FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. Smith BOLD predicts to Game 2: Mavs vs Wolves: How Ant-Man slowdown Kyrie?

FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. Smith BOLD predicts to Game 2: Mavs vs Wolves: How Ant-Man slowdown Kyrie?

Miss Flowers today that’s for sure CU we got more coming up in just a bit let’s go out west guys game two of the Western Conference Finals is tonight for miniapolis Kyrie and Luca will look to wreak havoc again as cat and an Edwards look to even up the Series game one was tough to relive for Minnesota just asked their head coach Chris Finch who spoke yesterday yeah I it was a rough film session I told the guys it’s been a long time since I’ve been just disappointed in your effort your performance your attitude your application your attention to detail just wasn’t there uh Western Conference Finals started I’m not sure if they got the memo they got this afternoon it’s almost surprising how close the Wolves kept the game considering their stars were outplayed by the Mavs big two Luca and Kyrie put up 63 points on nearly 50% shooting with each one dropping 30 plus Anthony Edwards Carl Anthony towns barely got that many combined okay let’s dive into this one essay does an or cat need to step up more in game tonight to get it done well they clearly both need to step up uh cat because you’re 611 and you don’t need to be shooting nine three-pointers you know what y’all got outscored what was it 62 to 38 in the paint what’s that about you can’t let that happen you supposed to you and Rudy go B you’re supposed to be down low patrolling and if you’re not scoring more points you damn sure supposed to be limiting the 62 points that that Dallas had in the paint area that’s what you’re supposed to be doing so definitely cat’s got to step up no question about that but Ant-Man does too and here’s the biggest reason why you opened your mouth and you called out Kai Bri Irving now if Burke Jay because of how great Anthony Edwards is already and how great we anticipate him being it is not a crime but here’s the point if you going to call out somebody like Kyrie say you want him to guard you say you’re the one that’s going to drop 40 or something like that but to sit up and say I got him you understand what I’m saying I mean it it it it this is not Kevin Hart talking smack and then looking at Lisa Lesley in the movie and say I got her you know this is not that no no that’s Kyrie Irving that you called out you understand say one of the most explosive brilliant magical offensive talents this game has ever seen and to call him out say I got him listen I appreciated the question that Charles Walkley asked the other day cuz if I was on the set with him that’s exactly the question I would asked how’d you feel when you sitting up there probably at home mind of your business and you heard that question and what did Kyrie say you know you’re right I was home with my family just chilling out minding my business watching the game and then I heard this brother mention me by name that Kyrie is not the dude that you want to do that to in the sport of basketball it’s just not the wisest decision in the world so Kyrie comes out there averaging 1.6 points per game in the first quarter of these playoffs a grand total total of 19 points in 12 playoff games and what does he come out and do open and tap against Minnesota he drops 24 in the first half puts on a show I’m just saying you Ant-Man you got to respond to that because you you you you woke up the lion you got to respond to that of course they got to respond collectively on the defensive side of the ball but individually no question Ant-Man and Cat gotta show up well I’mma pick a side here I’mma go with car Anthony towns TOS when we talk about you know Elite bigs around the league his name don’t get mentioned enough because he don’t make us mentioning it enough right he’s in that same conversation with Anthony Davis he’s the top five talent in the NBA one of the most skilled bigs in the NBA especially on the offensive end so when I’m looking at this matchup and I look at last series and what he’s done in the postseason both these past series I’m looking at on the defensive side of things he held joic to 42% shooting when he was guarding him when he guarded Kevin Durant in the Phoenix series he held him to 39% when he was guarding him offensively look at the games that Minnesota win when car Anthony town is at his best and really shining right and I understand you have to you have to make the adjustments with this double big lineup because of the space and you have Rudy on the floor it’s kind of hard to run a turn F turn four or punch four down to the low block because the pain is crowded at the end of the day I’m going give you a story when we was with when I was with the boss and Celtics 200920 season we had to face the uh Cleveland Cavaliers and they had anine Jameson on there Kevin Durant I mean Kevin Garnett one of the most unselfish guys I ever played with Doc walked into the locker room Doc Rivers and before that series started he told Kevin Garnett in front of everybody if we’re going to win this series you we’re going to have to go through you you’re going to have to shoot 20 to 25 times on a low block because he got the mismatch when you look at who’s G called Anthony towns and I get it PJ Washington he’s not a small guy he’s not a Scrub but at the end of the day cat should dominate that matchup he should dominate Jones when car Anthony town is at his best Anthony Edwards has said it on record when you’re at your best you are unstoppable we are unstoppable he can’t go six for 20 again from the field Stephen let me let me see if I can sway you over on my side here because at first I was with you on it it being both but then I I kind of recognize that a team goes in the direction of its best player and when the best player is talkative like Ant-Man is which we appreciate him for his cander met the fact that he reminds you of MJ and the way he goes at people but in a fun manner but like first first off you can’t get up there in the post pressor and talk about your team was Gass you were Gass yeah we don’t or that we were flat nobody wants to hear that you were flat nobody wants to hear that you were Gass and I get that he’s a younger player but this is the Western Conference Finals right so we’re watching him grow up but also there’s a point that I I think when the best player on the team who the guy is the most outspoken in those moments then sets the tone that yeah and the reality is they they they were gas he did look tired they did settle they shot 49 threes even though they have the advantage down low on the Block and perk you’re right about car an the towns but what I love about guard sometimes is that Anthony Edwards the guy being talkative n car get your ass down low on the Block get down there and go to work be him be who you are stop setting him for threes no more excuses and I do feel like for a guy that has gotten to the free throw line in one game in the fourth quarter out of the last six games he only gotten there one time in the fourth quarter in the last six games in the fourth quarter your best player regardless whether he’s kind of in the slump right now he’s been in slump over the last four or five games hasn’t been scoring to the level we’ve seen him score at earlier it’s a lot of this is on him because he put himself in that position playwise and talkative wise so I don’t know say I know it’s both but at the end of the day do you look at this as Carl Anthony’s team or is it Anthony’s Edwards team we’re talking about him being the face to the league now this is what comes along with the responsibility being guy it’s definitely Anthony Edward’s team I’m not denying that even call call Anthony towns would tell you that what I would say here’s the big question I mean I I’m not trying to make ages a part of it but how the hell are you more exhausted than Kyrie Irving you 22 years old he 32 he got you about 10 years and and you look exhausted and he didn’t how that happen I’mma I’m first of all let me let me say this what Anthony Edward what Anthony Edward calling out Kyrie Irving and saying I got him it was in the moment and I appreciate it right it was they fresh a big win and he will respond tonight now far as his comments in the postgame interview when he was talking about he was exhausted do you know the type of energy you have to absorb uh push out when you’re playing in the seven game series like they did against the Denver Nuggets you know how mentally exhausting that is to be in that type of series especially in that game seven we have to realize this man Anthony Edward is 22 years old okay and this is the first time of him actually going this far in the postseason it’s going to be a learning process the reason that his numbers are down is not because he he’s not shooting the ball or whatever the case may be it’s because he’s seeing the different typ of styles of defense and when you’re seeing that it’s a growing it’s a learning curve that double te you’re right you’re right but no here’s the point perk nobody’s disputing what you’re saying we’re just talking about the unwise element of it all in other words lesson learned young man you might not want to call that dude out you might want to be mindful of the fact for for I seek Heroes of the land to join my cause First Blood you’re done for an enemy has been defeated your team has destroyed a tower you’re not worthy an ally has been defeated an enemy has been defeated Melodies go unheard Treasures go unseen oh I command you to forget what just happened happen an ally has been defeated I was born to rule this is my destiny and my burden deadly prision you have been defeated an enemy has been defeated yet another victory [Music] oh got e spee First Blood [Music] you have been defeated an ally has been defeated you have been defeated an enemy has been defeated double kill an enemy has been defeated your

FIRST TAKE | Stephen A. Smith BOLD predicts to Game 2: Mavs vs Wolves: How Ant-Man slowdown Kyrie?