Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)
Hour 1: Knicks-Celtics Preview
Date: April 9, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Episode Overview
The first hour dives into the highly anticipated Knicks-Celtics matchup, its playoff implications, and the ongoing intensity of the New York–Boston rivalry. The crew debates what this game really means for both teams given Boston’s plans to rest Jalen Brown, and they pivot into the larger playoff landscape, including seeding mind games and the latest Joel Embiid health news. Interwoven are the familiar laughs, inside jokes, sharp New York sports takes, and a candid appreciation for the weight of rivalries in sports.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Opening Banter and Health Talk (00:50–03:15)
- All three hosts lament everyone around them being sick, running through sore throats, congestion, and family colds.
- Alan Hahn asks: “Do you guys take like vitamin D?…Zinc? Nothing?” (01:34)
- Don jokes: “I like to be around my kids. So what are you gonna do?” (02:00)
- Peter Rosenberg pushes for vitamin intake; playful ribbing among hosts about who's actually “better” and who’s “above us” for trying to give health advice.
Knicks vs Celtics: What’s Really at Stake? (03:18–10:19)
- Celtics are sitting Jalen Brown (Achilles tendonitis).
- Peter Rosenberg: "Minute you hear Achilles, everybody freaks out. But Achilles tendonitis is very different from an Achilles strain or anything like that…It’s more or less something that just needs to be managed and rest." (03:49)
- Celtics have little motivation, but Tatum is playing to get mentally comfortable after past injuries—especially since the teams could meet again in the playoffs.
- Don: “Tatum wants to get over the hump…That, to me, takes the fun out of the game as far as it being a measuring stick.” (05:07)
- If the Knicks win without Brown playing, does it “count”? If they lose, is it a “double loss”?
- Don: “If the Knicks lose the game, it’s like a double loss because you couldn’t beat the Celtics without one of their best players and the other one not even caring.” (05:07)
- Knicks fans should focus on getting right and finalizing rotations for the playoffs, not measuring themselves by Boston.
- Don: “If you’re a Knicks fan, you don’t even think about the Celtics…just get all our ducks in a row before the playoffs.” (06:25)
- The season series still carries mental value—even if it doesn’t “prove” anything on paper.
- Alan Hahn: “What matters is the jersey you’re playing against, who they are, what they represent…That matters mentally.” (08:27)
Strategic Questions: Show Your Hand or Not? (07:03–07:59)
- Debate whether the Knicks should “show” their new offensive wrinkles after revealing some strategies against Atlanta, or hold back to keep things hidden for the playoffs.
- Alan Hahn: “Let’s just get reps with this thing and almost intimidate by, look at this wrinkle that we’ve been holding out…” (07:09)
- Don: “But they showed it against Atlanta, so it’s there. The Celtics know it.” (07:31)
- Consensus: Might as well run your stuff; once it’s on film, opponents will prepare anyway.
Rivalries and Mind Games: Why This Knicks–Celtics Season Series Means More (10:19–15:39)
- Season series can be a confidence builder even if a main star (Brown) is out.
- Peter Rosenberg: “I think you get the fact that you can feel like we can beat them no matter what.” (09:33)
- Regular season results often get diminished in playoff narratives, but the psychological edge matters.
- There's a longing for embracing the Knicks–Celtics rivalry akin to Yankees–Red Sox.
- Alan Hahn: “Can someone acknowledge the fact that Boston–New York is a great rivalry...and Jaylen Brown did that.” (14:32)
- Peter Rosenberg: “When Brown’s sitting on the bench, I hope the fans give him hell. Ducking us tonight, Jalen, want to take a night off?... That’s the fun…” (15:29)
Broader Sports Rivalries Discussion (15:39–21:24)
- Hosts rank and analyze major sports city rivalries: New York/Boston, New York/Philly, LA/San Francisco, Chicago/St. Louis, etc.
- On Jets/Patriots, Giants/Patriots, Rangers/Bruins, and historic lack of recent postseason meetings.
- Don: “I don't…Is there two cities that hate each other more than New York and Boston? I guess New York and Philly...” (16:03)
- Reflection on what makes a rivalry: repeated high-stakes clashes across sports, city pride, and playoff drama.
Dream Knicks Playoff Run: Classic Opponents (21:24–22:52)
- Imagining an old-school playoff gauntlet for the Knicks: facing the Sixers, then Celtics, then Pistons, and potentially, the Lakers in the Finals.
- Alan Hahn: “It would be the greatest run in the history of New York sports, honestly.” (20:13)
- Alan Hahn: “Even if you lose in the finals, isn’t that almost feel like still a chance? …because of what you did to these two nearby cities…” (20:31)
Knicks Playoff Seeding Scenarios and Mind Games (10:48, 11:26–12:31, 22:05–22:52)
- Discussion of Cleveland’s playoff positioning and how teams might “tank” for a preferred seed to avoid Boston early.
- Alan Hahn: “The word is, Cleveland doesn't want the third seed. They want the fourth seed…because they don't want to see Boston in the second round.” (10:51)
- For the Knicks, feeling like a threat to Boston (and beating Boston in a series again) is a mental edge.
- “It’s all about the mind games, right?” (11:26)
- Tonight’s game is “the last, most important game” for ending the season strong and likely locking the third seed.
- Alan Hahn: “Win this game, 52 wins. It almost locks up third.” (22:31)
Breaking News: Joel Embiid’s Appendicitis (32:13–38:39)
- Peter Rosenberg (32:26): “Sixers just announced Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis. He will undergo surgery…”
- Host scramble to assess how soon Embiid could return. Don notes quick return from his own appendectomy, but Peter and Alan voice doubts for such a quick pro athlete comeback.
- “Laparoscopic, you could be back to competitive play…in two to four weeks.” (35:19, Don Hahn reading from research)
- Peter Rosenberg: “It’s playoffs, man. No one's going to take it easy on you.” (34:54)
- The team discusses the Sixers’ playoff chances without Embiid, the emotional toll on Philly fans, and Embiid’s constant bad luck.
- Don: “You talk about a player who is, like, so talented, yet bad things just continually happen to him physically.” (38:19)
- Callers voice Sixers fan frustration.
- “The 76ers should have been… probably won a damn ship. This guy cannot stay on the court.” (44:44)
- Speculation on whether Embiid is simply unlucky (“prone to injury” vs. “everything just happens to you”).
Quick Hits: Yankees, Mets, Alan’s TV Gig, and Banter (27:12–31:32, 39:43–50:03)
- Mets Lineup Update (26:03): Alan gives the Mets’ starting lineup, with joking fanfare.
- Yankees Update: Struggling with the A’s; hosts discuss the overuse of closer Bednar, Aaron Boone’s reliance on “gut” over analytics this season.
- More fun with Alan’s “unfrozen caveman sideline reporter” persona.
- Don: “Let’s go to our unfrozen caveman sideline reporter, Alan Hahn.” (30:15)
Closing Banter and Final Sports Updates (51:03–END)
- Quick music talk: Peter praises Jackson Browne (“I think he’s fantastic.” 42:06).
- Alan brings the conversation back to Embiid, referencing past NBA cases where appendicitis kept stars out longer.
- Closing on how Embiid’s health could impact the entire Eastern Conference playoff picture.
- Final rundown: Yankees' performance, Mets’ recent issues, and segment teases for the next hour.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On the Knicks’ mental edge vs. Boston
“What matters is the jersey you’re playing against, who they are, what they represent and all that stuff. That matters mentally. That matters.”
— Alan Hahn (08:27)
On Tatum’s return to MSG
“You got to know that Tatum’s going to be a little squirrely being on that court again. He admitted it…he knows he’s got to get over it. He said, I’m not looking forward to playing there, but…I know I got to do it and get over it.”
— Alan Hahn (04:46)
On city rivalries
“Is there two cities that hate each other more than New York and Boston? I guess New York and Philly…but I still would put Boston ahead of it.”
— Don (16:03)
On Embiid’s constant bad breaks
“You talk about a player who is, like, so talented, yet bad things just continually happen to him physically.”
— Alan Hahn (38:19)
Caller Ed, the limo driver, on Embiid
“This guy cannot stay on the court…Why does it always happen to him? Everything happens to him. Always happens around before the playoffs.”
— Ed (44:44)
On playoff psychological warfare
“It's all about the mind games, right?”
— Alan Hahn (11:26)
Important Segment Timestamps
- Health/Vitamin Banter: 00:50–03:15
- Knicks–Celtics Stakes Begin: 03:18
- Tatum's Psychology & Minutes: 04:46–05:37
- Are Knicks' 'New Looks' a Secret?: 07:03–07:59
- Mental Edge & Measuring Stick Talk: 08:01–10:19
- Cleveland Playoff Maneuvers: 10:48, 11:26
- Rivalries Deep Dive: 15:39–21:24
- Dream Playoff Run Scenario: 21:24–22:52
- Why Tonight's Game Matters: 22:05–22:52
- Joel Embiid Appendicitis: 32:13–38:39
- Sixers Fan “Process” Fatigue (Caller): 44:44
- Sports Injury Jinx/Banter: 46:07–47:19
- Closing Playoff Thoughts/Yankees: 49:04–50:03
Concluding Thoughts
- The hosts agree: This Knicks–Celtics game might not be a “true test,” but it’s a critical chance to build confidence and secure the #3 seed.
- Playoff “mind games” between seeding and season series results fuel the late-season intrigue.
- Joel Embiid’s sudden medical crisis rewires the entire Eastern Conference playoff calculus, with the group lamenting Philly’s endless cycle of bad luck.
- Underneath all the analysis, what matters is energy, attitude, and the spirit of rivalry—a theme hammered home with humor and classic New York candor.
Listeners get a wide-ranging, insightful, and characteristically lively breakdown of both the short-term drama and the long-term stakes for the Knicks, Celtics, and their rivals. If you care about the NBA East, New York’s sporting legacy, or just enjoy raucous sports talk radio, this hour delivers.