Colin Cowherd’s 6 NBA TRUTHS + LeBron James’ Lakers season debut REACTION | THE HERD

Colin Cowherd’s 6 NBA TRUTHS + LeBron James’ Lakers season debut REACTION | THE HERD

Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don’t forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions, and more football content. Here we go. Wednesday live in Chicago. It’s the herd. People are upset. LeBron’s happy. Joel Clatt stops by. wherever you may be and however you may be listening. Thanks for making us part of your day. Well, the story last night, and I think I’ve talked about this all summer long, is that LeBron has always been the best player on his team. Now, last year, Luca was injured and put on some weight. So, I believe on most nights, LeBron was at least Luca’s equal. And many times, he was better than Luca. So last night, LeBron made his season debut, and it was a perfect night. Utah’s the worst defensive team by a mile in the NBA. The Lakers had 16 layups and 74 points in the paint. No physicality. It was a home game, the healthiest the Lakers roster has been in years, and LeBron eased his way back into it. He didn’t have the ball much in his hands. Uh his passing was, as usual, exceptional. When Walker Kesler is out for Utah, they are so bad defensively. And LeBron appropriately did not insert himself into the offense much. In fact, the usage rate is what I want to see going forward. Luca had the ball 44% of the time. I’d be happy at 46 47. Austin Reeves had it 25% of the time. LeBron had it 13. and it was all smiles. Do I think taking seven shots and having the ball in his hands 13% of the time? Well, I think LeBron’s going to be happy with that in April. I do not. But LeBron is really smart. He’s always calculated. He’s always intentional from the food he eats to the shots he takes. And the Lakers are a fun, well- coached offense, a joyful atmosphere. Last night felt like an intense scrimmage. Utah’s that bad defensively. And LeBron’s always been an incredibly adaptable player. Michael Jordan was not. The late Kobe was not. Carmelo was not. LeBron’s always been adaptable. But let’s keep it a 100. LeBron now for the first time in his career is absolutely the second best player on the team. He was better than D. Wade. He was better than Bosch. He was better than Kevin Love. He was better than Kyrie. He was better than AD. All of them. And he was better than Chunky Luca last year on most nights. But I said all summer, Skinny Luca is the best offensive player in the world. Skinny Luca last night had 37 points. Could have scored more. It felt like something you’d see at the Y. He scored whenever he felt like it. Utah is atrocious defensively and LeBron’s calculated. He picked this week to come back. Why? They play Utah twice, no physicality, and a bunch of days off. So, um, I will say this, JJ Reic has created, he is a really good offensive coach. This offense, the spacing’s fantastic. It never gets jammed up. Um, there’s a they really pass well. It’s a very giving offense, but LeBron’s never been a true Robin. He’s always been Batman on almost every night of his career. So, he not settling for seven shots. He not settling for 13% ball usage, but that’s kind of where I’d like him at. Maybe 18, 20, 21%. That’s not a knock on him. Luca is so dominant and LeBron is so old. That’s what it should be for the regular season. And I think it’s a challenge. That’s all I’ve said. I think it’s a challenge. This is an offensive team. It’s not like the Lakers were great defensively last night either. They trailed for, you know, three quarters and gave up a ton. But LeBron, he’s intentional. He picked the right team. He picked the right night. Here’s JJ Reic after. Just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night. Um, you know, was a willing passer. Didn’t force it. Um took his drives and his shots when they were there. Um you know, there’s the defense is going to pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, particularly when he’s putting pressure on the rim. And I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight. Uh really good to really good to have him back. One of the criticisms of LeBron has been, you know, he on social media, he’s very measured. He’s very calculated. I don’t see it as a weakness. I think he’s smart. I think this country is very polarized. It’s very punitive if you say the wrong thing in a social media outlet. LeBron picked Utah twice. And look at the schedule right now. Lot of days off. Utah twice. Perfect team, perfect night. Lakers healthy. But that usage rate, all I’m saying is this team is really running overwhelmingly and should through Luca one. And on some nights when Austin Reeves gets hot and feels his jumper, Austin Reeves, too. Doesn’t mean Austin’s better than LeBron, but the way JJ Reick’s offense runs, Austin Reeves needs the ball, too. Good win, though. Um, J-Mack, I know you’re feeling it for LeBron. I will say this. Um, LeBron’s always been one of the shrewder guys in the league. Um, last night he knew he watched this team. I mean, he’s watching the offense and he and JJ Reick used to have a podcast. You know, they talked about this. You know, it was discussed and I thought LeBron was very smart to just smoothly put himself in. He didn’t want to get in the way of what the team was doing offensively. So, did you notice last night what LeBron really concentrated on? His passing was unbelievable. He looked like magic in the mid 80. I mean, he was no look pass. So, LeBron was like, “Listen, man, it’s going to take about six games to to and even Austin Reeves said after we had to tweak a few things here and there, but LeBron was smart enough to realize I’m going to be the facilitator tonight. I’m going to be a and he was he was he played defense. He was a real facilitator. He did not do ball usage. That was intentional. Yeah. Even coming up the court, you could see he would just give it to Luca and get out of the way. He would go to the side, wait, see what was going on, move off the ball. Listen, man. I I I know you were hammering. Well, it’s not going to work when he comes back. It is only Utah, but Colin, their offense was unreal last night. I mean, the passing, the cutting offball movement, and they get like four days off, as you said, before the Jazz again. And if you look at the schedule after that, it’s going to be like an 18 and6 Lakers team at some point. Okay, they’re coming for OKC. I’m not even kidding. OKC is a juggernaut. I get it. They want to win 70 games. Go for it. Okay, just keep an eye on the Lakers, my friend. All right. Today’s show is brought to you by our new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet. 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So, whenever you’re listening, just open the app, check out what you’ve got any day of the week. Download the Hard Rock Bet app, and make your first deposit. Uh, there’s always been this feeling the NBA officially starts on Christmas Day. Uh, but I’m watching some Lakers and I’m I’m, you know, I’m watching some Bulls and I’m watching some Celtics and a Warriors. Steph’s great. Warriors aren’t. Um, Luca had 37 last night for the Lakers and he’s just an an unbelievable um, offensive player, best offensive player on the planet. So, Adam Silver, and I’ve and I’ve defended Adam Silver. When David Stern took over the NBA, the NBA was broken. There was a cocaine rumors, bankrupt teams, awful owners. It was awful. So, David Stern wanted to put the name on the back of the jersey, you know, Jordans. He wanted to put it on the front. He wanted to sell the individual. He wanted the shoe companies involved. It was the right thing to do at the right time. And with that, you had dynasties formed. Uh, big markets did very well. Uh, Lakers and Boston and Chicago and Detroit, big markets did very well. Adam Silver took over for David Stern. It was a different league. There was some resentment that the league was too topheavy. So I I will defend Adam Silver on this. He has created the new CBA, all these second and third aprons. It you can’t owners are not willing to pay $100 million annually in taxes. And so seven years, seven champions. There’s a lot of uncertainty going into the playoffs. Nobody’s really sure. But I thought this morning as I was watching the Lakers last night, here are the six things that are not debatable. Everything else in the NBA is debatable right now except these six things. Number one is the best player is still Nicole Joic. The Joker for Denver is a scoring, passing, rebounding machine. I’ve never seen a big guy with this many skills. He’s averaging 2913 and 11 and the only guy in the league to do it. He was the only guy last year to go 2712 and N. He is on any given night the best shooter from the perimeter, the best shooter mid-range, the best low post player, and when he wants to play defense, he’s not bad. Best player in the league is the Joker. It is not debatable. Second thing, the best pure score, Skinny Luca. Luca first three years skinny and Luca now you can’t stop him. I mean, he’s 67 and a half, long, all knees and elbows. He gets whatever he wants whenever he wants. He’s as good a shooter as Larry Bird, but quicker. Um, there’s just no weakness. He’s actually when he wants to be a good passer, but he shouldn’t pass much cuz he’s that good. He’s just, you know, I said he’s like Dirk Nitzky, but stronger and quicker. Larry Bird, but quicker. He is the best offensive pure player on the planet. Luca. Number three is, let’s not even deny it, they’re not even healthy now. OKC is the best team, folks. They’re 82 and 15 since the start of last season. Last year, they won by an average of 13 points. They’re deep. They’re big. Hartinstein, Chad Homer. They have physicality. They have an elite score. They’ve got a great number two. They’re well coached. They have a the Howie Roseman of GMs. OKC is the best team. Uh the play number four, if you asked every GM next 10 years, who’s the player you build around, it would be WBY, not the Joker. Uh Wembyss are getting better. Scoring, rebounding, shooting efficiency. He is already the best shot blocker since the NBA started tracking it in the early 70s, 73,74. The best shot blocker ever. Better offensively. I mean, there’s no doubt. I’m not sure outside of LeBron and and maybe Michael Jordan in my life, MJ, LeBron, and Webby. If you asked every GM when all three of those players were like 25, 24, who would you build around? It’s unanimous. And I love the Joker. Number five is, and it’s not close, the Western Conference is it’s not even the same sport. It’s so much better than the Eastern Conference. Six of the last nine champs are from the West. Three, the top three MVP favorites now from the West. Seven of the top 10 MVP favorites are from the West. Um, offensively, it’s a different conference than the East. Now, again, if Tatum and Hallebertton were around, it would be at least not quite as lobsided. Uh, but right now, the West feels like the SEC about six years ago. There wasn’t even an argument. I mean, now they may be the best. Uh, Big 10’s pretty good. Six years ago, there was no argument. That’s the West and the East now. And number six is Steph Curry remains the best long distance shooter in the league. Even Luca, as great as he is, can’t compare to Steph. Leads the NBA in threes made this season. In fact, old Steph in the last five years has made 1621 threes. number two has made 350 fewer and there is no question there has never been a shooter this good from this distance. So everything else in the NBA to me is absolutely debatable except these six things. Joic the best player, Luca the best beer score, Thunder the best team. Weby’s who’ you build around for the next 5 to 10 years. The West is much better than the East. And when it comes to shooting threes, there’s one guy in the league I want taking that final shot, and that is Steph. Um, I thought this was interesting. I was, um, Jac, you have any thoughts on this? Well, real quick, Colin, look at look on the screen. All I see is Western Conference players and teams. Is the East that bad? I saw the Pacers. I just had to look up the standings. The Pacers are 1 and 13. Yes, that for those who question Hallebertton’s value. Gosh. I mean, Miles Turner left, but they traded. Yeah. Or they lost Turner. So, if anybody out there that doesn’t get Hallebertton, you don’t get basketball. They The Knicks just aren’t as interesting yet. Maybe. I mean, if they trade Carl Towns, Giannis to the Knicks would be great for the league. That’s That’s a little sad for the East. Yeah.

Colin Cowherd reacts to the Los Angeles Lakers’ win over the Utah Jazz. He discusses the season debut of LeBron James and how the offense looks with Luka Doncic. Next Colin gives his six NBA truths: best player, best scorer, best team, player you’d build around, best conference, and best shooter. Where do Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, and Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors rank?

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