FULL NBA Countdown | Stephen A. on Lakers fall to Celtics despite AD’s 40 Pts, Nuggets beat Warriors

FULL NBA Countdown | Stephen A. on Lakers fall to Celtics despite AD’s 40 Pts, Nuggets beat Warriors

Welcome to MBA countdown alongside Stephen A Smith Michael wilbon Kendrick Perkins I’m Malika Andrew we hope you all are enjoying your holiday with some family some friends and some good Hoops jayen Brenson lit up Madison Square Garden then Jamal Murray and niola yic overpowered the Golden State Warriors

Next up we have the Sixers in Miami to take on the heat but we start our show with a rivalry renewed just across the street and Stephen A you said that if Chris porzingis played in this one you were going with them well they started out hot from three Jaylen Brown gets

This one to go well Jaylen Brown that was a big time shot by him all overall this is what Boston’s going to do they going to launch Threes And if they make them nobody has a chance LeBron James little back door cut there can’t quite

Get that to go let’s take one more look at that Chris abs porzingis doing it all on both ends I believe I said that Chris ABS porzingis was my tiebreaker and Stephen A made fun of me on Christmas Day is in a very Grinch like way no grinching

Me all right well since there’s no Grinch in you Stephen A Smith what did you learn about the Celtics in this Christmas day well I just think that they’re the best team team in basketball I don’t care what anybody says I mean when you look at the Denver Nuggets did

A reigning defending NBA champions I would say they were very lucky they ran into the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals because Boston didn’t handle their business remember Jason Tatum got hurt you know one of the first offensive plays in that game seven uh Eastern Conference Finals game but look at

Boston right now the acquisition of Chris ABS Wasing is a 73 shot blocker who can step away from the basket and hit threes he had 28 and 11 this afternoon against the Los Angeles Lakers give credit what credits due see what he is Jason Tatum had his 25 points no

Matter how great LeBron James has been he wasn’t the biggest star on the floor today even with Anthony Davis dropping 40 yep and 13 it wasn’t enough but the question is Kendrick Perkins you’ve been a skeptic you’ve been hesitant you’ve been waiting to fully jump in on the

Celtics are you in is it a Christmas miracle yeah I jumped off the porch today where this weekend I mean they they came in LA and did a clean sweep in great fashion first it was the Clippers and I don’t give a damnn that people talking about they have Kawai they still

Would have smacked the Clippers and they did that to the Lakers here’s what I’m looking at I’m looking at this lineup when they start quote unquote small with Pingas at the five they’re really not small because they got great rebounding guards Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s

Going to hit the glass Drew Holliday has seven boyss tonight right and then when I think about what they do they’re going to push the pace they’re going to attack downhill and they’re going to look for those threes and they’re going to keep shooting them and they got guys that can

Actually knock them down Derek white has been unbelievable we keep we talk about one of the most underrated players in the game today yeah like he could really be a second option on a really good team if we go just compare rosters I’m not going to disagree with the word you guys

Said about Boston and what they’ve gotten how complete they are with size and versatility and defending and three-point Obsession was you and I are little annoyed with but it seems to be working for the most part but I’m old school the Champs are the Champs they played a pretty hot Warriors

Team today uh they played pretty well I know Clay did not have the shooting game that we’ve been used to three 12 nine points right but you know what when you have Jamal Murray playing like that with the bounce in his step that he had three four years ago they still the champ

Stephen A here’s my only push back when it comes down to Denver and I said this if Denver get home court throughout the playoffs then they’re dangerous but if they don’t and the Celtics get the home court it’s a problem we’re going to be talking about the Nuggets a little bit

More later in the show in the meantime Tyler hero and the Miami Heat getting ready for their game down in South Beach against the New York Knicks they left a gift under Stephen A’s tree as they kicked off our Christmas Day games here against the Milwaukee Bucks Jaylen

Brunson was just exceptional in this one he’s been exceptional all season long particularly with this five game winning Street where he’s averaged over 30 he’s the leader he’s the number one option I just wish there was another number one option to help him number one one a 1 b

1 c 1 D this is not multiple choice the great well I did have 38 and six in this one and his 38 points are the third most by Knicks player on Christmas and the most since Bernard King set the overall NBA Christmas record with 60 that was

Back in 19 1984 all right so then now we head to Denver the Warriors they took on the defending Champion nuggets this was a clash of the last two Champions this one got good late here three-point game nuggets up Jamal Murray he was in his

Bag in this one Mr wbond oh yes he was the bounce and and sort of the the Cockiness to go back to the way doesn’t this remind you of Jamal Murray either bubble Jamal Murray yes but before he got injured where he thought and looked like often the best player on the floor

And when you have two guys like that with him and Joker that’s hard to handle man Murray had a game high 28 yic had 26 points 14 rebounds and eight assists and don’t look now but the Nuggets they’ve won five straight eight of their last 10

Games so Stephen A should we be talking about them as the favorites to repeat no we shouldn’t not as long as the Boston Celtics are who they are what I will say this we should be talking about them being the favorites in the west we should be talking about the road to the

NBA finals having to go through Denver in the Western Conference particularly when Jamal Murray looks like that this brother when he is healthy he is Elite he is special and today he was showing some of it 28 points 10 and 18 shooting three of five from three-point range the

Ball handling skills the passing ability the shooting ability the fearlessness the Marksmanship he has it and when we look at the Denver Nuggets as reigning defending NBA champions We need to remind ourselves it ain’t just because of joic because joic has always been spectacular but for a couple of years

When he was spectacular and was winning MVPs it didn’t mean a damn thing because Jamal Murray was hurt he wasn’t there there to help him and he went home Jamal Murray comes back and he’s healthy enough not even 100% And they win it all this brother is special and you got to

Pay attention to Denver in the west I’m Ed and that’s why they’re the favorite they’re the Champs we’ve seen the Celtics fail at this these Celtics we’ve seen them I mean Tatum and and brown have been to the Conference Finals at least four times and lost four times

Plain and simple the Celtics have to yeah at least the Conference Finals the Celtics have to prove they can win this Denver’s done it so there’s don’t tell me there’s no doubt in the Celtics mind as Stephen A I agree with you and again roster person forp person the Celtics

Like the best team in the league I want to see in June the Celtics break through that point which he once broke through but these guys have not you see this is why I be one my predictions to be fluid I be to be fluid cuz cuz listening

The Willborn this is why I was so hesitant to to jump on the Celtics cuz I said I haven’t seen Pingas in the pressure moments but I know what Jason Tatum could do I know what Jaylen Brown could do and I know what Drew holiday could do along with dared white right

But when I think about the Delver nuggets they got great de we forget when Reggie Jackson and DeAndre Jordan look like Kobe and Shaq about a month ago when they went downers yeah with no Aaron Gord no yis no muray like let me ask you this perk in the way if Stephen

Is saying we should be talking about the nuggets as the favorites to come out of the West who is the Western team that can give them the hardest time you know what I would actually have to say the Clippers be honest with age have I was

Going to say Clippers are maybe I mean the Minnesota Tiber wolves are know on record I do not believe Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown gets back to an NBA finals and lose again I don’t believe it we see I don’t believe it legit I totally I’m I’m not I’m not

Believing that’s going to happen not forget about one other the team in the west that could give Denver a rough time I’m not going to say they would beat him could Sacramento Sacramento oh no one in away from 10,000 career points and I mean we’re running out of terms to describe

Him right Luca magic the Wonder kid but what about Picasso so I went down to Dallas and I told head coach Jason K that I was chatting with Luca and he told me to ask him how Picasso paints and I kind of cocked my head a little bit confused the way that you’re

Probably doing it your TV right now but kid said look Picasso has the same supplies that you and I have right we make Doodles he makes masterpieces and that is Luca with the basketball he is the same tools as everybody else but he makes masterpieces here is our conversation with

Luca let’s talk a little bit about Christmas Day what’s up with you and Devin Booker de Booker and D go face to face a different worlds you know if the sons had taken you number one you could have been backcourt teammates uh what is your relationship now do you get along

With each other it’s competitive basketball I really love his game uh the way he plays a lot of times I watch the Phoenix actually you know because because of him he’s a really really great great player but obviously we have this uh competition uh whenever we face

Each other in one of your meetings last year you and book you had that exchange and then afterward you said you guys don’t want to watch friendly friendly there you go we have smoke so do we get to see more of that I mean I don’t know

We’ll see uh but like I said you know actually I respect them a lot let’s stick with Luca and the Dallas Squad here at time now for pick and roll brought to you by ESPN bet the official sports book of ESPN Stephen A who you got in this one Phoenix or

Dallas I’m going to go with the Suns begrudgingly I don’t have much faith I don’t like their pace of play I don’t like their bench I don’t like their fervor for actually playing the game of basketball they look very leic but it is Christmas night they’ve already opened

Their presents they ate early I’m going to assume they’ll be energized and and and ready to go on this particular night so I’ll go with them for the night you know Anthony Davis said the other day that already in December the Lakers were in a must wind

Going into Oklahoma City I and I it wasn’t a must-win but it was a necess it was needed the suns are in that position they need to win they’ve been Flatline they have no energy half the time they have no fire that you can see from the

Outside anyway but at home they need to win tonight the Suns well they’re going to get Flatline tonight by Luka what you call it picco or Picasso Picasso you extra Picasso whatever it is Masterpiece card for this one that’s exactly what Luca go do to them today I’m going with

Luca Don in the I would pick alas to win if Kyrie was playing but Kyrie is not playing all right that’s we are picking but who are you picking get the ESPN BET app and get started new customers can get 200 $ in Boni combined with their

Play as a whole changed about the Outlook of their roster I think it’s b darl m their president in Philadelphia some time uh to to reshape this roster now uh with a third star around Joel embiid and Tyrese Maxi he has become an all NBA guard the arrival of Nick nurse

Has been huge especially on the offensive end in Philadelphia when they made the James Harden trade with the Clippers there was a sense that they may have to really here at the trade deadline find a star player to be able to keep up with Boston Milwaukee in the

East they’re showing with this group that they can do it maybe without a third star maybe something around the edges Philadelphia has something this coming summer that very you very rarely see with a contending team and that’s a Max salary spot they need a big w a big

Wing forward who’s going to guard those forwards in Boston maybe it’s Tobias Harris staying on a new deal but you look at potential free agents two of the Raptors oan noi pescal sakam and then with the Clippers Paul George Kawhi Leonard all of them possibly could be

Free agents but Philly can also be in the trade market so they have a future in Philly that they can sell to Joel embiid and they have a team this year that has shown it could compete okay there’s a couple of things I have to say

Number one I do not want to hear the name kawh Lenard as a possible Philadelphia 76 you can’t have him and Jo embiid on the same Squad that is just you can’t have that because damn it who’s going to be available you say Joel embiid is Superstar averaging 35 this

Year they’re 0 and three without them we’re thanking the Heavenly the heavenly father that this man is has only miss those three games okay we always worry about his availability we can’t add kawha to that that’s number one number two I have to take a moment to give

Daryl Mory some love Nick nurse has been a great hire he’s elevated their level of pace he’s made their offense more important and obviously Maxi is shining with MB do I think they need another piece sure I do but what I’ve seen from the Philadelphia 76ers I have to say

It’s been very impressive absolutely but look in Doc Rivers defense you know I got to jump there I ain’t knocking Doc Rivers just say he didn’t want James Harden from the GetGo anyway let’s put that out there but when I look at the 76ers and you at and we and we talking

About can they win the East they can’t beat Boston but they damn sure could beat Milwaukee in the seven game series with the roster that they have love Kelly UB I love what uh DeAnthony mil DeAnthony Milton has been bringing to the table and that damn Nicholas Bon

Underrated pickup in that trade for James Harden ultimate 3 and D guy so just to follow up you believe the Sixers will sit Pat unless one of those guys becomes available on their terms from Toronto in a trade I I think the Sixers can do some things around the edges that

Help them shortterm maybe long term but they can go big game hunting this summer very few teams in their position usually have the assets to do it they can do it that 2028 unprotected pick from the Clippers I promise you that player will never play for the Philadelphia 76ers

But it’s going to be really valuable in a trade when they move it uh to put somebody else around Joel embiid Tyrese Max I’m going to repeat let Kawai stay where he is do not bring him for Paul George Steen they both stay in La all

Poal there a brand new Arena coming in there the ceiling for the 76ers is presently constructed Michael wilbot is what can they crack that upper echelon that we talked about the Celtics in three is as high as they can go I think it goes High they’re going to have some

You think so you could P pass Milwaukee yes wow I think they could I’m going to have some dissent on that one time to get you out to Miami for tip between Sixers and heat Mark Jones Monica mcnut are on the call we’ll see you at halftime welcome to NBA Countdown

Alongside Kendrick Perkins the legend Michael wilbon the one and only Stephen A Smith I’m Malika Andrew it really is a privilege to spend some of this holiday with all all of you gentlemen and with all of you at home we are going to be with you for the next 14 hours 14 hours

My friends with five excellent games on ESPN and ABC it all starts with the Bucks visiting the New York Knicks we have such a fun day of NBA action in store after that though Steph Curry and the Warriors they’re going to be in Denver in the mile high city to face the

Two-time MVP Nicola yic and the defending Champion nuggets it’s a matchup of the last two NBA champions and then it’s off to Los Angeles the latest chapter of the NBA’s most storied rivalry the Celtics they visit LeBron’s Lakers this marks the 100th time James has faced Boston in his career that

Includes the playoffs after that Stephen A you know where we’re headed we’re going to one of your favorite cities South Beach Joel embiid he is out for this one but we still get Jimmy Butler going up against his former team the Philadelphia 76ers emerging star Tyrese

Maxi is averaging 26 a game and after that the night cap LCA donic visits a team that passed on him in the 2018 graft Phoenix Suns Luca is just 2-9 in regular season games against Devin Booker but upset the suns in the 2022 playoffs this is one of my favorite days

Of the NBA calendar to me it’s really hard to not be looking at the Celtics and the Lakers as the piesta resistance here but what is your magnum opus game well for me it’s it’s this game it’s the Lakers Celtics I’m looking at the Boston Celtics right now they’re my favorites

To win the chip which I said at the beginning of the season I didn’t have to I I didn’t have to wait to see those 30 games in but that’s a deception for another day big perk at the end of the day here’s my concern my concern is

Their Reliance on the three-point shot they’re shooting over 43 threes per game I don’t believe that’s how you win a championship they’re number one in attempts they’re number one in in in in in threes made but they’re like ninth in terms of percentage all I’m saying is

Against some of the better teams you’re going to need to show an ability to do something on the interior to some degree tonight is not going to be the perfect indication if christs porzingis is not available he’s not expected to be available if that is if that is the case

Okay then the chances are they’re going to launch a whole bunch of more threes okay so it’s not going to be the ideal indication of what we’re going to see as the season WS I just need to see them do something other than shoot threes especially with Jason Tatum and Jaylen

Brown because obviously they’re the cornerstones of this Fran you want him to get to the free throw line what do you want to see to Celtics Lakers I’m much more concerned with with with porzingis is absence Stephen A the other things just adjustments it’s not like

The the Celtics don’t have the people on board to do exactly what you’re saying they need to do and they they will do it they have to do it no it’s not sustainable to win a championship by shooting 53s which is sort of amazing I think that the the Celtics are biting

Their time until they get to this point porzingis in that lineup to me look he what he played two 36 games last year that’s not going to get it we talk about the health of AD and LeBron porzingis is health and his availability is critical for the Celtics that is the matchup

There’s some other themes yep I mean I’m interested to see Dallas and the Sun who’ve been the single most disappointing team and there’s always fireworks go head to single most disappoint but you know what Stephen A is not just injuries they have no fire that team plays like they’re on a low

Simmer you can’t be on a low simmer if you don’t have your three starters out there and they haven’t shown anything in the west you got to crawl over too many teams I’m with Willborn on that one and say we can’t make excuses for the

Phoenix Suns I won’t let you do it okay I won’t let you do it today but here’s the thing I’m looking forward to the Celtics the city of Champions and the Los Angeles Lakers right and I think the fan base is as well but when I think

About it I’m looking at the bigs right hopefully Pingas plays but I’m looking at Anthony Marshon Davis right we we we we criticize him when he match up with jic and rightfully so because yic stand on business when it comes to playing ad

So so do MB when he plays ad but then ad revers the script and stand on business when he plays guys like miles turn Turner in Pingas he’s averaging 311 and two blocks on porzingis throughout his career this is ad’s moment tonight today not BR not not nobody else Anthony Davis

To dominate on both sides of the floor he’s shown us time and time again he’s capable of doing that and then here’s another thing if zingas do play the lights are bright the way the Boston Celtic fans have been raving and praising about him I haven’t seen this

Much PR since they uh acquired Kevin Garnett that’s how much they love the Pres he’s averaging 19 a game I will say this though if he doesn’t play it’s not about hoping from ad it’s about expectations because who are you going against Al Horford that’s really the

Only other big that they have you’re averaging 24.3 points per game Anthony Davis right now is a leading candidate for defensive player of the year he’s one of the leading candidates I mean he is playing at an elite level but what what we what we constantly let him get

Away with because we get we on occasion some people listen to the idiot idiot trolls out there when they you’re acting like ad can’t play we all know ad is great what we’ve question is the level of consistency that you bring with the greatness in other words you can’t drop

40 on yic one day and and 11 and next yish might do 30 but it’s 30 game after game after game after game like you said he stands on business he brings what he brings night and Night Out ad is a been a roller coaster so in a game like this

This Christmas Day if porzingis isn’t available to you considering the the bodies that Boston has to throw in your direction you’re Anthony Davis you’re supposed to handle your business tonight and that should be the expectation not to mention this could be a litmus test right when you look at these games today

Which ones are the ones that we could potentially be seeing come back in the playoffs in the meantime Damen Lillard in Madison Square Garden getting ready to take on the New York Knicks it really feels like the Milwaukee Bucks have we have for you this Christmas seeing the

Game Through The Eyes of two future Hall of Famers Diana terasi and Sue bird they host an ALT telecast of the Bucks and nicks at noon Eastern on ESPN 2 and ESPN plus now the second game of our Christmas Quinn tupple header is the Warriors and the Nuggets it’s at 230 on

ABC The Warriors gentleman they continue to be without Draymond Green who was suspended this month after striking Phoenix’s Yousef nurkic in a game our senior NBA Insider Adrien W narowski is with us now so w when the suspension was announced the league said right that Draymond Green he would need to quote

Fulfill certain league and team conditions so what details have you learned about his path to return here well beyond his own individual counseling that Draymond Green is a part of now I’m told uh that he’s doing periodic essentially virtual meetings zooms with uh that include the Warriors

Mike dun leevy Jr their GM the league office The Players Association his agent Rich Paul also on these calls just to get a sense as they move through this what Draymond Green is learning here where he’s at with this the League this is unusual process this is an unusual suspension open-ended indefinite and

What the league has wanted to do in Partnership essentially with the Players Association the Warriors and even Draymond Green who I’m told has been very open to this very engaged in this is try to see if they can get to the root of what may have played a part in

What You’ve seen some of these violent encounters going back to Jordan pool this year with Rudy Gober and of course you you have nkic and this is going to play a part uh in his return to play I’m told still it’s probably looks like barring any setbacks an 11-13 game

Window okay uh that he’ll be out 11-13 game window for Draymond Green but even without Draymond Ste the Warriors they have rattled off five straight wins they’re looking for a sixth today given all that we just heard from wo what’s your confidence level that they can keep

It rolling when Draymond come oh my confidence level’s High you know why because I’m watching Klay Thompson Klay Thompson has reemerged I’m seeing over this five game winning streak big perk don’t you fix your face that way I’m seeing doing this five game winning streak Klay Thompson is averaging 24.8

Points per game he is shooting 46% from three-point range Steph Curry is shooting 47% from three-point range what is the ultimate we can talk about Draymond we can talk about Looney we can talk about the coach Steve cerr we can talk about the environment we can talk

About the whole of the former home crowd at the Oracle that’s now going over to the Bay across the river to San Francisco we talk about all of that but what is the con consistent ingredient to their success it is shooting from the Splash Brothers and that is what I’m

Seeing what was I on the air crying about a few weeks ago I said Klay Thompson what’s up what’s going on you want your money don’t you you want a new contract extension don’t you let’s make sure now athleticism is what dissipates it’s what diminishes over time God we

Just don’t run we don’t have the same spring in our step but the one thing that’s the last to go is the stroke baby and that’s what Klay Thompson has brought back the fact that he has returned to relevancy and it is co-signed with Steph Curry shooting the

Ball as long as those two brothers can shoot that way they are a threat to anybody but you got to ask yourself why has it changed for Klay Thompson okay because Steve Curry is finally coaching his behind off the mixture of old with new well he SL starts in the past no no

No I’ve been begging more kaminga I agree right you look at Jackson Davis but let me explain why the the league is is full of athleticism now they can match athleticism when you have kaminga and you have Jackson Davis that are live threats at the basket guess what now

Those guys roll into the paint it opens up three-point shooting you put those guys in pick and roll action with Steph Curry it’s a difference see Draymond is allergic to the basket let’s be real he’s not that score no more but he these two guys are offensive threats they’re

Not afraid and what’s happening is is Steve Curr is letting those guys play through their mistakes and play meaningful minutes let’s see let’s let’s see if they can play through those mistakes and Stephen A I love the fact that you were this excited on Christmas morning that’s right absolutely who of

The who of the Warriors beaten in that one signature that is the Pointon theels Celtic the Celtics win and what what were you de crying about that the number of Threes the Celtics put up and missed let’s see this against the Champs the Rainy Champs today going

To listen listen I’m going to get you I love I love that Klay is doing this first of all I’ve been the one saying wait a minute when you have the kind of injuries that Klay Thompson has yeah it takes much longer than you wanted to

Allow him last he wanted to allow where is Klay Thompson he’s behind those injured legs which at this point listen Stephen A we’ve seen those kinds of injuries end effectively careers of Hall of Famers and would be of Famers we’ve seen those kind of injuries Derrick Rose’s career was permanently derailed

Amari stm’s career was ended prematurely we’ve seen truly great players not recover from this so Klay Thompson the fact that he’s taking longer than you want excuse me it’s just a little too bad a couple things one number one first I know you’re the ultimate Insider but

You didn’t know what I’m about to drop on this man right here okay okay W let me tell you something right now for the first time in my 30 plus years of KN him Mike wilbon I am accusing him of being unfair to me unfair unfair to me to let

Me let me tell you something first of all what I said about Klay Thompson was this of course it’s going to take a long role but you don’t win the championship against Boston without Klay Thompson showing up so if you could do it then then what the hell was the problem now

More than a year and a half later that’s number one number two I when it comes to shooters shooters the bottom line is that ain’t about the competition that’s about you making shots Klay Thompson wasn’t making shots now some of them were contested but some of them were

Wide open he just wasn’t draining them and I’m seeing him drain them now and as long as that’s happening that’s a different Warrior Squad yeah they did have great spacing early in this season and I as as other players start to shoot better Wiggins plays better Steph Curry

Playing P up at an MVP level psky you see Klay Thompson you know he can’t go get his shot the way Steph Curry can obviously one more thing on Draymond Green he’s allowed to work out with the team practice with the team that hasn’t happened yet he has stayed away working

On these things I’m told to not expect him back in the gym with this team perhaps until after uh January 1 well they are facing the defending champs in this the Denver Nuggets who have won seven of eight games here behind Nicola yoka who has established himself once

Again as a leading MVP candidate in all of this he is in the building he’s looking pretty good Christmas Day fa he’s all right listen he’s great but he’s dropped in field goal percentage shooting percentage shooting mid-range field go percentage shooting in the there like a top two three seed we them

Here coming off of that injury all right friends let’s check in on the Suns theyve lost seven of 10 games here in December and what’s a little bit surprising giving their personnel right is they’re struggling partly because of their offense the Suns have ranked in the bottom five this month and Phoenix

They sit at 500 despite having played the League’s second easiest schedule entering Chris Christmas let’s just take stock here right Bradley Beal he’s only played in like six games this season Yousef nkit is out today for personal reasons Eric Gordon he’s talking about how he feels like he should be playing

More so this feels like sort of a moment where tectonic plates they could be shifting in Phoenix like Whispers of the Nets Vibes with the big three where they couldn’t stay on the court so w what is the temperature inside Phoenix right now well start with Kevin Durant you talked

To people in Phoenix and around that organization you know they can feel the frustration with Durant part of that certainly uh is the Mis game games for Brad Beal this team was built around those three stars uh The underwhelming Supporting Cast that comes from those massive trades for Durant and Bradley

Beal that really gutted uh the organization and left them you having to sign a lot of minimum players to fill out the payroll and then and then understanding uh that they lack the assets the draft picks the the trade Capital to go out and really improve this team this is something they’re

Going to have to manage in Phoenix with Kevin Durant you’ve seen it before and it reminds you it is a stark reminder of how short of a window and how this team has to win big and they have to win big quickly uh based on how it was constructed and having Kevin Durant

Still playing at an all-nba uh level and a healthy Kevin Durant and there’s a lot at stake for this organization it’s got to change soon okay mayor of Scottdale you know this team inside and out out given all of that how confident are you that they’re going to figure all this

Out I’m not first of all they can’t get on the court and W is so right start with Bradley Beal this team was constructed you knew going into this that their three starters their three stars had to be Stars pillar or post all right but this this is a reminder how

Many times are we going to keep going back to a model because it worked twice of this big three situation where you could just throw people together because of their names they’re going to be great they haven’t played together and even when they have first of all they should

Be better with two of them and they’re not it’s a flatline team you watch them and you wonder where’s the emotion where is it well personalities matter perk knows is when you’re building a team as opposed to just slapping one together temperament matters personality matters chemistry matters we talk about Draymond

Green right and the instigation and why is it worth it despite all the suspensions and the drama to have him because you still have that in the mix the Suns have none of that and when you watch them play you’re like my my goodness Stephen A and I were talking in

The commercial break about pace of play that’s reflective of what they don’t have where’s the fire they’ve been bottom five in Pace of play when you got those players if they’re on the court and they’re not where is the pace of play what is that about where’s the fire

With this team watching them Flatline through games and blow double digit leads no I have no confidence you know what The Big Three haven’t played together and they got KD and Devin Booker they could save the excuses a lot of people make more excuses for the fing Sons than

The brother going to jail and I don’t even want to hear it okay and when it comes down to it is you talk about the pace how about getting stops cupcakes is what I see them they creamy in the middle they lack physicality Stephen A they lack physicality Willborn they lack

Mental toughness if you want to get out transition how about getting deflections and steals how about forcing turnovers so when I think about this locker room and I think about Eric Gordon comments Malika right he talked about oh he’s a offensive weapon basically right he should get more touches be more involved

In the offense he’s on a vet minimum that shows lack of leadership and when this team formed I said that Kevin Durant just like when he went to Golden State and Draymond and steep was a leader to him he needs to be a vocal leader to these guys in this locker room

Because they don’t have one and when you lose games like to the Portland Trailblazers it goes to show you that you don’t have a voice that’s extension of Frank vogle and that’s why I always say your best player is not your leader all the time your best player is not the

One that’s in the locker room that’s that’s giving the voice of holding people accountable 2008 on the Celtics kg wasn’t a vocal leader Paul wasn’t a vocal leader it wasn’t uh Ray Allen it was James posy mhm you need a vocal leader are you ready for this the

Phoenix Suns are a team are you ready for this they’re a team when it comes to there’s a whole bunch of people that share to blame ain’t just one person there’s a whole bunch of blame to go around let’s start with ownership doing your homework on the availability of

Bradley Bill this ain’t the first time he’s been injured no all right so you got to take that in consideration we know it’s not on purpose it’s not his fault that he lands somebody twist his ankle stuff like that it’s not his fault but the reality is is that durability

And availability have been things that he hasn’t had uh you know at his disposal that’s number one okay the recommendations for Frank vogle Frank vogle can coach he’s a champion as a coach I’m certainly not here to cast any asures on him but there is something to

Be said about being able to touch on the pulse of your team okay that was a question mark for him with the Los Angeles Lakers wasn’t a question mark with him when he was the coach of the Indiana Paces years ago but it was a question with him with the Los Angeles

Lakers there after winning the championship it’s a question now as you watch these these things these matters unfold then we have to get to the Superstar Kevin Durant who’s the league leader in three-o percentage shooting at over 47% who’s one of the top three scorers in the league averaging over 30

But it appears to me nothing why because leadership ain’t just with how you perform on a basketball court it’s your ability to Galvanize the people around you to maximize their potential he doesn’t seem to be able to do that Devin Booker is averaging 27 a game so you’ve

Got a superstar averaging 30 you got another one averaging 27 and y’all still three in and eight over your last 11 games or something like that this is a team that appears to be leaderless this is a team that doesn’t appear to have any kind of Direction any kind of

Motivation whatsoever they certainly don’t have health on their side you already brought up their bench W there’s nothing to look forward to in Phoenix because I’m looking at the rest of the Western Conference and some of these young thorough breads going to come up the reigning defending champions in

Denver M LeBron leading the Los Angeles you can’t count them out and then I’m looking at the Phoenix Suns hot garbage hot garbage how patient is Kevin Durant willing to be with all of this well listen we you you’ve seen certainly in Brooklyn there were very different

Factors uh with the Nets and their inability uh to ever put that together but the one thing you came back to in Brooklyn was uh the players that he came to play with and that he helped bring in James Harden Kyrie Irving they never played together I think they played

Seven LeBron James is the alltime Christmas leader in points while raking second in assists three-pointers made and steal his 10 wins on the holiday are also tied with his good friend Dwayne Wade for the most on Christmas but today LeBron and the Lakers they face their shared enduring RI speee spee Foree our Stan Tower is under attack your team has destroyed your Tower dragon and have evolved caners have sped you have an enemy tower has been destroyed your tower has destroyed a tower enemy Ultimate For Tower is attack don’t do this right way foree spe desty Tower our base Tower is under attack our base is under attack each other attack For fore fore spee first one toe our middle Tower is under attack to destroyed is attack die die going get it foreign Fore our span Tower is under attack teamy Tower drag anday evolv caners have spawn you have an enemy your tower has destroyed has destroyed a tower Tower is under attack your tower has dest Tower fore speeech where I can move for enem Tower is under attack to base is under Attack to is under attack spe For

FULL NBA Countdown | Stephen A. on Lakers fall to Celtics despite AD’s 40 Pts, Nuggets beat Warriors

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