On First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo are joined by Tim Legler to talk about the state of the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns and the NBA MVP race.
0:00 Western Conference outlook
0:30 Toughest first-round matchup for the Phoenix Suns
1:45 Tim Legler makes an argument for the Lakers
4:00 Stephen A. can’t believe the guys haven’t picked up on this point…
8:00 Eastern Conference outlook and NBA MVP picks
9:00 More pressure on Joel Embiid or Jayson Tatum?
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49 Comments
The suns don’t want to play a healthy Lebron . Kd doesn’t have curry . So kd not beating Lebron lead team in the playoffs
Suns are winning the chip. No question..but hopefully steph can get his 5th or 6 somehow before his career is over.
Do these people break down basketball or just narrative
People forget, before KD joined the warriors in his head to head matchups with Steph…they would go blow for blow and looked evenly matched. KD didn't really get considered better than Steph until they became teammates and Steph took a backseat. But vs each other Steph is not the lesser player
Did Tim just say that the suns will outshoot the warriors? Lmao let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
Leabron get whatever shot he wants?
He can barely shoot a jump shot 😂
Lebron James started his career in Sacramento and Sacramento will end it
Suns going home first round
Why do people act like if KD sees a warrior logo the ash will leave his body or something its no that deep
More pressure on Embiid. Because if he sits out a game against the Celtics like he did against the Nuggets then he has no chance to win a ring at all. Because I'm just being completely honest here about all of this. Because there is no pressure on Jayson Tatum because I believe that he can do this by carrying the load for the Celtics to win it all. Also the Clippers is the toughest first round matchup against the Suns. Because if they slow down the pace of the game then there is no way that they can guard Russell Westbrook because he can speed it up more with his fast pace style of his game. Because that's what Russell Westbrook does. Also they can't guard Kawhi Leonard when he is wide open behind the perimeter and going wide open to the rim when there is no one there to guard him. Yeah all of that is my take on this with all honesty.
What was Doc saying when Giannis demolished Embiid a few days ago in only 3 quarters? MVP was settled then. Giannis = Best player, Best team
Stephen A. wrong again.. 🤦
There’s gonna be a solar eclipse. Just wait. It’s coming😎
Just like the pressure is on KD to beat Steph. The pressure would also be on KD to beat Lebron. Because what people will say is KD can't beat Lebron without Steph
KD the Kerr 😂😂😂😂😂
As a Suns fan lets get a WCF in the first round Suns vs Warriors. To be the champs you gotta beat the champs right???. 😅
If pg back clippers the toughest matchup
"Mad dog" is a drag on this segment, he's a relic. (And has never played professionally) He needs to be replaced.
As a suns fan it's not even close – Give me the Lakers. Suns would absolutely crush them.
You really think Kevin Durant is gonna have mental effects of playing the Warriors? 😂. If he was able to do it after being the biggest villain we saw since LeBron, he can do it now
NYK vs Cavs proves the NBA has some form of script.
Why y’all do kdgoat like that in the thumbnail
As much credit as they give kd that last year kd got hurt the beginning of the 2nd round & the warriors swept the west then finally lost a game in the finals when klay went down too
GS vs PHX potentially greatest first round series EVER 💯
Everytime I watch first take bootleg skip crack me up all the time on how hard he try to be skip
😂😂😂
I don’t see them even getting passed the clippers
It would be great if Sacramento Kings shocks the world there goes all the hype
Suns in 7 v warriors
Lakers in 7 v Suns
Stephen A Smith 🤡
😂Some of this ish ppl say about KD in these comments is wild. Easily the most disrespected Superstar in the NBA. Its not even close.
I think GSW has the bodies and gameplan to slow Durant and Booker enough to win…
I agree, Suns is too much for Lakers. If they match up, it would be 4-1 or 4-2.
I just want someone to smash the suns dreams no matter who it is and the key is to be very physical against kd and booker if you gonna have a perimeter shootout you’re going to lose you play them like boston did kd last year and you have yourself a great chance I think everyone should’ve have taken good note on that.
There No Stopping Kd And Suns
Wasn’t KD 100 percent healthy with Kyrie and got swept 🧹 and shut down by the Celtics? But took Celtics 7 games to beat the bucks without Middleton? Giannis is WAY better then KD. A better 2 way player. Because he is a better shooter doesn’t make him a better player
I don’t agree at all with Tim. Kd has proven time after time that kd can beat Lebron head to head especially in the playoffs and finals. If I’m the suns I want the lakers 1st because they pose the biggest threat seeing that they are getting healthy. Beat the lakers and everyone else in the west will fear u suns
I think y'all misunderstand KD… All that context is just gonna be fuel.
Warriors will no have problem defensively in playoffs. It’s simply different intensity. If Kuminga can be a better version of Otto Porter Jr, Donte is an upgrade to anyone last season, GP2 is back, people sleeping on the Champs. Their starting 5 didn’t play much.
Smith is still in his feelings about a Canadian team winning. guy has never said one positive thing about Toronto lol…
I like how everyone is saying AD is prone to injury as if KD is any better 🤦🏾♂️ if the suns take on the Warriors they gonna lose they have a better shot taking on the Lakers or the Clippers but not the Warriors, fun fact since 14-15 the only person/Team to stop a full healthy Warriors playoff run was the Cleveland Cavs back in 15/16, with a full healthy roster the Warriors are 4-5 in the Playoffs but these analysts still undermine them
This thumbnail is wild😂💀
People calling Kd a role player need to make up their mind. Because if that's the case, then what was everyone mad about when he joined the Warriors? Also, that would mean Lebron had no excuse.
warriors vs suns in the first round will feed families
Suns don’t have a bench at all lol are yall smoking bricks ?😂
sas meat rides kd so hard its actually nauseating
AD injured in 5 seconds 😂😂😂😂
First time I want so many different matchups for western conference finals okc fan here not exactly in the running but I’d love to see suns lakers or suns gsw but Memphis looks good too so any match up with them would just be a great watch I’m hyped!
Your only as good as your weakest link in the playoffs and the suns have several…they will get exposed just like Brooklyn did last year
Suns have 3 closers idk what tim is talking about. When the game slows down it still favors the suns