
Jeff Van Gundy once said on air "I would carry a razor blade and cut myself to get a free timeout."
Really?
The former NBA coach and ESPN analyst, known for his unruly comments, reminded viewers how erratic he can be when defending Golden State star Klay Thompson during a broadcast over the weekend. The outburst, this time, was directed at the NBA media, belittling their insights and knowledge of the game.
ESPN sideline reporter and longtime basketball writer Israel Gutierrez questioned the validity of Thompson's all-star selection. Gutierrez began his "hot take" by warning it might make Van Gundy's head explode. Well, it did.
Gutierrez highlighted Thompson's strengths before breaking down his underwhelming efficiency numbers. He highlighted Thompson's "advanced stats" and lit a fire under Van Gundy with this remark: "If you talk to some of the writers around, they tell you his defense has not been as good as advertised."
Van Gundy worked up another violent metaphor to rebut his ESPN colleague.
"When I go to the writers to tell me who can guard in this league, I'll put a gun to my own head," he said. "The writers know as little about NBA defense as the real plus-minus [advanced] stat. Klay Thompson is an elite defender on an elite team. … Don't tell me the writers know one thing, not one, about defense."
Wow, Jeff. Take it easy.