Stephen A. GOES SCORCHED EARTH on complaints against NBA’s 65-game policy 🔥 | First Take 

Then to act like it’s a crime to play 65 games is even more wild. What you wanna play 50 games?? Shits gettin ridiculous

Haha you can’t even miss 5 work shifts at 20$ an hour job for “ fatigue” without being fired. If you have PTO that’s great and it’s not even always granted. Imagine making 300 million dollars and 65 games to jog and shoot…. You can perform horrible and still get money no matter what! What a spoiled lifestyle.

Yeah that’s correct if u choose to sit but if it’s because of legitimate injury then it’s different

I can’t believe nobody corrected you. Its almost 80%

He’s five percent off. Either way, most Americans would be fire if they missed 20%.

MJ said the same thing

💯

shows modern NBA players dont care about the fans, only their contract money.

Westbrook said the same thing

Kobe was capping cuz he chose not to play in front of philly years ago when ai was there

Fax, I think he missed like only 1 game this season

​​@@aleksandarobradovic8171 I think it's 2 or 3 after the 1 last week. Still that's incredible.

Joker is too slow to get injured. Man dominates while playing some old man ball.

since 2015-16 his regular season games missed are....2, 9, 7 2, 9 0, 8, 13, 2 this year....no hate i don' t think that's too bad for a dude his size and i don't see him sit out for rest too often if ever. qualifies for post-season awards every year though

Especially with what contracts are looking like in the 21st century

He’s a pos race baiting coward

Facts, maybe his best take ever. I hope all the players see this

Definitely. He gets lots of hate at times and deservedly so. But he was spitting facts on this topic

You could have said this with 1 sentence, he took 5 mins to scream like B.

This is the reason why he get the big bucks

While this point is absolutely valid, from an injured players perspective, is it right that they’re forced to have to play games when they’re injured, just so they can reach this arbitrary threshold? Halliburton is an example of a player who’s currently injured, but is reluctantly playing through it just to reach the 65-game threshold, further putting himself at greater risk whilst playing significantly worse when he’s healthy. If I’m paying for a ticket, do I feel that much better that I get to watch an injured star play for 23 minutes, or rather actually have then rest and recover

@@joebidet3606 if you're injured for more than 20% of the season, how ever good you've been u dont deserve it

@@broski2003_yt I probably don’t entirely disagree with you, but I’m not sure if enforcing a 65 game rule is the correct answer. Joel embiid likely would not have won MVP anyway, and it’s forcing players to play through injury and risk worsening them just to hit this arbitrary threshold. Idk if the league benefits from 25 min a night injured Halliburton playing

The players aren't volunteering to miss games. The coaching and training staff makes that decision

@@joebidet3606 see all the 65 game rule makes players do is try and achieve that threshold and if healthy for 80% of the season, they will be eligible. If not, and they are injured im sure the league doesnt want injured stars playing, instead hope they rest up and play 65 games the next season

Know what else I want defense and refs calling calls like travel and carry and I want the zone out man up bring back the iso

If you are legit hurt then It's not right to punish a guy for getting hurt. Wait until we see guys playing hurt and ending up getting hurt again for the rest of the season and the NBA is going to reverse this rule immediately. Just like when KD tried to play hurt and ended up tearing his Achilles. Edit: And Embiid is now out for the season after tearing his meniscus trying to play hurt. Nice job NBA what an excellent rule you implemented 👏

​@skillethead15 agreed but more gas to be done for load management. Or late scratches after fans pay hefty ticket fees

What about when the players are actually hurt? Yall don't think anybody ever gets hurt in a sport? Lmfao

I thought today’s players were bigger, faster and stronger than the plumbers 🤣

shoooot, I'd be going for overtime every time 😂

😂😂😂😂

More importantly we need to get to the root cause of all these injuries. I think Van Gundy pointed it out that technology, nutrition, and recovery is so advanced nowadays compared to the Jordan, Kobe, and Magic/Bird era yet players are getting injured more. Thats the real problem that no one is addressing.

@@alcoballic9593 and seeing that there's less physicality is even more baffling

@@x332433physicality doesn’t cause injuries. It’s the speed, height and frequent sudden change of direction. Also, these players start over-straining their bodies from primary school . By the time they reach the NBA, they’re put as much stress on their bodies like a 12 year veteran in the 90’s.

Bro the NBA has to be the most babied league. No other league does this stuff happen

I agree. It's so soft@@AppleJacksCereal

they already have roughly 100 off out of 180 days. It's at least 17 on top of the 100. On top of the off season which can be as long as 5 months.

Most people don't even get more than a week of vacation and these millionaires are complaining about showing up to work 80% of the time 😂

Yall act like niggas don’t get hurt excepting somebody to not get hurt outta 82 games is INSANE & thinking 17 days is enough to return from injury is even crazier

Flop rule but not emphasis enough still

Literally

No playse who supestar who get injured not there fault lol. The only people who load manage is kawaii kyrie embeid

​@@gorcsauce696 Who tf are those people

They did not go far enough. Should have stated if you do not reach 70 games, you need to surrender game checks of 12 games to reimburse fans for not seeing what was advertised.

hundreds of millions!

And they get 4-5 months off, depending on if the team makes the playoffs or not. Players today are soft

​@@sokit2em I know right off 4-5 months...ima tell my supervisor ima load manage myself Mon and Tues just because...(Fired!)

What's crazy is thinking they get 4-5mnths off... When they train and have to follow strict regiments til their career is over

It's a lot of games bro not to mention an extremely intense game

Molly is awful. Her voice is also piercing to the ears

umm no i wouldn't? like literally if someone had a cancer or was pregnant and had to miss months that would mean they don't get the money. thats disgusting

​@@h0twingzzthere would definitely be an exception to the rule, your average worker in America (especially with the younger generation coming up) calls out more than any other generation before them. Many of them don't even call out because they're sick.

😭😭😭😭

😂😂😂

It there fault 😂😂😂

P diddy

They were definitely taking advantage of it.

even in Haliburtons comments he's like "oh this is so unfair, i guess it means i'll have to take care of my body to be ready to play in that many games, if that's what the owners want, if that's what makes the owners happy" LOL man that is so pathetic hey Tyrese, you have a $245 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT and you think showing up to actually PLAY for all the FANS who actually pay your salary is unfair? you think that's just some mean bosses rule just to milk you dry or something? IT'S LITERALLY THE LEAST THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED OF YOU, OF ANYONE WHO HAS ANY JOB......TO SHOW UP from his comments, he doesn't even seem to think he should be EXPECTED to play every game, shouldn't be EXPECTED to "take care" of his body to even attempt to be PREPARED to show up man even saying these comments are pathetic doesn't do it justice just insane levels of entitlement from kids these days "give me everything, don't expect anything, constantly praise me and tell me i'm special, the world isn't allowed to offend me" lol the softness knows no bounds

It’s still abusive and too late

That’s why I respect the NFL players because they get fcking battered game after game and they are ready to play next week no matter if they are in the playoffs our not they want that money but they want to earn it!!! NBA players feel like they’re entitled to it for doing the minimum it’s pathetic NATIONAL B*TCHING ASSOCIATION

Slave leagues.

I actually take back what i said about the nhl because i'm unfamiliar with their systems.

NBA player: I think I rolled my ankle and they're sitting me for a week or two. NHL player: Where is that eff who sent me into the boards, as soon as they stop stitching this gash on my eye up I'm gonna go hit him twice as hard. Entirely different mentalities between them.

Trust me this will start happening in the nfl soon. These QBs and WRs are getting paid so much 💰. Like if the chiefs plays the freaking panthers I trust they could win without Mahomes. Only thing is no coach or GM has the guts to make that call. Maybe it’s for the best.

65/82 is 79.3% though

​@@dallaslabar3821i think he is speaking about the people playing under 65 games. Some players didn't play even close to that 79%. Maybe KL or PG missed 40% a few years in the last few years.

@@dallaslabar3821 Yeah and think about it. If 30-40% is a contract termination, 20% makes sense to invalidate them of awards. I mean think about it. calling someone MVP when they literally showed up less than 80% of the time? You've got players literally dodging difficult match ups in the "MVP Race" what kind of 'MVP' would it be if they got to remove their bad match ups from their average.

Anthony Rendon doesn’t even play 30% of the season for the Angels lol

The rule needs to be tweaked. The first time is never perfect but you are now seeing what it can turn into. People who are clearly the winners of certain awards won’t get them due to this restriction. We all know who the clear cut MvP of the league is this season but injuries…either way, if guys are sitting out with no injury then they should Be reprimanded but if you have an legitimate injury then you should be fine and the games shouldn’t count

more like 1.5 points a game in his first game. This was a horrible take.

43 spit drops, 14 slaps on the desk, 8 Mollies

@@Arctanis-vt3hl when you look at the comments and realize that everyone but you agrees with this take😐

⁠@@Arctanis-vt3hlnah…. These guys get to play a game for a living and all they’re being asked to do is show up. Could you skip 25% of your work days and get rewarded??? Nah the load management was out of control and just became a complete slap in the face to fans

Just give him the Triple Double bro lol

Most injuries these days are leg injuries, not contact injuries. Players have to run way farther now due to the 3 point era, which likely puts much more pressure on joints. The old heads would get injured just as much in today's league.

He actually has good takes. Just don't let him make any predictions, that's where it all goes south lol

​@@eNVy_SiNz Nah, his takes are horrible most often than not.

@@eNVy_SiNzhe always right about the cowboys 😂

I’d argue this is his best take

Why is he sas about it? He said true

So mental health doesn't matter okay buddy

@@user-ko2zz1wq8kwhat was his mental health issue? Missing shots?

@@user-ko2zz1wq8k you must be trolling. He didn't have any mental after he got to the Nets all of a sudden, how do you explain that?

@@user-ko2zz1wq8kBen Simmons only mental health issue was Trae Young 😂

@@user-ko2zz1wq8khow lonely is the ‘defend Simmons’ island

Lol bro it’s 2024 no one even thinks about ben simmons, ur comment is a little outdated

It's not ben Simmons lol. No one shows up to a game to see ben Simmons. The problem is guys like embiid and leonard

Bens a childhood friend, we still catch up when he comes back home. You really have no idea, what really went on. But keep listing too ESPN Puppet.

@@quickstepz9250He’s a tall millionaire that’s not good at basketball

@@quickstepz9250sure bud…and I just got back from hanging out with Ariana Grande

For real never seen him passionate about this, but he is 100% right players today have gotten lazy and we already proved that load management does not work guys like Joker proved it doesnt and he only missed 10 games in the last 2 seasons

Facts!!!!

These dudes get paid millions and mad about the owners wanting to get they money worth out of u by playing as many games as possible 😂 this new generation of the nba is a joke..lol

Even ppl with legitimate injuries will complain just like haliburton.

@@burrybondz225 yeah, cause they’re caught on the crossfire, which is unfortunate 🤷‍♂️

I feel like the same applies to Embiid right now. He was hunting for (and playing at) the MVP and was banged up, but he knew he was closing in on the games missed limit so he played anyway. Messed up his meniscus and now will miss significant time and won’t have the shot at repeating. It’s unfortunate 🤷🏻‍♀️

@@burrybondz225 The problem with Tyrese though is he's bitching about owners for sympathy when he knows this is what fans want, but he's not brave enough to say anything about what the fans want, so he tries to make it look like he as a millionaire is being oppressed by the billionaires.

@@juliewagner3023if you miss 20% of the season your not the MVP

He’s had some nasty injuries on the court where you definitely thought he would miss time. His last year in PHX he had a nasty hyperextended knee and played the next game. What a stud

@@teelowteelow356as a nets fan I couldn’t be happier

He did when the nets sat him 🤣🤣🤣

Not saying this bc I’m bias but this is the same reason why I love JB & JT as a Celtics fan one thing they do that a lot of “superstars” Don’t is play game in game out. if they can play they are there. they never had that issue thankfully. And it’s appreciated fasho

Yep

Exactly you can’t be the season mvp and play in only a bit over half a season .

Some people have about that amount of PTO.

@@jackswanson8326exactly.

On top of that you aren’t working 260 days a year if not more like the common people. Also in this day and age using PTO is looked down upon and if you are hourly you wouldn’t want to use PTO cause you loose out on possibly getting overtime pay. All 82 I say if not injured or dealing with a potential injury. We are expected to go to work when we hurt ourselves unless we are incapable of showing up at all and even if we are sick if it isn’t serious and highly contagious. I wish I could only show up to work hard 82 days for 3 to 4 hours and get payed hundreds of millions to train and practice for the other days I’m not out giving my all in a real game. We need to go back to when pro athletes had to have real jobs when the seasons were over because athletes of today do not appreciate that they get the money they do from the fans that want to see the best play when they pay for a ticket or find the time to watch the game on tv just to find out oh he doesn’t feel like playing he’s going to have a personal day.

​@@jackswanson8326well, these guys arent required to show up for games during the off season.... also, I got reprimanded for using my PTO this year at my job. Missing 20% of games is crazy to expect a REWARD.

@@DC90SBI don’t agree with load management. It’s a joke. YOU sir, sound like a worker bee tho

I think he only missed 50 games out of his 19 year career🙌🏾😂

​​​@@lazndora2026Yeah man unreal...I think he had something like 7 out of 8 years playing 82 games right? And then one of those years he played like 76 games lol.

How much money do they need??? Sorry. I have to go to my REAL job getting minimum wage

@@lazndora2026he missed 22 games his whole career

I heard he went to the chiropractor 3 times a day when he played

I think Walton won the MVP when players could vote for MVP.

Modern day NBA fans opinions and perspective has ruined the game

​@@shaker027There's no justification for these dudes not showing up to work.

imagine thinking that being expected to SHOW UP FOR WORK is an unfair expectation lol couldn't even make up this level of softness and entitlement

I'm not convinced by those arguing, based on WHO'S arguing!! Anthony Edwards isn't arguing. Jokic isn't arguing.

What if you get sick?@@mattcarberry368

NBA should change the stat titles from averages to totals while they’re at it, averaging 29.9 in 82 games is way more difficult than averaging 30 in 58.

Show up to your job 75% of the time to your 8 hr shift and you wont be working there long. They play a game every 48-72 hrs that only last 2 hours. C'mon now

I agreee and he’s aboulsety riteee on this💯💯✅

He really did. A 5 star gourmet meal too

he really didn't all he showed was that he's a media guy and never played sports to understand what athletes go thru in order to play the game at the highest level

Came with the facts instead of the opinions.

@@njabulomkhize1130 word

Ok I imagined it. It was fun because you’re broke

These players are tripping 😂😂😂

"I've already done 4 days this week, I'll skip the 5th one" xD

You’re not an NBA Player so of course it’s different

You wouldn’t get fired on the spot but first get beaten up to never do it again wherever you going 🤣🤣🤣

I agree the rule is a good thing, but this is a terrible comparison given that this “job” comes with the extreme risk of injury to begin with. If an employee of a construction company missed 20% of the work year because a coworker accidentally crushed your hand with a steel beam, they wouldn’t be exempt from monetary bonuses. Completely different situations, do not compare the NBA to normal jobs.

@@DeckofLiesextreme? There’s coal miners, fire fighters, police officers, armed forced who haven’t missed a day in their life. And when they have they still fight to get back to work because that’s their standard. Standards have dropped in accountability. And players should be heavily punished for not meeting it as the only reason people go to games is to see their talents.

@@RichP007 just said I agree the rule is a good thing. Just a bad comparison. Please read things you reply to.

@@RichP007good comparison other guys just yapping

Yeah but athletes are entitled to better things because they're better than the regular joe schmoe. It's not enough that they make millions of dollars for playing a kid's game. Naaaah.

fans regular season dont matter also fans we want players to play 80 games every year lmao

Thank you these players are tripping 😂😂😂

@@MoonIronTRstop it the idea that regular szn don’t matter comes directly from the players and media The fans just assimilated

Meanwhile, most regular people can’t even get two weeks vacation lol.

@@MoonIronTR Those aren’t season ticket holders, or anyone going to games.

Facts lol

He gave the league the idea

Nobody laughed idiot

Fr and they not even hurt. Then have the audacity to complain about having to play? You spoiled coddled athletes!

@@kleangreen596if they’re sitting out they’re more than likely hurt lol did you not see embiid reinjure himself?

@@AppreciateTheGame2200 obviously I'm talking about players that are not hurt 🤦🏾‍♂️

So discriminate against stars? Something called about equality in the workplace. I’d rather see them sit then missing games due to being rg3’d

​@@steveprefontaine5977 What are you talking about? The rule is for everyone not just stars

@@allelitememesaem3916I don’t think Alex Caruso, a good player, is really affected by the 65-game rule. The rule really only affects star players as they are the only players who will win the awards, effectively targeting them.

@joebidet3606 Huh? Yes, Caruso is affected by the 65 game rule. #1 A player that isn't good AND can't play 65 games consistently ain't even staying in the league. So clearly you haven't even begun to think through what you're saying. #2 If a star player can't recieve an award or make All NBA/Defense team due to missing games, that leaves a spot open for someone else. Players who may not be superstars but are formidable in their own right can make the most of this. They want to make sure they suit up for enough games so they can get consideration in those instances and potentially get more money and recognition for themselves. This rule gives incentive to all players who SHOULD strive to be their best and actually play.

@@allelitememesaem3916 there are about 30 awards given for the entire NBA, of course this rule only targets those who are actually candidates to receive them. There aren’t more than about 50 candidates to win them, this rule is clearly targeting certain players in specific situations. Joel Embiid is likely injured for the season, Paul Reed and Mo Bamba are not going to step up and get considered for any award. This is pretty much the case with almost every star in the league right now Financial Fraud is a crime that applies to every citizen equally, but really only applies to those in the position to commit the infraction

A M E N

100%!

He's in peak form on this one

Facts

facts

People today are undermining the physicality of previous era's as if it didn't count for something.

They say these guys are more athletic but they can’t take the grind. Hilarious really. These big contracts and coaches like Pop have encouraged a soft, selfish culture.

So much coonery for 10 straight minutes

It blew my mind that he could actually be honest for once

You must not watch enough first take then

All the nba did was give 17 vacation days. Sounds like they're getting what the rest of society normally does along with millions. Blue collar works of many professions don't even get that.

I thought the same. his mist cohesive take in a long time.

For pennys

No it’s not

When I was in the military, I showed up 10 minutes late like 10 times and got a disciplinary board in front of all of the commands leadership 😂 I WISH I could have not showed up to work AT ALL a few times.

They invested their time better

@@HenryThe12 ah the DRB mark out session. crazy times lol

They’re extremely disconnected from reality because they’ve never worked a real job in their lives

A man on my job just got fired for that. Last week 😂😂😅

Ah yes comparing you being sick for 1/5 work days is the same as playing a sport that you can be injured for over 10 games at a time yes what a comparison

Cuz basketball is not a job 😂

Yep ur riteee Great point

Please stop comparing the average job to sports. That's the problem - the average person is jealous, which is where much of this comes from. If you're arguments start with, "We'll my job would never allow that", just stop talking.

@@Arctanis-vt3hl i won't. here's why: NBA and other pro sports rely heavily on the average person to be worth the millions they generate. without the average job and the average person, NBA players wouldn't have millions.

​@@Arctanis-vt3hlDumbass 🐑

​@@Arctanis-vt3hlAverage people are the reason the players have any money you fool.

Don't compare Ben Simmons to Kawhi.

Stupid

Simmons is a soft scrub, in comparison.

@@Stratos.2 are you stupid? 😐 that’s not what they said and if you can’t see that I fear for your potential offspring

Can’t forget Kyrie

Stephen A Smith burner account

Agreed

excellent opinion & agreed! 👏🏾

Until Molly interrupted of course

Better than the BS he spewed about the best offensive basketball player in the world last week😂😂👍

It's not what REAL fans want because rest as recommended by the trainers is what's best for the future of the players on your team. It's what casuals want.

@@randumo24 Imagine simping for men making hundreds of millions of dollars to play an otherwise pointless game, absolutely wild.

@@randumo24 Cry for the millionaires taking it easy. While the REAL fans pay lots of money for tickets or NBA Season Pass to watch them. Suck it up and go to work like everyone else.

​@@randumo24you sound like the casual spewing illogical nonsense. Trainers didn't make the NBA popular - players did, and they did it by PLAYING THE GAMES. Dude said listen to the trainers like playing more games will kill you 😂 Softy

I want everyone to play no matter what unless it’s legitimate injury or family reasons.

He got that from Jordan but glad he saw that and wanted to continue that legacy

@@also3254or maybe that’s just how Kobe was💀everything don’t have to relate to Jordan

@@Dre384 Maybe but highly unlikely since he went on record as being a student of the game and that Jordan was the one he was reaching for. It's clear as day since Jordan said the same thing. All you had to do was look at Kobe and see how he patterned all things Jordan. It's not a slight and a bad thing but just factual as to the facts that Kobe looked up to Jordan and wanted to be like him.

​@@Dre384 it's not an opinion. Kobe repeated what Jordan said verbatim

I took off for 3 months from work for a injury and kept my job and half pay

Bird averaged less than 2 mil

@@lawrencejacobs8044 So did Magic.

Some of these dudes missing the point these star players missing games isn’t solely on them… These people are protecting their investments.. I love the new rule it ensures the RIGHT folks get paid guys like Russ & Mikel Bridges would have been eating off this rule…

inflation fellas, don't forget inflation

but i agree, it is tiny compared to todays nba players' salary

Not that easy. They're all going to say that it's an injury when it's actually not

Not that easy. They're all going to say that it's an injury when it's actually not

Not that easy. They're all going to say that it's an injury when it's actually not

Not that easy. They're all going to say that it's an injury when it's actually not

Not that easy. They're all going to say that it's an injury when it's actually not

Laziness already killed the NBA!

💯. I’ve stopped watching the NBA. The only time I watch is during the conference championships and finals.

😂ask these guys to rate themselves on 1-5 stars...if they give themselves a 5 star rating, how is it wrong for them to be expected to work 4 of the 5 days expected?? If these guys get paid all this money, they need to show up at least 80% of the time. 😂😂

@@user-oc7qk8kg2uwhat player have you seen miss 30 games to avoid an injury with no injury reported ? Y’all literally let the media say anything and y’all believe it 🤣 65 games is 80% of the season 🙄 Joel embiid just won mvp and he got a decent injury history 😒 let me see you go play 7 straight road games in 5 days and see if ya body don’t need some rest 😒 you non athletes always got something to say ain’t never played a real sport in your lives to know what it even takes 🤷🏽‍♂️

​@@rambohittzsportsthese new dudes soft asf, Jordan played all 82 games 12 seasons outta 15

Not only that but they played with intensity. But i guess players and teams before had to play more with their upper body than lower body

Returning early from injury can also aggravate your injury further though

Could’ve used PEDs as I’ve heard those quicken healing

@@jmgonzales7701 There wasn't as much movement in the game back then compared to now, with all the stop and go tthat you see nowadays, combined with the AAU system making them play too much gale at an early age. Ans also a lot of the older player had coke or other drugs in them look at the Barry Bonds era

@@Cyrus-rodn45nope these guys were built different

Just crazy

I never thought we'd be at a point where we have to praise the legends just for showing up. It use to be something we took for grant SMDH

And that one season he didn't was his final season. He only played 43 games. But, he was 44 years old and nearing retirement. Totally excusable.

You want a cookie? Lol

Absolutely soft. They can practice, collect the cash, shoot around but god forbid they have to play a game for 30 minutes😂 NBA star players today have 0 confidence, pride, or personality

Seen the nuggets the past few years at the garden, Jokic played every game and ate, so did celts stars. Only one was Murray who was injured. I would’ve been pissed had most been sitting out

Love that….

😂😂😂

Too bad he took the jab

@@mars3676 and?

No if your being paid millions you should be able to work 82 times a year

But what if those all 35 games, you're averaging 50ppg and all 35 games were wins?

@@SandauxBeats Who cares? if you can't be counted on, sporadic greatness is pointless.

🔥🔥👏🏾✅my Mann SA

Real talk.. I would dare to say ever..

Amen

& it also shortened players careers & there by costing the owners more money. It’s the owners … players get the blame.

You really comparing your neighborhood pick up games to an injured NBA player who have to play against the worlds best athletes injured. lol

@@ocampbell1954not the point and most of these mfs is soft. They get all this money to play so play it’s really that simple because if their audience leaves they have no millions they will keep testing their audience

Tell that to Isaiah Thomas. How did playing through injury work out for him?

@@Young-ep8ikthey don’t care that the thing the players know the fans don’t actually care about them