Hall of Famer Chris Webber Talks NBA Playoffs, Rips Jokic & More with Rich

Hall of Famer Chris Webber joined The Rich Eisen Show from his converted barn gym for a wide-ranging weekly check-in that touched on every live NBA series, Joel Embiid's role definition, the Nikola Jokic late-game flap, and a long detour into Detroit sports loyalty.

Webber opened by ribbing Rich on the show's anniversary, saluting Susie, and then moving into the league.

With six series still alive, Rich asked which team up 3-2 was in the most trouble. Webber went immediately to Orlando.

"By all comments, they should have knocked this one out," Webber said. "If you have a young team and the pressure switches, you just don't want to go back to wherever it is game seven."

Webber acknowledged he had taken heat from friends and DMs over a previous segment in which he had called the Nuggets in trouble against Minnesota. He wasn't backing off.

"I think it's over for Denver," he said.

On the Lakers, Webber was unbothered by the back-to-back losses to Houston. He pointed to the bench's coaching brain trust and to LeBron James. He cited LeBron's bubble title as evidence of the kind of focus that the moment requires.

"People don't give him that much credit for winning in the bubble, but that was a focus and a concentration that I knew that younger guys wouldn't have," Webber said. "That was a discipline."

On Joel Embiid, Webber went somewhere most takes don't go. He made the case that for Philadelphia to win, Tyrese Maxey has to be the best player on the floor, and Embiid has to play as a defender, rebounder, and decoy.

"I don't really care how much he scores," Webber said. "Usually when he scores it takes 20 seconds, takes 15 seconds to bring it up. Guys are getting rested on the other end. I believe that when he's a great decoy, that if he has eight assists, they're going to win every single game."

Webber also defended his earlier read on Minnesota over Denver. He pointed to Aaron Gordon's value as a positional swiss army knife and praised Rudy Gobert as a defender capable of forcing tough shots without being asked to stop anyone one-on-one.

"It's really no one not one player can stop another player," Webber said. "Can I give you the toughest shot possible and can I stay disciplined on this play and the next play?"

Webber also made room for the Wolves' frontcourt loss of Karl-Anthony Towns last summer. If they let this opportunity slip after that, what exactly do they have left.

Then Rich revisited the Jokic and Jaden McDaniels late-game incident. Webber's verdict, identical to what he had said earlier in the program, was unsparing.

"That's BS," Webber said. "It's no more protocol."

If he were playing today, Webber said, he would practice dunks at the end of a 10-point game just to get under his opponent's skin. He extended the argument across sports. Reggie Jackson attacked at home plate. Players penalized for end zone celebrations. The complaint about the celebration is misplaced. The answer is on the scoreboard.

"Plus, nobody was going to fight anyway," Webber said. "You just want to show, oh, I'm frustrated."

The back half of the conversation drifted into Detroit allegiance and trash talk culture. Webber lit up at Jokic's response in the next game, holding the ball at the buzzer to force a jump ball.

"That's so awesome," Webber said. "I'm from the place where we plant the flag in the middle of your home field."

Webber also told a story about Karl-Anthony Towns, an Eagles fan, sending mariachi bands and balloons to torment him after Detroit losses. He called Deion Sanders his favorite football player ever, saluted Megatron and Billy Sims, and confirmed he would be at Madison Square Garden on December 21 when Michigan plays Duke.

"I'm going to make sure I'm in New York," Webber said.

The full hour, as it usually is with Webber, was equal parts basketball IQ and weekly trash talk.