Best of The Herd

Live from Chicago on a stormy Wednesday, the night went off the rails in the best way. Italy stunned Team USA, the Crosby trade unraveled, Bam dropped eighty three, and the LeBron-less Lakers clamped the Knicks and T-Wolves.

On Bam, miss me with the nitpicking. Stars have always chased history against soft opponents with their teammates backing them; the Wizards were basically a college lineup, and when a guy hits thirty-one in the first, you ride it like Wilt and Kobe nights.

Max Crosby’s near-move to Baltimore collapsing isn’t chaos. If I’m Vegas I keep working Chicago—rookie quarterback money makes the Bears a better fit—but if Max is back, great; he’ll wreck games next year and you can revisit value later.

The Lakers are ten and two when Luka and Austin play while LeBron rests, and it looks sharper on both ends. It’s an age-and-fit thing—LeBron’s gravity slows the room, the league is younger and twitchier, and the group defends and flows better without managing his touches.

This isn’t slander; it’s roles. Reeves looked unlocked with the ball, Ant had a rough night, and the whole slate was bonkers.

At halftime I told the guys to trust what we’re doing. We surged on offense after the break and, more importantly, stuck to the plan—forcing their stars into tough, contested looks.

Robert, let’s start with Bam’s eighty three. He had thirty-one in the first and sixty-two through three—when it’s rolling like that, isn’t feeding the hot hand just part of the sport?

I jumped to conclusions and that was on me—no asterisk. Bam earned it, his teammates kept finding him, and that total is something he and Miami should wear proudly.

Why hasn’t the LeBron–Luka–Austin trio clicked the way his other partnerships did—and how much is defense the issue, given what Phil hammered in practice?

They overlap as ball-dominant creators and none of them is a stopper, so you need a strong back line to cover it. Our title teams lived near the top in defense with a real rim anchor; without that, the mix leaks points.

Big picture on LeBron—he empowered movement. Does he feel like a forever Laker to you, and how should fans see his legacy?

Players choose jobs like anyone, and he elevated every franchise. He fills arenas and wins; if he ends up with statues in multiple cities, that matches his impact.

Can Austin Reeves be a number two on a champion, or is he best as the third guy?

He can be a second option if the partner defends and the roster protects him. Teams will hunt him and Luka to drain their legs, so you need length and schemes to keep their offense fresh.

Are you surprised by the international surge?

Not at all—their systems drill fundamentals, let kids play up, and coach mechanics. Here we bounce teams at the first sign of adversity and shy from teaching; development wins overseas.

What’s your read on Wembanyama?

He’s a unicorn—Dirk’s touch at seven foot six with rim protection. He’s adding simple power plays, and San Antonio’s culture is fast-tracking the whole package.

Seven rings, thirty-nine playoff series wins—Big Shot Bob, always a blast. Appreciate you and congrats on everything.