NPR’s Scott Simon and sportswriter Howard Bryant talk about the WNBA Finals game seven, a recent surge in injuries in the NBA and the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series title.
Transcript
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
And now it’s time for sports.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
SIMON: WNBA Finals, Game 7. And the NBA season begins with a lot of injuries. And, of course, the Milwaukee Brewers World Series champions. Howard Bryant joins us now. Hi there, Howard.
HOWARD BRYANT: Good morning, Scott Simon. How are you?
SIMON: I’m fine. Thanks, my friend. Winner-take-all Game 7 tonight in San Francisco, Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream. Atlanta’s got the better offense. Golden State has the better defense and home-field advantage. What do you see?
BRYANT: I’m seeing – I see who’s going to put some points on the board is going to win. It’s fascinating that – I mean, we knew that Golden State had a great defense. They haven’t scored 70 points in any of their wins. They’ve won three games, and they haven’t got – they’ve won 71 points – they scored 71 points in Game 2 and got beat by 26 points. And so it really does come down to whose offense or whose style is going to be able to sort of dictate the game.
And, of course, it does come down to the stars – Allisha Gray and Angel Reese for Atlanta and Gabby Williams, Golden State. Usually, I sort of like what they say about about Game 7s and about winner takes all. It’s all about heart. And it’s – this is it. It’s the last game…
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: …Of the season. Somebody’s going to win. This is it. This is a really, really good – it’s been a good series, and let’s see what happens.
SIMON: And let me ask you about the start of the NBA season because so many star players are already dealing with injuries – Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton, Jalen Williams, Kawhi Leonard. The list goes on. What…
BRYANT: And the list does go on, Scott…
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: …Because in between us talking about this yesterday, you’ve got Ja Morant with Portland and now Chet Holmgren. They’re both out.
SIMON: Are they?
BRYANT: One’s got a hamstring…
SIMON: I didn’t even know that (ph).
BRYANT: And Chet Holmgren has got a knee. He’s going to miss 10 weeks. It’s a long season. It’s a lot of basketball. I think that this goes back to what – you know, back in the old days…
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: …When you and I first started doing this show years ago. We were talking about arm injuries with baseball and bigger, faster, stronger. And all – and it just every decade, every generation, the games get more physical. The games – you know, the seasons get longer. Let’s not forget that these guys are also playing in the summertime, as well. There’s not a whole lot of rest. And the more physical, the more – the body can only do so much. And that’s one of the reasons why, also, you’re hearing, whether it’s baseball, whether it’s basketball, you’re – you know – and, of course, football’s in the other direction. They keep trying to extend the season.
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: It’s one of the reasons why you hear so many advocates say, you know what? Maybe we need to shorten these seasons.
SIMON: And, of course, finally, last but not least, the Milwaukee Brewers win the World Series on Wednesday, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4 games to 1. First World Series title ever for the Brew Crew. I got to tell you, I think this is a wonderful thing for baseball. When two small-market, small-payroll teams compete, and then the Brewers, who have been so good for so many years, finally go to the finish line.
BRYANT: I loved it. I absolutely loved that. I loved it for lots of reasons. II loved it for Hank Aaron and Gorman Thomas and Cecil Cooper and…
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: …Robin Yount and Paul Molitor and all of the old names we remember. And I also loved it for – you know, for the city, of course, because it’s – Milwaukee’s a great, great historical baseball town.
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: And I think the other reason why it was fantastic, too, is that, you know, people complain because people love to complain, and I think we have this terrible culture of just tearing everything down. No, it wasn’t a – you know, it wasn’t a seven-game masterpiece, but it didn’t need to be. You had a team – Milwaukee – that had been so close for the last 10 years. They’ve been knocking on the door. And you know what? What better way to prove that, yeah, we belong, than going out and killing everybody. You know…
SIMON: Yeah.
BRYANT: It was great. And let’s also not forget Tampa Bay, that they go out and…
SIMON: Yeah. And came back from that embarrassing defeat in…
BRYANT: That’s right. And came back, and they could’ve gotten swept, and they battled back. And let’s not forget that both Milwaukee and Tampa Bay swept the Dodgers and the Yankees. So as we’ve got labor looming, let’s not forget that this baseball season ended on a fantastic note, especially up and down Wisconsin Avenue with yesterday’s parade.
SIMON: Yeah. I thought it was a wonderful series. So, Howard Bryant, thanks so much. We’ll talk to you soon.
BRYANT: Yeah. My pleasure, Scott.
(SOUNDBITE OF KARATE BOOGALOO’S “TREMENDOUS FANTASTIC”)
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