Austin Rivers
Appearances
Plain English with Derek Thompson
The Trump-Musk Doctrine: F-ck Around and Find Out
What's up, everybody? It's Austin Rivers here, and we are back for another season of Off Guard. Me and my guy, Pasha Ogigi, are hitting your podcast feeds every Monday and Thursday, talking everything hoops.
Plain English with Derek Thompson
The Trump-Musk Doctrine: F-ck Around and Find Out
And don't forget to follow everything we've got going on social media, the Off Guard podcast, Ringer NBA, and, of course, check us out on Ringer NBA's YouTube channel.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They lack depth, for one, just for comparing team to team. They lack size. Obviously, they have Jackson Hayes. I mean, this is who we're...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
drawn thin here when we're talking about center play i mean obviously mark williams had his laugh last night that was a really strange thing for him to do i don't really understand that but uh and i i like mark but it was just a weird i don't know what the purpose of him posting that's like you failed the physical you're still and you're still in charlotte there's nothing happened there's nothing good over there anyways so i don't know um you know
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Rudy Gobert having 27 and 24 in a closeout game is diabolical. And I love Rudy. Rudy's a hall of famer. Uh, but to have that type of impact and not make any adjustments, I don't, I think they could have made some adjustments. I don't know if anything would have been solvable there. They're outgunned and outmatched from a death standpoint. They don't have a deep team.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They don't have a lot of shooting, uh, surrounding LeBron consistently, at least. Um, I thought the series would be more competitive. 4-1 was a shocker, I'm sure, to you as it was me. I had them winning in six. Just from what I saw Luka do last year in the pick and roll versus Rudy Gobert, I thought they were going to do the same thing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I thought Jackson Hayes, if anything, was going to play way more minutes. Actually, the complete opposite. I thought he was going to be one of the leader in minutes.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Just due to the fact of him rolling hard to the basket and what that does to a defense and what a guy like Luca and his teammate LeBron can do to manipulate a defense by having a hard roller and the collapse of a defense and how they're able to find the open man consistently nine out of 10 times. They didn't go that route.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But JJ alluded to them having problems scoring with Jackson Hayes on the floor. He said it without saying it. So I don't know if they had the man strength to come up with another option to beat this team. They clearly were drawing... I mean, that lineup, they ended it with the game last night. The second half, I've never even seen that lineup. It was...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Dorian, Finney-Smith, Luka, LeBron, Gabe, Vincent, and Hachimura. It was just like a random collection of players around LeBron and Luka where Minnesota had an actual team on the floor where guys complimented each other from size to shooting to which one plays better defense than the other. They had five guys that could play on both sides of the ball.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
No, I don't think the Lakers were currently built to beat that team. I was wrong.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
We went to the locker room. with the highest of highest confidence. I remember going back to our little dorm room, wherever we were staying down in that bubble and calling my friends like, but we better sweep this team. I was so confident that we had them figured out how that first game went. I thought, James, I thought we were the smartest team in the world.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I was like, the small ball, they can't keep up. It's a matchup nightmare for them. We're slicing, we're dicing, we're spreading the floor. We have shooting everywhere. And then we couldn't win a game after that. In fact, we weren't even really close to winning any games after that. They won four straight, the last two being nasty.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
100%. I think it's only possible with a few undersized bigs in the league. I think people see Draymond do it and just get the idea that any undersized big can do this for totality for a seven-game series. Like you said, it's one thing to have a game where you have success in it. After adjustments are made, is he still able to do the same thing? Are you still able to have that impact?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They couldn't box out Rudy last night if they tried. He wore them down. Not to mention you've been asking this from LeBron. all series long, considering they haven't really played Jackson Hayes consistently. But then he also has the daunting task of what he has on offense. They were worn down, like you said. P.J. was worn down.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
P.J., by the end of that series, when we played, we had him and Rob Covington down there boxing out Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee. By the end of the series, I remember looking at Rob Covington, and he was like, I don't ever want to play this position or role again. I want to go back to playing small forward, shoot threes, and just do my thing. I can't do this.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Because it's just... People do underestimate, to your point, the physicality of our game and with some of these larger-sized guys, centers in particular, and the impact they have on the game. Draymond's the only guy that I know consistently that can just do it for a whole series. Go out there and guard someone double his size. Everyone else...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I don't see that happening because it's all about makeup. The Lakers don't even have that. So that wasn't going to work. Like you said, I think they were drawn straws there at the end. They went with shooting because they didn't have the confidence in Jackson Hayes. They didn't have enough shooting. They weren't going to win this series.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
That's definitely probably task number one, I would say, for the summer for them is to go out and get a... Not now because he's older, but for us. Do you remember when we had Clint Capella? He picked, he rolled, he ran the floor. At one point, he was dominating in the NBA as a big. Just from having that relationship with James. You see what James has done to Zubac this year.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Just getting a decent-sized big. And Luka has been proven. I mean, look at Derek Lively. Again, we haven't seen a lot of minutes with him without Luka. But... There's a difference. So I think people had hoped that Jackson Hayes could do some of these things. Obviously, he was limited on the offensive side, but yeah, no. Okay, let's pivot. Trust me. I'm really glad.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Thanks for bringing that up, Ryan. I did have my head high after game one, and I did think I was going to win my first championship. I was that delusional after beating the Lakers, and then we lost four straight. I appreciate it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Brother, Russell was talking. Remember, Russell was getting into it. Rondo's brother. Sit down, mother. Get thinking. I mean, talking all type of crazy shit. We're in there like, man, this team can't score with us. Soft ass motherfucker. We going to win this. And we were in the bubble. We felt like we could steal one. The title that year felt like, if you wanted the most, you could get it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Because half the people in there didn't want to be there. You know, the Clippers lost just purely off them not wanting to play basketball anymore. Lou Will was eating hot wings. Remember Paul George said he's having mental stuff. Half the team didn't even want to live in there anymore. We felt like we had a group that wanted to be there. We were living and dying on this small ball thing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
We just beat OKC. We beat this team by a good margin game one. Like you said, it was like 15 or something, whatever it was. We have a good win. We're talking trash. Yeah, we went to the locker room thinking we're going to win the championship. That's what we thought. And we were looking at the East at that time, which there was nothing over there.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
So we were like, if we could beat a couple, we got a couple more series and then we're in the finals. We're running through the East. That's how we felt. Obviously, the tides changed quickly.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I am. I am. I thought they'd be outmatched on the perimeter. Again, we just talked about depth with the Lakers. When you look at Denver and the pieces they've lost over the years, whether it's been KCP, Bruce Brown, obviously Jeff Green's older now, but he was a big piece there a couple years ago. They've lost valued, experienced, playoff play guys. And they've inserted kind of young players
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
whether it's Peyton Watson, P. Watt, Christian Braun, these guys who I haven't seen that consistency of playthrough, I did question them. I also questioned Jamal a little bit. We haven't seen the same Jamal consistently, to be honest. Although Jamal is a different player in the playoffs, this year he's actually had a solid year.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But like we saw last year in the previous play, even the Olympics this year with Canada, I didn't know what... we had left with Jamal and I'm looking at this team on totality and where they're at. And I'm like, I don't know if they have the perimeter scoring, the perimeter defense to be able to keep up with Jamal.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
a Clippers team as loaded as they are on the perimeter with Powell and obviously James and Kawhi. Not to mention, I thought Zubac, as good as he is, you know, again, we know no one's going to stop Nikola, but that's about as solid as the centers you can get who's going to be able to kind of navigate through the game with Nikola and guard him. I had the Clippers winning in six or seven.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
uh obviously a couple of these games have could have gone either way i mean nicola shoots an air ball perfectly there and gorney dunks that they win before they're going in overtime that could have gone either way crushing lost a couple of the first couple games could have went either way the game westbrook took over and had some moments that could have gone either way it could easily be three two the other way we could be still talking about you know the clippers winning it's the beauty of the playoffs
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But yeah, I think Jamal Murray really surprised this last game, to your point. The Clippers actually, as bad as they were defensively, were having a great offensive game. They kept the game within nine, like most of the game.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Yeah, right.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
That's what was blowing my mind. And when they went into halftime, I think they were down nine or 11 points. You even heard Charles Barkley say, I don't mind where the Clippers are at right now. The Nuggets have had a coming-to-God shooting game here. Jamal, Russell Westbrook started the game like five or seven, hitting threes, all type of stuff. They're only down nine.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I had the Clippers still winning that game due to their offensive play being still so high. And I felt like a lot of times defensive players things can be adjusted. It's hard to turn on the offensive button when it's not working. When you're not hitting shots, it's not something you can go to halftime and by nature switch. The defensive end is something that can be adjusted.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's not like they're in a bad rhythm of defense. It's not like guys are hanging their head and lacking confidence on the defensive end. It's a strategic thing. So with the defense of having guys like Dunn and Derrick Jones and even Kawhi, like all these guys who can defend and play both sides of the ball, I was shocked just to see the impact that Jamal was able to have.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
And it wasn't just some of the shots that Jamal was hitting. Jamal was like a couple of those. He just like came down and fired a three. No one even picked him up. Like there was just defensive laps after defensive laps. And their offense is so good on that team that they were able to stay in the game. But then obviously, you know, they, they weren't able to slow them down.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
The nuggets just kept going. I, um, Yeah, I'm shocked, man. I thought the Clippers had just more of a total team. I'm done underestimating Nikola. Every time I do or his team, they just figure out a way. But I think Clippers are the more total team here. I don't think anybody would disagree with that. They have a much more deeper team, especially in the perimeter. Obviously, it's not even close.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I'm shocked to see them down. Yeah, I had them winning in six.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's not doubting him. It's just the squad that's been placed around him. I don't like the makeup of their team personally. They still do have that starting core. It just doesn't look like the starting core of two years ago, the one that won. And that's a lot to do with Jamal. All of them have kind of taken a light step back, besides Nikola.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Nikola has continued to just... Nikola's having a better year than his MVP years and is not going to win an MVP, ironically enough. It felt like every single other player is kind of taking a little step back and then them losing Bruce Browns and losing KCPs, them losing kind of the makeup.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They've been mad inconsistent during the season, the firing of their coach a week or two before the playoffs, all of these different things. Who's the voice there now? Is it, is it because Mike, you can say whatever you want about coach Malone. He was one of the heavy voices in that locker room. Maybe too much. I don't know. Yeah.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
These are questions I had to where I'm looking at a Clippers team that is fully healthy for the first time and quiet looks fantastic. And I'm looking at the overall makeup of their team and how many guys can play defense and how many guys can play on both sides of the ball. They have shooting, they have scoring, they have everything that you could possibly want.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They even got to pick up players like Bogdanovich and all these like talented scores. I just thought they would overwhelm Denver with their talent. It wasn't a Nikola thing. It was a team thing, but they just keep finding a way. Okay, this is going to be a bit of a setup.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Man, I think a lot of his game sometimes is predicated on everything being pretty, if that makes sense. I think momentum, rhythm play a huge factor in how he runs his offense. And in the playoffs, the game slows down. Teams know everybody's plays. They know every set. There's adjustment every single game, every new game, every game in the playoffs. It's like a new life.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's almost like, I don't want to say it's a new team, but it's a team that is watching film of all the things they didn't do last game. Well, and they come and adjust. James is playing the same way every time. He likes a pretty game. He likes his style of play. He likes space. He likes rhythm. He's a rhythm player. Everything's with rhythm.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
And the playoffs usually tend to be about breaking up rhythm and adjusting and making plays. I think he's, James dominates one way. So I think sometimes when you play this way and teams make adjustments to it, it's very hard for a player, even as great as he is, to counteract that. And I think when it happens, he just... Again, I can't speak for him, but I've seen it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
He'll take a step back with his aggression. He shot nine shots last game.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
You know what I mean? Like my best player or second best player, whatever you want to call him, a Kawhi, from an aggression standpoint, I need more. I'd almost rather him go three for 18 than three for nine. It's like an aggression standpoint where like when teams make this thing where things are flowing right, the offense isn't, you know, he's not finding his spots.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
When it's not pretty, when it's not perfect, when it's not flowing, he tends to just, I don't know. And we've seen it time and time again.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Yeah, he'll take himself out, but I'm going to let it unfold this way because this is the way the game's going. And I don't know if he's too calculated. James is one of the smartest basketball minds I've ever been around in my life. So it's hard for me to understand these things because I know he sees things.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I know he can... There has to be adjustments in his head that are coming to him to where he can figure out ways to be successful. I like, if you take away one thing with Nicola, it is instant that he'll find somewhere else to, to pick a team apart. It's not even, it's not even like a, do you know what I mean?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Like James, I'm not comparing them as players or tutored and players, but in terms of mental dominating and running a game, I don't know too many more brighter than James. It's like in my career, James, Chris, uh, prime Chris and Nicole came in.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Chris Kamen Chris Kamen shout out to Chris Kamen wherever you are yeah Chris Paul James Harden and Nikola have all they've made players like me or anybody else be like oh I thought I knew how to read a game. And then you see them pick apart a game. So that's what troubles me with James in these playoffs because I see him doing it. He'll, like, take himself out.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
And it's not like he can't play or he's not a clutch or he's scared or all these things people try to, like... I don't know what it is. He'll just do it. Like, he had nine... I'm looking at the stat sheet right now.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's like... They still scored 115. So I need him to... That's one of those things where I don't know, Ryan. I don't know. It's...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I think they have a deep team. I think they're talented. I think the inexperience plays a huge part. It's hard for me to see Jimmy, Steph, Dre, and I'm putting Steve in there. I know he doesn't play, but it's hard for me to see this team losing three times straight.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Just from a manipulating standpoint of how those two play, Draymond and Jimmy, they're going to mess the game up like they did in what was it, game four? They made it. a circus on defense. They made it, they took the entire flow, the track meet out of the game. They junked it up and they made it a, the game almost got out of control.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
At one point, the rest were reviewed like 10 possessions straight. They kept reviewing stuff. They play to a level and they manipulate stuff. You have two Draymond's on the court. You have him and Jimmy out there. They're going to make adjustments, and I do think that game got away from them early. Also, Steph and Jimmy not scoring in the first quarter, pretty much. That's not going to happen.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I don't have it happening. I also don't have the confidence in this current Houston team that if they go in an environment like they're going to go into tonight, or was it tomorrow, whatever it is, that they'll be able to figure out a way to muster through to get a win there and then go back to Houston and get another win over the same exact team.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I don't know how much they have left in the tank, Jimmy and Dre and Steph. I don't know how far they can go. I do have them closing out the series. I don't see that happening. Just from an execution standpoint on both sides of the floor, I don't have Houston having that experience and know how to do that these next two games. I don't see it now.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Maybe in a regular season game, in a playoff game, Emei was going to They got to win. You know what I'm saying? In a must-win game, I don't think they would have cared what lineup was out there. I think they were going to try to finish the game. But again, I thought you were going to ask me, do you put the guys back in when they bring the game close? At that point, it's hard to do that.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Well, that's probably a better question, so go ahead. I wouldn't, unless it's something realistic. You're talking about two minutes left? How much time was left when it was 97-111?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
No, they're done. Yeah, they were done. Those guys were done with that team. I'm waiting for game six. You can't even risk one of them going back in there and something happening. Otherwise, the series definitely shifts the other way. I still feel like they have the momentum. When you're up 3-1, you get a little bit of cushion. They won at home. Congrats. Now we get to go back.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
That's the other thing too. It was on the road. they chuck it up as an L you, you, you got Jimmy back somewhat healthy already. Let's not force anything and press anything. If anything, you just encourage the young guys for continuing to play hard and making the game close, but a lot would have had to go right and wrong for, for Houston for them to even win that game with four minutes left.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
after the guys haven't been playing for 30 minutes, including TV timeouts and everything else, maybe even more, I think you leave him on the bench. If you've got a 3-1 lead going back home with guys already battling some injuries, Steph's got the thumb, Jimmy's got the pelvic injury, all these other stuff going on, you're already not deep as is. I would have sat him down.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Yeah, I get it on the other side, too. Emei's like, we got to get this win. We can't play any chances. You guys, you get it close. Get out the game. We got to win this game here. So it just depends on what situation you're in. Yeah.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I believe maybe versus a Miami team where they're already outnumbered and there might be some truths to that. When they play a Boston or an OKC for that matter, and you need scoring and playmaking, not just from one guy, Darius Garland is going to be monumental in those series. And again, I love Ty Jerome. I love these guys that they have coming off the bench. He's not Darius Garland.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
And when the teams that they're going to be playing against, a Boston team, you have games where Tatum don't even play well and they still win by 20. They have five to six guys who can play off the catch and dribble and make a play. Darius Garland is going to be needed for the Cavaliers. It's ridiculous. Darius Garland's needed. He's an all-star.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They need him to play well along with Donovan Mitchell as well as all their other counterparts in that team to compete and win a championship versus a team like Miami where they're already vastly ahead better than, a team that they're already deeper and have everything, you could sit out a Garland so they don't have now anybody to pick on.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Maybe that was the one guy they could pick on defensively and score. Now you get him out and you put someone else in there that could play defense and now that's eliminated the one thing they've had. It's a matchup thing. But overall, in totality, do they need Darius Garland to win a championship?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
You're damn right they need him because the team that they have to get through to go to the finals or even beat, whether it's OKC or whoever, but let's just look at the East. A Knicks or a... Boston specifically, but they got seven, eight guys who make plays and put up numbers and do things. Cleveland has hung their hat all year on having depth and having multiple guys make plays.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
You can't take the second or third. I'd say he's a third best player in that team. Personally, you can't take the third best player of that team and say they're better without them. but I understand what Kyle was doing there. I mean, you know, Kyle has an opinion about it, obviously. There is truths to it. That's why the comment was weird. Listen, let's be honest.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
The comment Darius Garland made in the beginning was weird because it's just like, right message, wrong messenger, man. Like, They do pick on Tyler. Tyler also has 35, dog, or 32. He's been doing his thing. Let's not act like Tyler hasn't been kicking y'all's ass. His team is just not that good. And Darius, you're not a good defender.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Let's not act like last year we didn't see Boston play you guys and they weren't just killing you in the switch. They'd get you to switch off on a Jalen Brown or a Tatum and they kept putting you up there. We saw it with you. And I love Darius Garland. I'm a fan of his game. He's so talented, herky-jerky. He has one of the best handles in the league, a whole nine yards.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But you're not a great defender. You've definitely improved, and you've made steps this year to make yourself not as of a liability on that end, which you've got to give him credit for. But it shouldn't have came from you. You shouldn't be calling out Tyler Hero for being picked on a defense. Literally, when you play Boston in about a series of two, they are going to do that to you, Tyler.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
That's why you don't say these things. That's why Kyle had the nerve to come out and be like, they're better without him. There was definitely something there in him sticking up for his teammate. It's not true, though. But yeah, that's my take on it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
And you know what it does? If you take Darius out, it turns Donovan into a player you don't want him to be anymore. Donovan is might taking a step back statistically this year, but it's been for the benefit of his team. He's got multiple guys coming in and contributing.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
If you take Darius Garland out the game and put the ball always in Donovan Mitchell's hands, he's going to go back to that Donovan Mitchell two, three years ago, where he's just going to score a whole bunch of points. And it's going to be like a thing where he doesn't have enough help. It goes back to that. You need Garland out there. You need the ball out of his hands.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I talk about this with Magic all the time. I love Paulo and Franz. It's in their hands too much. They need someone else to be able to navigate and make a play. You can't just take Darius Garland out the series and expect them to be a better team. No.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's incredible. You know why? Because first off, with the exception of maybe one game, maybe...
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Pistons have outplayed this team most of the series they just haven't been able to close games prior to last game and Carl has been incredible some of the shot making that Carl some of these shots that Carl's are hitting like people aren't even he's a center barely jumping shooting from like half court hitting these shots um I love the physicality of the series.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I love how close these guys are matched up.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
It's tough, man. Good God. You know, it's crazy. I'm such a JB guy. I love Brunson, but my goodness, man. It's the amount of times he whips his head back or he comes off a pick. I'm just like, man, you know what? I thought the opposite was going to happen. When you look at the physicality of the playoffs, I thought they were going to stop calling all those things.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I thought they're, cause you look what they're doing with Steph. I mean, Steph's getting knocked every time he shoots a three, half of them, they call half and they don't. They've been pretty consistent with the whistle with JB. Um, Yeah, it's tough, man, because Thompson's obviously one of the better defenders in the league. He's done a great job trying to keep him in pockets.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Yeah, there was a couple last game that were brutal. I mean, they've been every game. Yeah, there's a couple every, you're right. There's a couple every game where you're like, that can't be called. It just can't. Especially sometimes it's like time and place. They'll call it pivotal possession of a game. Pistons are fighting on a run.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
JB comes across half court and whips his head back, and they're calling a foul, putting Thompson in foul trouble or something like that. It's just like, why? It's hard to watch.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I'll answer your question. I would rather play the Pistons than the Knicks. Just because of the high-level closing offensive options, right? Yeah. Just closing a game versus Carl Towns and Brunson and even guys like Mikael Bridges who have finals experience, OG, all these guys.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I would much rather play an inexperienced Pistons team that hangs their hat on getting contributions from vets like Malik Beasley or Tim Hardaway Jr. Again, they're doing a great job, but I'd much rather play that team than this star-powered starting lineup of a team the Knicks have. Personally.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I've never seen a loss like that in... It's been a while. I've never been so emotionally... drained, and charged up at the same time after a game. I don't even know how to explain to you watching that game unfold. The thing that pisses me off the most is following the loss, I see comments of people like, oh, nope, that's Doc. The fuck was Doc supposed to do in that position?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I went back and watched that game purposely five times again, just the last three, four minutes of the game just to see if there's notes. Usually I'll write down notes and adjustments I would have made, maybe some subs, maybe a play or two I would have looked at or a player matchup just to see if I could have.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
When Giannis hit the Euro step and went up seven with 40-something seconds left, that game could only, if you replay that game 10 times, it wouldn't have happened that way. And it was hard for me to be hard on Gary Trent because he was fantastic the past couple of games. They were only in the game because of him. He lost the ball through his legs.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I mean, the ball just went right through his hands, man. Then he gets trapped in a corner, but he could have just dribbled to his left. He picks it up, throws it the opposite way. Nembhard hits a three. They give an end one up to Halliburton. Every possible mistake that a team could make in a minute was made. I've never seen something like that end that way. I don't know when I could talk to him.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I talked to my brother who's on staff, Spencer Rivers, does player development. He sits right behind my dad on the bench. And he had nothing. I mean, I called him and I was like, he said, Austin, I have never felt this way after a loss in my life. I've never. And he goes, we know, we don't know what we had after this.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
We don't have Dame with the realistic, you know, chances of us going back to Milwaukee and winning and then going back to Indiana, winning a game again, aren't high. It's just, yeah, I don't, that was brutal, man. Now the question turns to something else, which we all are wondering, like what's, what's next? I don't, I talked to my brother for an hour about this.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Selfishly, my answer is different from what might be good for the team. I'm not thinking about the Bucs. I don't give a shit about the Bucs. I care about Doc Rivers. That's, that's, that's, that's who I care about personally. I have my thoughts on what would be beneficial for him. I don't know if it's the best for the team, but... Do I dare ask to follow up? Yeah, I mean, listen.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
You have to honor what Giannis wants to do at the end of the day. He's earned that. He's won a championship there. He's one of the top players on the planet still. if this guy comes to you and says, I want to stay here, I want to keep rebuilding around me, then you do it. Because that's what you do with a guy like Giannis, and he's earned that.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But if there is a hint, or if he starts having conversations with you, like, I got to look at other options, then you look at other options and you get a haul for him. He's so good that you could get a restart, a full restart with him. You could take him to Houston, not saying Houston would do it, Man, you could get a—they don't even use Cam Whitmore. Put Cam Whitmore in the dunker spot.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Have him watch a film of Aaron Gordon. Tell me Cam Whitmore can't do some of those same things athletically. Go get you a—I don't think they're going to—Thompson's not going anywhere. But you could get a Reed Shepard who they're not using yet. You go get a Jalen Green, who's probably one of the best startup two guards in the league if you're talking about potential and project.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
He's only continued to get better. A couple first-round picks, second-round pick, all for this one guy. That's already a startup right there. You still have other guys on the roster that you could move for other pieces. That's a good startup. Go coach. I personally, if you're asking from his son, I want, I miss him coaching the heart and hustle magic. I wish him doing more with less.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I'm tired of him putting himself in these positions to where they either win and it's a good job or if they lose fire doc. He's been in pressurized coaching situations for the last however many years. And I don't know if you're looking around the NBA, the teams who are winning are startup teams who have held together and started from within and just built their way up.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Suns, all these projects where you're putting stars together, the shit ain't working. It's not working like that. You got OKC, you got Cleveland, you got Boston. These teams have not made changes. They have started from the ground up and just built up. Go coach some basketball without stress for a year or two. My God, dude, you just did it with Philly.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
You were on a team that wasn't built to win, but if you've lost, you get fired. He got fired for losing to the Celtics, who won. It makes no sense. That's what he keeps putting himself in these situations to do. I'm just tired of seeing him in these positions where every time they lose, they bring up his 3-1 record or this bullshit with him. It's exhausting as a family member.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I would like him to go do it with a lot of these guys, but he may is doing. He may went with a young team and we're going to start here and we're going to build our way up. You get a longer, you get job security. You get a longer runway. You have more control. You have players who will listen, young players. You don't have a, you know what I'm talking about.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Look, a bud just went through in Phoenix. Like, don't stop. Don't take that job. Don't stop doing these jobs. I told him not to take the Philly job. He took it. These are things that I have been outwardly outspoken about. So that's why I feel comfortable saying this on your pod. And that's my personal feeling. You know what I mean?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Obviously, you would never want to trade a Giannis because Giannis is the top two or three player in the world. But you don't have anything to win there with him right now because Dame's out all next year. You're pretty much locked in with that. They're not going to get any better. That team is not going anywhere. It's the hard reality.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
So I'm nervous for him and what is expected of him with this team with Giannis. And then next year, if Giannis is there and they're not winning, it's a circus now. Because now everyone's like, Giannis got to get it.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
But unless he wants to be Dirk Nowinski, if you want to be somewhere and just win one title there, which is fine because you've earned that and you want to ride it out there, I've told nothing but respect. That'd be great. But for my dad, and selfishly, if you're asking what I would like for him to do, yeah, I'd like him to get a startup team, a young team, and build that out. Go coach.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Look what he did with the Clippers team after Blake and Chris and them left. They took a Warriors team to five, six games with the rookie Shea and Pat Beverly and Lou Will, and everybody was raving about Doc's coaching ability. Then somehow, I guess he forgot how to do it. They got Paul George and Kawhi there, and they fired his ass when they lost the bubble.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I'm just, that's the way it works when you get those type of rosters in front of you. So, I don't know.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
They make me really angry because they try to, this is a man who's on the verge of being the most winningest African-American coach in the history of the sport. And they continue to put his legacy in a box of him losing 3-1s, but don't have any context around it. With the exception of the Houston one that I happen to be a part of, We'll take ownership of that one.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
The blame that's placed on him for the 3-1 loss in the bubble is confusing to me, considering half the team didn't want to be there and his best players were playing like dog shit. So I don't know why he gets the blame for the 3-1 loss there. The other 3-1 loss, when they lost to the Pistons, who won... with a TMAC team that had no business being up. He's been a product of his own overachievement.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
No, he does not. He has chased that high. I personally think he's chased that high since winning and being on that mountaintop as one of those coaches. He wants that and nothing else sometimes. That's what I've heard. His mind could change. But from what I've seen and the decisions he's made, Ryan, he wants to be in the cooker. He wants to do it. That's what he wants. Yeah.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
As a family person, though, we feel for him when things go this way and then, like, they're throwing it at him and they're saying the 3-1, he sucks, he's overrated, oh, Doc's there. You know Doc and Darvin Hampton. I see the jokes. He sees them. It wears you out a little bit. Because I'm like, yo, you're a fucking great coach, man. I don't hear this with anybody else that loses.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
Steve Kerr and these guys can lose every year. It's nothing. The doc loses jokes, 3-1 jokes. They're just jokes on jokes with my guy. So yeah, I get a little defensive. I get a little irritable with it. I would like him to go coach basketball where he has actual voice and control over things again and gets to build within. I don't know. But he likes, yeah, man, you're right.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
At the end of the day, I feel this way. That's not the way he feels. He likes being in a win or bust season. Like those are the things he keeps putting, win or bust. I'm just like, God damn, that's a lot of pressure. You got to win it all for it to go right?
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
I am. I am. I am. I am. I am. At the end of the day.
The Ryen Russillo Podcast
Rudy’s Diabolical Game 5, LAC-DEN Preview, and Whether or Not to Call Dad After a Playoff Loss With Austin Rivers
510, 170.