DRAYMOND GREEN VS. AUSTIN RIVERS HEATED EXCHANGE & DWIGHT HOWARD CRASHES THE SET! | S8 EP84
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Quick Read
Summary
Takeaways
- ❖James Harden's 3-for-13 shooting performance for the Cavs against the Pistons is deemed unacceptable for a star player in the playoffs.
- ❖Tobias Harris has achieved seven consecutive 20+ point games in the playoffs, a significant improvement from his regular season performance with the 76ers.
- ❖Cade Cunningham is lauded for his unique blend of smoothness and aggression, making him a transcendent player difficult to compare to others.
- ❖Draymond Green claimed Steve Kerr 'hindered' his career by not running plays for him after Kevin Durant joined the Warriors.
- ❖Austin Rivers countered Draymond Green by stating Green was 'left open 80% of the time' and was never a scorer, attributing Green's success to playing with Hall of Famers.
- ❖Rivers also highlighted Draymond Green's Golden State Warriors teammates (Curry, Klay, KD) and front office as factors in his 'luckiest player' status.
- ❖Dwight Howard clarified he played in Taiwan, not China, and found the experience liberating, feeling like a 'new player' outside the NBA's 'box'.
- ❖Howard believes his NBA career ended prematurely due to teams' perception that he wouldn't accept a bench/veteran role, but he also desired more family time.
- ❖Dwight Howard would coach and would draw up defensive plays for Draymond Green, but not offensive ones.
- ❖Howard views the current NBA as less physical, driven by a desire for up-tempo play and three-pointers, largely influenced by Steph Curry.
- ❖Dwight Howard believes the blame for his and Kobe Bryant's Lakers tenure not working out was unfairly placed on him, as he aimed to learn from Kobe, not usurp him.
Insights
1James Harden's Playoff Underperformance and Tobias Harris's Playoff Surge
The hosts heavily criticized James Harden's poor shooting (3 for 13) in a Cavaliers loss, noting a decade-long pattern of slacking off in spring/early summer. Conversely, Tobias Harris, who struggled with consistency in the regular season for the 76ers, has transformed into a reliable second option for the Pistons, achieving seven consecutive 20+ point playoff games and showing newfound confidence.
Mace and Cam discuss James Harden's 3-for-13 performance and his historical playoff struggles. Cam details Tobias Harris's lack of back-to-back 20-point games in the regular season versus his current seven-game playoff streak with 20+ points.
2Draymond Green vs. Austin Rivers: A Battle of Narratives
Draymond Green ignited a feud by claiming Steve Kerr 'hindered' his career, suggesting he could have become more if plays were run for him after Kevin Durant's arrival. Austin Rivers vehemently refuted this, arguing Green was 'left open 80% of the time' due to the superior talent around him (Curry, Klay, Durant) and was never a primary scorer. Rivers labeled Green the 'luckiest basketball player' in modern history, citing the Hall of Fame talent and front office he was drafted into.
Draymond's quote about Steve Kerr 'hindering' his career (). Austin Rivers's detailed rebuttal, including his high school and college accolades, and his breakdown of Green's 'luck' due to teammates like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant ( - ).
3Dwight Howard's Post-NBA Journey and League Perceptions
Dwight Howard shared that his experience playing in Taiwan was incredibly fulfilling, allowing him to 'just hoop' without the constraints of the NBA's 'box' and feel like a 'new player.' He believes his NBA career ended because teams perceived he wouldn't accept a reduced role, but also admitted a desire for more family time. Howard encouraged other players to consider overseas opportunities for the love and reception from fans.
Dwight Howard explains his Taiwan experience, feeling like a 'new player' (). He discusses teams' perceptions of his role and his desire for family time ( - ).
4The Evolving NBA: Threes, Dunks, and International Dominance
Dwight Howard observed that the modern NBA prioritizes up-tempo play and three-point shooting, largely influenced by Steph Curry, leading to a decrease in the excitement for dunks. He believes the game is in 'great hands' with rising international stars like Giannis, Jokic, and Embiid dominating.
Dwight Howard discusses the shift from physical play and dunks to three-pointers and up-and-down action, crediting Steph Curry ( - ). He mentions international players like Giannis, Jokic, and Embiid ().
Notable Moments
Dwight Howard unexpectedly walks onto the set and joins the podcast, providing live commentary and personal insights.
This unscripted appearance adds significant star power and an authentic player's perspective to the ongoing discussions, particularly on the Draymond Green vs. Austin Rivers debate and his own career trajectory.
Quotes
"James Harden 3 for 13 is not going to cut it, brother. This is what I don't know what goes on this time of year in James Harden life that he tones it down on the basketball court for the last 10 years."
"Draymond, you are the luckiest basketball player I think I've ever seen, especially in modern day history. Let's talk about that. You were drafted to a franchise with a Hall of Fame front office Bob Myers, Hall of Fame coach Steph uh Steve Curry, the greatest shooter of all time and perhaps a top five player of all time, Steph Curry. Hall of Famer. Uh one of the greatest shooters, top five shooter of all time, another Hall of Famer, Klay Thompson. The Swiss Army knife himself, the guy who could do a little bit of everything on the floor under another Hall of Famer. I know, keep up. It's a lot of talent. Not to mention one of the most lethal scorers of all time and arguably a top 10 player of all time, Kevin Durant."
"I'm glad I went because it kind of gave me a new it kind of gave me wings, you I felt like a new player, new person, I can go and just just hoop, right? You know, for the longest I've been in the league, it's like I've been in a box. You know, you can only do this. We only want you to play like this. So, going to Taiwan, it was like, man, just go hoop, man. However you want to hoop, just have fun."
"I think teams are probably like he don't want to play the role that we're going to give to him, right? And his role is probably going to be vetted, be on the end of the bench. He wants you to help building young guys up and stuff like that."
"First of all, I think it's Draymond doing too much. You know what I'm saying? Like Austin was fired. I don't A lot of people going to say he got to the league off his dad, but look at his look at what he did. He went to Duke. First of all, in high school, he got one of the greatest mixtapz ever for high school. Then he goes to Duke, kills it, goes to the league, plays what, 10, 11 years? ... The average NBA career is 3 years. So for this man to play 11 years, he had to do something pretty good in order for him to stay that long. So the disrespect I think coming from players should never be tolerated because it's only 5,000 of us."
"Lakers, man. What? Give me a contract, man. I could have been doing what the Adri ain't doing. 10 days, man. I could have went out there, man."
Q&A
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