Best of the week on The Herd

Hour two, let’s roll. Big Sixers night ahead, a fresh logo brewing, and my weekly right-and-wrong rundown with plenty on both sides.

On the KD–LeBron divide, the difference isn’t shot-making, it’s availability and elevating teammates. LeBron keeps squeezing more out of B-level help, while KD’s endings keep feeling odd, like an Aaron Rodgers saga.

Boston’s three-point obsession bit them. With Tatum hobbled and Embiid bullying them inside, they jacked late threes and went ice cold; they need more length and a real Embiid answer.

Sean McVay wasn’t blindsided by the quarterback pick. He’d done the homework, they addressed corner first, and this draft was about the future as much as the present.

The Knicks are good, not flawless. They lack bench scoring and have attackable spots on defense, but they closed well and I underestimated their late push.

Luka’s a magician, but durability matters. He and AD share availability concerns, while LeBron, somehow, has stayed healthier deep into his late career.

Embiid was the best player on the floor when he went, even with his durability history. Boston needs a long, physical wing type to battle him.

Rodgers-to-Arizona whispers fit his pattern. When you sign him, he prods authority and gains leverage; stories like this do not leak by accident.

The Micah Parsons panic was overcooked. Dallas used the flexibility to get deeper and more versatile, and outside quarterbacks, very few guys swing a point spread.

Malik Willis tossed a first pitch that belongs in the blooper reel. I joked I’d downgrade Miami to zero wins after seeing that.

Austin Reaves had a nightmare game and playoff scouting is hunting him. He’s a strong role player, but more of a third or fourth option than a star, and a massive cap jump for a guy who’s often targeted and banged up should make the Lakers think hard.

LeBron at his age outplayed the reigning MVP in key spots, and we keep asking him to take a pay cut. The real cap risk may be overpaying role players who get exposed in May.

Flopping has become center stage, especially with SGA drawing hundreds more free throws than anyone. It’s bad TV, and like other sports, the league should tweak the rules so skill, not salesmanship, wins.

Let’s ease off bashing Reaves over one rough night after an oblique issue. Three years say he’s legit, and if you’re getting most of Kyrie’s on-ball value at a discount, you can live with that if he stays healthy.

Kyrie in his prime was a historic finisher, and the Lakers measure themselves by rings, not nice playoff runs. Reaves as a second option does not get you there; March heaters don’t translate to June basketball.

Coach, if this Philly run stalls again, can you even keep punting on the Embiid health question, or do you take the hard look?

You need Embiid in the playoffs because he scores at all three levels when the game slows, but the in-and-out all year has been brutal. If it keeps going like this, you at least explore moving him for a serious haul, especially since Maxey and the group formed their own fast, tough identity without him.

On the Knicks, I’ve long said owner meddling derails teams; when the hands come off, smart people build. Even if they fall short, should they mostly run it back?

Yes, keep the core and make small tweaks. Leon Rose, World Wide West, and Thibs set a real culture, Brunson is must-watch and competes on both ends, and adding wing size or a big guard to pair with or spell him would be ideal.

Back to flopping. When it becomes a core tactic, do you want the league to step in, or is this on officials game to game?

It’s on the refs to stop rewarding it. Harden taught the league tricks you can spot; SGA’s craft is harder to police, but if officials say get up and swallow the whistle, winners adjust. We told D-Wade that falling meant a lost possession, and Ray Allen made him pay until he changed.

Tanking feels like a blip given this strong class and a weak one coming, but injuries are constant. With today’s pace and minutes, would fewer games help?

Cutting the schedule would boost health and urgency, even if it skews historical records. Eighty-two is a grind; travel fog is real, soft tissue injuries pile up, and Silver’s already shown with the in-season tournament and play-in that smart tweaks can raise competitiveness.

Last one on LeBron. When did you first realize he was different, and how on earth is he still this good?

I saw him in ninth grade and knew he was special, then as a rookie he already looked grown. In Miami I watched unmatched dedication—biking in before dawn, an hour on-court, full practice, lift, then body work—day after day; he maximized every gift, and fans should just appreciate it.

Fiz tells stories better than anyone. LeBron pedaling through Miami traffic at six in the morning says it all, and that’s a perfect place to land the plane.