Hour 1: ECF Predictions

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Summary Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
Episode: Hour 1: ECF Predictions
Release Date: May 21, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Description: Bringing together the voices of ESPN New York legend Don LaGreca, sportswriter and broadcaster Alan Hahn, and Hip Hop veteran and WWE personality Peter Rosenberg, this podcast delves into New York sports and beyond.

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Episode Overview

In this episode titled "ECF Predictions," hosts Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg engage in an in-depth analysis of the Eastern Conference Finals (ECF), focusing primarily on the New York Knicks versus the Indiana Pacers series. The discussion encompasses team performances, key player matchups, coaching strategies, and predictions for the series outcome.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Historical Context and Team Performances

• Don LaGreca reminisces about his early career covering the New Jersey Devils and his experiences during their Stanley Cup run in 2000. He draws parallels between past team performances and the current Knicks' journey.

  "My first year as a pro beat writer... covering the Devils... That season ends. And then they go, all right, well, jump on the Devils... And what a run they had, right, winning the Stanley Cup."
  [02:00] Don LaGreca

• Alan Hahn and Peter Rosenberg reflect on the Knicks' return to the conference finals for the first time since 2000, emphasizing the city's excitement and nostalgic sentiments.

  "First time since May of 1999... That's the last time the Knicks played in a conference final."
  [01:07] Alan Hahn

2. Knicks vs. Pacers Series Analysis

• The hosts delve into the strengths and weaknesses of both teams. Don advocates for the Knicks, highlighting their improved defense and mental toughness gained from overcoming previous playoff challenges.

  "I really believe this is going to go back to Indiana 11 and then we'll see what happens from there."
  [06:24] Don LaGreca

• Peter Rosenberg counters by emphasizing the Pacers' consistency and robust defensive gameplay, arguing that the Knicks' recent success might be a result of momentum rather than inherent superiority.

  "This Pacers team is really good. Really, really solid basketball team...they are a full half a notch better a basketball team. And they will show it over six games."
  [05:28] Peter Rosenberg

• Alan Hahn expresses his prediction of a six-game series favoring the Pacers, citing their balanced team and strategic depth.

  "I am going to be that guy. I'm going to say Pacers in six and I am."
  [06:39] Alan Hahn

3. Key Player Matchups

• Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns emerge as pivotal figures in the series. Don discusses Brunson's evolution from a burden to a leader, especially after overcoming an ankle injury.

  "Jalen Brunson's dagger right against the Pistons. I think this series is the one where Towns has that moment that 20 years from now..."
  [21:40] Don LaGreca

• Peter Rosenberg highlights Towns' versatility and offensive prowess, suggesting that his performance could be the deciding factor in the series.

  "Carl Anthony Towns owned the Pacers this season... he could have a huge series."
  [17:28] Peter Rosenberg

4. Coaching Strategies

• The coaching battle between Rick Carlisle (Pacers) and JJ Mazzulla (Knicks) is dissected, with emphasis on Carlisle's experience and adaptive strategies.

  "Rick Carlisle's had a heck of a coach... he works the media, he works the refs... he's smart now. He's got a ring."
  [37:54] Alan Hahn

• Peter Rosenberg questions JJ Mazzulla's consistency, reflecting on the Knicks' past struggles to close out games against formidable opponents like the Celtics.

  "Missoula's reputation, the quickness with which it took a hit... Terrible. Amazing. Terrible."
  [38:09] Peter Rosenberg

5. Series Predictions and Outcomes

• The hosts present varying predictions, with Alan Hahn firmly backing the Pacers to win the series in six games, while Don LaGreca supports the Knicks to extend the series to seven, reflecting optimism about their defensive cohesion and resilience.

  "I'm rooting hard for the Knicks... I just have this feeling that this Pacers team is going to be more than I think people are bargaining for."
  [08:00] Don LaGreca

  "I think Kenny's team... we're not going to see seven."
  [06:35] Peter Rosenberg

Listener Interactions and Calls

Q&A Section: Fan Predictions and Concerns

Listeners call in to share their predictions and concerns about the series. Moose in Jamaica suggests a classic "quality versus quantity" matchup favoring the Knicks, while Brian in Sleepy Hollow expresses anxiety over the Pacers' physical dominance and their ability to disrupt the Knicks' gameplay.

"If I was super confident in games and winners, I have the Knicks winning."
[24:16] Moose in Jamaica

"The thing that worries me with this series is the length and the size of the Pacers and the pace that they're gonna put the Knicks on."
[34:01] Caller

"The Knicks weren't really that team... They were built to beat Boston... Indiana is going to give us a real problem."
[34:01] Caller

Technical Glitches and Banter

During the call-in segment, some technical issues arise, leading to humorous exchanges among the hosts about callers being put on hold and handling unexpected interruptions.

"It's right here for us."
[13:08] Don LaGreca

"You never know who's calling in today."
[23:48] Don LaGreca

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "This is a more well-rounded Pacer team. I can't say the Pacers are better than the Celtics because the Celtics had a better record in the regular season and won the championship the year before. But I could certainly say that they were playing as good, if not better than the Celtics down the stretch."

  [08:30] Don LaGreca

• "We know we could beat them. We match up well with them... So their mentality has changed, you hope, completely."

  [13:48] Don LaGreca

• "This could be the series that... Jalen Brunson's dagger right against the Pistons... And Siakam is that for Halliburton, the guy that can carry the offense."

  [21:40] Don LaGreca

Concluding Remarks

The episode wraps up with the hosts reinforcing their predictions and encouraging listeners to stay engaged through calls and further discussions. They also touch upon related sports topics, including brief mentions of MLB teams like the Mets and Yankees, and tease upcoming podcast content.

"Nothing bigger right now than the Knicks first conference final appearance since 2000. Let's jump into."
[43:15] Alan Hahn

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Note: This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content sections as per the guidelines. It focuses solely on the substantive discussions and analyses presented by the hosts and their interactions with listeners.

Transcript

[Don LaGreca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don LaGreca]

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[Alan Hahn]

Don, one day you're not gonna play football anymore. And if there's a God up above, it'll be soon.

[Don LaGreca]

Han, huge. No, but Big and Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said. This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.

[Don LaGreca]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg on 8:80, ESPN and the ESPN New York.

[Alan Hahn]

App, 3 o' clock in the big city. Don, Han, Rosenberg on 880, ESPN New York. Look across the table. I see Allen's all dressed up in a suit. And that tells me only one thing. It's a nick day. And boys.

[Unknown]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

First time since May of 1999. 99, baby. That's the last time the Knicks played in a conference final.

[Don LaGreca]

Actually 2000, but they lost that one. We always Forget that one.

[Alan Hahn]

2000.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, we didn't want to talk about that one.

[Alan Hahn]

But 2000, last time they played in a conference final. What were you doing in 2000? Do you remember?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I was covering the islanders actually in 2000. At that time. I was with the Devils.

[Alan Hahn]

By that time. Yeah, because they were. They were.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. That year. Don, think about this. My first year as a pro beat writer, Right. Wet behind the ears. I'm just a kid. Just a kid getting my first opportunity. And I cover the worst team in hockey. And the franchise that was going through owners like a Kardashian goes through athletes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, boy.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm telling you, the end of that season, John Tortorella became the interim head coach because they blew out everybody with the Rangers. You remember? Yeah, right. John Muckler, the whole crew. And they had me then move to finish the season on the Ranger beat again. Fresh face. No, just learn them. Learn as I go. I'm covering that. And then that season ends. And then they go, all right, well, jump on the Devils. And so I'm driving from Long island to New Jersey every day, right? Covering that team. And then flying or whoever they're playing, I'm flying, you know. And they had what a run they had, right? Winning the Stanley Cup. That's my first year. Three teams One season and a Stanley Cup.

[Alan Hahn]

I was doing updates at the Fan and also was a host on an Internet radio station called Iyada.

[Don LaGreca]

This sounds like promising Internet radio in 2000.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow. Me and Ellen Roberts doing a show called Press pass from like 9 to midnight.

[Don LaGreca]

I heard that Press Pass.

[Alan Hahn]

Press Pass is the name of the show.

[Don LaGreca]

Dial up, by the way. Had.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it was this 2000. If it was today, we would be owning it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But Dial up and how difficult it was to listen.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The idea of anyone who wasn't a psychotic nerd figuring out even how to listen to that. So good. Because I know. Because in 2000, I was still. I was on the radio, but I was also doing college radio. And our college radio, we had a 10 watt signal which got.

[Don LaGreca]

Went nowhere in Maryland that reached one dorm, two dorm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It didn't hit all the dorms. And so we were promoting Yo Listen online. You could not find college kids who could figure out how to use the real player. Remember real player, that if the download real player, click the link, it would open the real player. The real player would allow it to play the audio.

[Alan Hahn]

And then if I did get a listener, they would have to make a phone call and disconnect the.

[Don LaGreca]

That's it online, go offline, put it.

[Alan Hahn]

Back onto their tabletop phone and make a phone call back.

[Don LaGreca]

That's. So that's how long it's. It's been a long standard definition. Was that series Standard definition television? Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

But right now, when Marco sees a game, especially hockey and standard def. He's like, why is it glitching? And I don't blame him. I can't watch it because the first thing on DirecTV when there's a storm will lose HD. And then I gotta watch Standard. And it's like, it feels like it's 1974. It was a long time ago. And the journey begins tonight.

[Don LaGreca]

So should today be a day that we allow everybody to decide, call the series, what's it going to be?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

And then you got to stick with it.

[Alan Hahn]

They got to let me see how.

[Don LaGreca]

The first game goes. No, you got to pick it right now.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so why don't we start? Allen, who? How long and why?

[Don LaGreca]

Nixon. Seven.

[Alan Hahn]

Why seven?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Why? They'll outlast them.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

I think home court finally kicks in in this series matters. And I think the. The fully operational Death Star that they finally have become will be a lot for Indiana. But two great coaches who are going to make adjustments. Two really good teams defensively. I think Indiana in Indiana is A really hard place to play, especially when they're buzzing. I just feel like this is going to be a classic. Add it to the lore of Knicks Pacers that we have seen over time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter Rosenberg not even just being that guy because it Sounds catchy. It's Nixon 6.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This Pacers team is really good. Really, really solid basketball team. However, I challenge you to go piece by piece and tell me they have what it takes to beat this Knicks team over a seven game series. If the Knicks are healthy. Now listen, the second God forbid there's a bad injury, everything we're saying blows up anyway. But at this moment in time when the Knicks have everybody they need, unlike last year, they to me are wait for it a full half a notch better a basketball team. And they will show it over six games. Four, two. I think I agree with the sentiment, Allen, that they're a team will win at least one game on the road in the series. And when it's all said and done though, we're not going to see seven. I guess the Knicks will win two on the road.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, they have to. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, wait.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My math so good. I can't figure out for six.

[Don LaGreca]

Just need to get one. Because you have three at home.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's right.

[Don LaGreca]

There'll be three at home total at home. But if there's no seven, then there's three over six.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So one. There's still one there. And. And protect here.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay. All right.

[Alan Hahn]

I am going to be that guy. I'm going to say Pacers in six and I am.

[Don LaGreca]

This man.

[Alan Hahn]

Fine. Because there's two. Let's do I want the next to win? Of course. I want to be wrong. I'm not gonna be that guy, you know, waving pom poms. I'm gonna tell you how I feel. I have always made that decision to myself is that I'm just gonna be honest. I want to see the Knicks win. I've been working at this radio station on September 3rd will be for 24 years. Since the beginning of the radio station first voice on the station. We've had the Islanders, we've had the Rangers, we've had the Knicks, we've had the Jets. We've never had a team win a championship in the 24 years at this station have has been on. I want to see that. And plus, I know Allen, I know Tyler, I know Mike Breen, I know Wally, I know Bill Pedo, I know people. I work at msg. They made it their life's work to see this team or a team at the Garden win a championship. So I want to see that. But when I dissect it, there's a couple of things that I think work against the Knicks. One has nothing to do with the players and that is it seems like everybody and their mother is picking the Knicks because while they just beat the Celtics, of course they're going to beat the Pacers. And I'm not saying the players are going to look past them, but I just feel like it's almost a faded comply that now that they beat the big bad Celtics that the work is done. It's not done. This Pacers team finished just one win away from what the what the Knicks did. They one less win than the Knicks. They also were 237 in their last 30 games. Regular season and post season they're one of the best teams in the NBA down the stretch of the season. They're a tremendous defensive team and I keep circling back to that series against Detroit. Detroit was an upstart team, good team, but not as good as the Pacers and a good defensive team. This is a more well rounded Pacer team. I can't say the Pacers are better than the Celtics because the Celtics had a better record in the regular season and won the championship the year before. But I could certainly say that they were playing as good, if not better than the Celtics down the stretch. And I think they're going to have to play better against the Pacers than they did against the Celtics because nobody wants to say it. Guys. I'm not taking anything away from the Knicks, but the Celtics had a lot to do with that loss. Blowing two 20 point leads in the first two games, having 45 uncontested threes in game one and then still losing the game that's on the Celtics. I think this Pacers team went through it last year. I know it was against the banged up Nick team, but they did win a Game seven at the Garden. The Knicks, outside of a couple of times including game six against the Celtics have not played their best basketball at home. I know this. I know The Pacers were 20 and 20 on the road during the regular season, but it's not like the Knicks were world beaters at the Garden. So having home court may not be the advantage you think it is. And I really believe this is going to go back to Indiana 11 and then we'll see what happens from there. So I'm rooting hard for the Knicks as you know, but I just, I just have this feeling that this Pacers team is going to be more than I think people are bargaining for. And the way they play down the stretch. And it's not their fault that they had patsies in the playoffs. All right, The Bucks were there to be had. The Cavaliers, with their injuries, were there to be had. But you can't take away from a team that. That still went 8 and 2 in the postseason. They took care of their business when they had to, so that's where I'm going.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay? Another team that also had to come back rally from deficits. They. Their. Their run has been very similar to the Knicks in that there were games where they were down big double figures and had to rally, and they did. And they had a couple of clutch moments late as well, similar to what the Knicks did. The road for the Knicks here was remarkably harder than it was for the Pacers. I'm going to tell you the biggest difference is the Knicks went into the Pacers series almost like they were still trying to figure out, who the hell are we? Season ended, didn't end well. They were. You know, they went through that last week where they. They kept giving up leads and they would lose. They just weren't sure who they were. They went into that series trying to find it. Then they did a little bit. They realized, okay, we know one thing we are is we're a team that you better drive the stake through us. Of course, if not, we got a guy that gets it done. And that guy, again, Superman, came back in the playoffs like he did the year before. Brunson, during the regular season, was very good, but he didn't have to always, you know, carry them to wins. They were spreading it out a lot more. And then he missed 15 games with the ankle injury. So you have to think about that. Then they figured out the mental toughness by everybody wondering, are you guys, is this team tough like last year's team? Maybe not physically tough, but mentally tough. That started the show. They went into the Celtics series, Don. They'll never admit it, but they went into the Boston series understanding, we can't beat this team. This team kicks our ass. And all they were trying to do is figure out how can we beat them, but they own us. And that. That wears on. That. That gets stuck in your head no matter how confident you are in your game plan. But what happened in game one was they got a chance to steal one. Game two, they couldn't believe. They were like, there's no way this is happening again.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

Fourth quarter, they're like, no, no, no, this is Boston. Somebody's gonna do something. And they'll win this game. But the door stayed open, so they took it. And now they're up 2 0, and now they're going like, we can win this thing. Belief started to build, but it wasn't until game six that the belief they could win was the assurance. No, no, no. We know now that if we do this, nobody can beat us. And that's why they had that perfect game, because collectively, they all kind of just were like, wait a minute, look how close we are. We can actually do this.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

And that's why I think the Knicks are a very dangerous team now, more than they were when the. When the playoffs started, because there's a belief now in that group and an identity that they all now know, if we want to win, this is what we've got to do. They had. They didn't have this, okay? They have it now. And that's why I have a great deal of confidence in them more than I did before the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

You hope that that's the angle.

[Don LaGreca]

That.

[Alan Hahn]

The angle is that they finally figured it out. There's also the possibility this is kind of who they are, right? That they're a team that wrap up in game five at home against the Pistons and then don't do it.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, we can really lay the.

[Don LaGreca]

Hand, but what are they doing? See what I mean? That. That's why I'm making the point of it. My observation of this team is that every time it was like, it's right there for you, and then something would happen, they'd slip. But the. The very next game, lights out, very next game, we got this. And I think that's important. And then they reached that point, I think, in game six, where it was like, enough's enough. Do we want this or not? Because it's right here for us.

[Alan Hahn]

It's right here for us.

[Don LaGreca]

They knew the Pacers were waiting. So it's like, it's not the Cavs and another team we can't beat. It's a Pacer team that they all collectively go, we know we could beat them. We match up well with them. So their mentality has changed, you hope, completely. That's what I said.

[Alan Hahn]

You just. Because. But you just said part of that was how they can't beat the Celtics. And then they gain belief by beating the Celtics. Maybe you need to go in. And I'm not that they don't respect the Pacers. They do, you know, oh, we can beat this team. That. That's. That come, like, almost the danger zone for me sometimes. With this Knicks team sometimes always said that they've never handled prosperity. So don't feel like you hit the finish line here. Plus this is a Pacer team that lack of a better phrase plays with pace, right. That they're going to rotate a bunch of guys in there.

[Don LaGreca]

That's true.

[Alan Hahn]

And I don't want to be the minutes police guy, but this is a team that's really going to how many minutes they play game. They're going to have fresh bodies on the court the entire game.

[Don LaGreca]

Game 5, 6 and 7 of this series will show what you're talking about, right? Like that's why like last year the Knicks won the first two games, had a straight, had a, had a good hold and we're a minute away from being up 3 0. That's why for me early in the series critical, they have got to get themselves off to a good start. Now I have this, you know, we always talk about the rust versus rest. The Pacers haven't played in seven days. They had a full week of no basketball and they were on a roll, right? And that rhythm all from January. There were no days off. There was a little break, right, for all star break, but they were just one after the other after the other after the other. Now all of a sudden they get a stop. They're also, you know, for a week being told how good they are and all that stuff. You wonder what are they going to look like tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it'll be interesting because you know, the Celtics had six days off before their series against the next two. And again they didn't have any problem coming out getting to the 20 point thunder last night.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. They had a bunch of days off, bad start. And then obviously you saw what happened.

[Alan Hahn]

The second half, 17 to two run and then they just blew the doors right off of the team.

[Don LaGreca]

That seems scary, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I really don't think though, Knicks will get off as slow in this series as they did in Boston against Boston.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm telling you, I think there's something that clicked in game six and it's almost like, okay, this is what we've got to be. And there was some resistance to it for a couple, you know, during the first two rounds of, of how to get there until you had all that full buy in. But when you see the buy in the way you saw in game six, it, I mean, yeah, in game six, like it was just walking away from that game and talking to people in the organization. There was this sense of I think we found it like, I think they found It. And now it's, you know, can they now take that and go, you know, get into this series against a team that they believe they can win and if they play that way, like you said, no, you can. Don't go in and relax. You don't go in. Overconfident. I don't think they are. They got winners on this team. They got guys who understand how to win.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I know.

[Don LaGreca]

So that's why, you know me, I've been anxious about all this stuff. I have a calm about me for this series.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, well, you could be as calm as you want. You still pick the Knicks in seven.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, because it's. I'm being respectful. The patients are good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rob.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just saying when you pick a team in seven, you can't be shocked if they lose.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, no, of course not. Again, they are. They match up really well with each other physically, defensively. There's a lot of. Again, for our pregame show tonight on msg. I've done this morning, spent so much time on different things and, and I'm telling you this, the, the biggest story will not be Jalen Brunson, because he, he knows what they're going to do with him. He's well, well versed in how they're going to defend him. But different from last season when he had to be because there was no Julius Randle last year in the playoffs, it was just him. So different from last year, he doesn't have to carry the offense over and over again. Carl Anthony Towns owned the Pacers this season.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

Regular season average, 30 a game, 12 rebounds, 43% from three.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

No matter who was guarding, whether it was Turner or Bryant. Owned them, destroyed them. He could have a huge series. Could. Depending on how they guard him. But it's almost like you look at Towns and say, all right, Brunson got you through the Pistons series. Brunson will get you in the clutch time. This is your series. Like this is the one now where you're not going to have a guy six three on you. You're not going to have with. With others. They're going to have to play you straight up with seven footers and that you're better than.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Exactly.

[Don LaGreca]

And this could be his series.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And you could do it in so many ways. You can step back, go to the rack.

[Don LaGreca]

Absolutely right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is where he can exploit people with his athleticism. I really think it's all about him, too. And also, as we've talked about, OG contributes offensively. We know what OG is going to do defensively, if OG contributes offensively in a row, they win games.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. 20 points or more. Six and six. And on the play in the playoffs, that's it. And he and Siakam see again, that was the other part. When he got hurt in Game 2 last year. Hurt the hamstring on their way to that win. He didn't play the rest of the series till game seven, where he had nothing left.

[Alan Hahn]

Nothing left. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

So he was controlling Siakam. They were teammates in Toronto. They know each other well. He was controlling Siakam. When he came out of the series, Siakam went off games three and four like they had nobody to match up. So that matchup is the key matchup, of course, in the series because just like Towns is for Brunson, Siakam is that for Halliburton, the guy that can carry the offense because the defense can be so focused on him.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, you average more points a game during the season. Right. Than Halliburton. No. It's going to be a fun series. It's going to be great.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And you did a great job. You know that. I got got me all pumped up with the video that you sent me today.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, the Sports center narrative.

[Alan Hahn]

Center narrative.

[Don LaGreca]

That was fun. They reached out to me two days ago and one of the producers said, she's a Knicks fan, and she said, I wrote a script. I want you to voice it. And I was like, all right. Am I getting punked? Like, who is this? I was like, come on now, seriously. But then we did it yesterday and it came out today. It's running on SportsCenter all afternoon. It'll be on to anybody that sees it. But it's like a two minute video of the history and the current of the Knicks and Pacers rivalry.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it's big.

[Don LaGreca]

And it was a lot of fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's awesome. What a. What a dope. What an honor for the moment, too, right? Well, pretty cool. And it's a long package. Ao. Well, sorry, I didn't say it was a big package.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, you just did. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

What's better, long or big?

[Don LaGreca]

I wouldn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, it depends. I'm not phrasing.

[Alan Hahn]

Not something, I mean, I, I would have, I, I. You'd have to ask somebody else. I've got both.

[Don LaGreca]

Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

You ask anybody, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But not ask Don.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, don't ask Nancy. She might have forgotten.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Don LaGreca]

I feel sorry for you. You can't flex seal a hole. It works on everything. It stops water, Don. I mean, the flex Seal idea might be the best I've ever had. And I can't believe has no municipality has thought about this yet. Well, yeah, just get a fat of this stuff, just throw it in these potholes and see what happens.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to, I don't want to get political but you know, we have the mayor mayoral race going on here. So which one of these candidates are going to take your idea? Because that, that'll get votes.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, absolutely.

[Alan Hahn]

Fixing potholes will get votes. I know there's a lot of amazingly important things going on in this city.

[Don LaGreca]

But we all know the pothole problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly.

[Don LaGreca]

Especially if I tell you that once I put that stuff in there, it ain't coming out. No, nothing's going to happen to it. Water. It laughs at water. Cardioffany Towns, as I mentioned, this is a big series for him. He's talking about now that they've figured out how they've gotten this far, it's time to play their best of the season. We haven't played 48 minutes of great basketball.

[Alan Hahn]

I thought that last game again in the Boston series, we finally looked like a team that got closer to playing all 48 minutes. We got to find a way to.

[Don LaGreca]

Accomplish, accomplish that every game. Now, you know, this is the time to be at our best and we.

[Alan Hahn]

Need to be at our best.

[Don LaGreca]

It's him. I really believe it. Guys, I think this is, this could be the series that you know how we look back. The Larry Johnson four point play, the Allen Houston shot, the Patrick Ewing put back the John Starks dunk. You have all these moments. I think, I think this is a series, you know, Jalen Brunson's dagger right against the Pistons. I think this series is the one where Towns has that moment that 20 years from now he was brought here for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You'll be talking about, well, listen, I hope that this, that that's what happens. I think that would be. Now listen, is there a world in which I think they can win this series without Towns beasting? Yes, I think they could. I think if they get, if they get production from the other guys from OG and Anobi, if you get a productive Bridges or Hart on any given night, one of those two guys offensively productive because Bridges, remember, I mean not only did Bridges of course will have the two defensive moments to think about that series. Bridges had spots in two or three games where offensively fourth quarter, he really stepped up and gave you what you need. So I think they can do it without a monster series with Towns. But in Order for my pick to be right. Four, two. And they look official. Townes is there.

[Don LaGreca]

I think you're right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he does what he does.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, I think you're right. So ready? Everybody plant their flag.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm ready.

[Alan Hahn]

9, 1, 9, 3, 7, 7, 6. Peter, I'm sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no. I was gonna say we're on till 7 o' clock today. We were gonna be off at 6 because of the Mets, and again I said no, we're gonna stay on till seven o' clock come hell or high water. Put us on the app, put us on 1050. Don, I don't care if you just want to podcast it. Transistor radio makes no difference. But we will be on with you until 7 o' clock and then Pat O' Keefe will take you up until tip off just after 8:00.

[Don LaGreca]

And you want to stay tuned because I've put out a lot of calls to friends and you never know who might just call into the show, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, you mean Knicks fans.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Huh.

[Don LaGreca]

Well known Knicks fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well known Knicks fans.

[Don LaGreca]

Because, you know, there's, there's a whole bunch of those now. So you never know who's this? Who might call in today?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm looking forward to it.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, who am I speaking to, please?

[Alan Hahn]

We've got a list at 4:30 curated by myself and the staff. I mean, everybody contributed. John Winthrop, Anthony Pusick, Jacob Perry, do the match. Pete Dougherty, Mike Brownshur.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mike Dougherty, Pete Brownshur.

[Alan Hahn]

They all did. It was just a big mosh pit of curation. Let's get started. Moose in Jamaica, you're on ESPN New York. What's up, Moose?

[Caller]

What's going on, fellas? Good afternoon. How are we on this, on this pregame Wednesday?

[Alan Hahn]

What's up?

[Caller]

So, yeah, when it comes to the actual prediction, you know me, if I was super confident in games and winners, I have the Knicks winning. I don't think this series would be all that competitive because I think this is a classic matchup of quality versus quantity. The 4 to 7 great to good guys the Knicks have, as opposed to one star for the Pacers and 10 other dudes who can sort of get the job done. But the thing is, this is a. The key to the series that I've been figuring out because if I was super confident in the winner, I have the Knicks winning. Like I said, don't think it's gonna be that competitive. But in the games that the Knicks would win, I would put money on it and live with the result like I did last series against Boston. But here's the key, right? The paces are the type of team that can win a game by 20 or lose a game by 20, whether Albert does a lot or little, because they're not really necessarily an NBA team. They, they almost play like a college pick where it's like they go super hard and either work super well or it completely fails.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it hasn't failed much recently. Like I said, just seven losses over the last 30 games and two of them coming in the playoffs, not facing elimination.

[Don LaGreca]

So I did they're not letting you back in. They go up big. They're not letting you back in.

[Alan Hahn]

But you know, be confident, man. 1-800-919-3776 we got more your calls coming up. We got a list coming up at 4:30. It's all happening right here on 880, ESPN New York and the ESPN New York app. You want to get the most for your money. That's why more Mazda buyers choose Ramsey Mazda lease a new 2025 Mazda CX30 all wheel drive, only 239 for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. Excludes tax title, registration 0 Security Deposit FIN SM 820914 MSRP26680 ends 6225 this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is an ad by BetterHelp for Mental Health Awareness Month. BetterHelp surveyed 1600 people across 23 countries for its first ever State of Stigma report and found that while 75% of people believe it's wise to seek support, only 27% of Americans are in therapy. When people hesitate to get help, it doesn't just affect them, it impacts families, workplaces and entire communities. Let's encourage everyone to take care of their well being and break the stigma. The world is better when people are healthy and happy. With over 35,000 therapists, BetterHelp is the world's largest online therapy platform, having served over 5 million people globally. It's convenient too. You can join a session with the click of a button, helping you fit therapy into your busy life. Plus, switch therapists at any time. We're all better with help. 72% of BetterHelp members report a reduction in symptoms. Visit betterhelp.com timeout to get 10% off your first month of therapy. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Don LaGreca]

This message is brought to you by Abercrombie and Fitch. I've been ready for summer for a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

While and now it's finally time for summer outfits. With a trip coming up, the A and F Vacation Shop has me covered.

[Don LaGreca]

Abercrombie really knows how to do a lightweight outfit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Their tees, sweater, polos and linen blend shorts never miss. I wear Abercrombie denim year round. Their shorts are no different and have the comfort I need for summer. Prep for your next trip with the A and F Vacation Shop, get their.

[Don LaGreca]

Newest arrivals in store online and in the app.

[Alan Hahn]

This episode is brought to you by Chevy Silverado. When it's time for you to ditch the blacktop and head off road, do it in a truck that says no to nothing. The Chevy Silverado Trail Boss. Get the rugged capability of its Z71 suspension and 2 inch factory lift, plus impressive torque and towing capacity thanks to an available Duramax 3 liter turbo diesel engine. Where other trucks call it quits. You'll just be getting started. Visit chevy.com to learn more.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's so bad.

[Alan Hahn]

90S fans love it, man, because it's got the nostalgia of it. But maybe it's time we don't have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Q Tip version in there.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, we gotta have that version for sure. That was like 2012, 13, 14 in there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, respectfully to your guy who you told his story.

[Don LaGreca]

Jesse Itzler.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jesse Itzler. He's done very well for himself. He has inspirational speaker, does races, multi gazillionaire. I'm very happy you're aware. Very aware. That doesn't make his vocals any better. There are like legendary rap icons who have done it. Like why, why did everyone. No, we must stick with the Itzler version. It's just, it's just strange.

[Don LaGreca]

Jesse James.

[Alan Hahn]

It's part of the nostalgia of being a Nick fan, right? I bet you if you got a Grammy Award winning hip hop artist to put together a song that's a thousand times better. It's happening. Still might happen.

[Don LaGreca]

It literally has happened.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It has happened.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Seriously, They've done that.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Q Tip.

[Don LaGreca]

It's unreal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Q Tip. There's the Dougie Fresh version we said. But then there've been other songs that got made. There's been a bunch of different stuff. I mean, and then there's just fun stuff. Let's mix it up though, today. Well, we're gonna, we're gonna play some.

[Alan Hahn]

Demands on Jacob he's got a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, Jacob's actually in a meeting today. It's demands on Anthony.

[Don LaGreca]

Anthony? You're asking me?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God. I just looked back there.

[Don LaGreca]

Lucky this music. Anthony's an octopus today.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like I looked back and just looking at Anthony standing by himself in the glass, like, look like. You know when you're on trial in Russia and they just have you just in a cube by yourself.

[Don LaGreca]

Is it the red shirt?

[Peter Rosenberg]

So is Anthra. So. So is.

[Alan Hahn]

And he's emaciated.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So does Jacob have a training today? Is that what's happening?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, because. Oh, yeah. Don't let the show get in the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, I think it's for the show. I think it's stuff for the show.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's the social. It's the stuff we care about.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The video stuff.

[Don LaGreca]

I was here wanting to do that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you had to do it earlier. Jacob's doing it now.

[Alan Hahn]

Got it.

[Don LaGreca]

Don's right, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What?

[Don LaGreca]

We're gonna schedule this for, you know, for three o' clock. Really? We literally couldn't schedule this for two.

[Alan Hahn]

Spend 45 minutes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Curating our list at 4:30. Any one of those minutes could have been used to do what he's doing now. I love Jacob. He contributed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But if they.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, if we're gonna grab Jacob For 15 minutes, I would have been like, yes, go ahead.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But there were. But there are other people who were on the air at that time who also needed this training.

[Don LaGreca]

Now it's like having a party during our show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now here's the question.

[Don LaGreca]

We're not invited.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry. Is any of those shows the afternoon drive, Peter?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, wow. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not sure. I haven't looked at the schedule recently.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. No. Well, it depends how you consider. Some people consider afternoon drive. Anything from post 9am and some people.

[Alan Hahn]

Are not right in the head.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Some people consider afternoon drive. You know, it's afternoon drive somewhere. It's like it's five o' clock anywhere.

[Don LaGreca]

Are we on in the afternoon then?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

Somebody's driving.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If it's on in the afternoon, it's afternoon somewhere.

[Don LaGreca]

Afternoon delight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, Ty, I didn't realize this. I was late to watching Monday Night Raw this week. Been a little busy. Halliburton had an appearance on Raw this week. This guy's getting out.

[Don LaGreca]

He's been. He's been bored. They've set off nothing to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's been chilling. Yeah. And I agree with that. Like, I. I really think the Knicks Amount of rest is perfect.

[Alan Hahn]

I think so, too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, no travel. Think about it. It's almost like. It's almost like a work vacation. You take off, you get a nice four days, you go back to work.

[Alan Hahn]

You feel good, you're looking forward to work, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But seven days, you're almost groggy. You're like, I'm going back to work ever.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know how to take vacation from your vacation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't even know how to go back to work.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. 1-800-91-9-3776. We gave you the reasons why we think what's going to happen is going to happen, but we want to hear from you and not just the pom pom wave. And I want reasons. I want. Why do you feel good about what this team's going to do? Or what are you apprehensive about? What are you scared about? Let's go to Brian in Sleepy Hollow. You're on espn.

[Don LaGreca]

You were scared. Brian, you were scared.

[Caller]

I am.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm not scared.

[Unknown]

I'm not scared.

[Don LaGreca]

Hold on one second.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's go to Anthony in Dobbs Ferry. You're on espn, New York. You don't ask a show to go on hold.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do we do?

[Alan Hahn]

It would I just follow.

[Don LaGreca]

It's great.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry, I have a question, but can you hold on a second?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I need to take this call. It's next day, for God's sake. Yeah, if you're going to call, be ready, people.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, hold on a second. Anthony. You know better than. I did the right thing, Anthony.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Caller]

The first guy said that the Indiana Pacers are a glorified college pickup team. And the second guy puts you on hold. So you're off to a good start.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is our day, rocking and rolling.

[Don LaGreca]

You never know who's calling in today.

[Caller]

Spike will be calling soon, saying that he ran into Rick Smith in the parking lot somewhere and he had a conversation with him. That, that's, that's, that's coming up next.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You truly modernized Spike by saying it would be Rick Smith's. It would, it would be. It would be like Pippi short.

[Caller]

I'm only 30. I'm only 35. I can't think of any older paces that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Pacers only.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean, if there's, if the Knicks shoot with the accuracy that Anthony just. They're gonna, they're gonna win this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, boys. I saw Chuck Person at a Wallbaums in 1977. He was playing.

[Don LaGreca]

Hang on.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God. He's on hold. You know, he's right there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course he is.

[Unknown]

With the fools.

[Caller]

The thing that worries me, I'm a big Nick fan, okay? The thing that worries me with this series is the length and the size of the Pacers and the pace that they're gonna put the Knicks on. They're going to want to run up and down. The Knicks aren't really that team. The Knicks were more, in my opinion, I think in the off season. They were built to beat Boston. They were built kind of in the shape of Boston. They got a big guy like Porzingis, like the Boston has Porzingis. We got somebody the same type of guy that could shoot, bring the ball outside. We got big wings. I think we were built to beat Boston. I think Indiana is going to give us a real problem. I think everybody's saying Nixon 7, because that kind of gives them an out. Because, you know, like you said Don earlier, seven kind of means if you don't win. I said Nixon seven. It could have went either way. I think this is going to be tough, man. I would not be surprised if Indiana wins this series at all. They're the hot team at the right time. Hopefully the break that they've been on cooled them down a bit. I'm not sure about that, but we're going to find out early tonight. I think the Knicks, to win this series, have got to hold on to home court. They have to win these first two games. If they lose one, things can get dicey.

[Alan Hahn]

No, I can see that. And then that's why also what worries me, Anthony, and my prognostication is, is that it's not like they've been killing it at home. You know, everything came together in that game six at home. But even Peter admitted, as a Celtics fan, you know, Celtics kind of tapped out in the second half of that game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no. They were. They were thinking about vacay.

[Alan Hahn]

But, you know, give the Knicks credit again. I don't want to take anything away from the Knicks, but, you know, the Celtics contributed to that. Nick win will the Pacers. So I think there's plenty to be excited about, but, you know, just a lot to be worried about as well. Let's go. Let's go to spike in St. Pete. You're on ESPN. New York. How are you? Spike, did you.

[Unknown]

I'm in the. I'm in the parking lot talking to Rick Carlisle, and he's from Ogdensburg, New York. You can look that up.

[Alan Hahn]

Hanging out with John Fairchild.

[Unknown]

Well, this team. We played this team last year. We Were. They were about as good a shape as I am. And we hung in until the seventh game. I'm not a Halliburton fan. He's a great distributor of the ball, but man, you hit him once and he's going to stop taking that ugly shot. He's a terrific distributed the ball. We're going to win this series in six games. They do not have a remedy for the R2 bigs. Towns has to get that ball on the blocks either. Drop his shoulder, go to the hole, make some free throws. Mitchell Robinson, did you guys all see that play where he covered everybody with his hands shut out? I'll tell you something. This long discussion with my best friend this morning. He said we got a new player with this kid. And I saw that picture about how he took care of the coach's wife who passed away from cancer. I don't want to put a poll on this, but he seems to be a real good guy. And if Mitchell can give us four runs of five minutes or so, walk a few shots, who's going to say hey listen, Rutgers Name got 6 1/2 rebounds a game. That big man, he likes to shoot threes in the corner. The guy the matchup to watch is Siakam and Anunoby. You agree, Alan?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, I do. Yep.

[Unknown]

Okay, who, who's a better two way player?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, Anunoby is a better, way better defender of course, but Seattle scorer and you got to keep him off like he's their half court guy. He's the guy in a half court set. That's the guy that can create his own shot. That's why they traded for him.

[Unknown]

Is he better than Bam out of bayou? Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Unknown]

Okay, that's it. So we win it in six. I'm with Fela.

[Don LaGreca]

All right.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, we'll see for sure. And you know the other thing I wanted to bring up in taking a look at the series. I think Rick Carlisle's had a heck of a coach.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, very good coach.

[Alan Hahn]

He is an outstanding.

[Don LaGreca]

He works, he works the media, he works the refs. Like he's very, he's, he's smart now. He's got a ring, you know. Remember he won a championship with Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks. So, so he, you know, he's been there, he's been to the mountaintop.

[Alan Hahn]

Is it fair to say he's better than Missoula? I know Missoula's got the ring too.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I'm taking Carlos.

[Don LaGreca]

You're talking about this guy's got a resume.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's a lot of stops here.

[Alan Hahn]

And he's an offensive guy. It's an offensive coach against the defense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Missoula's got a lot of questions. Missoula. Missoula's reputation, the quickness with which it took a hit. It has been up and down since he got here. Terrible. Amazing. Terrible. That like I don't think the jury is completely out on him right now. And it was such a public forum where the whole world is seeing respectfully to the Knicks talent wise you just think oh the Celtics should win this series and to not be able to close out games and to not be able to adjust whatsoever. Missoula better and it's a tough spot. Right. Because next year they're going to be.

[Don LaGreca]

Bad next year you got to think that they're going to have to with all the luxury tax implications take a break and not Tatum Tanker Jays this might be a step back year just to just a reset.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because you're going to let go. You're going to let go of a couple of people. You're going to let Tatum get healthy. You got to.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Because he's not going to be back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you can't really judge Missoula on that year. Right. So then you got to wait and see in two years.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. What they do when they reset and.

[Alan Hahn]

You know they're going to 1-800-919-37764 30 we've got the list and we're going to take up until 6 o' clock on 880 then our coverage of the Mets and the Red Sox. Well, the Mets can't hit realize they have not hit a home run in six straight games. Alonso hasn't had a home run in 13 straight games which is a career high for him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What about Judge? He's struggling as well.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. I wish I had judged then we would. Then Yankees wouldn't be struggling. Judge had another home run last night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what he does.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he had another one. Rice had a good start to that game.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Quick.

[Don LaGreca]

Are they getting the game in?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know. I. I've been following it. It just feels like it's going to be one of those especially with Texas only here once and they got a day game tomorrow that it feels like they're going to play through this. It's going to be like a. It's. It's May 21, it's 55 degrees.

[Don LaGreca]

How cold it was in Boston.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, it is ridiculous. 1,8009193776 so again Yankee, Mets and Red Sox at 6. And then when that coverage begins, we'll be on 1050 and the app right of old 7 o' clock taking into Knicks and the Pacers game one at the Eastern Conference final. It's all happening right here on 880 ESPN New York and the ESPN New York app. Hi Peter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey. What would you like me to talk about? Let me guess. Hold on. 1, 2, 3. Betterhelp May's mental health Awareness Month. And guys, I want to encourage you to take care of your mentals, all right? Break that stigma because the world is better when people are healthy and happy. Mental health awareness is growing, but there's still progress to be made. 26% of Americans who participate in a recent survey say they have avoided seeking mental health support due to fear of judgment. All right, BetterHelp has over 10 years experience matching people with the right therapists from their diverse network of more than 30,000 licensed therapists with a wide range of specialties. BetterHelp is fully online, making therapy affordable and convenient, serving over 5 million people worldwide. Easily switch therapists anytime at no extra cost. We're all better with help. Visit betterhelp.com timeout to get 10% off your first month. That's better. H E L p.com timeout this episode.

[Alan Hahn]

Is brought to you by Stay Farm. Knowing you could be saving money for the things you really want is a great feeling. Talk to a State Farm agent today to learn how you can choose to bundle and save with a personal price plan. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Prices are based on rating plans that vary by state. Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability, amount of discounts and savings and eligibility vary by state. Hey there travelers. Kaley Cuoco here. Sorry to interrupt your music. Great artist BT Dubs, but wouldn't you rather be there to hear it live? With Priceline, you can get out of your dreams and into your dream concerts. They've got millions of travel deals to get you to that festival, gig, rave, sound bath or sonic experience you've been dreaming of. Download the Priceline app today and you can save up to 60% off hotels and up to 50% off flights. So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline. Go to your happy price. Priceline.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't know if you knew this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities, so do like I did and have one of your Assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Don LaGreca]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra fee full [e-mail] thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what we're talking about. Fanatics Fest is making its return to New York City this summer at the Javits center from Friday, June 20 through Sunday, June 22. A three day celebration where sports culture and collecting converge. Bringing fans closer to their favorite athletes and sports leagues than ever before. You don't know with appearances it says right here with appearances by your favorite athletes, celebrities and entertainers, live podcasts and a full schedule of panels featuring the most recognizable names in sports. You can enter to win a four pack of tickets on the ESPN New York app. Find the contest tile and submit your entry. Adult and kids tickets are available [e-mail] check out the app. There's so much going on on our app too with a chance to be able to participate in some of the Fan Fest contest that they got coming up. A lot of great stuff happened but nothing bigger right now than the Knicks first conference final appearance since 2000. Let's jump into.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's set a record calls today guys.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

More calls than ever.

[Alan Hahn]

Alex Carr, you're on ESPN New York. What's up baby?

[Unknown]

Oh well, you kind of stole my thunder. Let's. Let's keep on call out. Last year during the playoffs Carlisle looked like a man who owned the Garden and our coach, I mean there is no comparison but the way he coaches.

[Don LaGreca]

Alex. Alex, they won one. They won a game seven in the building. That's all they did. Yeah, and everybody was hurt. He didn't own any. They lost all other the three other games in the Garden they lost. They lost badly in two.

[Unknown]

No, I know, I know he was over coaching at one point but I just have a feeling that this time I mean overall they won and I just. He's just looms large to me over everything but not. But besides that, there's also the point that who's going to back. Who's going to back up Brunson? Now you made up the point that I didn't know about towns, but will that carry over in this series? I'm afraid that the. You know, the Robinson Brunson, that's something that we don't know for sure that he's gonna have one, because it's always been a problem. And then there's just the fact that the Pacers, they beat us last season. They still have that on their minds. And they got Reggie in their ear. That's. That's my point.

[Alan Hahn]

We got Reggie in their ear. We're good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Reggie in their ear.

[Alan Hahn]

No, he's going to be in everybody's ear watching the game on tv.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Alan. What?

[Alan Hahn]

You're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're viscerally angry.

[Alan Hahn]

He's leaned back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, he got Alan. I started. I started thinking the guy was cursing on the air with the faces Alan was making.

[Alan Hahn]

What's the matter?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Take us through it.

[Alan Hahn]

Talk to the AD call. I get it.

[Don LaGreca]

We need to do better.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was better.

[Don LaGreca]

He sounded. He sounded nervous and worried, and I did. That's why I didn't want to just go crazy. Because when he started saying that Carlisle owned the Garden, I'm like, they won one game. And it was. When everybody was hurt. They lost every game in the Garden and they got smoked into, like. So just speak with facts, please. Not emotion.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hear that?

[Don LaGreca]

With facts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He just wants facts.

[Alan Hahn]

That's it. Just the facts.

[Don LaGreca]

Don't. Don't recreate what happened because it fits better with your concerns. Just don't do that and everything will be fine.

[Alan Hahn]

So.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't want to go out. Alex. It sounded like he was nervous. I don't want to be that guy. I don't like doing that. I don't like trying to make everybody sound like, you know, I know more than you, man.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want you to have, like a meltdown.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that was. You looked close to the edge.

[Don LaGreca]

It just.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody asks if I'm okay after I have a rant. No, that's why I'm okay. You keep that stuff in too long.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

The problem come out in another way.

[Don LaGreca]

How you do it without F bombs, I'll never know because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, is that the problem?

[Don LaGreca]

I have epic rants, but none of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Them can make the air.

[Don LaGreca]

Can ever like. I can't help it. It's how I grew up.

[Alan Hahn]

You've got a dumb button, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let it go, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Workshop this.

[Don LaGreca]

Can't do it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But depending on the day. By the way, depending on the day, we may not be on a radio signal anyway. You don't know. It might be online. All right, let's try Someone else. Don Pick. Hey, Don.

[Alan Hahn]

Pick.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Better.

[Alan Hahn]

Go ahead. I will pick. It's on you, Don Nas and Pine Brook, you're on espn. What's up?

[Don LaGreca]

Nas has got to be a good name. How you guys doing?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great.

[Don LaGreca]

Good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Great sounding phone start to this.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Unknown]

By the way, sorry.

[Don LaGreca]

Excellent audio. Perfect. That's chrome on the landline, which is why I'm shaking in my feet right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We love the landline.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Anyway, I have a hypothetical.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to jinx the tipping.

[Don LaGreca]

Solutions because obviously I've been waiting 25 years to redeem my wedding day. Remember I told you guys married at the Garden and game. They lost game six in Indiana to these very Pacers. So I was thinking with my husband last night that there are beloved Knicks on every squad that made the Final Four. We got Hartenstein on OKC. We got DiVincenzo over with the Wolves. And obviously, yeah, we got top in with Pacers. So if we don't win the chip, which one of those players would you let Begrudge holding that trophy?

[Alan Hahn]

For me, it's Hardenstein.

[Don LaGreca]

I would feel less pain watching him win.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a good question.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no. Not letting him off the hook. Took the money.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Don LaGreca]

Sorry, Nas.

[Alan Hahn]

But it wasn't like the Knicks could offer him.

[Don LaGreca]

It wasn't a Soto situation. Brunson set the tone. Took less. I bet you want it here. He took more. So I'm supposed to be like, oh, great. And he got more money and he went to a better place and he won a champ.

[Alan Hahn]

You're mad at Topping because it never worked here.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm not mad at Topping. It's, you know, nice kid, but I don't see the patients win championship. Hell no. Why would you want to see the Pacers win a championship before you do?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Pacers would be tough. Like.

[Alan Hahn]

So Minnesota then.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, Minnesota. Yeah, why not? They didn't do anything wrong. No, no. One of those guys wanted to leave Joyous. You love Dante. You love Dante.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, listen. But they were traded.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hartenshein left.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, he took the money.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He took the money. Now, Julius Randall, he could have taken.

[Don LaGreca]

Less for a short term and then gotten more. He decided.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I would say Randall was the kind of guy who there's a chance if they've been like, hey, we want to rework this. Find a way to. They let. They wanted him out because they wanted Cat. He didn't do anything. No, I would. I would be happy. And Divincenzo, we know he didn't want to go they literally made a commercial about this. There is a commercial.

[Don LaGreca]

She said, who would you see? Like, who would you be like, not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like the least mad.

[Don LaGreca]

At least mad. You can't be mad at guys that didn't ask to be traded. They were traded.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's a literal commercial with Dante DiVincenzo mocking how sad it is that he left the team. Oh yeah, yeah. But also, this is the thing that I'm excited about, the Celtics thing. I've said this a few times. I think it bears repeating.

[Alan Hahn]

It's cute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The whole Celtics, Knicks. Oh yeah, blah, blah, blah. I'm telling you, for people who are too young to remember the spike days, it's really just a market battle. And it's leftover Red Sox, Yankees, it's.

[Alan Hahn]

More New York, Boston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not real basketball rivalry in the way this Pacers Knicks thing, this is, this is something. This is in fact, if you want to get into it, is is Pacers Knicks number one Knicks rivalry. Is it over Knicks Heat? Is this series going to be the one that cements it as the number one?

[Alan Hahn]

You know what, it's a great jumping off point. We'll talk about that. More your calls at 1-800-919-3776. Also, you've done a very extended curated list at 4:30.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. It's going to get a lot of people talking.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Potentially surprise guests. Awesome.

[Alan Hahn]

Boy, like your dream. Hang here on 880, ESPN New York and the ESPN New York app you want to get the most for your money. That's why more Mazda buyers choose Ramsey Mazda lease a new 2025 Mazda CX5 all wheel drive. Just 239amonth for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com or at Ramsey Mazda Route 17 north in Ramsey. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 833-853-2970 for details. It excludes tax title, registration, zero security deposit, VIN S 0571604, MSRP 29990 and 6225.

[Don LaGreca]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.