KGMZ-FM / 95.7 THE GAME
  • 17 hours ago
Transcript
00:00I don't know how much sleep this man's gotten because I sat there and watched TV last night and he was in Minnesota
00:06Yeah, and now he's here. Well, I mean, come on. I mean, I know it's 420 in the afternoon, but still yeah still
00:13it depends if you're a plane sleeper or not, and I would imagine with Bob having been in the
00:19association for
00:2125 years I'm guessing
00:24He got he's has to have learned to sleep on planes
00:27Let's find out all guests on 95 7 the game appear on the River Islands
00:30Guest line is in a time for you to discover the islands River Islands in Lathrop
00:35Bob Fitzgerald joins us now right here on Willard and dibs. How much sleep do you get Bob?
00:42First of all, how does dibs short change me by seven years?
00:4993 it's 32 years ago
00:52If you've been doing it for 32 years
00:54That means you're a certain age and I know you're a couple clicks older than me
00:59And I I guess I have a hard time coming to terms with how old I am. So
01:03Let's just pretend. It's your 14th year and it's the year 2000 again, Bob. I'm
01:09Yeah, I'm good. No, I I am NOT a plane sleeper. Coletta has a book. He knows that and
01:14He sits on the aisle. I sit on the window and
01:17Soon as the plane's engine start he is asleep and
01:21Usually if I have to get up in the middle of the flight I have to climb over him
01:24So he's not thrilled with me on that. But now I'm a I'm a movie guy. I'm a read-a-book guy
01:30I'm gonna check out the news guy and for whatever reason I do not sleep on planes, which really sucks
01:38What time did you get back to your house last night or this morning? Hey, you know what it looks great about 4 a.m.
01:44In the Bay Area traffic. It's fantastic. Oh my gosh. Well, at least you guys had a happy flight
01:51I would imagine how how do you think?
01:54You know, there was the disappointment in Toronto, but then to rebound what what what do you think that did for the guys emotionally?
02:03Well, here's a funny thing. Just just give people a little window into the world here
02:08Pro-athletes don't really get too high and don't really get too low
02:13So a lot of the flights are the same whether it's you know
02:17a nail-biting win or super tough loss and
02:20Because the job the games come so fast and furious that I think if you
02:25Rode that roller coaster you would drive yourself crazy and you probably wouldn't be able to
02:29Center yourself to kind of keep going in the long grind. So
02:33Yeah, the guys were happy, but they were they were okay flying out of Toronto, too
02:37Even though that was a real very frustrating loss
02:40but I think what what the road trip showed and it's we've seen of the Warriors 20 and 20 right now is that
02:46They play the most clutch games along with Minnesota of any team in the league
02:50They led the league in clutch games last year. All these games come down to the final five minutes
02:55Unfortunately in the last couple years the Warriors have kicked away a bunch of those games
02:58Just they're not the dominance, you know closing team that they used to be but they're in the mix
03:04They're entertaining and on any given night they can get you and I think it's odd that you know
03:08Minnesota swept the Warriors last year and yet the Warriors now beat Minnesota this year three out of four times and the season series
03:14Is over so, you know the vagaries of the NBA and I give a night Toronto
03:19Frustrating loss for the Warriors Toronto's next game. They go beat Boston by 13 points in Boston. So like
03:25This is a league we play in that's it's definitely different on a nightly basis and you look at last night Bob and such an unbelievable
03:33Start and the three ball going down for Steph Minnesota a little sleepy and apologize for you not getting a lot of sleep
03:39But Minnesota sure looked like they were asleep in the first quarter
03:43But you look at the collective effort and what do you attribute it to as far as the victory other than shots finally going in?
03:50Well, I think the thing is dibs is that this is a super deep team
03:54So I think you look at you know, you're going to play that game. Minnesota's won four out of five
04:00They've got Anthony Edwards like look out here
04:03They're coming and you're like wait
04:05Draymond's not gonna play and Kyle Anderson's not gonna play and can make it's not gonna play it, but Jensky's not gonna play but
04:11G Santos plays well GP to finally it's healthy and has a big impact
04:17Buddy healed I'll throw a number at you here to just shows everything about the Warriors buddy healed at 18 points
04:23When buddy healed as 18 points, the Warriors are 10 and 0 this year
04:27They've yet to lose a game and it just shows that they get a secondary score
04:33To help out Steph and the key last night was Wiggins buddy and Steph
04:39You know, that's the thing Wiggins has had a very nice year
04:42But if you look at the games missed I mean Steph's missed eight
04:46Wiggins has missed six can make his mistake very much miss seven for Jensky's missed 10 GP twos missed 11 like
04:53They need that depth they need all the pieces
04:56Which is how they started 12 and 3 because they didn't have any injuries then everybody played and they beat Boston and you know
05:04I ended up being okay see and played real good basketball. So I just think last night was sort of hey
05:09He sent us it's your chance. Come on Looney and trace. You got all the center minutes, buddy. We need you
05:14Okay, he was there last night and GP to go guard Anthony Edwards and Gary does that better than anybody?
05:19So, you know and then Steph's brilliant, you know, Steph is Steph
05:23So it was a great game
05:24Minnesota hell of a comeback and the Warriors needed every one of those points that they built up in the first quarter for sure
05:30Bob Fitzgerald with us on weather than dibs fits
05:32I wonder what your take is on what the discussion has been all week and I know you guys have been on the road
05:38But clearly the Warriors were aware of all of it earlier in the week. It was like look
05:43We're not gonna make an irresponsible trade last night
05:46It was like wait a minute y'all didn't take that as a white flag
05:49Did you what what's your take on both what they've said and and the way the NBA world has reacted?
05:57Well, first of all, I mean we all know I mean the NBA world if the Warriors, you know burp people lose their mind
06:04I mean, that's they are that they are the team they get all the coverage
06:08They get you know
06:09Every single article and this and that and why do you do that in today's world?
06:13Because if you write warrior Steph Curry or Steve Kerr or Draymond Green in a headline people will click on it
06:19So that's that's just reality. So the Warriors live in that fishbowl. They know it
06:23But I think in the last couple years and we were just in a city where you saw it
06:28Minnesota makes a big move with Rudy Gobert and there's almost five number one picks that go in that draft and
06:34Then Mikkel Bridges goes from Brooklyn to New York and there's five number ones in that draft
06:39You know in the trade and then you look at Bradley Beal goes to Phoenix and there's all these number ones and you go back
06:44To Paul George and Shea Gildas Alexander and all these number ones
06:48And I think the coin of the realm now is if you want any kind of significant piece
06:53It's you know
06:54Three number ones and three players and four pick swaps and all this crazy stuff
06:58And so I think the Warriors, you know when they're asked honest questions
07:02They kind of answer honestly like hey at the deadline
07:04Would you trade seven number ones and all three of your young players to get a player and they're like no
07:14But it doesn't mean aren't you gonna try to be better each and every day, of course
07:19You know if there's trades that would make sense and augment this team. Absolutely. They would do that. But the idea of
07:26Don't have a pick until 2033 or something
07:29The way you got Steph Clay and Draymond and these players were draft picks
07:34So you can't just I think willy-nilly tosses away
07:38Looking super short term and I think that was just the genesis of the conversation and then because it's the Warriors people go nuts
07:45Yeah, and I was looking at the way the Spurs elongated their dynastic run fits and they drafted
07:53Ginobili in the second round and then they drafted Tony Parker
07:56Of course, they drafted Tim Duncan and the rest of it
07:58And then they made a savvy trade to get Kawhi Leonard in a draft a deal
08:02so I I do think there's great value in those picks and the one thing that I'm sure you hear a lot about on this
08:08station and every station is
08:09Jonathan cominga and whether or not he should be trade bait and what they see as the future when you look at Jonathan this
08:17Year and put aside the ankle injury and hopefully he's back in the next couple of weeks
08:20But how big of a leap have you seen him make just from the start of the year to now?
08:26It's such a great question dibs
08:28I mean, first of all young players in that are talented are going to be talked about in the league because if you're calling a team
08:35You're always asking about young talent. I mean that only makes sense, right? You know, so I
08:41Find young guys alter. I mean, hey, let's call the Timberwolves. Let's ask about Anthony Edwards. Of course you would
08:47That's what happens. So I think for cominga what is intriguing before the ankle injury and Steve Kerr alluded to it
08:56the numbers
08:58Reflected things to help you win
09:00See, I think there's guys in the league
09:02It's always been this way that calm angel food cake numbers where all these guys score 20 a game rate in a game
09:08But but doesn't guard anybody or doesn't rebound or doesn't do things that help you win
09:13So I don't look at just stats. I look at what are you doing?
09:16And how are you accumulating those stats and what I love for JK and you know, his recent vintage was
09:22He got rid of the mid-range jumper
09:25When he gets his feet set it has a catch-and-shoot three
09:27He makes a fair amount of those great
09:30But he's he and Wiggins are the only two guys on the team that can attack the lane
09:34Dunk lay it in get fouled get to get the team in the bonus
09:38Speed dribble and finish on the break like no human being I've ever seen for his size, you know cominga started
09:45Hey, I'm gonna get rid of the 16 footer. That is I'm bailing out a defender
09:51I'm gonna go, you know pull my way into the lane. I'm gonna get to the glass
09:55He started to rebound at a good rate and then defensively
09:59Working with Draymond working with come on working with trace working with Wiggins like hey, look at JK starting to guard, too
10:05So, you know, I always tell people this kids 21 years old, you know, say they were moody when you see 21 22
10:13That the light bulb hasn't gone on and when you're that young sometimes in the game and so for JK
10:19I was really pleased just like Steve was that the games up until when he got hurt
10:24I think it was the best basketball he'd ever played and he fit in the best
10:28And so it was 30 minutes a night off the bench people got crazy about starting lineups again
10:33But 30 minutes, which is starter minutes, but stats that led to good things and good basketball
10:40And I think Jonathan when he comes back from the ankle
10:43His mindset's changed and I think he's at his best that it's exciting to see kind of where he's going
10:48That's we know you're you're tapped in around the league and we spend so much time on this show
10:53Talking to listeners about what they think should happen
10:56I'd love to ask you what you think is going to happen
10:59Like do you expect a really active deadline not just for the Warriors, but in totally around the league?
11:07You know mark when you look at it
11:10Okay, she is on a different planet
11:13Boston Cleveland on a different planet
11:17There are some moons
11:19Circling these planets, you know, I could see the Knicks making a run
11:22I could see Memphis doing something but man, you've got you've got teams in the west and the east that really are in a different
11:31Stratosphere than a lot of the other teams. So do you look at it and say hey
11:36We're gonna have this busy deadline because we're chasing the thunder. We're chasing
11:40Boston and Cleveland you could
11:43You could I mean the Denver Nuggets as long as you have Jokic you're you're always in play to be amazing
11:49But I think there are teams that are that look at Dallas's run last year
11:54Dallas was 26 and 23. Okay, they're only three games over
11:58549 games of the season and
12:01They got Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington and people who had okay
12:04They got those two guys, but it fueled a run where they finished 24 and 9 and then we're so hot through the playoffs
12:12They made it all the way to the finals. And so I think teams are looking at those type of deals
12:18You know, what do I have? You know, if I'm Denver, I've got Jokic. I've got Jamal Murray
12:22I've got Gordon and then you know, what do I need?
12:25You know, they probably would be in the market for maybe a disgruntled off-guard who's been really good
12:30Who's saying he wants to be traded?
12:32I don't know what team would have that guy but
12:35You know, yeah, maybe near South Beach or something
12:38But but those type of teams look at it if I'm Phoenix
12:43When when they're healthy when you have Durant and Bradley Beal and Booker
12:48There's a reason they got Nick Richards yesterday because they need a center
12:52They kind of help out Nurkich and Plumlee haven't worked out as well
12:55But Boone holder is a great coach and there's a ton of talent on that team
12:59So could they get hot and make a run? Of course they could and so, you know, I look at what Houston has done
13:05Who'd want to play Houston in a seven-game series?
13:08Yeah, you know so many bruises on your body
13:10You would need a massage for like the next six weeks when the season was over like the Rockets play so hard
13:15So I think there are teams where you're like, hey, there's some real title contenders this year
13:21But around the edges there's yeah, there's teams in both conferences that kind of feel like hey, let's do that Dallas thing
13:28Let's get one or two guys
13:29Maybe jumpstart something and see if we could have a 24-9 run
13:33To finish the season and then ride that hot hand through the playoffs
13:36Is there a type of player and I don't want you to have to name-check any available targets because you probably have knowledge that you don't
13:43Want to share but the Warriors it seems like have more depth when everyone gets healthy
13:48Then they can really utilize is there a player type out there that you would love to bring in?
13:53To use some of the depth in a trade to bring in a rotational piece
13:58Well, I I don't think that you know, it's any state secret that
14:02spacing matters so much in the NBA and
14:06So when you look at a big that can space the floor, you know
14:10Come on and trace are both in the lane
14:13You know
14:14Even the Indiana game when Quentin Post came in for just a couple minutes on Quentin's had two 30-point games in
14:20Santa Cruz and so for the 52nd pick it's like okay, you know
14:23But that's a seven-footer that has three-point ability and there are some seven-footers in the league
14:28They can do that when the Warriors have a big that can space the floor now
14:34Everything's not as congested for Steph and for buddy. So if I've got buddy heel to one corner
14:39I've got a big that's bringing the other big out near the you know
14:42The three-point line because he can he's a threat from three now coming you can drive now
14:46Wiggins can drive now Draymond can get in the pocket and then dish out to staff for buddy healed or you know
14:53Spacing big and stuff like that. So I just think if you look at the Warriors structurally, you know a big
14:58That's a three-point thread would be an issue. That's why when Draymond is shooting 40% on threes
15:04He's getting all he can eat and you know teams are daring him to make them and when Draymond's hitting threes
15:09The Warriors are really good because that's that's a guy that is now spacing the floor from a big position of four or five spot
15:17Something when Kaminga is able to hit a couple threes and stuff
15:20So when you say type of player, you know a big that can space the floor, you know
15:25That's something that I think would augment a lot of what the Warriors have on the roster right now
15:29And we won't say any names from you, but I'll mention that Nikola Vucevic will be here a week from tonight. Just say
15:39Anybody wants to watch Nikola Vucevic, I don't know which jersey you'll be wearing but it'll be here next Thursday night
15:45Bob Fitzgerald joining us here on now on Willard and Dibbs. Hey, I
15:49Still really like Dennis Schroeder, but it's been a bumpy sort of start for him. What's your take on what's going on there?
15:56Well, first of all, he's a pick-and-roll point guard
15:59So the Warriors haven't really had a pick-and-roll point guard and so they don't run a lot of pick-and-roll that way
16:05And so you saw the opening series of the game yesterday
16:10It was Schroeder, you know kind of baiting go bear lob the trace boom dunk perfect pick and roll
16:16I think when Steph said
16:19Schroeder running the team is as good a backup point guard as they've had
16:23Since having Chris Paul who by the way was a pick-and-roll point guard and kind of had trace burst on the scene because he got
16:29To play with Chris Paul. So, you know, I think Schroeder
16:32Probably is there for the non Steph minutes, but what Dennis really does is he's a good defender
16:39I mean the Anthony Melton being injured obviously hurt this team at a big big level because he was the perfect tag-team partner
16:47For Steph both offensively and defensively and he's a little bigger than Schroeder
16:50But Dennis Schroeder's guarding Cade Cunningham. Dennis is in there kind of gumming up things with Minnesota last night
16:57I mean he he is such a pesky defender and such a smart player and I think leadership-wise
17:03He's fit in in terms of you now have Draymond who's a voice and Steph who's a voice and Schroeder who's a voice and Kyle
17:09and Looney who are voices and so
17:12He and Steph like a pick-and-roll point guard with Steph
17:15Okay, they play off the ball, but he's never really played with like a a one that that plays that way with that high-screen role
17:22Yeah, there's some adjustment to it
17:23But I think after Melton got hurt the save to get Dennis Schroeder is
17:28Amazing like amazing that they were able to acquire him, you know, and obviously hopefully DeAnthony's surgery goes great
17:35And he's back in the league next year because he's a special player that man
17:38He had just he was only six games
17:40but I sure love watching him play with the Dubs and a genius move to
17:44Acquire Schroeder when they did because they could possibly trade him the day before the deadline not saying they want to but he would
17:50Be eligible to be dealt. Hey Bob. Why doesn't Kyle Anderson get more playing time?
17:55I thought that a two-way player and a glue guy that he'd be getting more run than he is
18:00You know, I think it's interesting and you know
18:03He's got the same flu that kind of Draymond's head is that he is a little bit duplicative of Draymond
18:09But there are times you can play Kyle at kind of the five because he's such a good passer
18:15You know, he was a point guard his whole life and then he had a big six-inch growth spurt later
18:19And he has all these guard skills, but I think they have spotted him at different times and then like Looney
18:25He's been such a professional where Steve's like, hey, I'm gonna go with coming in these minutes, or I'm gonna give Moody an opportunity
18:31You know you and come on or give me the guys are gonna sit out a little bit and and Kyle's just such a pros
18:36Pro that you know, he knows it's a long season and he is fun to watch play Collin and I love his passing ability
18:43He's got that seven three wingspan
18:45So, you know, he ends up picking pockets a lot in terms of knocking balls away
18:49Super tough guy and you know
18:50You love the slow-mo stuff because there are he does not just squeeze off
18:55Random perimeter shots when the game is going against you
18:58He'll he'll put his head down and get in the lane get fouled make a shot inside
19:02And he's just a great guy to have on the roster
19:04But you know, you guys are alluding to when you've got eight nine ten eleven twelve guys that you feel like you can play
19:11You know, it's a whack-a-mole for Steve kind of like okay Steph's gonna play got that. Okay. Draymond's gonna play got that
19:18Okay, I'm gonna give a night who else is playing
19:22And that's where you get a different matchups and who's healthy and who's hot and who's struggling and who's playing good and and trying to mix
19:28And match on some of those nights on this show with us
19:31Hey, man, go go enjoy a couple nights off and then Jordan pools in town this weekend
19:38Jordan pool and then he weren't even gonna ask me about the national championship game on Monday night. Well, we were
19:44We we were I just I mean I don't know which way you would I mean as far as a prediction eight-point underdog Bob
19:51I mean, it just feels like a real uphill battle for you. It probably is
19:57I have a degree from both institutions. Oh
20:01That's right. I got my master's at Ohio State. So I went either way. So you're rooting for Ohio State
20:07No
20:09Okay, are you gonna do the Joe Montana thing and wear a split jersey right each
20:16Now I will I will actually be in Atlanta for that game and I will probably be having Notre Dame gear on so
20:22I'll be there for that of all the all-time fits flexes that that might be my favorite
20:28Just flex flex on a master's because we all know you're an Irish
20:31But didn't know you had a master's and didn't know you were a Buckeye to Bob. Well done good flex
20:36Hey, you're already short changing me seven years of my career. What the hell?
20:40I might as well flex a little on the way out 32 years Bob. I mean, how old are we for crying out loud?
20:47My goodness. Hey, hold on old enough that I'm taking my college graduate Notre Dame son with me to the you know
20:59Last time Notre Dame won a national championship some guy named Bob Fitzgerald did the student radio broadcast of that game and
21:07Virginia
21:09That's how long it's been man. Oh my goodness
21:13Lucas wants to know what you got your master's in
21:16Sports management. There you go. Yeah, there you go
21:19What's better came out and worked for this company called Bay Area Hockey 91 that somehow became the San Jose Sharks?
21:27You got to name the team and pick the jerseys and pick the logo and sell the tickets and the whole bit you flex
21:33So much you should be a professional bodybuilder Bob
21:37you
21:39Guys are fantastic. I tell you what, I'd never miss your conversation with Steve each week. It's really good guys
21:44Oh, thank you Bob. Now. We get to flex. Thank you very much. Go go get some rest, man
21:49All right. Hey anytime great talking. He made my day. Okay. Let's do it. There he goes Bob Fitzgerald