Colin Cowherd Podcast - Sixers Upset Celtics, LeBron Finds A Way To Win, Wolves Are Underrated, Nuggets Need To Re-Tool

All right, round one looked shaky on paper, but it delivered chaos, and I want to start with Boston. I’ve been saying the Celtics feel more like a formula than a fireworks show—when the threes fall, they’re a machine; when they don’t, they stall—while Philly’s got multiple guys who can create without help. Do you buy that, or am I being too harsh?

I buy it, because Embiid was the exact matchup that short‑circuited Boston’s plan. With him parked at the rim, their drives dried up, their centers were unplayable, and on the other end nobody could guard him, so the series turned into Boston living or dying on jumpers.

And the Embiid skepticism has always just been about health, not talent. With him healthy and Paul George rolling, Philly suddenly has four live scorers who don’t need screens, which is rare. I also thought Missoula overcooked the rotation and put them behind early; given that, were you fine sitting a hobbled Tatum late in the series?

Yes. Even with Tatum, the Embiid problem didn’t go away, and Missoula’s surprise lineup created early confusion and a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Big picture, Boston needs a burst‑speed guard who can puncture defenses and a big wing or frontcourt piece; a Derek White for Aaron Gordon framework, plus a young forward, gives them playoff versatility without overtaxing anyone in the regular season.

Gordon fits Boston’s culture—tough, playoff tested, West-bred—and I’d do it. Shifting to Knicks–Sixers: Embiid versus KAT is spicy, OG gives New York that two‑way edge on the wing, and Maxey with Edgecombe bring real pace; I lean Knicks by a hair unless Embiid and PG are fully right, then it’s Philly by a nose. Where do you land?

It’s a coin flip; I nudge Knicks for home court and more lineup flexibility. The swing is whether Embiid bullies KAT so much that Thibs is forced to play Mitchell Robinson, letting Embiid camp at the rim; if New York can keep KAT at the five and stretch Embiid into space with OG, they tilt the floor back.

It’s perfect television—New York’s audience, Philly’s scars, and finally a healthy, loaded Sixers group that’s underachieved for years but now might be the most talented unit left.

When Embiid is right, he’s the best player in the East, and that alone scrambles the bracket.

On the West, the OKC defense is a blur, but my big takeaway was LeBron. That Rockets series was the exclamation point on the LeBron‑over‑KD debate—his ability to squeeze value out of every possession and every teammate is singular, and the gap isn’t close.

It’s his versatility and timing—he drifted at times in the regular season, then in the biggest moments he bent the series with force and shot‑making, especially in Game Six where his intensity shrank a young team; that was a classic veteran heist.

KD barely played, but the on‑off splits said the Rockets held up better without him, while the Lakers never did without LeBron. He also unlocked Deandre Ayton by feeding him early and often, which matters with an emotional big; that’s playoff psychology at work.

Leadership isn’t optional—you have to breathe belief into the room, and LeBron still does. KD thrives when others steer the ship for him, which is why I’d tell Houston to lean into the now: flip Sengun and assets for Giannis, stack him with KD, VanVleet, and Amen Thompson, then chase a two‑to‑three‑year window without punting the future completely.

That would make Houston terrifying on defense with Giannis and Amen hunting everything. The Lakers, meanwhile, still need that long wing—someone like Jaden McDaniels, an incidental scorer who quietly swings games, an OG‑type role star.

Exactly—low‑maintenance offense, high‑impact defense, scalable in any lineup.

On Wolves–Spurs, everyone’s crowned OKC and San Antonio, but Minnesota’s size, coaching, and sneaky twenty‑point bursts from non‑scorers are real. Have we undervalued them again?

There’s value on the Wolves; I still pick San Antonio narrowly, but Minnesota can bother Wemby with a bully forward like Julius Randle and park Gobert at the rim against non‑shooters, while McDaniels and their athletes hound the guards; that sets up close‑game coin flips.

Minnesota’s been deep in the bracket and owns road wins, so I see six or seven games—and late, do we trust the Spurs yet the way we trust OKC?

They’ve hit some clutch shots, but the Wolves pose real matchup issues, and Minnesota may need to sit Gobert in spots to pull Wemby from the rim, just like the Knicks’ Embiid chess match.

All the upsets make sense without a clear superteam; OKC might be on that path, but most clubs are just good. As for Denver, don’t be Milwaukee—don’t cling too long; I’d explore moving Murray and Gordon and build every inch around Jokic’s skill and longevity. Too bold?

They need a bold move, but only if they solve on‑ball shot creation first; if they can land CJ McCollum on a team‑friendly number, then Murray becomes movable without leaving a pull‑up void.

CJ’s a high‑IQ veteran who fits Jokic instantly.

Then you can shop: Gordon for someone like Derrick White makes sense as a flawed‑for‑flawed swap, and you call Houston or Orlando on Murray. Above all, they need a true vertical spacer next to Jokic—think Gafford or Lively—so you only trade Jamal if CJ is secured, or you’ll fix one leak and spring another.

Denver has a market for both guys, and playoff‑ready vets matter in a younger league. Jason Timpf, Hoops Tonight—good talk, buddy. Good to see you.