Best of The Herd

Conference finals energy hits different. We’re live, and last night boiled down to one theme: who handles the ball and when. New York eased Jalen Brunson off the constant dribble grind, let another playmaker initiate, and he had fresh legs to close; meanwhile James Harden got hunted, worn out, and couldn’t hold up late.

Sometimes you lean into what the game gives you. We tried different looks on their stars, but there was no mystery about it: we went right at Harden.

Regular season hoops and playoff hoops are different worlds, and the Knicks found a gear once they diversified touches; Brunson’s burst at the end is the payoff. Watching Harden fade also reminded me why ball-dominant scorers can drain themselves by June.

Pivot to L.A.: word is LeBron won’t entertain the veteran minimum, but if the Lakers want to survive the West’s young, switchy buzzsaws, they need multiple rangy wings and a real backline, not more on-ball scorers who don’t guard. If he won’t take less, there’s a hard ceiling on how far this roster goes.

Okay, say I’m LeBron and I’m open to a discount—where’s that money going? If you can’t actually land those elite defenders, should he still take less just for a flyer?

Target a stopper like a McDaniels type and a true rim body, then we’re talking; otherwise this is twelve eggs for breakfast and nothing else. At forty-one, you don’t set the terms—L.A. needs three or four defensive pieces to prop up their stars, or OKC and San Antonio will own the next five years.

On the players still rolling, OG Anunoby looks like the perfect modern wing, Brunson’s become a closing machine with less pounding early, and SGA is the cleanest get-a-bucket guy left. At the very top sits a generational two-way giant who wants every challenge and changes the geometry on both ends.

Let’s shift to college. I’ve backed an expanded playoff; with NIL costs exploding, how do you build a 24-team bracket that keeps the sport healthy and the regular season meaningful?

Expand because it protects non-revenue sports that football funds. Give automatic bids to all conference champs if they don’t have four losses, add at-larges to the highest-ranked teams regardless of league, and finish by early January so you’re not buried under the NFL.

About starting a rookie in Week One—he’s mature, has a lot of snaps, and the opener looks friendly at home. Do staffs actually weigh that when deciding between the kid and the pricey veteran?

Coaches will say they don’t, but they do. If the rookie clearly outplays the vet, start him, even if the contract stings; young cores grow faster when the quarterback they’ll ride with is already on the field, just like Russell Wilson forcing the issue over Matt Flynn.

Preseason’s shrinking and college doesn’t have it at all. For big-name quarterbacks, are spring and voluntary sessions overrated?

For established guys, missing voluntary work is a non-issue. Lamar’s been around plenty with a new coordinator, and community events aren’t a crime; it’s mostly optics, not performance.

Kansas City drew a brutal late run against a parade of Pro Bowlers; that stretch can crush teams. Does it matter that it’s stacked at the end?

It matters, and it’s likely intentional. You backload those heavyweights so Mahomes is healthier and the offense is humming when the gauntlet hits, which makes for better football and bigger showcases.

Aaron Rodgers just told the Pittsburgh media this is his last dance. What’s that mean for their ceiling?

Call it a farewell tour with real stakes. If the receivers are bigger, the line steadier, and he plays the efficient, protect-the-ball style—think Peyton’s final title run—paired with defense and a run game, they can contend.

Their early slate sets them up to jump out fast; the North is rugged, but the roster’s fine and the Browns quietly drafted immediate help. If they’re six and two or seven and one by midseason, buckle up down the stretch.