LeBron scores 40 in Lakers win, talks retirement & Embiid set to return | NBA | FIRST THINGS FIRST

LeBron scores 40 in Lakers win, talks retirement & Embiid set to return | NBA | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Fly from New York better all the way back all the way back because it’s April Fool’s Day I promise you a show with no jokes Rick had a joke this morning no joke that’s where we’re at he’s like you guys should all trade seats well yeah that that

Would be just ratings Bonanza just no jokes today I’m serious you can’t do it is that in addition to being arguably the greatest athlete in American history arguably just pure athlete okay Jim fired up right now there there’s a discussion and Jim Thorp can be in it too but LeBron James

Is in it he also is one of the hardest working athletes in American history because he just did this at 39 years old and it was 40 points on nine three-pointers so to add something to his game that’s what that’s where the work ethic comes in when we know when

LeBron came into the league he wasn’t much of a shooter the strategy in the 20 207 finals when his first time he got there San Antonio was to give him the jump shot and it was the same thing in 2013 give him the jump shot all right

And now he goes out at 39 years old and hits nine threes and it’s not just what we saw yesterday he’s shooting 41.6% from three which this is a sign of how good they shooted today he’s still only 21st in the league but still 41% from three is incredible and so LeBron

Having accomplished all he has for him to add a the threo shot to his game it’s just a testament to his work ethic even last year I know it was an aberration but last year only shot 32% from three he’s a 34% almost 35% for his career so

This year he’s just showing how much work he put in in the off season and even now and I’ll say this I mean if he had shot the three like this in his prime there’d be no goat debate I mean this would be ridiculous If he if he

Shot it like this in his prime but still to added this late in his career is is impressive and shows how hard he works well some context on that so he is right of 21 Seasons he’s played this is his fifth best field goal percentage this is his third best effective field goal

Percentage his best ever three-point percentage and his sixth most assist per game of any season of his career so what it appears to me is to offset some of the losses in athleticism he has compensated by improving the three-point shot and he said when he was asked about

The difference between last year and this year was he thought last year being in and out of the lineup with injuries and he talked about missing practices and shoot arounds that he thought that actually hampered his ability to that he could have shot like this last year had

He been healthy but to me what he’s proving is I think he’s further validating something I said at the beginning of the Season that I was mocked for because it sounds silly you know if you just read the quote but I I don’t brew and I are lucky that we have

Been made fun of on the internet long enough that it doesn’t bother us anymore one of the reasons I think Wilds refuses to his Brew put it let the tiger out is because he’s relatively new to people being mean to him on the internet so you so you shy away from

It you don’t brw so used to it there’s Brew can take things people made fun of him for that he didn’t actually say like wimy is going to be better than AEM and like you know what I I said it everybody say I said it I said this a few months

Ago and I believe it 100% to be true he’ll never be bad LeBron will never be bad he said in the postgame interview he’s like I’m not going to play another 21 years I’m like okay well then my take safe like in 20 years probably would be

Bad but in 5 years wouldn’t be five years wouldn’t be because he’s you say we don’t know but we didn’t Brew five years ago even his biggest supporters would have said in five years he will be a shell of himself we can LeBron in year

21 has now lapped the other year 21s put together that’s all all of them that’s Vince that’s Durk that’s Parish that’s kg that’s Willis that’s Moses Malone LeBron like when we Kareem whose longevity was the best we had seen before LeBron his last excellent year

Was year 17 at age 38 LeBron is age 39 year 21 Carl Malone his last great year was year 16 age 37 Kobe’s was year 17 age 34 MJ’s last game with the bulls was year 13 age 35 so doing this at age 39 year year 21 seemed impossible so the

Idea that he wouldn’t still be a really good player at 42 in year 24 like I I just don’t think he’ll ever be bad here’s the here’s the challenge for that and it’s why there have been a couple guys that that weren’t obviously in football Tom Brady Jim Brown retired

Early but the challenge for that is if you’re not bad like a lot of guys will keep playing until they’re bad you know what I mean and I don’t know that LeBron would do that but that is the th that is why you see so few guys retire I mean

Jordan to be honest wasn’t bad he never was bad but he kept he obviously retired multiple times but yeah I I just think it’s it’s an interesting point I think five years is probably that’s too I I think that’s too much he’d be what

44 uh but I I don’t see I don’t know if he’ll if he’s still playing well like averaging 20 that’s what is he going to retire so that’s what I wanted to so while just on a bad te in five years he’s going to average no I’m just saying I’m not think

That well that’s that’s kind of my point like the because I would argue this obviously he is not not only is he not Peak LeBron no matter what the numbers show you he’s not close to Peak LeBron for a lot of reasons most notably Peak LeBron I believe was the best defensive

Player in the league and now and he’s you know telling JJ like I got to pick my spots now on that side of the ball things but I don’t think he he is deteriorating year by year I think he is better this year than last year yeah I

Think that LeBron because he’s healthy this year is and he’s shooting better is better this year than last year by the the advaned stats and I understand like the raw counting stats everything’s inflated and all of this stuff I get that part of it but amongst his peers

This season of that are playing right now he’s sixth in the league in PR he’s seventh in box plus minus he’s sixth in value over replacement player like those catch all stats so his deterioration has been so slow that he’s gone from clearly the best in the league to clearly in the

Discussion to okay not the best or second best or third best but in the discussion for somewhere from 4 to 10 so how much fur you know what I mean like how much worse does he have to get each year to where you get to the point of

Like ah he’s you know what I mean it’s Willie Mays in the Outfield it’ll never happen for this guy it’ll never happen that’s I mean we’ll see it depends on when he retires you know but I think with LeBron we just look at his winning you know like the numbers are

Nice the numbers like you said people are putting up more inflated numbers in this year’s NBA but for him it’s about winning if he’s putting up these numbers and not winning that’s the thing with him he probably wouldn’t want to play in that situation and that’s why he might

Retire but now usually with guys you can still put up numbers but you get injury he even said that in the podcast with JJ it’s that can I have to pick my spots you know and so that’s the thing like he can do it but can he stay healthy like

For 60 games in a year to do it so another day another record for LeBron chances LeBron wins another title I mean if he stays with the Lakers for the rest of his career I’d say quite slim cuz I don’t trust the front office I don’t trust the coaching I don’t trust the

Drafting like I just don’t I mean even up to this year you be like ah they don’t have a lot of draft picks because Anthony Davis trade this year at pick 17 they took jayen Hood chafino the three picks after him are all all helping teams in the playoff mix right now cam

Whitmore pods for the Warriors and the best player hakz for the heat all guys that are you know what I mean as as and so right after the prior to that the biggest pick that they had you before they traded all those guys away it was

They took Lonzo over Tatum and fox which by the way I supported at the time time to be fair but it’s not but okay I mean it was I don’t think the Celtics would have done it I think that the Celtics would have taken Tatum at one so there’s

That piece of it but I don’t I mean he just had the first ever 40-point game on that few shots and free throw attempts in NBA history he right now this season Brew is in the fourth quarter You could argue we can show it to you the best

Player in the league in the fourth quarter so can is he is he good enough to still be a top two guy on a champion unequivocally yes are the Lakers cuz I think the Lakers Brew are going to go after that third star approach which I don’t think is the right approach in

Today’s NBA I think that the talent pulls too deep I think the approach they had when they want a title in La is the right approach LeBron ad and a good Supporting Cast and so I think he’s I think he can I think with the Lakers it

Be very very difficult yeah I don’t think he will now the third I agree with you on the third star approach unless and this is the one way I think that he could win another championship and this won’t happen because this team is really playing well if they somehow

Were able to get Kyrie Irving and you talking about ad LeBron and Kyrie Kyrie knows how to play with LeBron he’ll defer to LeBron respects LeBron like that would be I think they’d be able to win a championship but that’s not going to happen obviously Dallas is happy with

Kyrie otherwise I don’t I don’t see them winning it and this is where it’s a bit baffling to me and maybe it’s because we’ve been spoiled by LeBron’s career as you see the numbers are very good we know he’s not quite what he used to be because particularly defensively and

When he was in his prime he would control the tempo of games and that’s what he can’t do now because he doesn’t have the ball all the time and he doesn’t want it all the time because of the stamina but I I gota be honest I I

Think their team is good like the roster I mean you got two legitimate stars that whose games compliment each other Austin Reeves uh D’Angelo Russell ruy I mean we Tori and Prince we could go down the line I think they’ve got depth they shoot the three well they don’t shoot it

A lot but they’re in the top 10 they’re I think seventh in three-point field goal percentage so it’s a bit baffling that with LeBron putting up these numbers ad putting up these numbers and playing great defense and the players that they have the role players that

They’re not better is it so I don’t is it that b it’s not that baffling to me cuz I think it just speaks to the depth of talent in the league right now you’re right that on paper the roster doesn’t look terrible but when you I watch the

Games though the I think these guys can play yeah but when you stack it up against the teams they’re competing with in the west I mean Denver’s roster is that much better yeah yes after yo really kcp playing a huge role Aaron Gordon who is good but nobody thought he

Was all that spectacular before he’s a third guy so I think but Denver also has the benefit of having the best player in the league or certainly one of they found a way to really play great team basketball so take Denver out of it because joic in for a lot of people’s

Kind of a cheat code right now like LeBron maybe a decade ago you look look at the Thunders overall roster far better Minnesota’s overall far better yeah I mean seriously hold on we’re talking about after their top two guys right cuz that’s everybody agrees LeBron

And they I mean the top two guys are a part of it no of of course I mean you can’t just say after top two cuz and even after the top two yes Jaden Williams and and and and Chad who’s young in his first year that I mean ched

Is I get number two Josh giddy Josh giddy uh Austin Reeves yeah I think giddy’s better and I think and I think and Chad is definitely better as an all-around player than DLo like and then well Chad would be the second best right Jay so you second best player on

OKC versus ad ORS LeBron right and then Giddy and then Dort you go down I just look at the I look at the rest of the I how you can say OKC’s roster is better overall now they might have better coaching this is what if people want to

Start looking at the coaching than they do with Darin I think Darin’s a CO good coach but I and look let’s face let’s be honest the Lakers have played good basketball for now for a few months yes and we’ll see what they do in the playoffs so this may all you know show

Out but I think the roster is good I really do do you have a winning in title no no you’re no so and you think he needs to leave yeah I mean that’s what you AG right you think he should leave this I me I don’t think he will leave I

Think that and I’m not saying he should I’m saying if if the question were the if the only thing that mattered was best chance to win a title as a major contributor you know what I mean so remove I’ll go sign with the nuggets for the minimum you know that doesn’t exist

Uh then I would say yes leave I the and you know in my perfect world Philly would be the Philly would work I also told you I thought you know the fantasy camp of he and Steph teaming up in Charlotte was pretty neutral territory Steph gets to go to his hometown LeBron

Get LeBron gets to get a trump Jordan be like he owned the team for 20 years they won one playoff game oh I’ll go I’ll go bring you to the finals that’d be fun too guess who’s back or almost back it’s Joel embiid reports are that the reigning MVP could be back for

Tomorrow’s game against the thunder in Philly he’s been out since late January with a knee injury brw how dangerous is Philly if Joel returns dangerous uh look there’ll be three questions and maybe they’d work through these in the seven games he may play at the end of the

Regular season what is there a minutes restriction how’s his stamina and then thirdly what is Joel gonna be as great in the playoffs as he’s been in the regular season he was playing better than joic even in the when he got hurt I mean they were 26 and8 with him that’s

Like a 62 win Pace I believe and so they were playing great basketball but we look at his numbers regular season versus playoffs rebounds is fine but scoring field goal percentage three point go way down and I would I I tend to think it may be because he’s always

Banged up in the playoffs even if he plays there’ll be a g game or two here or there that he has to sit out or he plays but he’s only 80% and that’s where this year could really help now if he comes out this year and looks good in

These last few regular season games and then in the playoffs his numbers drop off like that then you know okay there’s it maybe it’s not quite James Harden but there’s something like that going on but I think look outside of Boston now they if they the eighth seed then they

Probably face Boston I don’t see them beating Boston but outside of Boston and this team because they play So Hard Miami you’re believe I think they have a shot you don’t think they’d have a shot against Miami no I think no I think they’d have a shot against Miami but I’m

Saying that’d be a tough one for him to win because of the way Miami’s played just the grit Boston I think would beat him after that I’m not saying I’d pick him over my Milwaukee but I give him a good shot against Milwaukee and anybody else obviously last three series for

Embiid he’s played uh 13 games but he’s missed four games missed the first two in Miami then he rested that close out against the Nets remember we were like that was smart which you know is a problem we’re like hey it’s good to rest when you’re resting within the playoffs

And then he missed game one in the Celtics end up losing LeBron of course is has never missed a playoff game so you see sort of like the dichotomy on the a block of like all right LeBron’s never missed still going strong at 39 and beid kind of needs legitimate load

Management and we think this is going to I mean might be good for right the glass half full ideas that he got the inj not I don’t want to say got the injury out of the way but is going to be fresher for this postseason than before the

Glass half empty is this is too drastically different teams and we can like the fact that the Sixers have fallen as far and as fast as they and if we can show you them with and without embiid I mean that win percentage like Bruce said would was right on Boston’s

Heels and without him they’re the Raptors which I know I pitched this in the meeting and you guys said you didn’t want to do it I’m doing it anyway this is why if they are the eight seed the Celtic shouldn’t have to play them that’s right this is why that the number

One seed it can you imagine if you get the one seed you’re Boston you get Philly and you’re Denver and you’re the one seed and you have sitting there at the six line are the Sacramento Kings with no Malik monk or it’s like hey by the way congrats guys here’s the Suns

They’ve beaten you twice in a row they’ve got Durant and Booker that’s your per that’s your uh prize for being the one seed of course the top seed should be able to pick their playoff opponent if you’re Philly though you don’t want to play Boston round one

Obviously I agree with you guys that they are super dangerous they would be to me similar to the Lakers last year where they’re a seven seed in name only and for the Lakers it was because they remade the team on the fly at the deadline for the Sixers it would be we

Were going to be have one of the two or three best records in the sport our guy went down but now he’s back and so yeah I mean they would be to me the third most dangerous team in the East but if they stay in the playin one of those two

Teams ahead of him is going to have to play them in round one and so that’d be a huge bummer for either CS it’s a good idea it will never happen but it’s a good idea really I don’t I don’t you don’t think can I just Pi real I mean

You like you you would say last year it could come into play but maybe that’s what I don’t know I I just think you play who you play right but I’m old school I understand but in the old school can I just tell you something real quick in the old school guys

Everybody played almost 80 or 80 82 games there was no ducking opponents there was no right but now that that does exist you have to do things to mitigate it what we don’t want is teams being like we could be the one seed but it’s better

For us as you know a top seed to lose games at the end of the year so we then drop in the seeding you know what Joe moula would do I don’t know try to block embiid shot I don’t know what he would do he we want Philly no I mean Lula

Would probably be like give us the Bucks round one we’ll take it give a th yeah moula is out of his mind thanks for watching subscribe here to get more from the show and to check out clips from other shows on FS1

Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes discuss the latest news in the NBA including the Los Angeles Lakers win over the Brooklyn Nets, LeBron James’ 40 point performance & a report Joel Embiid is expected back with the Philadelphia 76ers in a week after being sidelined with injury.

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LeBron scores 40 in Lakers win, talks retirement & Embiid set to return | NBA | FIRST THINGS FIRST

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