00:0098-78, and it was pretty quickly.
00:07The Lakers, they trailed 16-11.
00:11They closed the quarter on a 12-2 run, but it expanded further than that.
00:23It was a 21-2 run that the Lakers went on between the first and second quarter.
00:31LeBron was the best player on the court by a country mile with 28-7-8.
00:36He was the best player in this series by a country mile.
00:40And we got to a really interesting spot in this series.
00:45The Lakers kind of entered with low expectations.
00:48Even their biggest fans, even the biggest LeBron fans, really didn't think them winning this series was on the board.
00:56Yes, the Kevin Durant injury changes some things, but I think the Rockets still would have been comfortable favorites,
01:02considering the Rockets were favorites in every single game the Lakers won in this series.
01:09So it gives you an idea just how impressive this was.
01:16Though there was a moment where people were wondering,
01:21would LeBron and the Lakers become the first team to ever blow a 3-0 series lead?
01:25And the Sharks were circling, because that's what happens when you're the greatest player of all time.
01:31In year 23, age 41, you're held to a higher standard than the best player in the world, quote-unquote.
01:43So, J.Y., look, I think LeBron James put another one-of-one resume line up there.
01:57And I think J.J. Redick got a much-needed first series win as a young head coach in this
02:05league.
02:07I think Marcus Smart has maybe extended his NBA career like a half-decade.
02:12Because Smart, I mean, it was, you know, it was getting a little, eh, for a while, right?
02:16Boston let him go.
02:18Kennard found himself quite favorably here.
02:21Your boy, Denominayton, stepped up over the final games of this series as well.
02:26The story is LeBron.
02:28Everybody in that locker room, though, for L.A. should feel great about themselves, because this, just so people understand,
02:36this is a bigger series upset than Minnesota knocking off Denver.
02:41Just so, this was a real accomplishment, J.Y., by this Laker team.
02:48And I'll be honest with you, I thought going into this series, if you, I want people to really understand
02:54this.
02:55If you said, and I want people to just think about this, no Luka, you don't think you're getting Austin
03:02Reeves versus a Houston team that, on paper, is probably the better team.
03:12You think Houston.
03:15And there's a lot of credit that should go to that Lakers coaching staff.
03:20And I was, you know, when I had Ian Eagle on last week, we were talking about, you know, the
03:24importance of having Nate McBillen and Scott Brooks on staff.
03:28Having experienced coaches that have been in the playoffs.
03:31They were dialed in defensively.
03:33And when you get to the playoffs, Kev, you've got to have nondescript guys step up.
03:41Right?
03:41You've got to get other guys to do things, especially when you're dealing with injuries.
03:47So, and it was interesting, when I was talking to Ian, owner coaches, with J.Y., he made a good
03:53point about staying back and gunning.
03:55And I want people to understand the greatness of LeBron.
03:58And this is someone that thinks Jordan's the greatest of all time.
04:00And for the first time in my life, I'm starting to be like, I don't know.
04:04I may be wrong.
04:06Here is why.
04:08LeBron James is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the NBA.
04:15And scoring is not his best attribute.
04:17It's his passing.
04:19And I think that is something that when you talk about Kobe or Jordan or all these other guys, scoring,
04:26scoring.
04:26That's what they do.
04:27Like, LeBron is passing.
04:29And LeBron's ability to lift up his teammates to make them play levels that you don't know is possible.
04:37Folks, he averaged 8.3 assists per game.
04:40Like, are you kidding me with this?
04:41So, we have to give LeBron his flowers.
04:46Now, Houston.
04:48Oh, my goodness.
04:49Oh, my goodness.
04:50Is there, if you had me talk about Jamal Mosley in the first half hour of the show,
04:54is there a coach that was so highly regarded, like unbelievable coach, like Emanuel Doka,
05:03who has fallen down that cliff and fallen down quickly?
05:07I mean, you're down 3-0.
05:08Well, I know you got it to Game 6.
05:10Good for you.
05:11But then you're not competitive in a Game 6 and you're building loose by 20 points.
05:15How are you doing?
05:16You know, you're down, you know, big at the end of halftime.
05:21Like, you're not even there.
05:24So, you have to look at Houston and their lack of leadership.
05:28You have to look at the fact that we're going to have Kevin Durant questions, not about his injury,
05:34but, ready, is Kevin Durant going to ask out?
05:36Well, because there's already rumblings that it may be coming again, right?
05:40And then you got to look at the young kids.
05:42Shen Gunn getting outplayed at times by the nominate.
05:45And then there's the kid, Reed Shepard.
05:48Oh, my goodness.
05:49What in the front man bleed happened?
05:51In the four games they lost, Kevin, 16 of 64 from the floor, 10 of 40 from three.
06:01Reed Shepard's got to be better, but it'll be interesting to see if Houston does make big moves
06:07or if they say, all right, we get Van Vliet back, we get Steven Adams back next year,
06:13adults in the room, tough guys, leaders, competitors, and they try and run it back.
06:18Very interesting offseason that we have right now coming up for Houston.
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