBA draft. Okay, so when been yama is going to change some franchise and Houston is right there in the mix with it. You got James Harden who on top of that, that may be a factor in him and saying I want to call I want to say what what he ends up doing this game tonight is going to be something that James will probably qualify into his decision.

You know if it's not already made, and you got a in Houston a young group that she keeps getting better and better so listen man, and a new coach there's a lot of fireworks over here in Houston. Well Ryan hounds appreciate the time good to catch up with you. Thanks for doing this. There you go Ryan Holland joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio will the Lakers close it out tonight we'll discuss we return in five minutes surgeons keep our hearts beating. They do the amazing help save lives. And so can you, your CSL plasma donation can help create 24 critical life saving medicines that can give grandpa the chance for his heart to swell when he meets his new grandson, or give a bride the chance for her heart to skip a beat on her wedding day.

Every plasma donation helps more than you know, do the amazing help save lives, donate today at your local CSL plasma center and be rewarded for your generosity. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Alrighty Zach Gelb show CBS Sports Radio next heat tonight, Golden State Lakers, let's break down these games real quickly. Hecky I think the run is over for your New York Knicks tonight. Got to give Jalen Brunson basically on one ankle, a ton of credit for what he did in the last game getting this series back to South Beach and playing it all 48 minutes, he has been just an absolute joy to watch this year he's so easy to root for he's one of the most likable players in the NBA he kind of reminds me a lot and I said this yesterday I'll say it again, how Jalen hurts carries himself, where he feels like he's never satisfied and portrays that he's never satisfied, but just has a unique ability to connect with every single person in that locker room and be the heartbeat of that team and the leader of that team but with that being said, I would be surprised if we're getting ready for a game seven in this series, Miami is the better as the best player in this series in Jimmy Butler, and you got to think, even though we like to poke fun from time to time at the Miami fan that that building is going to be rocking tonight, and that the heat are going to find a way to close out the next I'll take Miami tonight. I wish I could disagree but I cannot, even in the two games and except one in this series both have been ugly one was now Jimmy Butler that they barely pulled out the other was in game five when they were looking pretty good and about to pull away with an 18 point lead and only to open the door back up and barely hang on at the end they've not been convincing this series so far and I do think the run they've not looked good in Miami they've come out flat for whatever reason, and I do expect that to continue yet again, unfortunately.

Just the one thing where you lost me on this series, and maybe it's, you've actually learned a little bit here. You like the Knicks heading into this series, you said the next season this was just a ridiculous statement is going to be a failure if they don't win this series. But now you're not even picking your team to go to a game seven.

So it's like did the light bulb just go off for you, that the way that you viewed the next was just completely wrong because that's what it sounds like. No, I think I viewed the Knicks right, they just not played well, and I kept thinking they're going to come out of it. You still think they're better than Miami. I do. I do and they've not played well.

And, you know, you can only beat your head against the wall so many times before you realize things are not changing. I have waived, really after game four I kind of waived the white flag, they won game five okay I don't think they're going to win game six but they've not played well, and they are capable of playing a lot better than they have so far in this series. Scott Foster, by the way, is the official tonight. The Heat have lost ten games, their last ten games in a row when Scott Foster is the referee.

Is this spineless silver? Put in a little call, let's get Scott Foster out there, make sure the Heat lose so you get to game seven. Adam knows what the people want.

Game seven in the Garden Monday night. I gave him credit, he's trying. He's trying now, I don't think that will stop Julius Random from going 6-21 from the field and just stinking it up, but hey, Adam Silver's pulling out all the stops. But you know what, so you think Julius Randall's going 6-21 from the field? I don't think he's going to be good and he is someone, like most great shooters though I will say, they don't ever stop shooting. We saw Jason Tatum go 1-14 before waking up. I just don't think Julius Randall's going to ever get hot like Jason Tatum did, he'll keep shooting.

So I'm trying to figure out how your mush factors into this. Since you already arrogantly picked the Knicks to win the series and now you're reversing course, I still kind of feel as if what you initially said just isn't going to come true that the Knicks won't win this series, so therefore I do like the Heat to win tonight even though you're on the Heat tonight to eliminate your Knicks. But I have a feeling then that Julius Randall's going to have his best game of the series and they're still going to lose. Because you're predicting this guy, and I know Knicks fans have been up and down with Julius Randall and deservedly so because his effort has been called into question. But Hickey, you predicting him to go 6-21 from the field is about as least confident in a player that I've ever seen you display where you just had zero confidence and it doesn't take much for a team that Hickey roots for to have confidence in a player that is on your squad and a team that you root for. He is not a good playoff player.

We've seen it in 2020 or 2021 unexpected run. He was the guy. Okay, it makes sense why he struggled. Now when you have a better player on your team, Jalen Brunson, who takes over the load, less is required of you, less attention defensively is paid to you, and it's still been the same result as two years ago.

He is someone who's not good in the playoffs and I don't think that's changing now all of a sudden when the season is on the line and their backs are against the wall. And you know what doesn't make sense to me? Now I don't think this is going 7, but if it is going 7, you said that game 7 is going to be on Monday. Monday night, yes. So right now on Sunday, you have Boston and Philadelphia. We know that matchup is intact.

The time is to be determined. Also, if we get a game 7 between Lakers and Golden State, that will be on Sunday as well. I kind of wonder, is it just because they don't want three games on a Sunday? That's why potentially three games on a Sunday, why you would move Heat and the Knicks to Monday when they do play tonight, the same night that the Lakers and Golden State are playing as well. I think it was four because if there was a game 7, you would have had that between the Nuggets and Suns on Sunday as well. That was scheduled and obviously didn't happen, but there was a chance that you could have had... Well that would have been Saturday.

No, it would not have been Saturday. I would have thought that would have just been Saturday just because they played on Thursday, but they like to elongate this entire NBA postseason out there. So they were planning if the Suns want to have that on Sunday, so you would have had possibly three game 7s on Sunday, one on Monday. I don't know why Saturday they decided to avoid, but that's the NBA scheduling for you. Well, you know this, the Knicks have really no shot tonight because it's hot in Miami.

So according to Mike Greenberg, the Knicks are going to struggle because the Knicks don't do well with the Heat and the Miami. Do we have a humidity index check? I don't know. Is it like 80% humidity and 80 degrees? That has to be some sort of magic number. When it's 85 and 80% humidity, the Heat are 30 and 1. When it's sub 80% humidity, maybe the Heat are just an average home team. I'll give you what the weather was today in Miami. Right now it's 83 degrees and the humidity is 73%. Ooh, I don't know.

I don't know. Sounds hot, sounds sticky. Not good for the Knicks. But it's hot here today. And this whole thing is stupid.

The whole thing is dumb, but I'm just saying. And again, the players are in the hotel. You're in the playoffs, you're not traveling down there to like yesterday afternoon.

You get to the hotel at nighttime, you check in, you have practice today, you're watching film, probably getting a nap in. You're not at the beach running up and down the beach trying to talk to girls. What's that show? What's the lifeguard show back in the 90s with David Hasselhoff? Baywatch. This one is not Baywatch. Out all day, saving lives, swimming in the ocean, getting some sun.

They're barely outside. And somehow that has an impact, the humidity and the heat of Miami. And only Miami, by the way. That's the only place where there is hot, humid weather in the NBA.

That's, I guess, the only reason why the Knicks stink. And I thought Greenberg just meant more so the partying culture, right? You go to Miami, you party it up. But he went out of his way when he was saying that to say, oh, people usually just talk about the partying when it goes to Miami.

It's not just that, it's also the weather. And he was just echoing what Jalen Rose said the other day, which just made absolutely no sense. And by the way, it's not like the heat don't party, too. My sister was in Miami last week.

She was on a bachelorette party with some of her girlfriends. They saw Jimmy Butler out at one of the clubs. It's not like Miami doesn't go out as well. So this whole idea that the Knicks are losing this series because they're partying or the weather is playing an impact.

It's just the dumbest thing that I've ever heard. And not only that, it's just almost as if people are making excuses for the Knicks when really you don't need to make an excuse for the Knicks because the Miami Heat are just the better team if you follow the sport. All right, let's get to the other game tonight when we get to Golden State and Los Angeles. Do you think this series is over tonight and the Lakers will go to the conference finals? Health is something to watch in this one. Anthony Davis, we found out yesterday, is going to give it a go.

I've not seen any setbacks since. Wiggins is dealing with the rib injury. I saw Adrian Wojnowski tweet out a few hours ago. The belief is that Andrew Wiggins will try and play in Game 6. And sources told Kendra Andrews that he'll go through his pregame routine and see how his coastal cartilage fracture and ribs feel prior to tip. Regardless, shooting will be a challenge. So Wiggins is going to play, it seems like.

Now, he goes through warrants, doesn't feel great, maybe he doesn't play. I can't anticipate him being all that effective, especially who he has to guard in this series going up against and how much of a big key he is. Clay's going to have to go off and Steph's going to have to go off. That's how the Warriors are going to win the game tonight. I think you'll get a good enough game out of Anthony Davis. And I think LeBron is going to give you, and he hasn't had to do this yet, he hasn't had to give you a big vintage LeBron James performance. But I think you get a heck of a performance tonight out of LeBron James. I like the Lakers to punch their ticket to the conference finals tonight.

Yourself? I'll go with the Road Dogs and the Warriors. I think you open the door for him in Game 5. I don't trust Anthony Davis to come out firing.

I don't think he'll be motivated because I saw this thought that he'll be motivated by everyone laughing at him and he'll come out with his hair on fire and ready to dominate right out of the gate. I don't buy that, personally. Why? He's not that kind of guy to me. He's not that kind of guy that is just going to get punched in the face, if you will. And in this case, basically literally.

And then come out fired up. So are you saying that Anthony Davis should be traded to the Phoenix Suns? Because they feel like a team that if you punch the Suns in the face, they have no fight.

And they have no heart. So is that the perfect match this offseason? Are you advocating for an Anthony Davis trade to the Phoenix Suns?

That's what it sounds like. Anthony Davis for DeAndre and who says no? Oh, geez. The Lakers.

Yeah, well, 10 out of 10. They absolutely should. But also, too, like, look, there's a lot of questions about this injury.

Here's my question. The Lakers on the injury report listed Anthony Davis now with a head injury with an ankle injury. Personally... Well, I can never also trust the NBA injury reports anyway.

I think they're hiding something. I think they are purposely kind of trying to minimize the injury because they know if you get Anthony Davis in the concussion protocol, he's out for this game. Wait, wait, wait. But you're either in the concussion protocol or you're not. Clearly, he has passed the test to take him out. Well, there's no test.

Of the concussion protocol. There's no test. But they've monitored him, though. But they've not given him a test. He's never been in the protocol.

That's how you go in the protocol and they give you tests. So they don't think he has a concussion. The medical doctors don't think he has a concussion. I don't know if I believe it.

Personally, I don't believe it. Based off what? Off how they're handling it.

They've been very sketchy about it. The guy was wheeled off in a wheelchair. He could barely walk and all of a sudden ten minutes later he's okay and they're not even examining him for a head injury. And on the injury report, he's listed with an ankle injury. To me, they are just trying to dance around this and take the attention away from his head to put it somewhere else because they don't want to have him enter protocol and have him miss games. It's like this is the first time we've seen an NBA player get taken off in a wheelchair.

Paul Pierce years ago, you thought he was done in the finals and then he comes back. Not for a head injury. I know it wasn't for a head injury. Head injuries are very rare in the NBA, which is why we've never seen it, which is why we've really never talked about concussion protocol and the NBA in the same sentence. So all of that is to say, I don't think Anthony Davis is going to come out with his A-plus game tonight.

I think it's going to be a problem for the Lakers and the Warriors will force game seven. Yeah, I really do believe that he just doesn't have a concussion. I don't think a medical doctor, even if they're employed by the team, is going to just say, oh, you know what? You don't have a concussion.

And then Anthony Davis is going to be fine with that and just taken definitely for his word if he doesn't feel 100 percent. You are right in terms of it is weird how they listed him with, what was it, a foot or an ankle injury. You would think that definitely there would be a head injury. But clearly they view him as being 100 percent away from the head injury with the fact that they don't even list the head injury from happening. I get it all the time.

And I get it all the time. We complain about the NBA injury report. Guys are doubtful they end up playing. But with something this serious and in a heightened awareness in a player empowerment era, I have a tough time believing that the doctors are trying to sweep something under the rugs here, under the rug here when it comes to Anthony Davis maybe having a concussion or not. Look, I hope I'm wrong, but we have seen plenty of examples. I know it's a different sport, but the NFL plenty of times players have lied. Doctors have gotten it wrong.

To a tongue of a load comes to mind right away, which is absolutely egregious. My point is I just don't, when it comes to head injuries especially, I don't trust team. I don't trust the players. I can absolutely see Anthony Davis saying, oh, I feel fine. I'm okay. Don't need to get checked out.

Plenty of ways to skirt around it. And I just don't think it's going to all equal him being A plus tonight. So you're taking the Warriors because you believe that Anthony Davis' injury is worse than what they're leading on to believe is what you're saying. That and also I just don't think he's going to have a dominant performance tonight. I think the Lakers need that in order to win. And you have no confidence in LeBron having a big dominant performance tonight. What is a dominant performance in your opinion from LeBron James? Like LeBron's going to go get 30 plus points tonight. You don't believe that's going to happen? No, I do not.

Okay. I will believe that LeBron's going to close out this series tonight. Maybe I'm going to be dead wrong and I know everyone's freaking out. Oh, they have life after game five and then also how hurt is Anthony Davis? I expected Golden State to win five. Yeah, I thought they would win game five. I don't get worried about the Lakers losing this series until they drop this game tonight. And LeBron has not had to be great yet to win this series. I think he's going to be great tonight. I see the spread is at three, three and a half. I would lay the points tonight with the Lakers and I think they're going to find a way to win.

And I just think they've been the more consistent and better team so far in the playoffs. And I think we'll see that once again tonight with some of the other pieces as well. Donate today at your local CSL plasma center and be rewarded for your generosity. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports.

You can get guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly auto parts. The Denver Nuggets are off to the to the Western Conference finals after taking care of the Suns last night. An embarrassing performance by the Phoenix Suns. They allowed a 17 to nothing run to close out the end of the first quarter. And then they allowed 81 points in the first half. That's the most the road team Denver scoring.

Eighty one has ever scored in postseason history on the road in in a first half. So just crazy there. Nicole Jokic, the joker, says the team is peaking at the right time. I think we look like a really championship team, like we were so focused and we contributed in the road. I think I don't know how the championship looks. Team looks.

But I think that's how we're supposed to look. Nicole Jokic also very excited to get back to the Western Conference finals. I'm just glad that I'm here and I'm just I'm just happy that my team is winning the last five years. We are improving every year and every year we are making something new.

Does that make sense to you? So, you know, I'd say it's just amazing to be part of this this this this journey around these guys. He's absolutely awesome.

And anyone that is disrespecting Nicole Jokic, you're just a fool. This dude is such a joy to watch on the court. I loved what happened with him and Ishby at the end where he tossed in the ball right before the game two games ago. I thought that was pretty funny when they were going back to Denver for that game five.

And even when he does not play a great game, it seems like he still puts up a triple double. And here's the fun part with Phoenix Hickey. I mean, with Denver Hickey, they don't actually have a shot. Like Ryan Hollins, I was like, oh, but he doesn't have a championship.

Okay. Twenty twenty one, they were starting to look like a championship team. Then Jamal Murray gets hurt. And the last two years with Jamal Murray out, they didn't really have a shot because even without great Nicole Jokic's, you need your complimentary piece. And even though there's been some good moments and some rocky and shaky moments in this recovery process for Jamal Murray, I thought the biggest part of last night was there was a long stretch in that game where Jamal Murray just looked like he couldn't miss.

And he was just getting very comfortable. We've seen some big performances from him in more pressured spots throughout the playoffs. But really, Murray being back and being a big contributing factor to what they do is so enormous in their chances of winning a championship. And right now, they're the favorites to me. I thought headed into the playoffs, they were going to go to the NBA finals. So their biggest challenger were the Phoenix Suns.

They're going to get the winner of the Lakers, the Warriors. Even though the Lakers have been super duper impressive this postseason, Denver has just been so consistent. And you know, when healthy, they have a great starting lineup and they're just such a damn good team. And I don't ever think there's any inconsistencies really that are just so obvious when it comes to Denver. And I do think in a year like this where it's so open, the most consistent team is probably the best team. And that's what it feels like with Denver.

Where you could sometimes not play great in a series, go down 2-0 and come on back and things like that. I just don't even see Denver in the West ever hitting a point where it's like you're really panicking about them. And Murray's so important to what they do. They, yeah, they to me are absolutely the team to beat right now with the teams remaining. They have every piece that you need to win a championship. They have Nicole Yoko, which is an outstanding player, one of the best still left in the game. They can hit the three, they can defend, they have really good depth, they have bench contributions.

They have every, they check every single box. You need to check in order to win a championship. Let's go to Kevin Durant on what the Suns need to become a championship team. Yeah, it's hard right now to see what the future will hold for our team. But, you know, we got a good foundation, good infrastructure. You know, we can build on and move on from this and learn from it and get better from it. But it's a hard question to answer right now.

I'm sure that, you know, as the summer and off-season starts to progress, we'll figure that out a little bit more. That was an abysmal performance last night for the Suns. And that's being kind. It was lethargic, it was just anemic, it was egregious. How last year, I know KD wasn't there, but last year, they did not show up against the Mavs. And this year, where it's a one-point game with about three minutes to go in the first quarter, and you allow your team to get outscored 17 to nothing in three minutes at home. And then, you're down at halftime by 30, and you allowed 81 in the first half.

I said this earlier, I'll say it again. If Phoenix just would have showed up and lost that game like, I don't know, 124 to 118, 119 last night, I'm not crushing them today. Because Denver's the better team. But my biggest concern now with the Suns is they're getting older. Not only are they getting older, but now the mental side of this. With KD or without KD, they got ran off the court by Dallas and Denver in elimination games.

And that's so concerning to me. I don't know if Chris Paul will be back. You've got to think for sure that DeAndre Ayton is going to get traded this offseason. A lot of people surprised last year when he got a contract extension by the Phoenix Suns. I would believe that Monty Williams is going to be back.

I don't think he's going to get fired. But really, that core right now is Devin Booker and an older, still effective, but an older Kevin Durant. And to see how they're going to build the rest of the roster this offseason, because it was championship or bust this year, they failed. It's championship or bust again next year as long as you have KD and Devin Booker. And now you've got to make the right moves to replace the guys that you lost with what you gave up, some of those younger pieces, to go trade for Kevin Durant and chipping those guys off to Brooklyn. Alright, we'll keep it moving.

Let's go to Monty Williams. He's asked to compare the last two blowout elimination games. I can't gauge that.

I'm not quite sure if I can compare. They both are – they bring bad feelings about the game and what you're trying to accomplish. Neither day feels good.

Which one's worse in your mind, Hickey? Last year or this year? I still go last year. This year it was Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, no one else. Last year, I thought they were going back to the finals, frankly, easily. And then to lose by 37 points on your home court, which I think is to a worse team. I think the Nuggets this year are better than the Mavericks last year. I'll go last year.

You are right. The Nuggets this year are better. And the Mavs last year at the time, it was viewed as Luka Doncic and then everybody else. I don't think a lot of people realized how important Jalen Brunson was to that team. And he had that breakout postseason and it got him a lucrative contract with the Knicks. And now you're seeing what Jalen Brunson's been doing with the New York Knicks.

A team that doesn't have another star outside of Jalen Brunson. Like, R.J. Barrett's a fine player. He's a good player. Julius Randle's a good player, but there's inconsistencies and he hasn't been showing up in the postseason. Let's go to Jason Tatum on why he never got down on himself, this courtesy of ESPN.

Tatum was a no-show the first three quarters and outscored the Sixers in the fourth quarter to get this series back to Boston. I'm one of the humbly, one of the best basketball players in the world. You know, go through struggles, go through slumps.

It's a long game. And, you know, thankfully I got some great teammates that held it down. I kind of like that. Humbly, I'm one of the best basketball players on the planet, Hickey. I love that line.

I love it. That's absolutely the mindset you need to have when you are truly one of the best. Keep shooting and it worked out perfectly for Tatum and the Sixers, or Celtics. And it was a few games ago where he had 36 or 38 and he did nothing in the first quarter as well. He's got to have a big start in Game 7 to get that building rocking. I think that's a dangerous formula if you keep on thinking you're going to dog it and then, oh, outscore the Sixers in the fourth quarter like he did last night, 16 to 13.

Let's go to Joe Mazzulla, the coach of the Celtics, on Jason Tatum's impressive fourth quarter. His poise got him going and so the standard that is set for him to where if he's not scoring, he's not playing good basketball is wrong. So, he's had multiple games this series and when he's at his best, he doesn't need to score. And I thought his communication to his teammates, I thought his defensive intensity, and I thought even his force trying to drive the ball kept him in the game.

And so he plays with a level of poise regardless of how the game is going. Well, he needs to have his best game in Game 7 because this series has begging anyone to take control of it. And just when you think the Sixers taking control of it, they can't close out the Celtics on their home court.

The Celtics will show up in Game 7 because they did not show up at home in Game 1 and then also in Game 5 as well. So, we'll see if Tatum can dominate from start to finish. And finally, Joellen Bede says he needs to be involved in the offense more. I don't think I touched the ball the last four minutes of the game.

You know, like I said, miss a lot of good looks. I didn't touch the ball at all. Well, you saying you didn't touch the ball is either throwing the coaching staff or your teammates under the bus. That's your team. Like, go demand the ball. You're the MVP.

You're at home. Park your ass in the paint and demand the ball. But from 6.13 to 22.1 seconds left in that game, the Sixers didn't hit a field goal. And Bede barely touched the ball down the stretch. Not wrong on that.

Number in the final 355. But that's your team. That's your city. You want the ball. Demand the ball. And I get it. You're playing basically on one leg and you're tired and you can probably trim off a few pounds and a few LBs. But if you really wanted the ball, you could have made sure that you got the ball last night.

And for whatever the reasons were, you didn't demand for the ball. Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio. That's a news brief. We'll take a break. When we come on back, should Kevin Durant have stayed put in Golden State? Do you think he regrets going to Brooklyn and now being a part of the Phoenix Suns? We'll discuss that on the other side.

And still to come in about 25 minutes, longtime Philadelphia talk show host Mike Missinelli will join us as we'll get his thoughts on the disastrous performance by the Sixers in Game 6 and how much of a shot he's given the 1-2-3-4-5 Sixers, 10-9-8-76ers in Game 7 in Boston. Surgeons keep our hearts beating. They do the amazing, help save lives, and so can you. Your CSL plasma donation can help create 24 critical life-saving medicines that can give grandpa the chance for his heart to swell when he meets his new grandson or give a bride the chance for her heart to skip a beat on her wedding day. Every plasma donation helps more than you know. Do the amazing, help save lives. Donate today at your local CSL plasma center and be rewarded for your generosity.