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53 Years Later: The Knicks Are Champions Again! 🏀 · Ultimate Rewinds Podcast

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or you press up and immediately take a
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foul in the back court.
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You don't even have to foul now.
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Four-point lead. Here comes Fox. 5
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seconds remaining. Fox to Wemby tries a
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three. Puts it up off the mark. Anobi
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the rebound. It's over. It's over. Nick
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fans, THIS IS NOT A DREAM. Your long,
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long wait has ended. Go ahead and cry.
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After 53 years, the Knicks are finally
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NBA champions once again. After 53
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years, the New York Knicks are finally
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NBA champions. And there's been a lot of
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suffering that's gone into this if you
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are a long-term Knicks fan. But seeing
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them finally do it the other night was
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really a dream come true. Like I was in
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tears. I didn't think they were going to
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do it, but you were confident. I spoke
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to you during, you know, a bunch of the
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games. You thought they were going to
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pull it out. So tell me, why did you
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think they were going to do so?
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They just, you know, like you could just
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tell when when a team's got it,
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they got it. They just seemed like they
1:00
were destined to just pull like just
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like the Giants when they made that run
1:05
uh that first play that the first Super
1:07
Bowl with Eli. Um I thought the Mets had
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it in 2015, they had something magical
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with that team. Um, you know, just like
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with all the, you know, Daniel Murphy
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and all these guys like coming through,
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the Knicks just they just they were
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finding ways like Brunson was just
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determined to to win it all and just,
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you know, he he just was unbelievable.
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It was just, you know, amazing
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just an amazing run and you just I I
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just I was confident. I mean, I'm not a
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Knicks fan. I I was I was telling you
1:39
you were you're Mr. Negative Negativity.
1:41
So,
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>> well, the re there's a reason why I'm
1:44
Mr. Negative. And that's because it's
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been 53 years and because of all the
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[ __ ] that we went through as Knicks
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fans, just all the misses. and we're
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going to cover all them cuz that's
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really what I want to get into is really
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>> I think that's that's why I was more you
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know I was like um like an outside
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observer almost like I I I just I could
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tell that they were going to win it when
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I guess when you're a fan of a team
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that's just perennial losers you just
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you're just waiting like a Mets fan like
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you're just waiting for that shoe to
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drop you know like someone's going to
2:13
drop a popup or someone's going to throw
2:15
the ball away you know it's just you
2:17
know that's just you know goes with
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coming like as as being like a fan of
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these teams, you know, like the Jets,
2:23
like Rogers coming out and like blown
2:26
his Achilles after swinging the flag.
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Like, what's going on?
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>> You you nailed it. I mean, it's it's
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just being a part of misery for so long.
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You think it's never going to h You
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think it's never going to happen. And I
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couldn't believe after 53 years, as well
2:41
as they were playing, I did not think
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they were going to pull this off. And to
2:45
my surprise, you know, they went on an
2:47
incredible run. But I really want to
2:49
start with one how I became a Knicks fan
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cuz I have a story about this and then I
2:54
want to talk about the misery. Yes,
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we're going to talk a little bit about
2:56
the misery of being a Knicks fan for the
2:59
past 27 or so years. So even before
3:02
that, it's more it's longer than that.
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So first, let me start off with the
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story. So how I became a Knicks fan is
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this, you know, I was say I was a kid. I
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was like six or seven years old and I'm
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sitting at um at our house when I was a
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kid and my dad was at food town in in
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where we grew up and he was she was
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shopping for food and all of a sudden I
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hear him come through the door like a
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[ __ ] bat you know into the woods
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screaming hurry up get in the car
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Patrick Ewing is at food town that's
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exact those are his exact words got in
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the car went to food town saw him there
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walked up to the guy myself not my
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father myself walked up and said, "Hi,
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are you Patrick Euing?" And he said,
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looked it down at me and he said, "Yes,
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I am." And he shook my hand and I walked
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away. That's my me becoming a Knicks
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fan. I'll never forget that moment. It
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was just like a mountain of a man and
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I'm I'm a seven-year-old kid, you know,
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just just looking up and and went home,
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you know, started watching a lot of
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basketball, became a huge Knicks fan, so
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that's how it started for me.
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>> Bounce has it right side. Alvarado off
4:04
the bounce, corner three AND ANOBI.
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BANG. FOUR-POINT GAME. TIMEOUT, SAN
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ANTONIO.
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>> WHAT I WANT to talk about is the misery.
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The absolute misery. And I have a list
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in front of me of all of it. Okay. 53
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years in the making this championship
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was, but you have to go all the way back
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really I think to 1994, maybe even
4:27
before then. We'll start with Michael
4:29
Jordan. So they're probably 92 93
4:31
Michael Jordan. Couldn't be being able
4:33
to get past Michael Jordan. Nobody
4:35
could, let's be honest, right? The 94
4:38
playoffs, Jordan retires, goes to play
4:40
baseball for a year. 94 playoffs, they
4:42
finally make it to the finals, even
4:44
after a little controversy against the
4:45
Bulls in the prior series. Uh, they're
4:47
able to to beat the Pacers with the the
4:49
Euing putback, get to the finals, and
4:51
then losing in the finals. Should have
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won it in game six, they didn't. Went to
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game seven, John Starks, cold as ice.
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Okay. The next year, 1995, is the
5:01
infamous Patrick Ewing finger roll miss.
5:04
Instead of dunking the ball, they lose
5:06
in the Eastern Conference Finals. Right
5:08
after that, Pat Riley resigns as the
5:11
Knicks coach and they hire Don Nelson.
5:13
That didn't go too well. About halfway
5:15
through the season, Jeff Van Gundy takes
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over who to me till this day,
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>> legendary Jeff,
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>> legendary, just incredible coach,
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grabbing Alonzo's morning legs during
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that fight.
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>> But regardless, that year, 1999, Euan
5:29
gets hurt in the playoffs. They make it
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to the the finals but yeah but losing
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they lost uh to the Spurs obviously
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>> couple years or the next year after that
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PJ Brown in Miami throws Charlie Ward
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Ewing and Larry Johnson come off the
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bench they get suspended each for a game
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and the Knicks up in that series by the
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way uh three to2 they end up losing two
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in a row and lose Miami goes on to face
5:55
the Bulls in Eastern Conference finals
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gets swept after that. That was the last
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really like heartbreak. There were some
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good moments in there. Larry Johnson's
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four-point play, the Houston runner in
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that series, obviously you wins put back
6:06
in 94. But then after that, literally 22
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years. 22 years of absolute dysfunction.
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Isaiah Thomas, remember the the freaking
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sexual assault case? And forget that he
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was an awful GM and a a terrible coach
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as well, hires Larry Brown, who was
6:24
terrible for one year. Obviously, he had
6:26
a little bit of a resurgence training
6:28
for Carmelo Anthony. They made the
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playoffs uh for a couple of years, then
6:32
they bring in Phil Jackson, which is an
6:34
absolute freaking disaster. Okay, so
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that's all the missteps. That's all the
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missteps until
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enter Jaylen Brunson, the greatest free
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free agent signing in NBA history. And
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I'll give you a chance to talk a little
6:47
bit on that.
6:48
>> Well, I mean, you got to start with Leon
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Rose, right?
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>> Yeah, 100%.
6:52
>> The best hire that Dolan ever made,
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>> you know. Um, they bring in Tibs, right?
6:58
Changes the culture immediately of this
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team. Makes them immediate contenders.
7:03
They're, you know, they're playing
7:04
defense. There's there's um
7:07
accountability.
7:08
Um,
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was Tibs a perfect coach? No. But I
7:13
think he was the right guy at the right
7:16
moment to build this team back to what
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they should be, you know?
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um give them a little bit of
7:22
respectability somewhere where people
7:24
want to come play. Um did he get the job
7:28
done last year? No, he fell short. I
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mean,
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you know, I was skeptical when they
7:34
fired him. Um my cousin's a huge Nick
7:38
fan. He was all about the get about Tibs
7:41
getting fired. He was like, "Yeah, he's
7:42
he's not going to win them a
7:43
championship." They hired this guy Brown
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and
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you know in the beginning of the year
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you're like what is he doing? Like what
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is he doing?
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>> They're awful. They're awful.
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>> Carl Anthony Towns is like miserable.
7:57
They're all you know but he stuck to his
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plan and his plan like he was playing
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his bench a lot and let me tell you it
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paid off in this whole playoff run
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because all these guys were ready to go.
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They weren't five deep. They were nine
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deep, maybe 10 deep.
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So they were able to play their reserves
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and
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not really lose like a lot of times the
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reserves were what were bringing them
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back.
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So you know I I just I I think that's
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where for me the hiring of Leon Rose and
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the changing of the culture.
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>> Well, I think you just nailed it right
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there. The Leon Rose, yes. Worldwide
8:35
West, yes. But bringing Tibido in to
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change that culture. The one thing that
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Tom Tibido is is a coach that's going to
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make you work your ass off. Did he stick
8:43
to his starters too much? Only played
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like seven guys, sometimes eight. But
8:48
tiring these guys out, yes, 100%. But
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what Tom Tibido is is a guy who's going
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to come in. He's going to teach defense.
8:53
He's going to teach effort. He's going
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to be on your ass. I was pissed off when
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they let go of Tibido cuz I did not
8:59
think that he should be fouled. They
9:00
went to the E for conference. They went
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to the conference finals. But don't
9:03
forget game one of that finals, the
9:05
Hallebertton shot. I was at that game.
9:07
If he doesn't make that circus shot at
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the end of that game and Knicks win that
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game, who knows how it turns out. Maybe
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they get to the NBA finals. I don't
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know. But I did not like the firing of
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Tom Divido. And I certainly did not like
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the hiring of Mike Brown.
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>> Also, don't forget that. I mean, because
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he overplayed his starters. You had to
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hurt Jaylen Brunson those last few
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games. I mean, he he was just he was
9:32
just beat the hell up, man. He was he
9:34
couldn't do anything, you know? It it
9:37
was just I mean I I I it felt like he
9:40
was going in there crippled against the
9:41
Pacers. At the time I didn't think he
9:43
should have been fired, but I mean you
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can't you can't you can't argue with the
9:47
success of Brown. You really can't.
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>> No, I can't. But I will say this. I
9:51
killed this guy all year long between
9:54
how many guys he played. They had I
9:56
understand they had the same record this
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year regular season that they did last
9:59
year under Tibido. I understand that.
10:01
But they did not look like a cohesive
10:03
unit playing well offensively or
10:05
defensively going into the playoffs. I
10:08
will say that they did not look great.
10:10
>> Brunson crosscourt. SHAMUT PUTS IT UP,
10:13
PUTS IT IN A NINE-POINT LEAD. TIMEOUT,
10:17
CAVS.
10:18
>> I want to talk a little bit about Mike
10:19
Brown towards the end of this podcast.
10:21
But for right now, I want to talk about
10:23
this incredible playoff run because it
10:25
has been something that you have never
10:27
seen in NBA playoff history before. At
10:29
least I know I haven't. and they set a
10:31
lot of records. So, I'm going to start
10:32
it off with the king of New York himself
10:34
and that's Jaylen Brunson and his legacy
10:36
just this year, what he's done from
10:38
obviously coming to the Knicks, you
10:40
know, four years ago. Obviously, he was
10:41
the finals MVP this year, Eastern
10:44
Conference Finals MVP as well, you know,
10:46
on track to become the greatest Nick
10:47
Knick of all time, which we'll also
10:49
touch on later. But get this, he
10:51
averaged 26 points per game in the
10:54
playoffs, 6.8 assists per game.
10:57
Obviously, he was a team leader as well.
10:58
They had two massive comebacks, which
11:00
we'll touch on in a little bit as well.
11:01
I don't want to do that yet, but
11:03
incredible. Game five of the NBA Finals,
11:07
45 points, 14 of 27 from the field, four
11:11
from seven from three, 13 of 15 from the
11:15
free throw line, and nearly 49% of the
11:18
Knicks points
11:20
were his in the title clinching game.
11:22
So, talk a little bit about Jaylen
11:23
Brunson and his magical run. Don't go
11:26
into specifics about gamewers yet. I
11:28
want to talk about that a little bit
11:29
more as you break down each game, but
11:31
about himself and then I'll talk about
11:33
each individual player who kind of uh
11:34
you know contributed after that.
11:37
>> Um well, I mean at times I feel like he
11:43
should you know like he he seems to to
11:46
take over the game almost too much
11:50
sometimes.
11:51
>> Yeah, I know he he just you know he
11:54
needs to dish the ball a lot of times. a
11:57
lot of times.
11:59
But, you know, the
12:02
throughout the playoffs, I I could think
12:04
of maybe one game where he didn't come
12:08
through. You know, I think every game in
12:11
this playoff run, he legit carried this
12:16
team on his back.
12:18
And, you know, it takes a lot of balls
12:22
to do that. Like your team needs a like
12:24
for you're going to win anything, you
12:25
need a guy that you know is going to
12:28
take that final shot. Like even though
12:30
that that game four was OG putting
12:33
tipping it back in, the guy taking the
12:35
shot was Brunson and he nearly put it
12:37
in. If you if you if you look at it,
12:39
>> if you look at each individual series in
12:41
the playoffs, like you saw them, and
12:44
we'll get into this a little bit, the
12:45
Atlanta series, the uh the series
12:48
against the Sixers and the Cavs, the
12:50
ball movement and the offense was a lot
12:52
different than it was in the Spurs
12:54
series. Spurs series, a lot of
12:55
one-on-one basketball, a little bit of a
12:57
team play, but it was a lot of
12:59
one-on-one stuff, which we'll talk about
13:00
later. But I want to get into obviously
13:02
Jaylen's the man. He's the leader of
13:04
this team. He put them on their back at
13:06
crucial moments. Might want a timeout if
13:09
he scores.
13:10
>> BRUNSON THREE-POINTER PUTS IT IN.
13:14
CAPTAIN CLUTCH HAS COME ALIVE. IT'S A
13:17
FIVE-POINT GAME. TIMEOUT CAVALIERS
13:20
>> during the playoff run, but I want to
13:21
talk each individually about a little
13:23
bit about some of the players who
13:24
actually contribute to this. Let's start
13:25
with Cat. I wasn't a huge fan when they
13:28
made this trade. I'm one of the few
13:29
people because I knew Randle Cau could
13:32
score. He didn't play a lot of defense,
13:33
but Cat was known for being lazy, not
13:36
playing defense. And what he did in the
13:38
playoffs this year defensively, uh, not
13:40
just against Wemby, but against in the
13:42
entire series, I thought he played
13:44
extremely well. Obviously, he's an
13:46
interior rebounder. He could score. He
13:48
averaged actually for the playoff 11.9
13:51
rebounds per game. OG obviously the best
13:54
defender on the court. Him and Hart can
13:56
you can you can argue either one, but
13:57
he's usually guarding the the
13:58
opposition's best offensive player. Uh,
14:01
and we won't even talk about the tipping
14:03
yet. We'll talk about that later. But,
14:04
uh, just big shot after big shot from
14:06
OG. Male
14:09
played well defensively throughout the
14:11
series. Hit some big shots when the
14:12
Knicks needed it. A lot of corner threes
14:15
for him. Wasn't a huge scoring presence,
14:17
but they really needed to him to be a
14:19
defensive anchor, and he played a lot
14:20
better than he did in the regular
14:21
season. Obviously, my favorite player,
14:23
Josh Hart. He is the heart of the New
14:25
York Knicks.
14:26
you saw at a lot of these games him
14:28
skying over everybody, grabbing
14:30
rebounds. The emotional engine is what I
14:32
call him because he's just he could play
14:35
every minute in the game. 48 minutes.
14:37
There's no question he could do it if he
14:38
needed to. The hustle plays, the
14:39
rebounding,
14:40
>> you know, he almost cost us with that
14:42
that missed layup, but but thank God he
14:44
didn't.
14:44
>> I was I was going nuts. I'm like, "Oh my
14:46
god, what are you doing?"
14:48
>> Yeah,
14:49
>> it could have been detrimental.
14:51
>> Yeah, we we'll get to that. and Mitchell
14:53
Robinson obviously with a defense
14:55
rebounding and some timely shooting by
14:58
Miles McBride and Landry Sham. Landry
15:00
Sham really just coming out of nowhere.
15:02
>> What I saw in the playoffs was teams
15:06
really focusing on getting the ball out
15:08
of Brunson's hands and the first three
15:10
series he he was making great passes.
15:13
They were always finding the wide openen
15:15
guys and the guys were knocking down
15:16
shots. It wasn't like that in the Spurs
15:18
series. No. But in this series,
15:20
>> but in this those first three series, it
15:22
was unbelievable. Especially after game
15:24
three at home, at game three in Atlanta,
15:26
he really they just something happened
15:28
and we'll talk about that later, but you
15:30
know what stood out uh from any of the
15:33
players on the Knicks outside of
15:34
specific plays that you thought we
15:36
should talk about?
15:37
>> Um well, number one, I mean, the team
15:41
defense was phenomenal.
15:43
>> REBOUND DEFLECTED IN THE BACK COURT. FOX
15:46
HAS A CHANCE TO GET IT. FOX HAS IT
15:47
INSIDE. BLOCKED BY ANOVI.
15:50
>> Um
15:51
I not so much in the San Antonio series,
15:56
>> but every series before that it's like
15:59
the Knicks would play phenomenal defense
16:01
and they would it would just lead to
16:03
fast breaks, open shots.
16:06
>> Um they
16:09
and that's the other thing was they were
16:11
hitting these shots. They were
16:12
destroying these teams. they were
16:13
blowing them out because the ball
16:16
movement, the the defense, the ball
16:18
movement, the the shooting was
16:20
phenomenal. Um, the shooting kind of
16:22
fell off in the San Antonio series and
16:24
that's why they fell behind most of the
16:25
games. Um, but their defense also
16:30
lacked. But I think I think what I think
16:33
is the refereeing in that series was a
16:38
little bit more favored towards the
16:40
Spurs because
16:43
any tickytac
16:45
foul was called against the Knicks
16:47
whereas Wemi and all these other guys
16:50
would destroy the Knicks and get nothing
16:54
called on them. You know, I mean, the
16:56
one game they called two quick fouls on
16:59
um Mle, then they had two quick fouls on
17:02
Cat. It's like, and then they're calling
17:05
uh you know um flagrance against heart,
17:09
flagrance, you know, like it's it's
17:11
they've called flagrance against towns.
17:13
They as I think what's his name too? Um
17:15
Robinson had a flagrant too.
17:17
>> That that was that was deserved. That
17:19
was deserved though. He gave him a good
17:20
shot. and they finally gave WBY a
17:22
flagrant for like that was like nothing
17:24
compared to what he had done like
17:26
previous.
17:27
>> The Knicks had such an incredible
17:29
playoff run. The statistics are just
17:31
something the NBA has never seen before.
17:33
So, I want to cover some of the historic
17:34
numbers out there. First, they had a 16
17:37
and3 record in the playoffs, winning 15
17:40
out of the last 16. They split in in uh
17:44
New York the first series against
17:45
Atlanta. They end up losing game three
17:47
in Atlanta. And then something happened.
17:49
I heard they had a a players only
17:50
meeting and from then on this team was
17:54
insane. They had one of the greatest
17:55
playoff records ever. Like I said, 15
17:58
out of 16 and going 16 and three. There
18:00
was a plus 283 point differential
18:04
throughout the playoffs, which is the
18:06
best playoff differential in NBA
18:09
history. Obviously, everybody knows
18:11
about the 13game winning streak. Uh one
18:13
of the longest postseason winning
18:15
streaks ever in the NBA. And what nobody
18:18
talks about, I haven't heard anybody
18:20
mention this. Nine straight road wins
18:23
sets an NBA playoff record. I'm not
18:25
done. They shot 40.3%
18:29
from three during their winning streak.
18:32
40% from the three, which is insane.
18:35
Elite efficiency under pressure. Just
18:38
insane numbers. Tell me what you think
18:41
about what I just told you. I mean, this
18:43
just it's unheard of. You don't hear
18:44
this stuff in the playoffs.
18:46
>> No. And honestly, it it has to be ranked
18:50
or they will have to be ranked as one of
18:52
the best teams
18:54
to win a finals. And I don't care what
18:57
anyone said. I mean, like, this is
18:58
coming from someone that's not a Knicks
19:00
fan. So, you know, you got to go back to
19:03
like those Bulls teams back in in the
19:07
Jordan era.
19:08
>> 70 win team. Yeah.
19:10
>> Yeah. Like to find dominance like that.
19:11
But even back then,
19:14
you know, I don't think they had
19:15
dominance like I mean like they they ran
19:18
through these teams like I mean they
19:20
lost by a combined total of six points
19:21
in the entire playoffs.
19:23
>> Brunson on the drive stops falling away.
19:25
It's up. It's good. Jaylen Brunson.
19:29
ANOTHER CLUTCH SHOT. WE'RE TIED AGAIN.
19:31
>> That's a W that's a stat I did not bring
19:33
up. And that is a wild stat.
19:35
>> That's insane. Like nobody that's
19:36
unheard of, man. you know, I mean, the
19:39
Bulls had some amazing Bulls had some
19:41
amazing teams. Um, you know, and and the
19:45
funny thing is they kept writing these
19:46
Knicks off. They kept, you know, they
19:48
were underdogs the whole like I think
19:51
basically for most of the playoffs they
19:53
were the underdog, which is crazy, you
19:55
know, even when they went to go play
19:56
Philadelphia like, "Oh, Philadelphia is
19:58
going to take down the Knicks because
19:59
Philly's got their number or whatever."
20:00
Like, come on. They destroyed them, you
20:04
know. And then when they came in against
20:05
the Spurs, the Knicks were still
20:07
underdogs. It was crazy.
20:10
>> You know what? You even have to talk
20:11
about that Golden State team um with
20:13
>> Durant.
20:15
That's another good team.
20:16
>> They I don't I don't remember if that
20:18
was the team that won like 13 in a row
20:20
as well,
20:21
>> but they went on a huge run.
20:22
>> Uh so those are the only two teams that
20:24
I could compare was that Golden State
20:26
Warriors team. Let me say something
20:28
though. Like those teams
20:31
had Hall of Famers up and down like at
20:34
every position.
20:35
>> That's the
20:36
>> You look at the Bulls. You look at the
20:37
You look at the Golden State Warriors. I
20:40
mean, are any of these Knicks Hall of
20:42
Famers? I mean, maybe Brunson maybe.
20:45
>> I think it's I would assume now that he
20:47
won a championship. Could be.
20:48
>> Yeah, he's gone. May maybe cat just on
20:50
numbers, but I you know people I don't I
20:52
don't think cat but I mean if you if you
20:54
do the eye test
20:56
>> just the eye test.
20:58
>> Exactly.
20:59
>> I'm going to say Brunson but nobody else
21:01
which is which makes it even more
21:03
unbelievable.
21:04
>> It's it's just a remarkable run. The
21:06
statistics are to me what's really
21:07
caught my eye just obviously the 13game
21:10
winning streak losing three games and
21:11
you said a com losing those three games
21:14
by a combined six points.
21:15
>> I've never seen that. I've never seen
21:17
that. And I've been watching basketball
21:19
for many years. So, um I mean you could
21:22
look it up. I don't think there's any
21:24
team that had that type of dominance.
21:27
Any team?
21:28
>> No. They it just completely But do you
21:31
think that this team is just like they
21:33
got like their crap together at the
21:34
right time and they just, you know,
21:36
capitalized on it? Do you think this has
21:38
staying power?
21:39
>> It it
21:41
Listen, I mean, they you act like they
21:43
didn't win a bunch of games in the
21:44
regular season. They were like what?
21:45
Three seed.
21:46
>> Yeah. 53 games.
21:48
>> All right, that's that's good. You know,
21:50
like did they play the I think they had
21:53
a stretch. All right, they started off I
21:55
think really well, right? Then they had
21:56
a stretch where they were playing bad
21:59
and I think Cat was like, you know, like
22:02
moping around and I don't know where I
22:05
fit in this offense. And you know, it it
22:07
it got to the point where, you know,
22:12
eventually like he bought into the
22:14
system. like it it took him time. I
22:16
think I felt like it took him time to to
22:18
figure out his role in this offense. And
22:21
once he did, that's when the team
22:23
actually took off and it only got better
22:26
once he got to the playoffs.
22:28
>> All right, so I want to talk a little
22:29
bit about each series individually and I
22:32
broke this down. I have some more
22:33
numbers. They're just the amazing
22:34
moments that happened in each series.
22:36
Obviously, we'll start with the first
22:38
series with Atlanta. As I said before,
22:40
there was a turning point after game
22:42
three. Something happened with this
22:43
team. Uh, and they just they just went
22:46
on a freaking tear. They won that series
22:49
4 to2 down 2-1 in the series. I said
22:51
that before. On the closeout game, the
22:54
Knicks had a 47point lead at halftime,
22:57
which to me was remarkable. And they won
22:59
game five behind Brunson's 39 points.
23:03
But I'm trying to remember to myself
23:05
what was the uh the key moment in that
23:07
series outside of the uh you know the
23:10
team the team only meeting they had or
23:13
players only meeting. But to me it was
23:15
that that uh huge three-point shooting
23:20
that they had in that series. Like I
23:22
feel like the three-point shooting after
23:24
the fact really put them over the edge
23:26
in that series and Atlanta couldn't
23:27
really do anything about it.
23:30
Um, yeah. I I believe that Atlanta I
23:33
mean Atlanta was just no match for them.
23:35
Um, for some reason Atlanta always gives
23:38
them fits. I I don't I don't know what
23:40
it is with Atlanta. And it's not even
23:41
the same Atlanta team. That's the funny
23:43
thing. It's not even it's like different
23:45
players. But
23:46
>> um I mean they they they were like the
23:50
toughest challenge which was which is
23:51
crazy you know up until the Spurs
23:53
obviously but um Atlanta I don't know. I
23:58
mean, I don't know what the turning
23:59
point in that series was, but I I feel
24:02
like them losing game three was like a
24:04
wakeup call almost. It's like we need to
24:07
go out there and show these mfers like
24:10
who we really are, you know? They I feel
24:12
like they maybe they didn't take
24:14
Atlanta's too seriously and maybe that's
24:16
why
24:17
>> they I mean I mean listen, they lost by
24:19
a point each time, but they're like
24:20
maybe they're like, "You look, we
24:21
shouldn't have lost these games."
24:23
>> All right, second round against the
24:24
Sixers. They absolutely dominated
24:26
Philadelphia all over the court. They
24:28
end up sweeping that series as well.
24:30
30point closeout win in game four. Deuce
24:34
McBride, get this stat, shot seven from
24:36
nine from three in game four of that
24:39
series. Again, ridiculous percentage
24:41
shooting. And at that moment, they
24:43
started looking like a different team to
24:45
me.
24:46
>> Yeah, absolutely. Uh I think a big
24:49
factor in that series was the defense.
24:52
Um the defense on Embiid, the rebounding
24:55
terrible.
24:55
>> Yeah, they they just they just dominated
24:59
the the the Knicks big men dominated
25:01
them. They they couldn't they couldn't
25:03
compete with them. They they were just
25:05
The one thing I want to mention about
25:07
Embiid especially is if they got Embiid
25:10
in the pick and roll, forget it. He was
25:12
dead. He had no lateral movement. He
25:14
couldn't keep up. If he got picked off
25:15
at any point, we were getting to the
25:17
basket and getting easy shots. and if
25:18
somebody else converged on, you know,
25:20
the driver, he would kick it and they
25:22
would be knocking down open threes. So,
25:23
that really killed him. The same thing
25:25
kind of happened against the Spurs
25:27
because as as good as Webby is and being
25:29
7 foot five, 76, whatever the hell he
25:31
is, he can recover a little bit easier,
25:33
but he doesn't have the foot speed
25:34
either to kind of keep up with some of
25:36
these small guards.
25:36
>> He's kind of like goofy.
25:38
>> He trip he trips over himself sometimes.
25:40
It's it's it's crazy if you watch him.
25:42
He's
25:43
>> he's very like uncoordinated still.
25:45
Yeah. you know, like it's just it's kind
25:47
of it's kind of weird. He looks like a
25:49
giraffe, you know, like when you see a
25:51
giraffe, like a baby giraffe and he's
25:52
like tripping at the zoo, that's what he
25:54
looks like.
25:55
>> As good as good as the Spurs are
25:58
defensively, that's what really helped
25:59
him out because if he did get beat, you
26:01
know, they they were trapping
26:02
automatically uh when they were trying
26:05
to uh to set picks at the top of the
26:07
key. So that, you know, kudos to the
26:09
Spurs. Their young guards are absolutely
26:11
tremendous.
26:11
>> Yeah, Dylan Harper is ridiculous.
26:13
Ridiculous. Honestly, they're the
26:16
they're the team coming out next year
26:18
that they're going to be the team to
26:19
beat. Even though the Knicks won,
26:21
>> everyone's going to be like San Anton is
26:22
the team to beat because
26:24
>> they're only going to get better.
26:25
They're young and they're only going to
26:27
get better. So,
26:27
>> I want to give me and Dylan Harper, by
26:29
the way, went to the uh the same high
26:30
school. So, shout out Don Bosco Prep.
26:34
>> Eastern Conference Finals. This was a
26:37
series for me which really stood out
26:38
because everybody knows and we thought
26:40
was one of the greatest comebacks ever.
26:41
Game one at home after the long rest.
26:44
Down 22 points in the fourth quarter
26:46
with 7 minutes to go. The Knicks come
26:48
back and win that freaking game, which
26:51
is insane. I I thought that was nuts. I
26:53
thought that was a crazy comeback.
26:54
People were saying that Cleveland was
26:56
dead after that game.
26:57
>> Yes, they were. I feel like that buried
27:00
them because I mean, listen, I mean,
27:04
anything is possible against the Cavs,
27:06
especially since they have James Harden.
27:08
The guy plays no [ __ ] defense. He's
27:09
terrible. Yeah, he's like such a joke
27:12
it's it's not even funny.
27:14
>> I don't know how some people say he's
27:15
like a top whatever player. Yes, I
27:17
understand he's a gifted scorer. He's a
27:18
flopper as well and his defense is a
27:21
Trojan.
27:22
>> He's terrible. He's part of the reason
27:23
why the Nets didn't [ __ ] win that
27:25
year when they had they had all the big
27:27
three,
27:28
>> you know, in the playoffs. He's he's
27:30
just a [ __ ] He's just a bum. He's
27:32
just a bum.
27:33
>> All right, so more statistics from this
27:35
Cav series. Check this out. The Knicks
27:37
in game one closed that game with a
27:40
44-11 run to win that game, which is
27:43
wild to me. But the bigger to me, the
27:46
bigger stat that I want to uh feed
27:48
Landry Shamat in that series shot 11
27:51
from 12 from three, 91.7%.
27:55
>> He's going to want a clear out or a
27:57
screen to try to get a switch. Shot
27:59
clock winding down. Brunson whips it to
28:00
Sham. open three in the corner, puts it
28:03
in,
28:04
>> which to me he couldn't miss. I I want
28:07
to go see the shot that he missed
28:08
because, you know, maybe did a roll out.
28:10
I
28:11
>> don't remember him I didn't remember him
28:12
missing either. He was ridiculous. Um
28:16
>> he I don't know. He's just phenomenal.
28:17
He's a phenomenal guy. I you know, and
28:19
you know what?
28:21
Good for him. He worked his ass off. I
28:23
mean, he was, you know, he was like a no
28:27
he was in no man's land. I mean, the
28:28
Nets had him. I mean, now the Knicks
28:31
Knicks played him a lot though, too.
28:32
They they played him they played him
28:34
throughout the seasons, which I think
28:35
that paid off.
28:36
>> Kudos to Mike Brown. Um Landry Shamik
28:39
couldn't hit a shot in the Spurs series,
28:40
but we'll talk about that later. But
28:42
yeah, that to me that was a stat that
28:43
jumped out 90 who shoots 91% from three.
28:47
That's insane. Obviously, they
28:50
>> Yeah, 40 sweep. And again, we talked
28:53
right before Brunson captured the
28:54
Eastern Conference Finals MVP. So, let's
28:57
talk about
28:59
obviously the Spurs series, the NBA
29:02
Finals.
29:03
Obviously, we're all happy that the
29:04
Knicks made it again sweeping these
29:07
series. They hit off so much time off. I
29:08
think there was like seven or eight days
29:10
before they got to play the Spurs after
29:12
they won that game. And it showed right
29:14
away in game one, they were down 14 or
29:16
16 points right off the bat. And they
29:18
came back, took the lead, and that set
29:20
the tone early for the series.
29:23
>> Yeah, absolutely. Um,
29:26
you could just tell. I mean, the same
29:27
thing in the pre in the previous series,
29:30
all that time off, it just it looked
29:32
like they were rusty. Like they weren't
29:34
they weren't in their game shape. Do you
29:37
know what I mean? Like um but in in true
29:41
Nick's fashion, man, they they came
29:43
back. They, you know, late run and they
29:46
just they they just whip their ass. It's
29:48
just that's
29:50
>> in the Spurs series where where in the
29:52
previous three series it was the team
29:54
>> in this series it was all Jaylen Brunson
29:57
really cat I thought K cat in game one
30:00
played well and then maybe for the first
30:01
half of game two he played well after
30:03
that he was kind of mia defensively
30:06
>> I mean a lot a lot of it was the refs
30:08
though the refs were
30:10
>> they were they were kind of harsh on him
30:12
throughout that series
30:14
>> but they they weren't moving the ball as
30:15
well and I I kin that to to the Spurs
30:18
being able to trap Brunson before he
30:19
even gets across half court and he's got
30:21
to get rid of the ball.
30:22
>> Even though Brunson had a fantastic
30:24
series, he did not start off every game
30:27
great. It took him like till like the
30:30
third quarter to start hitting buckets.
30:32
It was it was kind of bad, you know, but
30:35
you know, I mean, he was there in the
30:37
end when it counts. So, I mean, that
30:38
that's all that really matters.
30:40
>> He is he is the big bucket maker. Game
30:42
two, obviously the Knicks keep it close.
30:44
They end up stealing that game late with
30:46
on a missed jumper by WBY at the end of
30:48
that game.
30:49
>> Kind of hits the back of the rim. They
30:50
end up going up 2. They lose game three
30:53
at home, which I kind of thought that
30:54
was going to happen. I didn't think
30:55
Spurs were going to lose three in a row.
30:57
I didn't know how this team was going to
30:58
react after losing game three. I really
31:00
did not know it. It was 45 days since
31:03
they had lost the game. So, I didn't
31:05
know if they were going to come out
31:06
playing horribly, if they're going to
31:08
say, you know what, the Spurs are going
31:09
to take this series now. I didn't know
31:10
what their mindset was going to be. And
31:11
it showed because in game four they went
31:14
down 29 points in the the second half of
31:18
that game and I almost shut the thing
31:20
off.
31:21
>> Well, I'm going to say game three
31:24
was the reason why game four went the
31:27
way it did. You know, losing that game.
31:30
I mean, I listen, I still I still think
31:32
the refs handed that game to the
31:34
freaking Spurs that game three. They
31:36
were calling everything possible against
31:37
the Knicks. They weren't giving them I
31:39
mean Spurs can do whatever they want.
31:42
Knicks couldn't do anything. It was it
31:44
was just poorly officiated. I I you know
31:47
I've seen so many things online with Tim
31:48
Donahe saying that you know the NBA
31:51
calls the refs in and and tells them you
31:54
know make sure if if a team is down to
31:55
give them give the other team the calls
31:58
so that way you know the the series goes
32:01
longer it goes seven. It's like they
32:03
want it they want it to happen. So it it
32:05
to me it looked I mean I mean not just
32:07
to me to a lot of people it looks like
32:08
they were trying to give him the series.
32:11
>> Yeah, it did definitely look that way.
32:12
It almost was painfully obvious at times
32:14
not not calling certain fouls
32:16
>> and then it it carried over to game four
32:18
cuz the officiating was just horrendous
32:20
and then you have the Knicks down by
32:21
like like at one point it was 30, right?
32:24
Almost 30.
32:24
>> Yeah. 29 29
32:26
>> 29 points. I mean I never shut the game
32:29
>> cuz you know I'm like you know I'm like
32:31
you with this team you don't know. You
32:33
just don't know. You just don't know.
32:35
The way they the way they play. It's
32:37
like anything is freaking P. And then
32:39
when they were coming back, I'm like,
32:41
"Holy [ __ ] This is, you know, you knew
32:43
something was going to be special." When
32:45
the comeback was happening, you you
32:48
started to to see it, but then the the
32:50
Spurs kept making shots. I'm like, "Oh,
32:51
you know what? They're they're making
32:52
shots. It's going to be tough." And all
32:54
of a sudden, you see them cut it to like
32:55
15 16 points. I'm like, "You know what?
32:57
This is doable."
32:59
>> Yeah. And then and then all of a sudden,
33:00
you see Brunson starting to heat up. He
33:02
makes a huge shot over WBY. He passed it
33:05
into the corner and they ended up
33:07
passing back out. He takes it out. He
33:08
shoots a three over WBY.
33:11
>> Yeah.
33:12
Was it?
33:13
>> No. No. I'm He did have a three in the
33:15
corner, but I'm talking about uh
33:18
Brunson's three over Webby. That I think
33:20
he cut the lead down to five.
33:22
>> Drives, pulls back.
33:26
>> Shot clock at five. Brunson fires UP A
33:28
THREE, PUTS IT IN. ONE-POINT GAME.
33:33
THIS BUILDING IS SHAKING RIGHT NOW.
33:36
>> And you can hear Mike Breen. I I think
33:37
he says like, uh, this building is
33:40
shaking right now. I think that was on
33:42
that play, but it was just to me when he
33:44
hit that shot, I'm like, you know what?
33:45
I think they got a shot here.
33:46
>> When they got it down to like 15, it's
33:48
like you could almost see the meme of
33:49
Jim Carrey. So, you're saying there's a
33:51
chance.
33:52
>> The Spurs come back, they take the
33:53
Knicks finally get the lead. And that
33:54
was in that game where, you know, Josh
33:56
Hart missed that layup. And I'm I'm
33:57
like,
33:58
>> oh my god.
33:58
>> I I dropped to my knees. That's a Yuing.
34:01
>> Yeah. I'm like, that's exactly what I
34:03
thought. I'm like, here we go. I'm going
34:05
to have
34:06
>> That could that could have been up there
34:07
with the the Charles Smith Memorial if
34:08
if if things had gone down south, you
34:10
know?
34:11
>> I didn't even mention Charles Smith
34:12
before. I forgot about that.
34:13
>> Oh, the Charles Smith memorial.
34:16
>> But when he missed that, I'm like, I'm
34:17
going to have to relive this moment
34:19
again. I'm like, they're going to
34:20
[ __ ] lose this game on that again.
34:22
>> But
34:23
>> they end up taking the lead after that
34:26
uh and end up going down one. And then
34:29
we have the what I think honestly is the
34:32
the greatest play in NBA history.
34:34
Certainly the greatest play in Nick's
34:36
history and that's OG in the hand of
34:38
God.
34:38
>> Allow him to operate at the top. 101.
34:41
Brunson gets it. Fires up a three shot.
34:44
NO GOOD. THE TIP. IT'S GONE. IT'S GONE.
34:46
IT'S GONE WITH 1.2 REMAINING. KNICKS
34:50
TAKE THE LEAD. OG AND NOI. AND IT'S 107
34:54
106.
34:55
>> I THOUGHT the shot from Brunson was a
34:57
terrible shot. I thought one I
34:58
understand why he took it early because
35:00
he wanted to get the rebound and won't
35:01
have time to tip it in just just but I
35:03
think it was too far of a three. I
35:04
thought they could have got a better
35:05
shot knowing knowing Brunson
35:09
he wanted that he he's the man. He wants
35:12
that shot.
35:14
>> He thinks he he well first of all he was
35:16
on a heater number one. So you need to
35:19
give him the ball. He needs to be the
35:21
guy taking that last shot. OG
35:24
brilliant crashing the boards. That is
35:27
phenomenal. I I mean, listen, I'm not a
35:29
Knicks fan. I went [ __ ] nuts in this.
35:32
Like, I think I woke up everybody
35:33
downstairs because I was going nuts.
35:36
>> Everybody was going nuts. I mean, that
35:37
to me is the defining moment in NBA
35:39
history. That play just just because you
35:42
don't expect something like that. He
35:43
came from that again. He never again,
35:46
>> dude.
35:48
30 points with a second left to tip it
35:51
in for the win. Being down 30 points in
35:55
a finals. That's insane.
35:57
>> Just the wherewithal one to to inbound
36:00
the ball and crash the boards as soon as
36:01
you know he was going to take that shot.
36:03
You know, that's part of it is
36:05
incredible, but part of it is also luck.
36:06
Let's let's not, you know, you sugarcoat
36:09
it. It is 100%. We play basketball. We
36:11
know how it goes. But this ended up
36:13
being the greatest comeback win in NBA
36:16
Finals history.
36:16
>> Harper's going to inbound the ball.
36:21
>> No timeouts left. They have to get it
36:23
in.
36:24
Harper lobs it inside. Castle has it.
36:26
LOST IT. THAT'S IT. IT'S OVER. THE
36:30
GREATEST COMEBACK IN NBA PLAYOFF
36:32
HISTORY.
36:33
>> I don't know how the Spurs even played
36:36
as hard as they did in game five after
36:38
that game because when you give up it's
36:40
one thing to give up 22 points in the
36:41
fourth quarter, but to give up 29
36:45
is just it's insane, especially against
36:47
a team like the Spurs where they're
36:48
they're probably one of the best
36:49
defensive teams in the NBA.
36:52
>> Yeah. I mean, they did play the Spurs
36:55
played hard and in fact, they were
36:57
winning. Knicks came back again.
36:59
>> Yeah.
36:59
>> It's it's just part of the story. It's
37:01
just, you know, they they just they they
37:04
it was like they were they were a team
37:06
of destiny.
37:08
>> Like I told you before,
37:09
>> I told you that from from before you you
37:12
were I think you were slightly doubting
37:13
them.
37:14
>> Of course, after all this [ __ ] I've been
37:16
through for for 30 years. How did I
37:17
know?
37:18
>> I was texting you. I was texting you
37:19
throughout the game. I said, "Don't
37:20
worry. You did.
37:22
>> I guarantee you the victory
37:24
>> and I told you they were going to win.
37:26
>> Let's get into that game five and the
37:28
clinching game here. Final Knicks 94,
37:30
Spurs 90. But again, they went down
37:32
again early in the first quarter. They
37:34
did not look good. Down I think by 14 or
37:37
whatever it was at the end of the first
37:38
quarter. The story here is Jaylen
37:40
Brunson legendary closing performance.
37:43
45 points nearly 49% of the points that
37:47
were scored for the Knicks. 14 of 27
37:49
field goal. I said this before, four for
37:50
seven from three. 13 of 15 from free
37:52
throw which is insane and and to me
37:55
which is makes it remarkable is it's
37:57
this is a a closing game in the highest
38:01
setting and the most important setting
38:02
there is in the NBA finals in a closeout
38:05
game and he was at his best and everyone
38:07
else was terrible. OG had his first bad
38:10
game really of the playoffs.
38:12
>> He did man.
38:13
>> Uh so uh it was just a incredible
38:16
performance. Uh, and the call from Mike
38:18
Breen, uh, to me will stick in my head
38:21
for the rest of my life.
38:22
>> Here comes Fox. 5 seconds remaining. Fox
38:24
to Wimby. Wy tries a three, puts it up
38:27
off the mark. ANOBI THE REBOUND. IT'S
38:29
OVER. IT'S OVER. Mc Vans, THIS IS NOT A
38:33
DREAM. Your long, long wait has ended.
38:36
Go ahead and cry. After 53 years, the
38:39
Knicks are finally NBA CHAMPIONS ONCE
38:42
AGAIN.
38:43
>> One of the great calls. Yeah, it's up
38:45
there. It's up there with one of the
38:46
greatest calls ever. Um yeah, shout out
38:49
to all those people who had OG winning
38:51
the MVP at 5,000 to one. Uh he just lost
38:55
out cuz had he had that big game game
38:58
five, man, you made a lot of money.
39:00
>> Let me ask you a question. If if OG
39:02
doesn't tip that ball in, but the Knicks
39:03
still win the series,
39:06
I mean, let let's just say OG has forget
39:08
that. Let's say OG has a good game in
39:10
game five and Brunson has an an okay
39:12
game. Does does OG win it then? Because
39:14
game four was such a huge Yeah. I think
39:17
I think he wins it hands down.
39:19
>> You don't you don't come across
39:21
>> with the greatest tip in greatest moment
39:24
in sports history.
39:25
>> Well, if he had followed it up 30 30 um
39:31
30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists
39:34
or, you know, whatever 10 assists and
39:36
eight rebounds, whatever.
39:39
he if he had a big game in game five, he
39:42
there's no way he's not winning the MVP.
39:45
>> I actually think that the team relies on
39:46
him too much and I play I think he plays
39:48
too much hero ball at times where he's
39:50
got to get the ball out of his hands and
39:51
they got to move. But I credit the
39:52
Spurs.
39:53
>> They need to they need to you know like
39:55
the cats got to be utilized more. I mean
39:56
but yeah, I get it. He was in foul
39:58
trouble so he couldn't play that much.
40:00
But they got to utilize Cat too, man.
40:02
Like you know pick and rolls are key.
40:04
They got to play they got to do pick and
40:05
rolls. The problem with cat with pick
40:07
and rolls, he cannot be on pick and
40:09
rolls because he's too slow. He's just
40:10
like We in that point where if he gets
40:11
the ball at the top of the key, he waits
40:13
too long with the ball. He's got to make
40:15
a decision and go to the rim no matter
40:16
who.
40:17
>> Yeah, especially if he has
40:18
>> Robinson. Robinson does it well.
40:20
>> Yeah, he does. He's actually What makes
40:23
uh Mitchell Robinson really good at that
40:25
is because I think Cat is a little bit
40:28
People call him soft. I don't think he's
40:29
soft, but I don't think he has a
40:32
>> He doesn't think he has a wearable.
40:33
>> He's got a floppers mentality though,
40:34
like that. Stop being a [ __ ] He was
40:38
doing that all like all season. Not in
40:40
the playoffs, he wasn't.
40:41
>> But he he did it in the Spurs series and
40:43
in those last couple of games he start
40:45
he started doing that again. He started
40:46
to get very frustrated. But he's got to
40:48
realize that the first two games he was
40:50
going to the basket, taking WBY to the
40:52
basket and he was making plays. He
40:54
stopped doing that after that. He
40:55
couldn't stop. He would have helped the
40:56
Knicks out so much because he's a great
40:58
passer as well.
40:59
>> I think the refs helped him out a little
41:01
bit too
41:03
>> game three and game four.
41:04
>> So obviously Knicks win their first
41:06
championship in 53 years. So it was an
41:08
iconic moment for me especially for all
41:10
New Yorkers. Everybody grew up a Knicks
41:11
fan. It was well worth the wait after
41:13
all the things that we've been through.
41:14
But I want to switch gears a little bit
41:15
and talk a little bit about Mike Brown
41:18
because I said before like I killed the
41:20
hiring. I didn't think they should have
41:21
fired Tibs and I didn't think he was
41:22
great during the regular season even
41:24
though they had the same record as the
41:26
previous year. But I got to say in the
41:27
playoffs, dude, this guy made every he
41:31
pushed every button that he needed to
41:33
push. Every move that he made was the
41:35
right move. Whether it was, you know,
41:38
playing Shammore uh when he was hot, I
41:41
thought it was a good move. Playing
41:43
Alvarado, hit some huge shots.
41:45
>> Brunson looks up at the clock, finds
41:47
Alvarado. Open look. Alvarado
41:48
three-pointer. THAT'S GOOD.
41:51
>> Back to four with three minutes
41:53
remaining.
41:54
>> In that game, that comeback, I said they
41:56
needed to play Brunson and Alvarado
41:58
together because to increase the speed
42:01
and he did that literally right after I
42:02
texted to someone, he put them together
42:04
in the game and it really changed the
42:06
game.
42:07
>> Yeah, he changed the game for the
42:09
Knicks. That was the one thing I said,
42:10
you know what? He he wasn't afraid to
42:12
make a move if something wasn't working
42:14
and the moves that he made every time
42:15
throughout the playoffs was the right
42:17
move. I was shocked. Yeah, I listen I
42:21
that was like the biggest debate at the
42:24
beginning of the season. Well, before
42:26
the season, I should say, because they
42:27
hired him before the season started.
42:29
But, um, that's all you heard on sports
42:32
radio was, you know, why' they fire
42:34
Tibs? And, you know, some people were
42:36
for it, some people were, most people
42:37
were against it, to be honest with you.
42:40
Um, but looking back, that that was the
42:45
right decision. I mean, you know, Tibs,
42:49
he did a great job, but when it came
42:52
down to like the, you know, crunch time,
42:55
it just he folded. He wasn't making the
42:58
right decisions. He wasn't he didn't
43:00
play his players to have them ready for
43:02
the playoffs. It it just it crumbled for
43:05
him and and and it was showed like
43:07
backto-back years.
43:08
>> Brunson was battered by the end of the
43:10
season. You know, this year he looked
43:12
like he was refreshed.
43:15
Let me ask you a question about Mike
43:16
Brown. Obviously, we know about his
43:19
legacy, you know, two-time coach in
43:20
Cleveland, got fired twice there, got
43:23
fired uh by the Lakers, by the Kings,
43:26
but he did win, you know, as an
43:28
assistant coach, three championships
43:29
with the Golden State Warriors. Did this
43:31
change Mike Brown's legacy? Cuz he was
43:33
known as a guy who couldn't get it done
43:34
as a head coach, good assistant coach,
43:36
but a guy who was really wasn't hard on
43:38
players, so never got where he needed to
43:40
go. Although, he did have success. Does
43:41
this change his legacy now that he's got
43:43
a championship with the Knicks?
43:44
>> I mean, absolutely. I mean, he's he's a
43:47
great coach, but this solidifies him as
43:49
a great coach because he won a
43:51
championship. Um, I mean, all those
43:53
other firings, by the way, there was
43:54
always, you know, there's always rumors
43:57
and issues with players and, you know,
43:59
how the NBA is, it's it's like if you
44:02
don't get along with star player, you
44:04
you're gone, you know. Um,
44:08
but I think what helped him this time
44:11
around was Tib set the culture and it
44:15
also helped having the three Villanova
44:17
guys who were teammates, who are
44:19
friends.
44:20
>> That's a good point.
44:21
>> You know, they they made this like a
44:24
family. And
44:27
listen, it it showed out there on the
44:29
court, man. These guys like really truly
44:30
care about each other and they they pull
44:32
for each other. And if one guy's not
44:34
doing it, someone else is going to pick
44:36
up the slack. It's just that's that's
44:38
what makes a great team. You know, if
44:40
one guy can't do it, then the other
44:41
guy's the next guy up. Let's go. The one
44:44
thing I'm going to say about Mike Brown,
44:45
which he needs to do a better job next
44:47
year. I I I know, you know, people are
44:48
going to say, "Why you criticizing this
44:50
guy?" All great coaches got a little bit
44:53
of mean in them. The one thing I'll say
44:55
about him, I heard some great stories
44:56
about him, you know, giving them
44:58
motivational speeches before games. He
45:01
needs to hold guys more accountable
45:02
during the regular season. He didn't
45:04
have to push him like Tibido pushed him
45:05
because obviously we all know Tob is
45:06
like a tyrant with that. He goes
45:08
overboard a little bit, but he needs to
45:09
hold him more accountable if they want
45:11
to do this again. Uh that's my only
45:13
gripe. Other than that, like I do think
45:15
that he, you know, kind of turned his
45:17
coaching career around. Obviously,
45:19
people know him as a good coach now. He
45:21
he pushed all the right buttons, like I
45:23
said. So, kudos to Mike Brown. You know,
45:25
I'm happy for him. So, where do you
45:27
think Jaylen Brunson ranks among the
45:29
all-time greatest Knicks? Where would
45:30
you put him?
45:32
>> He's on the Mount Rushmore for sure now.
45:35
>> No question.
45:36
>> I'm going to go.
45:39
Clyde got two championships. Clyde,
45:44
Willis Reed.
45:49
Willis Reed. Hold on a minute. Jaylen
45:51
Brunson,
45:53
Patrick Yuan. Very.
45:55
>> So, wow. you I I'm going I hate to say
45:59
this, Patrick Yuing to me is my favorite
46:01
player of all time. Okay, but
46:02
>> Patrick Patrick Yuing's got to be on the
46:04
Mount Rushmore, but Jaylen Brunson
46:06
because he won got to be above Ying.
46:11
>> I just think it's hard for me to put the
46:13
older guys above Yuing and Jaylen
46:15
Brunson considering the errors that they
46:17
played in. If you go look at those older
46:18
Knicks teams, they had an incredible
46:19
roster. Don't get me wrong, one of the
46:21
champs Earl the Pearl, Dave the Busher,
46:24
you know, Bradley, they had incredible
46:27
roster. A lot of guys of those those
46:29
guys are hanging their jerseys in
46:32
Madison Square Garden. So to me, I'm
46:34
putting Jaylen Brunson number one now
46:37
>> after, you know, everything everything
46:39
that was thrown on his back and for them
46:41
to come out and do what they did, they
46:43
stole a run.
46:44
>> He's one, Patrick Yuing's number two,
46:46
Clyde and then Willis Reed. That's
46:47
that's the way I'm going to go. Final
46:48
question before we end this thing. All
46:50
right.
46:51
>> This magical playoff run. What was your
46:54
favorite moment of it?
46:58
>> I mean, come on, dude. It's got to be
47:00
the tip in.
47:01
>> Allow him to operate at the top. 101.
47:03
Brunson gets it. Fires up a three shot.
47:06
NO GOOD. THE TIP. IT'S GONE. IT'S GONE.
47:09
IT'S GONE WITH 1.2 REMAINING. KNICKS
47:12
TAKE THE LEAD. OG AND NOI. AND IT'S 107
47:17
106.
47:18
>> The hand of God, man. To me, that's the
47:21
greatest play that I've ever seen. It
47:22
beats Larry Johnson's four-point play.
47:24
It beats Houston's runner. It beats you
47:26
put back.
47:27
>> It beats every Nick moment in history,
47:30
dude, because they won the finals.
47:32
That's what matters. I don't care what.
47:34
You could go like this all day long. I
47:36
don't care. It don't mean [ __ ] because
47:38
they didn't win.
47:40
>> I told you that. That That's the most
47:43
excited I've ever been for any sporting
47:45
event I've ever watched.
47:46
>> I'm telling you, I was excited for you.
47:49
I was excited for all my friends and
47:51
relatives that are Nick fans because I'm
47:53
like, you know what? You don't get to
47:56
see that [ __ ] ever. That is just un like
47:58
this [ __ ] just doesn't happen to us. It
48:00
doesn't.
48:01
>> Yeah.
48:03
>> Um so let me let me throw you a
48:06
question.
48:07
We had the previous week's podcast and
48:11
we did the 10 greatest moments in New
48:13
York sports history.
48:16
That was the day before game four.
48:19
>> Yeah.
48:20
>> Where do you put that play now? Now that
48:22
they won now that they won the
48:23
championship.
48:24
>> It to me I I said I said this before
48:27
that is the greatest moment in New York
48:29
sports history. There's no question in
48:31
my mind because they won. Did you enjoy
48:33
today's episode? If you love the
48:35
conversation today, the best way to
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48:56
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