Hour 1: Brunson & Jeter

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg — Hour 1: Brunson & Jeter

Date: May 21, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Platform: ESPN New York & YouTube

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Episode Overview

The trio reunites for a classic New York sports hour, diving deep into the anticipation for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers. They break down the Knicks’ playoff composure, the streak they’re riding, and—most memorably—deconstruct Jalen Brunson’s growing legend in the city, with intriguing comparisons to Derek Jeter. Spirited, quick-witted exchanges about weather, legendary stories from arena history, the psychology of betting, and listener calls on New York’s best playoff comebacks round out this engaging session.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Weather & NY Vibes

• The hosts trade stories about enduring a brutal New York storm after the previous day’s show, reveling in the unique anticipation that builds just before torrential rain in Manhattan.
  • [01:24] Don: “Just the mere moments before it starts to rain. The clouds are all dark... the wind is howling… it’s a warm breeze, and there’s like a purple hue… very fascinating to just be in that moment.”
  • [03:29] Rosenberg: Highlights how New York takes on a “Gotham” vibe right before a storm and draws a parallel to the excitement around a big Knicks game night.

2. Knicks vs. Cavs, Game 2 Preview: Betting & Psychology

• The main focus is the Knicks’ prospects in Game 2 after a gritty comeback win in Game 1.

  • [05:13] Rosenberg: Notes the line has shifted from Knicks -6 to -5.5, with money coming in on the Cavs.
  • [05:26] Don: Asserts that betting on the Cavs is “an ignorant bet… you’re betting in NBA terms of how things usually go when you get to the conference final, but if you really know the Knicks, you know betting the Cavs is throwing money away.”
  • [07:06] Rosenberg: “What you’re missing is the Knicks were awful in game one… For 41 minutes they didn’t play their game. …If Cleveland's going to get a win… it would be game 3.”

• They dissect betting psychology around “law of averages” and whether the Knicks’ winning streak (tied for franchise record at 8) has to end soon.

  • [07:55] Don: “At some point, the streak has to end... will it get to nine?”
  • [08:26] Alan: Recalls Knicks’ longest regular season streak was nine; rare to see such streaks continue, even across sports (compares to NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes streak).

3. Arena Lore: From Monkey Skeletons to Manure

• A tangent blossoming into a classic New York sports media moment:
  • [09:08] Don: Reminisces about the circus in Madison Square Garden, playoff hockey/hoops games played elsewhere due to elephants and manure in the building.
  • [10:55–11:51] Rosenberg & Don: Enthusiastically recount the story of a mummified monkey found in the Boston Garden rafters in 1998, presumably escaped from a 1930s circus, living off arena leftovers for years.
    • [11:26] Alan: “Please look this up. This is a great town to tell.”
    • [11:51] Rosenberg: “The mummified remains were found hidden in the arena’s rafters… believed to have escaped from the Ringling Brothers Circus… feeding off leftover arena snacks.”
    • [12:33] Don: “Maybe when the circus came back, he’d re-matriculate into the rest of the monkeys, and when they leave, he’d disappear again.”

4. Jalen Brunson’s Pedigree & Leadership: The Jeter Comparison

The Spark:

• The NY Post’s “Brunson/Jeter” headline echoes a frequent show discussion: Is Brunson’s impact on the Knicks akin to Derek Jeter’s Yankees legacy?

The Deep Dive:

• Discusses how rare it is for a player without prior pro championship pedigree to become “the reason you win,” contrasting Brunson to Messier, Hernandez, Gibson, and others who arrived with rings.

  • [14:03] Don: “For Brunson to come here, not with a ton of experience… and be that guy, it’s very rare.”
  • [15:12] Alan: Raises the importance of “winning pedigree” at any level, referencing Brunson’s college career (two NCAA titles) as an overlooked asset.
  • [16:45] Alan: Highlights the “winner” culture Brunson brings: “Maybe people overlooked that with Brunson. Once he was given the opportunity to be a leader, [he created] a standard about who he is, empowered others, and let his winning attitude set the tone.”
  • [17:02] Don: “Winning is winning. Just knowing how to win, being in those situations…”

• Where does Brunson’s mentality fit the Jeter mold?

  • [18:57] Rosenberg: “The attitude is Jeter. Also... players who are not at any point the best player in their league, but in crunch time become the best player. That’s also Jeter.”
  • [19:11] Don: “The comparison is always saying the right thing, being the guy that comes up big almost every time you ask him to come up big… The clutch gene, knowing in the biggest market in the country to never have a misstep when every microphone is waiting for Brunson to have a misstep... always talking up his teammates…”

5. Knicks-Cavs Game 1 Analysis; Adjustments for Game 2

• [24:34–29:41] Alan: Detailed X’s & O’s breakdown of the Knicks’ struggles and rally in Game 1—a goldmine for hoopheads.
  • Explains the failed Knicks defensive strategy in Q2/Q3 (over-trapping, copying Detroit’s failed scheme), the slow offensive start, and how Jalen Brunson’s ISO heroics and late three-point surges swung the game.
  • Cautions that running “Brunson ISO” for 48 minutes isn’t sustainable; demands better ball movement and offensive counters.
  • Highlights Cavs fatigue vs. Knicks’ rest advantage: “Out of the top four players in minutes these playoffs, three are Cavs. The Knicks don’t have a single guy in the top 10.”
  • Predicts that normalizing the Knicks’ three-point shooting will be the key, and that Cavs could tire in crunch time.

6. Listener Calls: Playoff Comebacks & Knicks’ Legacy Rank

• [31:32–36:52]
  • Danny (Long Island): Lists best New York sports playoff comebacks that led to championships (Yankees ’96, Islanders ’82, Mets ’86)—deep dives into the lore.
  • Matt (Bronx): “Where does this Knicks team rate versus ’94 and ’99?”
    • [36:59] Alan: 1999 team (like this group) “figured it out in the playoffs,” even as an 8th seed. “If Ewing was healthy, they’d have beaten the Spurs.”
    • [39:41–41:18] Comparison: ’94 Knicks, “the closest NY has been to winning since ’73—odds-on favorite; this team has to reach the Finals first to join that company.”

7. Quick-Hit Pop Culture: Isaac Hayes, South Park, Simpsons

• [42:30–47:05]
  • Lively repartee about how each host remembers Isaac Hayes (Shaft theme, or as “Chef” and “Salty Balls” from South Park); musings on South Park, Simpsons, and Beavis & Butt-Head as touchstones for their respective generations.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [05:26] Don: “Betting the Cavs is throwing money away. Now, you might win because it's sports. But to me, the smart money would be going on the Knicks.”
• [15:12] Alan: “You want guys who are just used to winning, cultured type players… And Brunson was all those things in college—still ended up being a second round pick. All because of the size factor, right? But the guy’s a winner.”
• [18:57] Rosenberg: “Players who are not at any point the best player in their league, but in crunch time become the best player. That’s also Jeter.”
• [24:34] Alan: “The Knicks had better have some counters for what the Cavs were doing against that offense. Because the Cavs will be ready for the next time Brunson wants to do the one-on-one stuff. They’re not going to leave Harden on an island anymore.”
• [31:40] Danny (caller): “The Knicks coach could be in the locker room saying, 'We played our worst game in a month and we still managed to come back.'”
• [36:59] Alan: “99 is more closely related to this [current] team because they figured it out in the playoffs… clicking at the right time.”
• [39:41] Rosenberg: "When you look at the '94 roster... it is a team that's known for defense. But just not a lot of offensive weapons."

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:24]–[03:56] — Weather, Gotham Vibes, Big Game Feel
• [05:13]–[08:50] — NBA betting philosophy, Knicks/Cavs preview, winning streak talk
• [09:08]–[12:34] — Arena and circus lore: monkey skeleton anecdote
• [13:02]–[20:25] — Jalen Brunson's leadership, college pedigree, Jeter comparisons
• [24:34]–[31:28] — Knicks Game 1 in-depth breakdown; strategy for Game 2
• [31:32]–[36:52] — Best NY playoff comebacks; ranking Knicks teams across eras
• [42:30]–[47:16] — Pop culture: Isaac Hayes, South Park, animated shows
• [47:21]–End — Listener spike: Knicks’ roster management, playoff stamina

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Tone, Energy & Dynamic

The energy is boisterous, irreverent, deeply knowledgeable—and relentlessly New York. The hosts trade banter and decades of sports memories while deftly toggling between analysis, fan perspective, and inside media stories. Alan’s tactical breakdowns balance Don's charismatic nostalgia and Rosenberg's everyman wit, creating a pod that's both insightful and a love letter to NY sports culture.

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For Further Listening

Episode is ideal for Knicks fans, New York sports history buffs, or anyone wanting a rowdy, thoughtful barbershop-style debate on what it means to be a winner in the world’s toughest sports town.

Transcript

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[Don Hahn]

This isn't Vietnam, it's radio Hanh.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, he had a handful of

[Podcast Host]

twig and berries and Rosenberg.

[Rosenberg]

Everything about it was pure, unadulterated ass.

[Don Hahn]

This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.

[Podcast Host]

This is Don Han and Rosenberg.

[Don Hahn]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Podcast Host]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Don Hahn]

Three o' clock in the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg. It is a full vehicle today. If you're consuming us on 880. We'll be leaving you at about 20 minutes after 3 o' clock to go to coverage of the Mets and the Nationals. But stick with us on the app, stick with us on YouTube because that's where we'll be until 7 o' clock. And then we'll hand it off to Pat O' Keefe for coverage of game two of the Eastern Conference final between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks. Peter and I are here in our studios in Soho. Over at Madison Square Garden is Alan Hahn holding down the fort? They're getting ready for the pre and the post on msg. How's everybody doing today?

[Alan Hahn]

A lot drier today than I was yesterday, I'll tell you that. But when we left the studio, that storm hit and hit hard, didn't it? Like, I didn't know it was supposed to be that bad, but it was awful.

[Don Hahn]

One of the cool moments for me is just the mere moments before it starts to rain. Oh, the Best when there's a thunderstorm.

[Rosenberg]

It was the best.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I agree.

[Don Hahn]

The clouds are all dark. It's the, the wind is howling, but it, but it's like a. It's a warm breeze, and there's like a purple hue to the sky. Like, it really is cool. It's very fascinating to just be in that moment and it lasts for maybe a minute or so, and then it's all hell because then it just downpours and, and it happens fast. And what happened to Allen on his way home last night happened to me around this time last year where I had to go through Staten Island. It took me like three hours to get home because it rains fast, it floods, and in all that. But hopefully everybody's okay. It's a drizzly kind of rainy day today. Back to what we saw for most of May, where It's in the low 60s. So that heat got blown out by the storm last night, but hopefully everybody's safe and sound and getting ready for game two tonight at the Garden.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I, I, I went to a Shiva yesterday for, for my, My guy, Barry Blouse. You know, I talked about last week, the lovely, lovely Shiva up there on the Upper east side. And at one point then, oh, my God, it looks like it's all coming down. I looked out their window, and it was just one of those views of Manhattan where it just looks epic.

[Alan Hahn]

Gotham, that's when it's Gotham.

[Rosenberg]

It really does turn into Gotham at that moment. I'll tell you what, it's gonna feel like Gotham again tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

Big did there.

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

Game two.

[Don Hahn]

Big game two.

[Rosenberg]

I've already put my money where my mouth is.

[Alan Hahn]

Already did it.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Rosenberg]

Nix to cover the six. Yeah, I was on the show.

[Don Hahn]

You should listen.

[Rosenberg]

It's a great show.

[Caller Danny]

I didn't know you.

[Caller Spike]

No way.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't know you already did it yesterday. We were talking Oklahoma City and, And the spurs yesterday.

[Don Hahn]

Right. And you talked him out of making money.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, look, that was tough. I can't always be right, guys. Geez.

[Don Hahn]

No, but you didn't have to talk him out of it.

[Rosenberg]

No, I should have just. I should have not listened to him. I've been going. My gut. You were, you were in on. On you. You brought it up.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I was in on it.

[Rosenberg]

You said you loved okc and we had the logic. The logic was there. Listen, San Antonio probably ends up satisfied with a split. It's a, It's a, It's a subconscious thing. And, And OKC is not losing both. And of course, they didn't they end up getting the COVID by one last layup with like 30 seconds left?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, like, it was close.

[Rosenberg]

It was close.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, I was right there. When. When was it hit the corner three? Barnes or Johnson? Somebody had a corner three. And we're at 99, 96, I think. And I'm like, all right. Like, I'm good. And then, you know, things happen.

[Rosenberg]

But now tonight, I'm just seeing if the line has shifted at all. Oh, oh, got lower.

[Don Hahn]

Really? Five and a half. Five and a half.

[Rosenberg]

I'm seeing.

[Alan Hahn]

Why would it do that? That means money's on the cabs.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. People are starting to bet the Cavs.

[Rosenberg]

Why people do that?

[Alan Hahn]

You're expecting a split. Why? Doesn't have to be a split. Just means they're betting it at six and a half.

[Don Hahn]

But I do think that. I think people are betting Cavs because they think it's going to be a competitive game. Again, they're looking at it the wrong way. In my opinion. Anybody betting the Cavs are looking at it without really knowing the Knicks well and just kind of betting it like. Like you did last night. Well, of course the Thunder are going to go off the mat. They had a miserable double overtime loss. They're going to get off the mat. All the Cavs are going to bounce back. They were dominant for 75% of that game. Probably should have won the game. Didn't. So they'll bounce back and they'll even series. That's how somebody could look at, like any series without really having an intimate knowledge of the two teams or the journey and what's been happening. Because if you know the Knicks, you know, the Knicks hadn't played in nine days. And what we saw from the Knicks in the final seven and a half minutes is what the Knicks have been for almost all of these playoffs, with the exceptions of Games 2 and 3 of the Atlanta series.

[Alan Hahn]

42, 11. 44 to 11.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, exactly. So that to me, and I don't. Not using this word pejoratively, I believe the cat. I think that's an ignorant bet in the sense that you're just. You're betting that in NBA terms of how things usually go when you get to the conference final. How would history tells you when you see two good teams play each other? Because if you, if you've been on this Nick team and following this team, next team the way we are, you know that betting the Cavs is. Is throwing money away. Now, you might win because it's sports. Right. You never know. But to me, the smart money would be going on the next.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think I'm with Don completely. I think. I think the untrained. I thinks close game one, Knicks were luckily lucky to get out of there with a win. You're correct. However, what you're missing is the Knicks were awful in game one. They didn't play their game at all for 41 minutes. So I believe the Knicks will look more like the Knicks that they've been throughout the last eight, nine games. And this will be an easier game for the Knicks. And I think if Cleveland's going to get a win, if I were to pick a spot to not pick the Knicks, although I will because I'm committed to the gimmick at this point, it would be game three. I think going back to Cleveland, the

[Don Hahn]

other aspect could be, and I fall into this, that you are aware of what the Knicks have been doing. You are aware of the Cavs and all that. Is it just the law of averages? Like, at some point, the streak has to.

[Alan Hahn]

They've won eight.

[Don Hahn]

They've won eight straight games. It's the franchise record. It's tied the most we've seen in this postseason. And the team that did it, the Thunder, had it end at 8, and they're the defending champions. So could it be that where there is logic to. All right, at some point this is going to have to end. Sure, it's easy to say it'll end in Cleveland, but will it get to nine?

[Rosenberg]

Maybe that is what the bet is. Maybe people now are trying to get in on the it has to end

[Alan Hahn]

law of averages thing. Yeah. The Knicks longest winning streak this season during the regular season, I believe was nine.

[Don Hahn]

Because you don't see these streaks very even, even in hockey. Right. Like Carolinas right now, they swept their first two series. They won eight straight. You don't see that happen. So will they get bit? They. They. They had to sit for, I think it's 11 days. Allen. Last time they played, when they play Montreal tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

So it's not the longest since like 1919 or something like that.

[Don Hahn]

It's ridiculous. But that's.

[Caller Matt]

We were at war.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. You couldn't play for 12 days because we were at war.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And nobody counted back then, either. It's like you play. When you play. Shut up.

[Alan Hahn]

That's. That's a good point.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Well, you're. You're probably paying us to play back.

[Caller Danny]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

You know, the circus is in town. The arena's not available. You have to wait.

[Don Hahn]

I always found that hilarious that you Know, you know, the Rangers would have to go play all of their Stanley cup final games in Toronto because the circus was in town.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's a true story. It's a true story.

[Don Hahn]

No, it is.

[Rosenberg]

The Knicks.

[Alan Hahn]

The Knicks played at NBA Finals games in the 50s. They played them. They played them at an armory.

[Don Hahn]

Listen. Well, listen.

[Rosenberg]

The circus has to get booked.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, the circus was drawing people in there.

[Rosenberg]

That was addressing. That's a guaranteed win.

[Don Hahn]

The circus was.

[Alan Hahn]

That was big money back then.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, listen, you didn't know. It didn't feel like the playoffs. Allen. Right. For the Knicks or Rangers. Unless you smelled like elephant manure.

[Alan Hahn]

That's true. In the building. Because that time.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, like you knew. Because I remember there's the first time when I was covering the Devil's Rangers series in 97 was the second round. It's the first time I had experienced it, like going in there. It's like. Because they moved you to a different location because there were more media and all of a sudden you're smelling manure. Like, why is there the elephants are here? Because they were. They're wedging games in between the circus. You remember, you knew the team was good.

[Alan Hahn]

You would see all the rigging up on the ceiling. Yeah. If you ever watch old games, Rangers or. Or Knicks and their old playoff games, you will notice if they ever show the ceiling. A, there's no scoreboard in the middle. B, there's rigging up on the ceiling. That's because the circus is in town. So there's like trapeze stuff. There's any. They all just. They pulled it up and they, they store it up high, but it's all there. And you always say to like, what's all that crap up on the ceiling?

[Don Hahn]

It was because the circus was the circus. They tap Billy Joel. Get, get, get to step in. Circus is coming. Stamping, stamping the elephant. Move this piano and get, get going. All the buildings did it. I told the story of Boston Garden. When they tore the old Boston Garden down, they found monkey skeletons.

[Alan Hahn]

Stop it. Is that really true?

[Rosenberg]

They say true.

[Alan Hahn]

They got.

[Rosenberg]

They got monkeys. I guess to stayed and had a family. Yeah, they.

[Don Hahn]

They. They escaped the circus. They hid in the bowels of Boston Garden, lived off the Garden. They were able to live off all the peanuts and hot dogs and all that stuff and never could find. And then unfortunately, they didn't. They didn't vacate the premises in time. They imploded the building and. Oh, look what we found.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, crap.

[Rosenberg]

How many do you have?

[Don Hahn]

I don't remember how many it was. I mean, I gotta look this up.

[Rosenberg]

I find it, check it out.

[Alan Hahn]

Please look this up. This is a great town to tell.

[Don Hahn]

I got it already. Yeah, I will. It might be an urban legend. I, I love this story. I believe it.

[Alan Hahn]

I never knew this, but you could

[Don Hahn]

totally see that happening, right? I mean, there's enough, like, after, after shows. Are you kidding me? There's enough, like, food laying around and stuff that they probably. All right, here we go.

[Alan Hahn]

I could have figured it out.

[Rosenberg]

There was only one monkey.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Rosenberg]

The mummified remains were found hidden in the arena's rafters by a demolition crew in 1998. Believed to have escaped from the Ringland Brothers Circus, which performed at the venue in the late 1930s, rumors held that the animal survived in the rafters for years, feeding off of leftover arena snacks and fan concessions before eventually passing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, well, I mean, living off that stuff, you don't know what you're eating. That's unreal.

[Don Hahn]

You know what's amazing is what a great story. The door is occasionally swung open. The monkey could have left.

[Alan Hahn]

Why, why would you.

[Don Hahn]

It's too good. No, I don't want to fend for myself in the streets of Bost.

[Alan Hahn]

I get to watch Larry Bird every other night.

[Caller Spike]

This is great.

[Don Hahn]

The funny thing is that maybe when the circus came back, he'd re matriculate into the rest of the monkeys, and then when they leave, he'd disappear again.

[Alan Hahn]

They wouldn't know he was gone. It's amazing. Bobo shows up in Boston.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, that'd be a great story.

[Alan Hahn]

He loves Boston. Well, then one day he just, like, you know, he finds a female, and he's like, hey, why don't you stay with me? I got a spot up here.

[Don Hahn]

Hey, between this and Mr. Jiggs, you got, like, plenty of great monkey stories coming from Don Hanna Rosenberg. I'll tell you that.

[Alan Hahn]

Nothing better. Nothing.

[Don Hahn]

But I, I, I don't know if you were in a way about it. I didn't, I didn't notice until Anthony sent it to us earlier today that the back page of the Post had the whole Brunson Jeter thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Isn't that funny?

[Don Hahn]

They must have been listening to the show because we've been talking about that and, and I, and I thought about it earlier. I, I just wanted to hit you guys with this because I, I, I'm, I've got a couple of guys in mind. We've seen come to teams like Mark Messier, won five rings, comes to the Rangers. He's the Missing piece, his leadership, his championship pedigree leads them to the promised land, right? You saw it with the Mets. They went out and got Keith Hernandez, who had won a title in 79 with the St. Louis Cardinals. And he steps into that room, hey, guys, I'll show you how to win, right? Kirk Gibson did it with the dodgers back in 88. They couldn't get over the hump. He won a World Series in 84. He brought his leadership in.

[Alan Hahn]

Dave Andrew Chuck with the lightning. Love that story.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it's. But, but here's the thing with Dave. Dave hadn't won. Now, he had played in conference finals. He had tons of experience, but hadn't won, but again, had tons of experience, you know, but for Brunson to come here, not with a ton of experience, not with a ton of postseason experience, and then be that guy, like, it's very rare. The other ones I thought of, like, Scott Stevens did it for the Devils. He hadn't won in Washington.

[Alan Hahn]

He was a great, he was a great player, though, in Washington, but he

[Don Hahn]

was a great player, but he hadn't won. He didn't have a ton of postseason experience, but he was a leader and he led the Devils to three Stanley Cups. It's very rare that guys that hadn't won end up being the reason you won. And, and, but so Brunson's been able to do something that's, it's kind of rarefied air being able to come here and make them a championship team. But he's not bringing it from someplace else, right? Or bringing it from any kind of personal experience. But, boy, has it really shown with this team now. They won a championship yet, but the fact is they came close last year, feeling like they're going to be even closer this year, and it's all because of him or mostly because of it.

[Alan Hahn]

How much do you, how much do you. The, the college success pedigree does that. That's a good matter because that's. He didn't win one, he won two, and he was player of the year. Does that. Like, because, like, look, I'm always about this. I don't think enough is put into play. I heard this a lot in the NFL lately when it comes to drafts. A lot of the, A lot of teams now are looking at, did you win? Were you part of winning? Even late round picks, you'll take a guy that was in a winning organization or part of success, you take him over somebody that might look better physically or any of that stuff that they do in the NFL. But Maybe wasn't part of winning. And you want guys who are just used to winning, winning, cultured type players, especially leadership guys. And Brunson was all those things in college, still ended up being a second round pick. All because of the size factor, right? Short arms, not very tall. And they didn't know how he would translate in the NBA. But the guy's a winner, Josh Hart, winner. And when you start bringing in people that they have that standard, this is who I'm, what I'm about. And then you empower them with leadership. You know, Josh Hart was in other places, New Orleans, the Lakers, Portland. He was never like a leader. He came here and it was like, no, no, you be a voice here because he had his guy, he had Brunson there. And Brunson was emerging as that. I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

It's an interesting question because is that

[Alan Hahn]

pedigree something that people overlooked with Brunson? And once he was given the opportunity to be a leader, his winning, like the whole idea of this guy's a winner, it sort of permeated.

[Don Hahn]

You know, it's interesting too because you'll, you'll, you always heard that about Chris Drury, right? Like he won the Little League World Series. He won at every level. You know, Nedemyer won at every level when he came to the Devils. Right. Um, so I guess there is something about, listen, it's apples and oranges, right? You win one game, you advance. Where in the NBA, you've got to win a best of seven advance. But winning is winning, right? It just knowing how to win, being in those situations. I mean, when Villanelle was winning a national championship. Alan, correct me if I'm wrong, the television rating is probably the same or close to an NBA Finals game, right? And so, you know, the world's watching. You're playing in a building now that's holding 80,000 people. So more people are watching you live than in the arena in the NBA. And if you're able to hit clutch shots and help your team win, who is anybody to say, well, that was only college is the NBA. Yeah, I get it. But winning is winning, right?

[Alan Hahn]

When you're winning, when you're winning in the, in the, in the NCAA tournament, that, that says a lot, but you still have to have the skill. I mean, we've seen guys who were great college players who won big time championships which couldn't, it just didn't translate in the NBA. But I, I just wonder like that's, that's such an overlooked story in this whole thing. Is you added a guy that, that had a winning pedigree and it might not have been in the NBA, but he had it. And once he was given like the ability to just go ahead and take the lead, his game had to do the first part of it, which is, oh, wait, there's something different about this dude. But then allowing him to be that leader. Look, look at the stuff he's saying after a win like that. Is he talking about greatness? You know, is he, is he bragging about the team? The first thing he talked about was how well, you know, for three quarters we weren't very good. We need to fix that. Right? Like he, it's the right mindset. And that's the Jeter stuff, if you ask me. That's the connection to Jeter that I'm feeling.

[Rosenberg]

Well, both, I love, I love both things. It's the attitude is Jeter. And also the thing we were talking about in the meeting yesterday, Players who are not at any point the best player in their league, but in crunch time become the best player. That's also Jeter.

[Don Hahn]

Like and, and, and listen, Jeter's got rings and Brunson has none. Okay, so that, but that's not the comparison. The comparison is always saying the right thing. Being the guy that comes up big almost every time you ask him to come up big. That's why when we take phone calls from Yankee fans about Jeter and Judge, that they all will take Jeter over Judge even though Judge is the better player. Jeter couldn't help but come through in almost every chance. And Judge so far hasn't to be able to win the ring. But that's what we're talking about is the clutch gene knowing in the biggest market in the country to never have a misstep, never make a mistake, never say the wrong thing when every microphone, right Allen, is waiting for Brunson to have a misstep. Waiting him for to say something so they can jump him. Yeah, build him up to knock him down. And yet I'm not a star. Always talking up his teammates instead of talking about himself and having his biggest moments coming in the biggest points of a game, especially in the final seven minutes of game one. That's where the comparison lies. Nowhere else.

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[Don Hahn]

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[Podcast Host]

thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Caller Danny]

All right, guys.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Don Hahn]

Just getting started here on a Thursday. 1-800-919-3776 is the number to call. It's always cool to get the vibe of fans a little bit after the fact, right? Like everybody was on a high the way they won game one, and now you kind of settle back into it and you evaluate where you are and you got to feel great if you're a Knick fan about them winning the series and taking a two nothing series lead. But I just wonder now that the euphoria of the win fades a bit. Like, how do you analyze it? How do you look at it? Because as we opened the show, you know, Peter saw that the number went down. There are people that are betting the Cavs, are they silly? Is it the law of averages because the Knicks are due to lose or is there something that we're missing that where maybe the first three and a half quarters of that game is kind of the way this series is going to go? I don't see it that way. I think the Knicks are a superior team. But could this be how every game goes in the series? Not, not the domination of the Cavs for three and a half quarters, but a Cavs team that's not going to go quietly into that good night.

[Alan Hahn]

I looked at that game, I watched it back and when you really think about it, the Knicks in the last five minutes of the second quarter is where it fell apart for them. And they, it was 20, 21 to 5. The Cavs started making shots and they started getting into their rhythm of their offense. And the Knick defense wasn't very good, right. There was a lot of scrambling going on. So it started there. And then of course, the third quarter they gave up 35 points and that's when the Cavs really look like that was the offense. And I remember it, that offense is what they were using against Detroit and it was killing Detroit. And it was the same thing. The Knicks kept trapping, trying to get the ball out of Harden's hands, trying to create turnovers because that is the biggest weakness we know of the Cavs. So it started to become like, why stop trapping? It's not working. They know how to beat it because Detroit was doing it. You're basically making it easy for them. They don't have to prepare for you because they already prepared for this defense. So it was a bit of a mistake. But sometimes I think in a series, especially early on. I'm gonna try this. Let me see what this looks like. I'm gonna try this. What do they do? What's their counter? You just want to make notes. And I think they kind of did that. Plus, he was trying to get his offense going, which wasn't doing well because of the missed threes, tons of them. I think what Mike Brown was thinking was we got to get some transition points, and by doing that, we got to create turnovers, but it wasn't working. So it was. A lot of what the Knicks were doing was leading to the Cavs playing very easy and very comfortable. It wasn't like the Knicks were just playing their ass off defensively and just getting torched. It was. It was what they were doing in that moment. And I was like, why? And again, if I was still a Beatri, that's. These are questions I'd be asking, like, what made you go to the trapping there? Like, what was that about? Were you trying to see something? Because it clearly wasn't working, and they've already seen that. I watched that whole series. The Cavs were breaking that Detroit press over and over again, and it was leading to easy baskets, whether it was a cross court pass for an open three or a layup from their bigs, because the bigs have to help. So when the fourth quarter started, there was still, like, this frustration with the Knicks not being able to just get easy, generate any offense whatsoever. And that's when I saw Jalen Brunson have his, you know, a couple of huddles where he's like, you know, telling guys, like, to stay in it. He's really being demonstrated, which he never does. And then the offense became clear out. Let me run some ISO. Let me just go one on one with some guys and get something going. And he got. Not just hot, like, he got red hot. He made some shots. Guys, as fun as that run was, he made some improbable shots that only, like, a superstar can make these shots. Like, he was on another level with some of the shot made. 1. One shot went off the high part of the glass bounced in. So it was a confluence a lot of things, but what you learn was, number one, the Knicks really still have to get their true offense, the one that was working against Atlanta and was working against the Sixers. They got to get that thing on track, because I promise you, they're not going to just go back to running ISO with Brunson for 48 minutes. That's not going to happen. They need to run that offense with Towns as the hub because it's too easy to just this. Trust me, the Cavs will be ready for the next time Brunson wants to do the, the one on one stuff. They're not going to leave Harden on an island anymore. So that's gotta, that's got to happen from the beginning. You gotta. The Knicks had better have some counters for what the Cavs were doing against that offense. But I'm looking at the Cavs offense and what I saw later in the game was the Knicks defense started getting after it and Landry Shammit made a difference defensively against Donovan Mitchell and those two guys got tired. They're carrying a lot of minutes. So this game too with one day off still favors the Knicks in my opinion because they learned some things in the game and still won it despite the fact that they didn't play well. And most Importantly, they were 4 for 23 from 3 through the first 3 quarters, then went 6 for 9 the rest of the game. Somewhere in between is their 40% average. That's who they are. So the fact that the rust, they shook it off by knocking down some of those threes, if they start out the game and they're back to like, okay, when we kick it out, we get an open three, we're going to knock it down 40% of the time. It's going to be a hard offense to stop. So that's what I'm looking at is the heavy minutes that the Cavs have. Think about this and I know I'm going on a tangent, but I just want to put all this stuff in you guys heads so you can react to it. The Cav. Out of the top four players who have played the most minutes total in the NBA playoffs this year, three of them are Cavs. The one that's number one is Cade Cunningham. He's not playing anymore. And when James Harden gets five minutes tonight, he'll pass Cade and then, and then he'll be number one. He's 36 years old. The Knicks aren't even in the top 10. There's not a single Knick in the top 10 in minutes. So the rest rust thing, the rust you want to see was completely knocked off. The rest factor, the fatigue factor. That stuff's going to matter when we get to the fourth quarter. Again, if this is a close game,

[Don Hahn]

hey, I would be looking at this completely different if both teams finish their respective second round series at the same time.

[Alan Hahn]

Great point.

[Don Hahn]

Right. Because then you'd be like, what happened to the Knicks? What's going on here? We do explain it away by having nine days off.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

As most likely the reason they got off to the slow start if it were to happen again. Well, now, now there's an issue right now. Something's, that's why I'm watching it, because

[Alan Hahn]

the, the, especially the first half, two for 19 down that.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

If they're, if, if they'd make, if they make five threes, five instead of two, they get, they get seven. Seven or 19. Right.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Even if it's six for 19, they're leading at the half. You know what I mean? Like, you're, you're, you're feeling differently because all right, there's, there. They hit some shot, they hit some threes. You know, clearly if they're 8 for 8 or 9 for 19. Now, now you're, you're really, now you're talking. But even if it was just still a low 30%, they'd be leading at the half. They would have had a different feel in that third quarter. But because they were so bad from three and it took three quarters to finally get there to calibrate, it's hard to believe they're going to shoot that poorly again from three because it wasn't like some defense that, God, they couldn't get off a three. No, they were hesitating. Some of the guys didn't feel in rhythm. Josh Hart wouldn't, He didn't want to shoot. OG Anunoby, you could tell. Also, he even admitted it. He said, it took me about three quarters to find my rhythm. I just had to get my legs under me. He hadn't played in two weeks, so you just don't expect that. And if they're hitting those threes at a normal percentage, you know, offensively, they're, they're still going to be able to put up a big number. And can the Cavs keep up with them? That's, that's going to be the story of game two.

[Don Hahn]

1-800-919-3776. The number to call. Let's go to Danny on Long Island. You get us started here on Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Caller Danny]

Good afternoon, gentlemen. Wait. Looking forward to the game tonight. Boy, the first three games of both series here have been just fantastic basketball. And the funny thing is you talk about the psychology of sports and that if you're in a locker room, the Cleveland coach can be saying, listen you know, we played, we had them. We played our game for three quarters and we took a miracle. So just play your game, we'll be okay. And the Knicks coach could be in the locker room saying, we played our worst game in a month and we still managed to come back. So let's just stay calm and everyone move on to game two. I mean, it's been tremendous basketball. And I agree, you'd both be right. You could say the Knicks were rusty, and they clearly were. You could say that Cleveland ran out of steam because they played so many games, and you'd be right. So now we need to see what happens in game three, where the series develops its character. Is it going to stick to this? Are the Knicks going to keep going or are we going to have a real series now? We're going to see what happens. It takes three or four games to get into the series to see exactly what's going on. So we're interested to see what that is. And Don, I have a short list for you.

[Don Hahn]

Yes.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Caller Danny]

Okay. I have the in my memory that I've witnessed, I have the best three New York Sports playoff comebacks. All three led to a championship. So it might have been some random games somewhere that I'm not counting, but I'll give you three in game, in game comebacks that led eventually to a championship. Jim Lyrics Game game three of the yes. Yankees down two games to none and six nothing. Come all the way back here. It's the big three run. Home run ties the game. Yankees go on to win four in a row. Island is down three to one in a elimination game to the Penguins. Second year of the dynasty. Down two goals with five minutes to go. They score two goals to tie it and win it in overtime. And they don't lose a game. I always lose game the rest.

[Alan Hahn]

Canelli, of course, yes. I'll never forget his celebration after he was literally dancing like the way he was on his toes after he scored that goal. Never forget that. Great reference.

[Caller Danny]

If you go on YouTube, if you go on YouTube and watch the overtime, it's just unbelievable.

[Alan Hahn]

But I don't think they lost the

[Caller Danny]

game the rest of the the playoffs after that. And, and last but not least, the greatest one, of course, is The Mets, Game 6 of the World Series. And then special note that in game seven, they were actually down three nothing into the sixth inning. I left out the jets, of course, because they don't actually have a great playoff moment. Other than that, everybody enjoyed the game.

[Caller Spike]

Can I add one?

[Alan Hahn]

Can I add one yes, yes. I mean, how about Devil's Rangers 94, game six, they're down. What was it? Was it two Nothing, two to one.

[Don Hahn]

It was two Nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

They were about to be eliminated.

[Don Hahn]

Kovalev scores the goal, right. To make it 2:1.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a huge comeback.

[Don Hahn]

And the Rangers said, you know, because all the Ranger fans that were at the Metal Lands, they were quiet because the Devils were dominating the game. And Kovalev scores, the Ranger fans start to get hurt. They had the momentum and then they blew him out in the third. But you know, listen to nothing is not impossible to come back from. But, but I still contend if Kovalev doesn't score and the Devils go into the third up to nothing, they win the game. Especially that change the momentum. And you know, the mets had the two comebacks, you know, in game the game six and seven against the Red Sox and of course the game seven against the Astros. Down three nothing going into the the ninth inning. And then they were down in the SEM in game seven. And of course in game six, it was just the miracles galore in that 86 run for the Mets. Yeah, and, and, and everybody remembers, we've talked about this quite a bit, that even though it was game six of the Astro Series, every Met fan felt like it was really game seven because they were not going to beat Mike Scott in game seven.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

And you never hear that. That never comes up in any other example of well, we weren't going to win game seven. You know, as good a team as that was. But Mike Scott had their number. Was he doctor in the ball? We'll never know. But like he was untouchable and they were not going to hit him in a game seven, you wouldn't thing. So they felt like they had to win that game because they were not win game seven. So they felt they played that game. And I remember watching it as a fan. It's game six, they're up three two in the series. And I felt like it was a game seven like that. They, even though they weren't facing elimination, it felt like they were facing elimination.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I remember that. The tension of that game.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it's. It's pretty crazy. Good. That was a good call.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to Matt. He's in the Bronx. You're on Don on a Rosenberg.

[Caller Matt]

Hey, good afternoon, fellas. Thank you for taking my call.

[Don Hahn]

You got it.

[Caller Matt]

I want to start by saying how psyched I am about tonight's game. Like most of New York, see what they have tonight, you know, they should hopefully come out a little. A little better than the other night. And I had a question which I want to preface by saying I am not in any way saying that this Knicks team is definitely going to make the Finals. You have to play the games. And obviously this group has not made the finals in years past. But where would you guys rate this team compared to the 94 or 99 team? Considering 94 is probably the most gritty team in my opinion and had Ewing in his prime, who might have been the biggest superstar. And then the 99 team was special in their own way. So I just wanted to get your opinion and let's go next.

[Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks a lot for the call, Matt. I'll love you start. Obviously you were a fan then of the team.

[Alan Hahn]

99 is more closely related to this because they figured it out in like in the playoffs. We talked, we.

[Caller Danny]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

We talked to Marcus Camby about this. Like it just because it was such a shortened season. They only played 50 games with a lockout and they had added pieces like Camby and, and, and Sprewell and they had to figure it all out. How was it going to work Spreewell with Houston? You know, Starks was gone at that point. Ewing. Ewing had gotten hurt during the season and had to play through a lot of stuff, but he was still Patrick Ewing. And they were like barely over.500. They made the playoffs in like the last week of that season. They were an eight seed, but nobody saw them at that. And they just kind of clicked at the right time. And that's what like I feel like this team, even though it wasn't an eight seed, but clicking at the right time seems to be like that. And a veteran team that you felt like it was a time. They felt like it was their time. And I still will. I still contend that if Ewing was healthy, if he didn't have the calf injury that kept him out, he couldn't play. He barely really could move. He wasn't in great shape because he was representing the union in all the talks and he never really got to put in a full off season of conditioning. So he was not right. But if he's right, I still think they have a better. And Larry Johnson's back went out on him. There were too many things that happened in the run that took away from their chance to actually win the thing. But they had a lot of miracle moments.

[Don Hahn]

Hey. Marcus said he thinks they would have won.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Wasn't hurt.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a belief there because there's no way Patrick And Marcus, they had a big front line. What they had with Larry Johnson, that would have been enough to go up against what that spurs team had with obviously Tim Duncan and David Robinson. The 94 team, I don't see a comparison because that, that, that team, I mean you remember Michael. Michael beat them every year. But that was the year Michael wasn't there. It was, it was sort of like the window had opened and they had to win it. But they, they were. I mean they were together for such a long time through so many wars and then to have Michael not there, that's not really what you could say about this team. Yeah, they've been through wars. That's similar. But that was an older team. I don't know if this team. I would compare them. That 94 team is still. That's the closest the Knicks have been to truly winning a championship. Obviously game seven. This team has to get to the finals before you can put put them on that same level.

[Rosenberg]

When you look at the 94 roster, it is funny though because like obviously, and obviously it's a team that's known for defense. But it is interesting to look at it Alan, because they just did not have a lot of offensive weapons. I mean you obviously know they're a defensive team.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Look at, look what they averaged per game.

[Rosenberg]

And just trying to look at where they're getting the points from.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean it's Hubert Davis. It was random. It was very rare. No, it was, it was. Patrick did a lot. He carried the load offensively. And Starks and Harper, you know, like that's. They would get offense from guys like

[Rosenberg]

that and Hubert Davis and it's a, it's an interesting bunch.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but they were, they were a physical.

[Rosenberg]

I mean Oakley was good for four

[Alan Hahn]

point count, but that, but that's what you. That's why it's. It's different to compare. But I still be. It's not styles. It's more of where they were in comparison to the rest of the NBA. That team was literally. They were right there. They went into that season the, the odds on favor to win the championship. I believe the Knicks went into this season number two or number three in odds to win the championship. And so it's this. That's the closest they've been since as the odds on favorite since 94. They're going into the 94 season. So they got to get there first for me to say, all right, this is the best team since the 73 team. The one that, you know, easily one. They were the best team in the league that year. They, they were a great team. But that 94 team still is ahead of them right now because you obviously have to make that next step and get into the final.

[Don Hahn]

This is what everyone's talking about. Everything's on the table. This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. No do overs, no second chances, no

[Podcast Host]

more Mr. Nice Guy. This is winner take all.

[Don Hahn]

And it's all happening now on the home of the the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app.

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[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host]

Catch the show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Rosenberg]

I didn't. I'll be honest, I didn't know the Isaac Hayes song before. As you can tell. Before the Jay Zone.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I do. I know Politics As Usual by Jay Z. Isaac Hayes. You know Shaft. Right?

[Rosenberg]

I know plenty of.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, sure, right.

[Rosenberg]

Yeah, like you dream about.

[Don Hahn]

And then unfortunately, or fortunately, depending how you look at it, he had the reemergence with the salty balls on.

[Rosenberg]

Sorry.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I mean, I don't think that's what he wanted to be remembered for. Well, hold on.

[Caller Spike]

He.

[Rosenberg]

He certainly knew it was a big deal.

[Don Hahn]

I.

[Rosenberg]

Because it was big when he was alive. Like, it was a huge deal.

[Don Hahn]

It was a big deal. But I'm thinking standpoint. I mean, if that's the second thought, the second thong song that people think of.

[Rosenberg]

Now you're forgetting stuff.

[Don Hahn]

No, but I'm just saying I'm not

[Rosenberg]

thinking just the character because he was the character on the show.

[Don Hahn]

We're having a conversation about him and I mentioned Shaft and then Salty balls is the second thing. I'm sure he's rolling in his grave right now. Like, I'm not saying that he doesn't want to be remembered for that. He chose to do it. It was a big thing. South Park.

[Rosenberg]

But you're jumping right to the salty balls part. I didn't remember the name of the song. I Just remembered his voice being the character on the show.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's that.

[Rosenberg]

I remember that more than the song.

[Alan Hahn]

The song, though, because he would make his. He would make meatballs, right. For the, for the kids. And he would sing about the salty balls.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Put them in your mouth and suck them.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Very detailed.

[Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Caller Danny]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

And, like, the lunch ladies would all swoon while he sang the song.

[Don Hahn]

This is a musical dignitary.

[Rosenberg]

Oh. Walk on by Isaac Hayes. Great record.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just saying that I stand accused.

[Rosenberg]

The look of love.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

But like Richie Havens, these are. These are iconic people. He's right up there. And I'm sure he does not want that song to be the second song mentioned by some yo yo in sports.

[Rosenberg]

But what I'm saying is it didn't have to be that you're the yo

[Don Hahn]

yo who made the choice.

[Rosenberg]

But it shouldn't have been. It should have been. I, I. I honestly do. Alan, tell me the truth.

[Alan Hahn]

What's that?

[Rosenberg]

When Isaac Hayes just came up and I just. Please give me your God's honest truth. Don't be on any side. I don't care where you fall. When we started talking about Isaac Hayes, did any part of you go to Salty Balls, or are you just thinking, he's a legend, full stop? And then the other extra bonus thing at the end was the south park. That just obviously had a big impact on your life.

[Don Hahn]

But I'm just.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm being honest. I'm being honest, Don. I love the reference, and I always laugh because the character was hilarious and he really seemed to lean into it, which was even more funnier.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

But no, it's not the first thing I think. Oh, it wasn't.

[Don Hahn]

And it wasn't the first thing I thought of.

[Alan Hahn]

You think of Shaft. Of course you think of.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, why not? But there's a lot of people that Salty balls would be the first thing they thought, but depending on what age.

[Rosenberg]

Here's.

[Alan Hahn]

I guess it's an age thing.

[Rosenberg]

You know what, though? Here's why I'm gonna. Here's what I'm gonna say. Don's wrong, though. If you are of the age where that's what you'd think of first, you probably don't even think of his name. You probably don't even really know anything about him. You just know he's the character from South Park.

[Alan Hahn]

You recognize the.

[Rosenberg]

He.

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

He.

[Rosenberg]

He worked at the radio station at. At Kiss, and his son still puts out really good music content. But yeah, Isaac Hayes, what a voice, man. What a vibe. But that's now we need Shaft to come back.

[Don Hahn]

But unfortunately, the kids that found it funny, that was only half funny. What made it so amazingly funny? It's Isaac Hayes.

[Rosenberg]

You know it's Isaac Hayes, right?

[Don Hahn]

It's crazy. They still make them. Andrew Gunling, like, still watches every episode.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I thought you meant the salty ball.

[Don Hahn]

I felt out of that, like, 20 years ago. But there was. When that first came out, when that first cartoon came out, before it was even picked up by Comedy Central, it was like one of the biggest things ever. And because they obviously cut back on the. The art of the cartooning allows them to be topical. Right. Because if they wanted to, you know, spend months having great animation, then they wouldn't be able to have things that happened like the previous Wednesday beyond the new episode. But I kind of fell out of it. There was a time the Simpsons were big for me. There's a time south park was big for me.

[Alan Hahn]

Same.

[Don Hahn]

There's a time the Family Guy was big for me and I was in Butt Head. I just. I can keep it for a little while and then it loses me.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, after a while, it's like, all right, I've seen these jokes. Like, it just starts to become, like, sort of the same idea. But my Simpsons are the most as far as, like, just creative and funny and stuff.

[Don Hahn]

They're all creative.

[Alan Hahn]

And I was, for whatever reason, in the 90s, I just. I got so much into Beavis and Butthead, like, really got into it. And now it's like, I can't. They brought it back and I'm like, I can't watch.

[Don Hahn]

I told you when we were at Sports Phone, we'd have all the games on and one TV had mtv.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

For the videos, for the Real World and for beautiful Butthead. Speaking of Butthead, let's go to Spike in St. Pete, ESPN New York.

[Caller Spike]

Take that as a compliment.

[Don Hahn]

I'm kidding.

[Alan Hahn]

I got. I got some news for you, Spike. I got some news for you, Spike. Oh, Zach. Yes. I didn't know you'd know.

[Caller Spike]

I sent it to. I sent it to you at 9:05 this morning. Real quickly, I wanna. I wanna just say something to all you guys. No, this is all good. I love you guys. Your station. Between you guys and Michael, the shows I listen to because of my hours up and. And Todd Butler coming on after the show and. And Pat o' Keefe and Tyler and Monica and the pre and post on msg. No better coverage anywhere. I know the whole world loves Barkley and that's fine, but to Me, my guys, the local guys. This has been the absolute. Now Nixon really doesn't have a chance because I think the other two teams are going to beat the crap out of each other. I think this is the best coverage locally anywhere. You should all get Emmys. And here's what I saw last night in the Oklahoma City game. As soon as I saw Tony Brothers, I'm a stickler for officiating. I said, he's going to let him play and it's going to be a physical game. And how do these players adjust from. From a Mark Davis to a Tony Brothers to a Scott Forster to Zack Zarbo, who's the most consistent official? At least they know what they're dealing with.

[Alan Hahn]

He's the best one and all.

[Caller Spike]

I could say, yeah, look this. That's a seven gamer. That's a seven gamer. Depending on if Castle. If Castle and Dylan Harper. Dylan Harper, tremendous rookie. Shadowed by the two kids. And Castle's a great defender. Turnovers, points off the turnovers. And they don't let that go. They don't let that goon Dort one day. He can play. All right. And I thought about loss of Thompson. I'm telling you, we could argue till doomsday. I still think Detroit was taken out of that game by the officiator. Neither here nor there. I think the Knicks are going to be fine. I just got off my buddy for two hours. I said, what is going on? See, Thompson put his shoulder down and take Mobley to the basket. Let him wind up on his ass with the N1 and I'll feel really good. And we talked about the hack of Mitch. Just listen to me out real quick and thanks for the time. Don't put Mitch in until the start of the second quarter. He did it twice. You'll be in the penalty with 7:45 to go.

[Alan Hahn]

I know it's the same.

[Caller Spike]

Put in Huck 40 putty if town gets up to 2 minutes.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not going that far. But you are. You are right about when you play Mitch versus because you know they're going to do it. He was 2 for 8 from the free throw line. I mean, it's. It's just. It starts to get crazy. But it does disrupt your offense. And it did disrupt the Knick offense. It was very obvious that it did and it worked. So you had to get him out of the game. So that's true. Definitely have to watch the rotations there. Cat's not going to do that, though. What Spike said.

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

He's.

[Alan Hahn]

He's not going to lower his shoulder and have that dominant big man post up thing because Mobley's bigger, like longer and Cat's not a great two foot jumper so he could bang all he wants into his chest and try to drive him under the rim. The minute he goes up to take a shot, it's getting blocked. He's got to drive and he's got to be a passer and those are the two things. And shoot his threes. That's where you need him to be as aggressive as he can be. But this series isn't going to be easy for him because they've got two guys that can jump, that are seven footers that can block shots and they're going to give him a hard time on his drives and on anything he does around the rim because he's not a great two foot jumper. So you got to live with what you're getting from Katt in this series. He dominated the first two series because the matchups were there. I don't think he's going to have as dominant of a series in this one because they've got big dudes that can contend with him.

[Podcast Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how the

[Alan Hahn]

sausage is made, but I just want to know.

[Podcast Host]

It's good here, but more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.