I can’t believe Keyshawn Johnson doesn’t have enough introspection and self awareness to realize that him criticizing PP face for not showing objectivity is about the most hypocritical take he can make. The guy has no integrity!?!
Keyshawn is sounding confused..he says that Lakers have beat pelicans 3 out of 4 times and that matters but Denver beating the Lakers the last 8 times in a row doesn't matter...I'm still scratching my head on that
The guy doesn’t know what he’s saying trying to find anyone who’ll listen to him that the Lakers can beat the nuggets when in reality they cannot he’s delusional
OMFG!! I WAS COMING HERE TO SAY THIS!! like lebron/Lakers fans be so tide in and delusional. Like how the hell you can beat the pelicans bc you got 3-1 but Denver can't beat you bc they beat you 8 times. Not to mention SWEPT YOU!! like wtf?
Ok I'll back up Keyshawn since you all don't get where he's coming from. Lakers beat pens 3 outta 4. Lakers should beat the pels. Lakers lost 8 str8 to Denver, yet they still have a chance. How does that make sense, cuz pens were beaten..like really beaten. 20+pts Denver sneaked out wins. It was practically neck and neck till the last 3mins.. the whole series was won by 6pts on avg. Jamal avg 33pts. Waay above his avgs going against 6ft2 shroeder. Lakers 5 out offense w Rui is way better offensively. Dlo avg 6pts on 13% from 3s. And denver won by 6pts avg? 😂 Let him go nuclear in this series. And denver is sent home. He only needs his avg of 18ppg and its a wrap for the nuggets. Lol. And he's very capable of carving up defenses w his passes and shooting.
Keyshawn actually watched the WCF. I wasn’t convinced the ESPN crew did… they kept talking about Joker when Jamal Murray is the one who closed every single game in that series in a dominant fashion.
Yeah, Jamal put up like 33 PPG that series, our problem is not having an elite guard defender/bad defensive scheme where we’re going under picks all game
@@dominalgenesis and did nothing to close any of the games. Rewatch the 4th quarter. Despite that the games were decided 3-4 points before Murray put all the games away in the last 6 minutes
@@dominalgenesisthat's good to see u googles some stats now how does that debunk him saying Jokic did not close those games because if u did actually watch that WCF Jokic was nonexistent in the 4th if u actually watched the series u would have seen that and not made this useless emotional comment
@@Cashinn_Outt1754he obviously did not watch the series just typed some stats because his feelings were hurt u said something true about Jokic and Jokic played brilliantly for 3 quarters he just disappeared in the 4th
Warriors completely rebrand they colors signs and dam near everything else to look like the lakers lmaooo we still and will always be the big dog cry some more 🤣😂🤣😂
This clown Keyshawn is telling Paul Pirece to be objective while he is trying to make the case that the Lakers have a chance of beating the Nuggets. Why is he allowed to discuss basketball? HE LITERALLY KNOWS NOTHING. 😂😂😂
@@jonathanvega5350 it’s called being a fan you don’t just don’t give up supporting just because you don’t have a chance but you wouldn’t know nun bout that you probably on your 4th bandwagon team by now
Key, stick to football, bud. Why not in reality is "Lakers havent beaten Nuggets in 8 consecutive games, but they will beat them 4 times in the next twoish weeks." Just dumb.
Skip can pick AD/LeBron over Jokic/Murray but Lakers still don’t have answers for 6’10 Michael Porter Jr. Reaves and DLo are too little. Aaron Gordon is strong. KCP is solid.
I’m a Laker and Lebron fan and even I realize that the path pretty much isn’t there. Denver is still the best team in the league and I don’t think it’s close. 🤷🏾♂️ Keyshawn is huffing that copium…😷
Horrible take by Keyshawn. I don't like Paul Pierce, but he's right. The Lakers are done. So are the Warriors. If they make it out of the Play In, they won't get past the first round.
I remember when Lakers fans were saying my Clippers were ducking them in 2021 when we purposely lost our last two games to target Dallas. Now these same Lakers fans are telling their team to tank tonight to duck Denver. Cowards. If they do it and AD comes out with some bogus injury, LeBron will remain the GOAT at being a coward. No courage. He’s a lion 🦁. The lion in The Wizard of Oz. Did Jordan ever duck competition? He wanted it! I never sensed MJ or Kobe from ever fearing a team. They wanted that smoke! They took their lumps as men. You don’t run away and hide. The Lakers should be 10 pt favorites tonight but they’re not because there is a sense they will tank it, beat Golden State who can’t handle AD, and then get the more favorable OKC/Dallas path instead of Denver/Minnesota. And LeBron has shown to cherry pick the games he’ll appear in. If Lakers are down by 20 pts early and won’t even try to make a comeback for the game, they’re ducking. We’ll know by the 1st quarter. They’re frauds. Ducking competition will never be rewarding. It’s bad karma. Watch them lose on Thursday or to OKC by having zero integrity to the game. You play to win every time unless it’s for the lottery. My Clippers tanked those last two in 2021 because we wanted Dallas since we already beat them a year prior and it took 7 games after being down 0-2 and 2-3 to beat them. Luka played pissed and was dropping 40s on us. The bad karma for us happened in the following round when Kawhi bumped knees with Joe Ingles. It will be bad karma on the Lakers if they tank tonight. Don’t mess with the basketball gods. Don’t cheat or lose integrity for the game. What if New Orleans wants to tank this game too? Nobody is talking about that. New Orleans would have a better chance against OKC than Denver. *My* *Derby* *Dozen* 1. Sierra Leone 2. Fierceness 3. Dornoch 4. Just Steel 5. Catching Freedom 6. Honor Marie 7. Resilience 8. Forever Young 9. Stronghold 10. Endlessly 11. Just A Touch 12. Encino I will be betting 12 horses from the possible 20 but I’ll be more focused on my top 4 when I go to my local OTB. *Sierra* *Leone* He’s only lost once in his career and it was by a nose to Dornoch in the Remsen. He defeated Catching Freedom, Honor Marie, and Resilience who all flattered that Risen Star win when CF and HM went 1-2 in the Louisiana Derby and Resilience won the Wood. If Sierra Leone gets a clean trip similar to a Rich Strike and Mage from the past two Derbies while Fierceness gets caught in a brutal first half at :46 or less, then Sierra Leone is catching them all. He’s the best closer in this crop especially against the horses he soundly defeated in the Risen Star. KY Derby is probably Sierra’s best shot at winning a Triple Crown race thanks to the fast pace early on. Preakness usually favors speed and Belmont favors tactical speed and freshness. If Sierra wins the Derby but loses the Preakness, he probably won’t even be in the Belmont. He’ll be saved up for the Travers which also benefits closers like him. I watched some Florida and Arkansas preps last night, and it seems Track Phantom is one of those Songandaprayer and Spanish Chestnut types who can set a fast enough pace to set it up for Sierra Leone. I think the 2YO champ, Fierceness, is the FASTEST horse while Sierra Leone is the most CONSISTENT. SL was one nose away at being undefeated at 4-0. Must use in all tickets. He’s a top 3 candidate whether he wins or not. *Fierceness* The 2YO champ has shown to be the fastest horse in this crop so far with a 105 Beyer in the BC Juvie and a 110 in the Florida Derby. If he doesn’t bounce like Bellamy Road, he wins this race going away. Maybe by 3-5 lengths with Sierra Leone fast closing for 2nd. But it may not be that simple with 20 horses in a race. Since 2004, six horses who ran a 110 or higher Beyer in their final prep would later fail to hit the board in the Derby: Lion Heart, The Cliff’s Edge, Read the Footnotes, Bellamy Road, Sinister Minister, and Materiality. Half of them ran in 2004. But the one good thing is Fierceness ran a 105 BSF last year. So he’s shown it’s no fluke or he’s some cheap speed like Sinister Minister was. The knocks on Fierceness is he might get a lively pace. Horses like Track Phantom, Just A Touch, and Encino like to be on or near the lead. Dornoch, Just Steel, and Forever Young might also keep it quicker near the front. I thought the Derby pace would be slow last year but it wasn’t. Went under :46 and I already knew Verifying and Reincarnate were cooked. Then add the knock that Fierceness has never won two races in a row. I rewatched the Champagne and Holy Bull and he faded badly in both and he was 1-5 in both. He lost a lot of money for bettors those two times he lost. Has never shown grit in those losses. He simply faded. His inconsistency makes him unreliable but you still can’t throw him out because he’s the champ and the fastest of this crop. Fierceness is really a bad bet who offers terrible value. Another Pletcher flop in the making. But I respect his class so much, that I can’t simply throw him out. If he runs his race, he wins this by a few lengths. He defeated Muth in Cali who would later flatter him by winning the Arkansas Derby. Muth would probably be the 3rd betting choice if his trainer wasn’t suspended. Fierceness is very sink or swim and I think his best shot at winning TC race isn’t the Derby but the Preakness since City of Light and Quality Road never won beyond 9F. And the Preakness is the TC race I think Sierra Leone will most likely lose in like Mage did last year. Pace makes the race and a fast pace in the Derby can help closers while a speed favoring track like Pimlico favors speedy horses. I believe by post time, Fierceness will be the favorite but slightly over Sierra Leone. A lot of handicappers will realize he’s the class of this crop thanks to the 105 and 110 BSFs that they will drop big money on him late but then watch him lose as the chalk like he did in the Champagne and Holy Bull. Then he may avenge Sierra Leone in the Preakness. Fierceness could be better played against if you think the pace will be brutal but it would not shock me either way if he wins by daylight or runs off the board. His name might be FIERCEness but he hasn’t shown that in his two losses. *Dornoch* I was ready to toss Dornoch because we rarely see a Derby winner fail to hit the board in their last prep and he did that running 4th in the Blue Grass. Sierra Leone got his sweet revenge on him. But Dornoch remains the only horse who defeated Sierra Leone. The 2023 Remsen looked like the 1966 Chicken Flamingo won by Buckpasser. But Buckpasser was just lazy. How Dornoch won it was from pure determination. The thing is, he never crossed paths with Fierceness. Dornoch won the Fountain of Youth but wasn’t in the Holy Bull or FL Derby. But he has crossed paths with Sierra Leone twice drawing with him at 1-1. Think last year when Mage kept losing to Forte in Florida. Then Forte gets scratched in Kentucky and Mage ends up winning. Dornoch is the full brother to Mage but they have opposite running styles. It would be cool if we see two full brothers win B2B Derbies. Good Magic and Puca should be proud parents. The Super Magic Bros.! Curlin on top and Big Brown on the bottom. Dornoch is bred to run at 10F. *Just* *Steel* 1988: Winning Colors 1995: Thunder Gulch 1996: Grindstone 1999: Charismatic D. Wayne Lukas, baby, Yeah, I know he hasn’t won a Derby in this century. A new generation doesn’t even know who the hell he is anymore. It’s been 25 years since Charismatic. But Muth isn’t in the race and Just Steel just happened to finish 2nd behind him in Arkansas with a 96 BSF which is higher than Stronghold’s SA Derby (89) and Encino’s Lexington (94). And the final eighth closing time in Arkansas was very fast at 12 and change. Just Steel might be the Justify son to watch over Just A Touch. He seems to be improving in every race. He’s big similar to his dad. He wore blinkers similar to Thunder Gulch. Just Steel is just a flyer. Willing to throw $5 on him at 25-1. Be a great story if D. Wayne Lukas won another Derby at 88, his first since the “1900s”…. It’s NOT going to be two-horse race between Fierceness vs. Sierra Leone 🇸🇱. The form tells you Fierceness wins by open lengths with SL closing for 2nd. But Fierceness could be like Holy Bull in 1994 and Point Given in 2001. And Sierra Leone has never hit over 100 in his BSFs and the median average is around the mid 90s in these final preps which is where many horses are. There’s 20 horses and anything can happen in a race like that. I will have money for every horse in my Derby Dozen but my top 4 will be my main focus on Star Wars Day. My top 4 for May 4. *Derby/NBA Finals* *Parlays* Whichever 12 horses I listed wins the KYD. Celtics wins East and Lakers wins West. Whichever 12 horses I listed wins the KYD. Celtics wins East and Nuggets wins it all. 1. Denver Nuggets 2. Los Angeles Lakers 3. Boston Celtics
Skip: LeBron shoots instead of driving bc he’s scared of late game free throws Also Skip: he could’ve drove the ball better, you owe your team smh Skip’s career is already teetering but he is DONE when Bron career is over.
Lakers are 3-1 vs OKC this season. But 0-4 against Nuggets. Meanwhile OKC is 3-1 vs Nuggets but 1-3 against Lakers. It's all about the matchups not the records.
Man look every single game Lakers played Denver it was close ...Paul.act like the nuggets DOMINATED US or sumtin - no way! If we play right play defense and get 2nd chance shots...the bench needs to be on point too. We gotta stop Porter Jr from jus getting those corner baseline threes that KILLS us... Smh
Taking LeBron and AD over Jokic and Jamal just shows how much they don't know ball. Jokic/Murray pnr's and dribble hand-offs are the most unstopable plays in the league
Try to Play Denver in the WCF being tired going 6 series & 7 series with other teams NO play Denver First round lose or win we will know who is better because health won’t be an issue health
Keyshawn is right tho with last year LBJ didn’t look right most of the end of the season last year not just Denver that foot has been bothering him awhile but this year he looks a lot better.
Keshawn - be objective. Goes on to rant about how good the lakers are and disregards everything about what the lakers have done against Denver, GS, and Sacramento 😂
Little dissrespectful of Paul to dismiss Lakers like that. Yes, they have betean them, but playoffs are a higher stakes game, players like AD and LBJ will not fold. Rudy Tomjanovich once said never underastimate a heart of a champion.
This is a crazy season, I feel bad for lebron. He’s got a good team but the league has caught up in talent and him being 39 don’t help. We also need a better coach one that knows what he’s doing and don’t just take orders from higher ups. Paul is speaking facts and it really is going to take a lot for the Lakers to get through the post season. But if we can defeat Denver might as well crown us champions
I just hope Darvin don't double the joker he already get enough assist just standing there and people back cutting and off the ball screens just don't give him the assist when we double no doubles play him one-on-one make him score 50 if you have to but we won't be giving up that three pointers
Yall have to remember the toronto Raptors was the number 1 team and the King team was having a hard time beating them until playoffs the King team Cleveland Swept them and dey were number team.
The lakers was fatigue last year. They had to win all them guys before the playin and play two playin games last year and then straight to the playoffs. So yeah its better to catch denver 1st year
What this show needs is to move skip and Keyshawn ....keep Pierce and a woman who has a great vibrant personality to be the lead monarator and I don't know who else maybe Rachael Nicholson...
Did Keyshawn really ask Paul to be objective? Thats the funniest thing I've heard in weeks.
I can’t believe Keyshawn Johnson doesn’t have enough introspection and self awareness to realize that him criticizing PP face for not showing objectivity is about the most hypocritical take he can make. The guy has no integrity!?!
No need for big words bruh, it’s not that serious!!
@@YuniqueMane9776 Awww....those words far too much for you're low IQ....cope better 😭😭
Keyshawn is sounding confused..he says that Lakers have beat pelicans 3 out of 4 times and that matters but Denver beating the Lakers the last 8 times in a row doesn't matter...I'm still scratching my head on that
Keyshawn is an idiot
The lakers , LeBron a d .and fo.ate too good ,to have had that happened that much .
The guy doesn’t know what he’s saying trying to find anyone who’ll listen to him that the Lakers can beat the nuggets when in reality they cannot he’s delusional
OMFG!! I WAS COMING HERE TO SAY THIS!! like lebron/Lakers fans be so tide in and delusional. Like how the hell you can beat the pelicans bc you got 3-1 but Denver can't beat you bc they beat you 8 times. Not to mention SWEPT YOU!! like wtf?
Ok I'll back up Keyshawn since you all don't get where he's coming from.
Lakers beat pens 3 outta 4. Lakers should beat the pels.
Lakers lost 8 str8 to Denver, yet they still have a chance.
How does that make sense, cuz pens were beaten..like really beaten. 20+pts
Denver sneaked out wins. It was practically neck and neck till the last 3mins.. the whole series was won by 6pts on avg.
Jamal avg 33pts. Waay above his avgs going against 6ft2 shroeder.
Lakers 5 out offense w Rui is way better offensively.
Dlo avg 6pts on 13% from 3s. And denver won by 6pts avg? 😂
Let him go nuclear in this series. And denver is sent home. He only needs his avg of 18ppg and its a wrap for the nuggets. Lol. And he's very capable of carving up defenses w his passes and shooting.
Keyshawn “Paul be objective “ while being a
Lakers homer😂
Dude said he'll take a healthy AD over Jokic like AD wasn't healthy the whole year and Jokic still the MVP 😂
@maqsudlatif3266 I just started watching the vid and scrolling through comments but ain't no way he said AD over Jokic you gotta be trolling 😂
@@dominalgenesis did you finish the video? 😂
“Get ready for Cancún….” 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Keyshawn Johnson is the most annoying person in sports television and thats hard considering who he works with.
haha....so true
He kept reaching for that gas at the top shelf and fell off... I bet he's paid by klutch like Shannon is.
Funny how they cut to a commercial when Legs " bad gumbo" lol
I don’t think he’s annoying. Respect him as a lakers fan. 😊
And he is just making ish up because he is from California!
Did Denver loose on purpose to become 2nd seed just for this 😂😂😂
Key is so whiny 😂 bruh relax !
Keyshawn actually watched the WCF. I wasn’t convinced the ESPN crew did… they kept talking about Joker when Jamal Murray is the one who closed every single game in that series in a dominant fashion.
Yeah, Jamal put up like 33 PPG that series, our problem is not having an elite guard defender/bad defensive scheme where we’re going under picks all game
Joker averaged 28-15-12 that series on 51% overall and 47% from 3pt lol
@@dominalgenesis and did nothing to close any of the games. Rewatch the 4th quarter. Despite that the games were decided 3-4 points before Murray put all the games away in the last 6 minutes
@@dominalgenesisthat's good to see u googles some stats now how does that debunk him saying Jokic did not close those games because if u did actually watch that WCF Jokic was nonexistent in the 4th if u actually watched the series u would have seen that and not made this useless emotional comment
@@Cashinn_Outt1754he obviously did not watch the series just typed some stats because his feelings were hurt u said something true about Jokic and Jokic played brilliantly for 3 quarters he just disappeared in the 4th
1-7 vs warriors and kings
Haven’t beat Denver in two years
Laker fans are delusional 😂
Won in 6 last yr playoffs got dominated
3 of those wins warriors played akers didnt have AD
Context always overules stupid takes like this
@@manfromwuhan5876 oh bless your heart
And u can put they ass together and they still won’t come close to us in chips or playing for a chip bumbass 😂😂😂
Warriors completely rebrand they colors signs and dam near everything else to look like the lakers lmaooo we still and will always be the big dog cry some more 🤣😂🤣😂
Nah .skips the undefeated champion 🏆 of annoying person ,bhe retired the trophy 😅
I wish Keyshawn wasn’t present
keyshawn is almost unwatchable let paul give his opinion his just mad his team aint it
The Lakers are cooked
This clown Keyshawn is telling Paul Pirece to be objective while he is trying to make the case that the Lakers have a chance of beating the Nuggets. Why is he allowed to discuss basketball? HE LITERALLY KNOWS NOTHING. 😂😂😂
Damnnn he can’t have a opinion? Plus he’s a lakers fan he knows we have a slim to none chance but aye ride and die with your team
@@lakersworld2125of course you're a Lakers fan so u will come to defend all the nonsense he just spewed. Delusional lakers fan smh
@@jonathanvega5350 it’s called being a fan you don’t just don’t give up supporting just because you don’t have a chance but you wouldn’t know nun bout that you probably on your 4th bandwagon team by now
He also has Jayden Daniel’s as the best QB because he knows him.
@@lakersworld2125 Awww...need a tissue pathetic little lakers fangirl?? LOL!!!!
keyShawn aggravating
Key, stick to football, bud. Why not in reality is "Lakers havent beaten Nuggets in 8 consecutive games, but they will beat them 4 times in the next twoish weeks." Just dumb.
U going against bron
@@rawlewin502 how dare I?!? 😀
@@rawlewin502 He aint done jack sht the last 5 years lol
Keyshawn gonna start showing his jealousy of Paul.
u can see it it on his face already
@@kingnephi1881no you can’t 😅
Keshawn was in his feelings today 😂😂😂 Paul was being objective
Lakers obsession is ridiculous
Even lakers fans are sick of it 😂cause I am 😂
LAKERS HATE IS UNBELIEVABLE BUT IDGAF
Skip knows how to start fire under Keyshawn 😂😂
So when KD's damaged Nets were swept by Celtics with a margin of 9 points combined it was diminishing and now for LeBron the close swept count 😂.
I almost fell for Keyshawn being antagonist.
I forgot they are role playing.
Paul is the worst addition to this show 😂
He is the reason people started watching this show again.
Paul is Lebron hater@@pikachurealm11
You are incredibly stupid a big congrats 👏👏🤣🤣
At Denver … the problem was not Joker. The problem the Lakers had was matching up with Aaron Gordon in The Dunker Spot.
I'm a Lakers fan and you're 100% right
@@RichardGofourthI am rooting for LeBron and I believe they can beat the Nuggets.. if they have Gordon we have Hayes..
"Just prepare for a loss" - Paul Pierce to Keyshawn as he taps him on the shoulder....hilarious....Pierce is a natural at this unlike his colleague
Stop lying to fit in the haterade narrative. follower.
Keyshawn is coping so hard. Poor guy.
Skip can pick AD/LeBron over Jokic/Murray but Lakers still don’t have answers for 6’10 Michael Porter Jr. Reaves and DLo are too little. Aaron Gordon is strong. KCP is solid.
Them laker refs gon be active paul not factoring that in
I’m a Laker and Lebron fan and even I realize that the path pretty much isn’t there. Denver is still the best team in the league and I don’t think it’s close. 🤷🏾♂️ Keyshawn is huffing that copium…😷
Thank you Paul. Someone finally said it.
Skip said would you take Joker over AD, and then says slightly. Lol and Keyshawn says he rather have AD. LOL
Horrible take by Keyshawn. I don't like Paul Pierce, but he's right. The Lakers are done. So are the Warriors. If they make it out of the Play In, they won't get past the first round.
When Jordan got swept twice by Larry Bird in his prime NOBODY SAID A WORD
I remember when Lakers fans were saying my Clippers were ducking them in 2021 when we purposely lost our last two games to target Dallas. Now these same Lakers fans are telling their team to tank tonight to duck Denver. Cowards. If they do it and AD comes out with some bogus injury, LeBron will remain the GOAT at being a coward. No courage. He’s a lion 🦁. The lion in The Wizard of Oz.
Did Jordan ever duck competition? He wanted it! I never sensed MJ or Kobe from ever fearing a team. They wanted that smoke! They took their lumps as men. You don’t run away and hide. The Lakers should be 10 pt favorites tonight but they’re not because there is a sense they will tank it, beat Golden State who can’t handle AD, and then get the more favorable OKC/Dallas path instead of Denver/Minnesota.
And LeBron has shown to cherry pick the games he’ll appear in. If Lakers are down by 20 pts early and won’t even try to make a comeback for the game, they’re ducking. We’ll know by the 1st quarter. They’re frauds. Ducking competition will never be rewarding. It’s bad karma. Watch them lose on Thursday or to OKC by having zero integrity to the game. You play to win every time unless it’s for the lottery.
My Clippers tanked those last two in 2021 because we wanted Dallas since we already beat them a year prior and it took 7 games after being down 0-2 and 2-3 to beat them. Luka played pissed and was dropping 40s on us. The bad karma for us happened in the following round when Kawhi bumped knees with Joe Ingles. It will be bad karma on the Lakers if they tank tonight. Don’t mess with the basketball gods. Don’t cheat or lose integrity for the game.
What if New Orleans wants to tank this game too? Nobody is talking about that. New Orleans would have a better chance against OKC than Denver.
*My* *Derby* *Dozen*
1. Sierra Leone
2. Fierceness
3. Dornoch
4. Just Steel
5. Catching Freedom
6. Honor Marie
7. Resilience
8. Forever Young
9. Stronghold
10. Endlessly
11. Just A Touch
12. Encino
I will be betting 12 horses from the possible 20 but I’ll be more focused on my top 4 when I go to my local OTB.
*Sierra* *Leone*
He’s only lost once in his career and it was by a nose to Dornoch in the Remsen. He defeated Catching Freedom, Honor Marie, and Resilience who all flattered that Risen Star win when CF and HM went 1-2 in the Louisiana Derby and Resilience won the Wood.
If Sierra Leone gets a clean trip similar to a Rich Strike and Mage from the past two Derbies while Fierceness gets caught in a brutal first half at :46 or less, then Sierra Leone is catching them all. He’s the best closer in this crop especially against the horses he soundly defeated in the Risen Star.
KY Derby is probably Sierra’s best shot at winning a Triple Crown race thanks to the fast pace early on. Preakness usually favors speed and Belmont favors tactical speed and freshness. If Sierra wins the Derby but loses the Preakness, he probably won’t even be in the Belmont. He’ll be saved up for the Travers which also benefits closers like him.
I watched some Florida and Arkansas preps last night, and it seems Track Phantom is one of those Songandaprayer and Spanish Chestnut types who can set a fast enough pace to set it up for Sierra Leone. I think the 2YO champ, Fierceness, is the FASTEST horse while Sierra Leone is the most CONSISTENT. SL was one nose away at being undefeated at 4-0.
Must use in all tickets. He’s a top 3 candidate whether he wins or not.
*Fierceness*
The 2YO champ has shown to be the fastest horse in this crop so far with a 105 Beyer in the BC Juvie and a 110 in the Florida Derby. If he doesn’t bounce like Bellamy Road, he wins this race going away. Maybe by 3-5 lengths with Sierra Leone fast closing for 2nd. But it may not be that simple with 20 horses in a race.
Since 2004, six horses who ran a 110 or higher Beyer in their final prep would later fail to hit the board in the Derby: Lion Heart, The Cliff’s Edge, Read the Footnotes, Bellamy Road, Sinister Minister, and Materiality. Half of them ran in 2004. But the one good thing is Fierceness ran a 105 BSF last year. So he’s shown it’s no fluke or he’s some cheap speed like Sinister Minister was.
The knocks on Fierceness is he might get a lively pace. Horses like Track Phantom, Just A Touch, and Encino like to be on or near the lead. Dornoch, Just Steel, and Forever Young might also keep it quicker near the front. I thought the Derby pace would be slow last year but it wasn’t. Went under :46 and I already knew Verifying and Reincarnate were cooked.
Then add the knock that Fierceness has never won two races in a row. I rewatched the Champagne and Holy Bull and he faded badly in both and he was 1-5 in both. He lost a lot of money for bettors those two times he lost. Has never shown grit in those losses. He simply faded. His inconsistency makes him unreliable but you still can’t throw him out because he’s the champ and the fastest of this crop.
Fierceness is really a bad bet who offers terrible value. Another Pletcher flop in the making. But I respect his class so much, that I can’t simply throw him out. If he runs his race, he wins this by a few lengths. He defeated Muth in Cali who would later flatter him by winning the Arkansas Derby. Muth would probably be the 3rd betting choice if his trainer wasn’t suspended.
Fierceness is very sink or swim and I think his best shot at winning TC race isn’t the Derby but the Preakness since City of Light and Quality Road never won beyond 9F. And the Preakness is the TC race I think Sierra Leone will most likely lose in like Mage did last year. Pace makes the race and a fast pace in the Derby can help closers while a speed favoring track like Pimlico favors speedy horses.
I believe by post time, Fierceness will be the favorite but slightly over Sierra Leone. A lot of handicappers will realize he’s the class of this crop thanks to the 105 and 110 BSFs that they will drop big money on him late but then watch him lose as the chalk like he did in the Champagne and Holy Bull. Then he may avenge Sierra Leone in the Preakness.
Fierceness could be better played against if you think the pace will be brutal but it would not shock me either way if he wins by daylight or runs off the board. His name might be FIERCEness but he hasn’t shown that in his two losses.
*Dornoch*
I was ready to toss Dornoch because we rarely see a Derby winner fail to hit the board in their last prep and he did that running 4th in the Blue Grass. Sierra Leone got his sweet revenge on him. But Dornoch remains the only horse who defeated Sierra Leone.
The 2023 Remsen looked like the 1966 Chicken Flamingo won by Buckpasser. But Buckpasser was just lazy. How Dornoch won it was from pure determination. The thing is, he never crossed paths with Fierceness. Dornoch won the Fountain of Youth but wasn’t in the Holy Bull or FL Derby. But he has crossed paths with Sierra Leone twice drawing with him at 1-1.
Think last year when Mage kept losing to Forte in Florida. Then Forte gets scratched in Kentucky and Mage ends up winning. Dornoch is the full brother to Mage but they have opposite running styles. It would be cool if we see two full brothers win B2B Derbies. Good Magic and Puca should be proud parents. The Super Magic Bros.! Curlin on top and Big Brown on the bottom. Dornoch is bred to run at 10F.
*Just* *Steel*
1988: Winning Colors
1995: Thunder Gulch
1996: Grindstone
1999: Charismatic
D. Wayne Lukas, baby, Yeah, I know he hasn’t won a Derby in this century. A new generation doesn’t even know who the hell he is anymore. It’s been 25 years since Charismatic. But Muth isn’t in the race and Just Steel just happened to finish 2nd behind him in Arkansas with a 96 BSF which is higher than Stronghold’s SA Derby (89) and Encino’s Lexington (94). And the final eighth closing time in Arkansas was very fast at 12 and change.
Just Steel might be the Justify son to watch over Just A Touch. He seems to be improving in every race. He’s big similar to his dad. He wore blinkers similar to Thunder Gulch. Just Steel is just a flyer. Willing to throw $5 on him at 25-1. Be a great story if D. Wayne Lukas won another Derby at 88, his first since the “1900s”….
It’s NOT going to be two-horse race between Fierceness vs. Sierra Leone 🇸🇱. The form tells you Fierceness wins by open lengths with SL closing for 2nd. But Fierceness could be like Holy Bull in 1994 and Point Given in 2001. And Sierra Leone has never hit over 100 in his BSFs and the median average is around the mid 90s in these final preps which is where many horses are. There’s 20 horses and anything can happen in a race like that.
I will have money for every horse in my Derby Dozen but my top 4 will be my main focus on Star Wars Day. My top 4 for May 4.
*Derby/NBA Finals* *Parlays*
Whichever 12 horses I listed wins the KYD.
Celtics wins East and Lakers wins West.
Whichever 12 horses I listed wins the KYD.
Celtics wins East and Nuggets wins it all.
1. Denver Nuggets
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Boston Celtics
Skip replace key with Paul he’s done nothing that comes out of him is objective
Lakers pull the monumental upset over joker and the nuggets in first round 🏀
Skip: LeBron shoots instead of driving bc he’s scared of late game free throws
Also Skip: he could’ve drove the ball better, you owe your team smh
Skip’s career is already teetering but he is DONE when Bron career is over.
Paul pierce 😢😢stop talk
I'm with Keyshawn. Better win these games now while AD is healthy cause ain't no telling when he'll get injured in the playoffs
Paul is absolutely correct. I mean its not a forgone conclusion but its as close as u can get to one.
Key is rite LeBron is fresh he carried that team by himself as a 38 year old
I don't trust no one but the final score lets go NBA playoffs.
Lakers are 3-1 vs OKC this season. But 0-4 against Nuggets. Meanwhile OKC is 3-1 vs Nuggets but 1-3 against Lakers. It's all about the matchups not the records.
So glad skip fired bum Sharpe now this is more fun
Man look every single game Lakers played Denver it was close ...Paul.act like the nuggets DOMINATED US or sumtin - no way! If we play right play defense and get 2nd chance shots...the bench needs to be on point too. We gotta stop Porter Jr from jus getting those corner baseline threes that KILLS us... Smh
Taking LeBron and AD over Jokic and Jamal just shows how much they don't know ball. Jokic/Murray pnr's and dribble hand-offs are the most unstopable plays in the league
We DONE WIT KEYSHAWN!!
Cancún ready for Lakers 👍🏽👍🏽🥱🥱😜😜
keys right we need to get denver soon as possible win lose or draw .
Key over here saying be objective when his ass can’t be 😂
A glorious path for the Lakers. I can already see the documentary.
I believe Keyshawn perspective.. I do the same... Lakers will eliminate the Denver Nuggets this time..
I’m a Lakers fan but Key is annoying asl you can’t tell Paul to be objective and you’re rooting super hard for the Lakers
DONT FORGET ESPN FIRED PAUL PIERCE BECAUSE THEY FOUND OUT THAT HE SAID HE WAS BETTER THAN DWAYNE WADE NOW THAT IS SOME DELIRIOUS SHIZZ
Lebum can’t be playing better then the joker! Because lebum is not in the MVP race. The joker is!!!
They jumpin keyshawn😂😂
The truth - Facts
Johnson is Chris Carter but without the hall of fame.
Paul was talking facts and Key was acting like a kid in denial! Lakers are doomed no matter if they play Denver, Golden State, or OKC
Facts I've been saying let's play Denver early I'm coming bock jere after the series too
Get Key off the show and just have Paul there for now and make him watch nfl. Paul and Skip is a good combo no diddy
I’m with keyshawn on this one
The Lakers should want to face the Nuggets.
For the 3 time😂😂 key is that one friend who you can’t tell they’re wrong, he always think he’s right or know everything and it’s annoying 😂
Paul is not the truth
Paul mad LBJ knocked him out of the playoffs with the Cavs & the heat
I’m with Keyshawn
Try to Play Denver in the WCF being tired going 6 series & 7 series with other teams NO play Denver First round lose or win we will know who is better because health won’t be an issue health
I want Skip Fired immediately
Keyshawn is right tho with last year LBJ didn’t look right most of the end of the season last year not just Denver that foot has been bothering him awhile but this year he looks a lot better.
Keshawn - be objective. Goes on to rant about how good the lakers are and disregards everything about what the lakers have done against Denver, GS, and Sacramento 😂
These guys are cool but Shannon is truly missed. Not the same
Paul Pierce brings flare to the show 😅
The expectations we're still putting on the 👑 is 🍌
Paul pierce ultimate lakers hater
Ill take denver now make or break i think theyre healthier now and believe they can win healthy
Paul keeps chopping and changing on his picks haha
Skip bleeping Payless you are worse than Paul
LBJ has won more rings than Paul and Skippy
Little dissrespectful of Paul to dismiss Lakers like that. Yes, they have betean them, but playoffs are a higher stakes game, players like AD and LBJ will not fold. Rudy Tomjanovich once said never underastimate a heart of a champion.
Of Dlo avg 15 last year it's a different series
And then when they lose Keshawn sticks his head in the sand & gets quiet af!
Gotta love Skipocrite str8 🤡🚮
Are ya'll listening to skip, this is the guy that chose the Lakers to win it all?....we all knew this was coming anyways
“We!”
Sounds like LeShannon!😂
This is a crazy season, I feel bad for lebron. He’s got a good team but the league has caught up in talent and him being 39 don’t help. We also need a better coach one that knows what he’s doing and don’t just take orders from higher ups. Paul is speaking facts and it really is going to take a lot for the Lakers to get through the post season. But if we can defeat Denver might as well crown us champions
bro told paul be objective with a straight face 💀💀
We want the thunder
I just hope Darvin don't double the joker he already get enough assist just standing there and people back cutting and off the ball screens just don't give him the assist when we double no doubles play him one-on-one make him score 50 if you have to but we won't be giving up that three pointers
WTF IS KEYSHAWN SMOKING?????
It’s over not getting out the play in
A former football player trying to tell a former and chip winner basketball player about basketball.
Okc will beat the lakers
In order to be the champs you gotta beat them
Yall have to remember the toronto Raptors was the number 1 team and the King team was having a hard time beating them until playoffs the King team Cleveland Swept them and dey were number team.
There’s no such thing as a close sweep
I wish Keyshawn would stay off the show til Football 🏈 season 🤔 He makes Shannon Sharpe look like Nelson Mandela 🤢 Get rid of him
Lakers want all the smoke 🚬 vs Denver ..we not ducking no one Lets Go Lakers!!!?
man that spurs win over nuggets ruined the lakers
The lakers was fatigue last year. They had to win all them guys before the playin and play two playin games last year and then straight to the playoffs. So yeah its better to catch denver 1st year
The lucky charm was crazy 😂
ad gives Joker problems when he's healthy .
What this show needs is to move skip and Keyshawn ....keep Pierce and a woman who has a great vibrant personality to be the lead monarator and I don't know who else maybe Rachael Nicholson...