Hour 1: Knicks-Celtics Preview

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg (ESPN New York)

Hour 1: Knicks-Celtics Preview

Date: April 9, 2026
Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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

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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.

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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.

Transcript

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[Don]

Cool man.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

Han, Don holding his hammer and Rosenberg.

[Don Hahn]

Don doesn't hold a candle to that pumpkin pie haircutting freak. This isn't North Dakota, this is New York.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Podcast Promo Voice]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Podcast Producer/Host]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, you bet your ace. We are 3:01 and 30 seconds in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. Don Hahn and Rosenberg on this glorious.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Don Hahn]

Call it a spring Thursday if you want it. Technically is feels like another winter Thursday, but it's a beautiful one. Don, you're at the Rock in New Jersey. How are you friend?

[Don]

Good, not too bad. The voice is holding up. Just seems like everybody is sick. Grasso is under the weather. Carlin called in sick. You're like veklempt again.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I'm coming out of it. It's. But it started for me last Saturday and I'm like, it's run through my whole house again. The full congestion sort of, you know, nose situation hasn't been great.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you guys take like vitamin D? Do you take vitamin C? Do you take multis? Do you take zinc? Nothing.

[Don]

I've even. Zinc is just. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no, no, no. It's not a scam.

[Don]

But D, I take, I take vitamin D. I take vitamin C. I go

[Alan Hahn]

up and down, have an emergency. Just a little powder, put it in

[Peter Rosenberg]

water, drink it every night before bed.

[Don Hahn]

Every night.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Every night.

[Don]

Dude, I'm flying. I got eight year old twins, they get into stuff, man. And I'm in. I'm affectionate. I like to be around my kids. So what are you gonna do?

[Peter Rosenberg]

What do you suggest? Us. But, but also this is trying to help, man.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm just trying to help.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't need any activities.

[Don]

Don't act like you're above us.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, you act like you gotta help.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry, you don't want to help. God, you be sick, stay sick, enjoy this.

[Don Hahn]

But there's some times when it's not, you know, I'm a pretty. I'm a pretty good, consistent vitamin guy. Some years it just is what it is. This has been the year where everyone just keeps getting hit over and over again. Now if you've been lucky. God bless. I have not been that lucky either, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. No, I have noticed it. It does look like there's a lot of that going around. And you think you're better?

[Don]

No.

[Don Hahn]

Do you think you're better? I understand.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't think I'm better. I think I just want to make sure you guys are doing all the things that you need to do.

[Don Hahn]

No, I could have done better.

[Don]

Prevention probably, but it's a it where it wears on you. But we'll be okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay. I know you will.

[Don Hahn]

You know, just never forget. Get out of your hole.

[Don]

So I got a big hole in my mouth.

[Don Hahn]

This city's a real hole.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're gonna do this.

[Don Hahn]

If you. If you relate to the show yesterday. You didn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Unreal.

[Alan Hahn]

How many drops involved the word hole.

[Don Hahn]

We didn't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not in your hole now.

[Don Hahn]

Tonight, the Boston Celtics and the New York Knickerbockers are gonna get together for, you know, a pretty important game for a variety of reasons. Mostly I think, you know, emotional, intellectual, internal, if you will. The Celtics will do without Jalen Brown. Now, Alan, do I need to have any concern for. The reason he's out is not like just sort of management, but. But tendonitis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can't love that. It's Achilles tendonitis. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Has been a thing that they have used in previous games where he has sat out and that does. Minute you hear Achilles, everybody freaks out. But Achilles tendonitis is very different from an Achilles strain or anything like that. It's. It's more or less something that just need to manage and rest. It was something actually, Nick fans might remember that Isaiah Hartenstein actually dealt with it two years ago at the end of the season. And he's. He's held up just fine.

[Alan Hahn]

So I don't think it's anything to be worried about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think they're also giving a nod towards knowing that they'll. They'll be able to clinch the two seed pretty comfortably. And they aren't really looking to make this a statement game in any way.

[Alan Hahn]

But I've seen the Celtics sit guys

[Peter Rosenberg]

and then go into Charlotte and smack them around. So if you're the Knicks, you can't look at it as anything other than it ain't about them. It's about us and you got to come and bring your A game.

[Alan Hahn]

You got to know that Tatum's going to be a little squirrely being on that court again. He admitted it, he talked about it, that it is something that he knows he's got to get over. He said, I'm not looking forward to

[Peter Rosenberg]

playing there, but, you know, I know I got to do it and get

[Don Hahn]

over it, which is why I think he's playing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course, it's exactly why he's playing,

[Alan Hahn]

because he knows that, you know, in another couple of weeks, I'll probably back here playing in the second round.

[Don]

And also, make no mistake, if they had played earlier in the season when he came back, or if he had never gotten hurt in the first place, he wouldn't be playing tonight. I agree the Celtics have no interest in this game, but Tatum wants to get over the hump. He wants to play in the game, but whether he's going to play, you know, anything more than 20 minutes and just an allotment of just going out there and saying that he appeared in the game is probably all that it's going to be. Now, what that does to me is that it kind of takes the. The fun out of the game as far as it being a measuring stick. And whether it's intentional or not, that's what happens now, that if the Knicks win the game, it'll be, well, so what? We didn't care. And 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 on the court and the other one that not even caring, he's there. So if that matters to you, go out there, win by 20. If it doesn't matter to you, just get right. Get a win. What they're on pace to tie 2012,

[Peter Rosenberg]

2013, they would know. Yes, if they win out, they would tie 2013, whatever that is.

[Don]

But still have, you know, the Most wins in 13 years is not nothing, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, it would be with just one win, but.

[Don]

Yeah, but I think if the. If you're a Nick fan, you don't even think about the Celtics. You just think about, I just want to get right another opportunity to just get all our ducks in a row before the playoffs start.

[Don Hahn]

And if you want to just be annoyed and have a chip on your shoulder because you were going into the season thinking, let's win the conference, the Celtics won't have Tatum all year and you're finishing the season three games behind them, you could be motivated by that, too. Well, it wasn't Supposed to be that way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Let's not rewrite history. It wasn't supposed to be this.

[Alan Hahn]

I think your motivation. There's a lot of different. But first of all, the first motivation has got to be what we saw in Atlanta offensively. Can we see that again?

[Don]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Or.

[Alan Hahn]

Or do you want to say. I don't want to show too much.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

All right. We. We played in Atlanta.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We did it in Atlanta. We're not showing the Celtics what this looks like. We're not doing it.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know. I'm really curious about that. Like, what would be the strategy? Like, what would you want to do? Keep running it, saying they're going to see it eventually in the first round anyway. They're going to have tape on it. So let's just get reps with this thing and almost intimidate by. Look at. Look at this wrinkle that we've been holding out a.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Until April that now all of a sudden you're going to see with these two offensive talents playing together, the way they're playing.

[Don]

But they showed it against Atlanta, so it's there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's there. Yeah.

[Don]

The Celtics know it. They see it. So either whether they do it tonight or not, the Celtics still can prepare for it. If they wanted to keep it a secret, then they should have never brought it out against Atlanta, and then there'd be a reason not to bring it out tonight. But once you exposed it.

[Auto Parts Advertiser]

Right.

[Don]

Might as well just use it, run it, see how. See how it'll work against the Celtics. Yeah, but once it's on film. Right. I mean, I think Celtics will be ready for it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's true. It's true.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just mostly to me tonight is

[Alan Hahn]

building up, continuing to build up confidence

[Peter Rosenberg]

because if you win tonight, it's three

[Alan Hahn]

to one in the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In the season series.

[Alan Hahn]

That's not nothing because Last year, remember,

[Peter Rosenberg]

was 04, and there was a lot of conjecture about how you can't beat them. You can't beat them. This is more of that confidence builder of, you know, even with, like, I

[Alan Hahn]

know Brown's not there, but it doesn't matter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It.

[Alan Hahn]

What matters is the jersey you're playing against, who they are, what they represent and all that stuff. That matters mentally. That matters.

[Don]

That's interesting. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I wouldn't be as emphatic about it. I'm not sure how much it does matter. Like I mentioned last year, it didn't matter. Couldn't beat Them and then you beat them in the biggest spot there was in the second round.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You were down by 20 in both games. They gave you those games.

[Alan Hahn]

They gave them to you because you, you stayed resilient.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You didn't give up, which some teams

[Alan Hahn]

are quick to quit, but you're in the playoffs, you're not going to quit. They gave them back those games and

[Peter Rosenberg]

then you took them, which you rightly were supposed to do, but they were still up 20.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, let's not mistake like what really was happening in those first two games. They were the better team that you

[Peter Rosenberg]

were able to take advantage of because they had flaws that started to show in that series, which was they got old.

[Don]

But I just don't know what you get at it tonight. So if you win this game tonight, no Brown. All right, you get the season series. But I don't know, Peter, do you think it matters?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you get the fact that you can feel like we can beat them no matter what.

[Don]

You should feel that anyway.

[Don Hahn]

I sort of feel like this may sound like hate. I think it matters more to the Knicks than the Celtics.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're right.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, there's no question about right. I mean, I think the Celtics, I mean, not only because of course they're, they're not playing their best or second best player, depending on the day, but I just think overall, mentally, this game for the Celtics is about Jason Tatum playing on the floor, getting comfortable just being out there and playing. Now that to me is all this is. They, they're finishing at the 2. They've exceeded all expectations for this regular season. They truly know in there. I think they know and believe that they can beat the Knicks in a seven game series. Even though the Knicks are the team that did it last year, I think they still feel like they have more to prove. So I think this is a big night for the Knicks.

[Don]

But hey, listen, feel any way you want to feel about it. If you're the Knicks, you know, do whatever you got to do. But it does seem kind of goofy to me that you're going to, you know, stick out your chest and go, well, we won three out of four against the Celtics. That's going to mean something. And then tell the world, well, we got destroyed by the Pistons three times, but that doesn't mean anything because we weren't showing everything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know that's not what you're saying, though.

[Alan Hahn]

See, I'm not saying that I don't know what they're saying, but I'm telling you what I'm saying, what I'm saying is you need this because of exactly

[Peter Rosenberg]

what you said because of the Detroit thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Because while I'm telling you, the word is Cleveland doesn't want the third seed. They want the fourth seat. They won last night against Atlanta, but I'm curious to see what they do Friday because they play Atlanta again on Friday and I. It sounds like Cleveland's fine with the four seed. And the reason why they're fine with the four seed is because they don't want to see Boston in the second round. In their mind, they'd rather see Detroit in the second round because they think they can handle Detroit more than they can handle Boston. And that, that, that's. It's all about the mind games, right? So if you are the Knicks and

[Peter Rosenberg]

you're saying to yourself, man, Detroit gives us problems and we know Detroit is out for blood against us because of last year.

[Alan Hahn]

And every time we played them this

[Peter Rosenberg]

year, they have come out swinging and they have beaten the hell out of us.

[Alan Hahn]

And so wouldn't you want to have that? All right, I'll play them later and I'll have the confidence of two series. If I meet them in the conference finals of. Okay, now I think we're a better team now than we saw during the regular season.

[Charles Barkley]

You.

[Alan Hahn]

You build that up because at that point, because if you see Detroit early,

[Peter Rosenberg]

you know what you're thinking, oh, my God, this team, like, you're going to be concerned.

[Alan Hahn]

But if you win two rounds, especially if you knock out the Celtics again, tell me that you're not going to

[Peter Rosenberg]

be more confident against Detroit.

[Alan Hahn]

So the Boston thing is important because no matter who you play in the first round, if you get out of it now, you go into the second round knowing this is not the end game we are, this is not an upset. If we win, you looking at Boston as we know we can beat them. It's a different mindset and mentality and the playoffs. As much as it's skill and talent and all that stuff and depth, it is mentality. It's how you feel playing against different teams, right?

[Don]

But I just think because of what happened last year, Allen, they were going to feel that way. No matter what happened in the regular season, they. We know we can beat them. Now. The reason you want the Pistons as late as possible is the longer they're alive, the better chance they get knocked off, right? Like, so if I'm going to take on Detroit in the conference final, there's a chance they're not going to be

[Peter Rosenberg]

there because Cleveland what if. What if I don't think they will.

[Don]

But what if I don't come out either? But, but, but obviously that would be how I would. How I would look at it. Listen, pick your poison, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mm.

[Don]

Like, I think the great question. And we can. We could throw it out to Nick fans. I'll throw it out to you. And Peter, when you look at the Knicks beating the Celtics last year, you have to say, we can do it because you did it like the old Tiger Woods. How do you know? Back to competing? Because I just did it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because I just did it.

[Don]

Yeah, but how should we really look at that series? That they were the better team or that was just one. That was just a one off. That was just a fluke. They can't do it again. Like, what is the reality of that?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why again the season series and winning this game tonight, regardless of who's on the court and all that other stuff, winning the game gives you that reason to say, last I checked, we won four out of two and then three out of four.

[Alan Hahn]

But that's, that's our run right now

[Peter Rosenberg]

against this team, not the 04 last year.

[Don]

Like how they want to take it. They could take it, but you just can't just throw out. Well, regardless of who's on the court, who's on the court matters. If you beat the Celtics without Jalen Brown, it's, yeah, it's a win. You went three and one. But you don't. You don't think it'll be looked upon as the Celtics really didn't care about that game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Again, I'm not talking about it from my perspective. I'm talking about if I'm in that group now, I don't care. I just know I beat him. All right? That's all I care about.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't. Like, come on. That is part of this whole thing, the mind games. It's all part of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Knowing that we got you, knowing we

[Alan Hahn]

can beat you, and we're always going

[Peter Rosenberg]

to want to beat you.

[Alan Hahn]

That's how. That's the best thing about this Jaylen Brown. I'll give him credit because he's the only one. Thank God for him. Because seriously, Brunson won't do it. Cat won't do it. None of them will do it on this side. Can someone acknowledge the fact that Boston, New York is a great rivalry and it's fun and it should be something that breathes. We breathe life into. And Jaylen Brown did that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did that the other night when everybody's immediately after that game was over in Boston, all the questions were about your place. You're. You're playing the Knicks. You're playing the Knicks. And he just said he loves coming to the Garden.

[Alan Hahn]

He loves the New York, Boston thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The energy's great. He's all about it.

[Alan Hahn]

Can we be all about it instead of pretending it's not that big of

[Peter Rosenberg]

a deal, you know, just another team? The hell with that. Knicks, Celtics are supposed to have energy to it like this. It's supposed to matter. There's supposed to be bravado about it.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm for it.

[Don]

And this is what everybody wants too.

[Alan Hahn]

And I hope the fans.

[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 like it should.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the fun, though.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what it has to be about.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. And particularly you haven't been getting it from the Red Sox and Yankees in a real way. These teams are, you know, this is. This is an actual Boston New York rivalry that can be meaningful.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, yeah, the wild card last year was semi interesting. And then the Schlitler thing was interesting because of where he's from.

[Don]

And Yankees, Red Sox is always going to be a thing.

[Podcast Promo Voice]

Thing.

[Don]

I don't. Is there two cities that hate each other more than New York and Boston? I guess New York and Philly. I guess that would be in the conversation.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don]

But I still would put Boston ahead of it.

[Don Hahn]

LA and San Francisco in baseball and football stuff is pretty. Louis, Chicago, St. Louis, Chicago is pretty intense.

[Don]

I don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And is there really a thing in football?

[Don Hahn]

What?

[Don]

So like Rams, Niners.

[Don Hahn]

Not Rams, Raiders.

[Don]

It's.

[Don Hahn]

It's. It's Raiders.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Niners used to be Raiders. Yeah, but Raiders.

[Don Hahn]

And it's. And it's just Dodgers. Giants is super Giants. That's just repulsive.

[Don]

Right. You look at all the sports you've got, certainly Knicks, Celtics is a thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

Jets, Patriots is a thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's a thing, right.

[Don]

Giants, Patriots a thing. Just because the Giants beat Brady twice. So I'm sure Patriot fans can't stand the side of the Giants. I love the Patriots because they beat Brady twice. But still that from a football perspective, the Giants and the jets have had a major say on the history of the New England Patriots. Rangers, Bruins hasn't been a thing forever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Forever.

[Don]

They're both original six teams, but they have not competed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's been a long time.

[Don]

What was the last time they faced each other in the postseason?

[Peter Rosenberg]

In the playoffs?

[Don]

In the play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

72. Yes. Yeah, that's.

[Alan Hahn]

Unless. Unless I don't remember them going 79.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. They didn't go through them in 79, did they?

[Don]

I don't think.

[Alan Hahn]

Because I can't think of another year

[Peter Rosenberg]

where they would have played each other without looking it up.

[Alan Hahn]

Even the Islanders. I think the last time they played, it was like 81.

[Don]

They played.

[Don Hahn]

They did.

[Don]

In the second round. They did, they did. In 2013. Yeah. Because Jagger was a Bruin. I remember. I remember covering that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was.

[Don]

It was during that series, believe it

[Peter Rosenberg]

or not, so memorable that we moved

[Don]

to the West End and it was a quick series. It was like five games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

And that was the. That was the year the Bruins went to the Stanley Cup Final against the Blackhawks, which was a cool thing. But. No, so they did. But. But that. They haven't. They're just. It's not a thing. Geez, it used to be a thing, but it's not a thing anymore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That did not stand out at all. That's.

[Don Hahn]

But I mean, listen, Philly. And New isn't, you know, nothing either. Phillies, Mets, Sixers. Sixers, Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And that could be a first round matchup, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Eagles.

[Don Hahn]

Eagles, Giants, obviously. Flyers, Rangers.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's a thing.

[Don]

Philly would be the only one that I would. Philly's the closest include in that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

You mean, you mean. You mean in terms of competing with Boston, New York.

[Don]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

No, I. I think we're being. I think we're being regionally biased here. I think if we were to, like, if this was a national show, I don't know, other people would weigh in and say that their hatred for X City, that we're not thinking about.

[Don]

But I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Just because it's all sports, though.

[Don]

It's all sports. I mean, listen, I. I think the Dodger Giant rivalry is a. Is huge, but I don't know if any other rivalry in any other sport exists. Louisiana. San Francisco.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, right.

[Don]

Chicago, St. Louis, Cubs, Cardinals is a big thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

Bears, Rams, Blackhawks isn't, you know, there's no football team. There's no basketball team. St. Louis.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah.

[Don]

Dallas.

[Don Hahn]

Who would Dallas feel. No, they wouldn't be on football.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no.

[Don Hahn]

Mavericks don't have, like, big rivals in that way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, those are always generational rivalries. They're not like city rivalries.

[Don Hahn]

It's a good point. When you get into different sports, it really. It doesn't. There aren't that many places where it continues.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

I might Argue Phillies up the. Right, up. It might be right up there with Boston.

[Alan Hahn]

And you know what? Again, imagine a run for the Knicks

[Peter Rosenberg]

where the first rounds, the Sixers and the second rounds, the Celtics. I mean, talk about old school. Like, how great would that be?

[Don]

Like, that's then a conference final against the Pistons.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's really old school.

[Don]

And then. And then the NBA Finals against the Thunder. That's where it would die.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, not.

[Alan Hahn]

Not die on the ground.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Murder. Yeah, murder.

[Don]

Yeah, it's the final, so you wouldn't care.

[Alan Hahn]

The fun is over.

[Don]

Yeah, you would have to get the Lakers.

[Alan Hahn]

But I'll tell you. All right, I'll tell you what.

[Don]

If you go to the Lakers, think about that. Well, you got Sixers, Celtics, Pistons, Lakers. It would be the greatest run in the history of New York sports, honestly.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I was going to say if. If the Knicks have a run that

[Peter Rosenberg]

gets them to the finals and along

[Alan Hahn]

the way they take out Philly and Boston. Like, even if you lose in the finals, isn't that almost feel like still a chance? It's like getting to the finals is house money because of what you did to these two. These two nearby cities that now have

[Peter Rosenberg]

to hear about it.

[Don]

Well, you would truly feel like you're the eastern champion, Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, true.

[Don]

Now, obviously, I think the Heat are more of a rival than the Pistons. But you said old school.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, that.

[Don]

And even though the Heat and the Knicks are a huge rivalry, that's more new school than old school.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it's. And it's also, though that's. That's gone by the wayside, the Heat thing, because the Knicks were down there and the building's all Knick fans. Detroit is becoming like that. It's coming back because of a. They're a good team. They're physical and nasty. And then, you know, their fans are feeling away because of what happened last year. You took three games in their building in the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

They. They didn't get to see a. They haven't seen a home playoff win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What is it?

[Alan Hahn]

Since 2010?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, think about that.

[Alan Hahn]

They haven't seen a home playoff win because the three games that you played against them in the first round last year, the Knicks won all three.

[Don]

That's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

So. So, yeah. Oh, it's. It'll be insane. But I'm just saying that I don't think you want to. I don't think you want to downplay

[Peter Rosenberg]

the importance of tonight just because Brown is not in the game.

[Alan Hahn]

I think the importance of tonight is just to. Just to a build off of finishing strong for the season. So you feel good about what that look like. But I also think there's something just about, you know, let them know. Let the, let them know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Zelda, you better have all your players available.

[Alan Hahn]

You better, you better, you better have Tatum.

[Don]

If that's what you're angling Allen, then don't lose.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't lose.

[Don]

And then not you. But like Knick fans come on and say, well, with that game didn't matter anyway. Brown wasn't playing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think this game matters. It should matter for the Knicks.

[Don]

Well, it matters. You should win.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I actually think this, you win this

[Alan Hahn]

game tonight, the rest of the last

[Peter Rosenberg]

two games mean nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

My opinion, that's, that's a take. All right, win this game, 52 wins. It almost locks up third. And then you just because if Cleveland loses tomorrow, you get third. So then tomorrow night's game against the Raptors could be a first round opponent. And of course Sunday against the Hornets, meaningless means nothing. That's how I feel. I feel tonight is the last, should

[Peter Rosenberg]

be the last, most important game. If you win it, it is. If you lose it, of course it's

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[Alan Hahn]

Evan Cohen here.

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[Podcast Producer/Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

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

[Don Hahn]

Oh ladies and gentlemen, you're dead wrong. It's Don Hannah Rosenberg, ESPN New York. On this Thursday I'm gonna give you your big Mets lineup, Don, because I know you've been waiting for it.

[Don]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

So I'm going to give that shortly. Coming up, I want to tease that the amazing certain lineup for your New York Mets. Actually, you know what, I'll give it to you right now. You've been a good boy, Don. It's brought to you by. It's brought to you by our dearest of friends at Ramsey Mazda. My guy Francisco Lindor. He's leading off playing short, BOBA Shet batting second, Lou Rob or Lou Bob. Louis Robert Jr. Is batting third, Vientos fourth, Semian fifth, Alvarez Dhing at six, Brett Beatty seven, Torrens eight, Taylor the left fielder nine and the kid McClain on the hill, your starting pitcher for the New York Mets. That is your amazing starting lineup brought to you by Ramsey Mazda. Get more for your money at Ramsey Mazda. Like a new 2026 Mazda CX50 or Mazda CX90. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Currently the Yankees doing everything they can do to just survive against the impenetrable Oakland A's over the last couple of days they're currently down one nothing.

[Don]

Bats.

[Don Hahn]

Not going bats. Not exactly on fire for your Yankees there, Alan.

[Don]

They have one hit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, they were. No hit through five. Weathers though is at 99 pitches in the top of the eighth which is telling you we've used the bullpen enough. You're going to take us as far as our pitch limit will let you. But at 99 pitches in April in

[Alan Hahn]

this economy,

[Peter Rosenberg]

they're letting him work and he's going to get out of the inning. So we'll go into the bottom of the 8th now with a 1 nothing deficit for the Yankees.

[Don]

That's baseball, Susan. Right. Like Yankees look untouchable, everything's going great and then you just.

[Don Hahn]

Then the A's come to town.

[Alan Hahn]

But, but no, honestly, like they, they didn't get a bad start from Warren. He was fine.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like you should be able to win

[Alan Hahn]

a game when your starter only gives up two runs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, like you should win that game with this offense.

[Alan Hahn]

And then today he's only given up one run hit.

[Don]

They're getting shut out. I still think they're going to be heard from before it's over. Biggest concern for them and we'll get to the Yankees once the game is over. You know the overuse of Bednar the last couple of days and I'm assuming he's going to be unavailable today if they do end up having a save situation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Imagine that.

[Don]

But kind of odd that he's been used the way that he's been used down the stretch and he didn't look great yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but it was more of the. There was some interesting decisions yesterday and this is clearly a.

[Alan Hahn]

Early in the season and I don't

[Peter Rosenberg]

know if you've noticed this and like I said we'll do this later but just keep this in mind. Something to talk about Boone working more gut than analytics early in the season. I'll explain what I'm seeing.

[Don Hahn]

Boone working more gut than an. You know what? I'm intrigued by this tease. Yeah, very much so.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Different approach it seems. We'll see.

[Don Hahn]

I'm intrigued by the. By the Celtics and Knicks tonight as well. Alan, what is your situation? Where can people see you on the television tonight?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, we're side by side.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Obviously it's a prime game but we're doing it on msg so I'll be full pregame and you know, the sideline during the game and post game. How about your nuts? Can I get some interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

They play hard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They play good. Listen, I'll try not to make that Some of my analysis.

[Don Hahn]

If you're wondering if it's worth the money, you know, to have cable to make sure you have msg, this is the kind of crack analysis you may get to.

[Alan Hahn]

They play hard, they play good.

[Don]

They might tell you who our former program director was talking about, huh? But there was somebody that we all know that worked kind of adjacently worked at the radio station.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Don]

Who Ryan Hurley used to call unfrozen caveman producer who is unfrozen cave member. That's kind of. When Allen speaks that way, he's like unfrozen caveman sideline.

[Alan Hahn]

They play hard, they play good. They make threes, they win game.

[Don]

Let's go to our unfrozen caveman sideline reporter, Alan Hahn. Alan, who has live down there near the bench.

[Alan Hahn]

They play hard, they play good.

[Don Hahn]

I'm just a caveman, and I'm confused by your modern game of basketball.

[Don]

No rocks bounce like that.

[Alan Hahn]

What?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. What an absolute, like, CRO Magnon response I had there. That really was special.

[Don Hahn]

Well, it's out of context. What about that? Give me that. You can also get. Also. Also get analysis like this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's good.

[Don Hahn]

Take so many different things.

[Alan Hahn]

Wally will go on for 90 seconds

[Peter Rosenberg]

about explaining the importance of the game, and I'll just say that.

[Alan Hahn]

And you never had to say.

[Don Hahn]

That's right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You never get. You don't get Southern Allen on the msg.

[Don Hahn]

No, no, no, you very doesn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It never comes out.

[Don Hahn]

No, it's very here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Only when I get comfortable with if he was that bad.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, no, this is very different.

[Don]

Might have done it because. But you don't have people there just ready to pounce every time something odd happens.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You say that you don't see my text during the game.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don]

Oh, there's no drops on the MSG post game.

[Don Hahn]

What I really want to hear one day is I want to see. I want to see Alan show us something, Don. And when he's calling a game, we

[Peter Rosenberg]

don't know each other.

[Don Hahn]

When he's. When he's calling a game with Mike Breen, I want Mike Breen to say something and Alan to respond like this, Cap.

[Alan Hahn]

True story, though. If you ever say, dude, I'm out to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To Mike Breen. He hates that.

[Don Hahn]

Well, like, in what context would you say dude?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, if you do it like that, you know, when you just talking, dude,

[Peter Rosenberg]

what are you doing? Like, he's looking at dude. Did you say dude?

[Don Hahn]

Can I tell you what, though?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hates that?

[Don Hahn]

Isn't that the differentiator of like, that's like a generational differentiator. Although, interestingly, K's a pretty big dude guy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It is interesting. You're right.

[Don]

I don't hang out at the clubs.

[Don Hahn]

Kate Dom, right?

[Alan Hahn]

K says dude a lot.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, they're close friends.

[Don Hahn]

He says it, like, sarcastically a little bit.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, this is concerning disappointing news out of Philadelphia. You were hefty.

[Don Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no. And this is serious.

[Alan Hahn]

This is serious now because the Sixers

[Peter Rosenberg]

had been a team that, like, really looked like they were bringing it together and could be a problem for somebody in the first round. The Sixers just announced Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis. He will undergo surgery,

[Alan Hahn]

but that's.

[Don Hahn]

That could be backed by appendicitis for the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

You can have appendicitis?

[Don]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

He's gonna have surgery. Yes. That generally means they're going to take it out.

[Don]

I did that.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

You're back. I was back at work in two days.

[Alan Hahn]

Very similar.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What you do for a lie, by

[Don Hahn]

the way, in our effort level, I would say yes, probably. But he'll be fine.

[Alan Hahn]

You think he'll be fine, Don.

[Don Hahn]

Am I missing this? Unless they. Unless it exploded, God forbid, assuming he had stomach pain and they said, oh, God, you have appendicitis. It's inflamed. We take it out now. Yeah, he'll be back for the playoffs.

[Don]

What I understand is, if he had the surgery today, when would game one for the Sixers?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, they're in the play in right now.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, well, that's. Well, but we still have a week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They'd have to play. They'd have to play Tuesday.

[Don Hahn]

Tuesday. He should be fine by Tuesday.

[Alan Hahn]

You think so?

[Don]

I think so. I. I don't know about that, Don.

[Don Hahn]

You don't think he'll be fine for

[Alan Hahn]

Tuesday to play in the actual game? Future you.

[Don]

They're opening you up. So now it's.

[Don Hahn]

It's not really such a small incision, is it really?

[Don]

Yeah, yeah, it's not really.

[Don Hahn]

It's in your belly. It's like you have a little scar above your belly button. Now, listen, obviously, I'm not a professional athlete. They. They didn't have to tell me, like, hey, be careful. They'd probably tell you, don't go do sit ups right now. You know, don't go working on your. On. On your stomach muscles.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, the good news is he's not

[Peter Rosenberg]

a real conditioning guy anyway.

[Don Hahn]

That's exactly right. But that's what I'm saying. For him to just Play, really? I would think I could be way out of school year, but unless something

[Alan Hahn]

went a couple of weeks, I thought, this is for an athlete to come back. I didn't think it was going to be that easy.

[Don Hahn]

I'm going to ask, you know, who I'm going to ask. AI,

[Peter Rosenberg]

you know, it always knows.

[Don Hahn]

Because I'm going off my experience and my experience says you're fine in no time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

All right.

[Don]

Yeah. I asked when could you work out? Moderate exercise, one to two weeks and full heavy training, four to six weeks. But that's for average people.

[Don Hahn]

Well, and training is a little different than playing basketball.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's going to be playing in a playoff game.

[Alan Hahn]

You think people are going to be like, hey, watch. Watch the abdomen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't hit them there.

[Alan Hahn]

No, first thing I'm doing is hitting them there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm sorry. It's playoffs, man.

[Don Hahn]

No, it says. It says actually here, it says there's two things. Well, first of all, there's a couple of things. Assuming they were able to do the laparoscopic, easier, smaller, less invasive, which is the most common now. Assuming they were able to do that. Yeah. He could be back to competitive play, it says, in two to four weeks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, there you go.

[Don Hahn]

And that's if that's. They got the laparoscopic. If they couldn't and they had to do the real open them up surgery, it's even longer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He had an appendectomy, is what he had. That's according to my good friend Tim Bontemps.

[Don Hahn]

Man, I. I don't know. I don't know. That's very interesting because this is all. Everything I'm reading, Don. It's all like, kind of about, like, workout regimen. And this isn't like lifting weights. We're not talking about that.

[Don]

I mean, they'll obviously give us a timetable for it, but yeah, they said

[Peter Rosenberg]

they'll give an update in a later time, so I think they probably got to see how, but I don't. Oh, this happens.

[Don]

So the play in, you think they can make it out without him?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Actually, yeah. It says further updates will be provided as appropriate.

[Don Hahn]

That's appropriate.

[Alan Hahn]

Could they make the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Could they win a play?

[Alan Hahn]

Play in.

[Don Hahn]

They just got to beat Orlando once and they're in, correct?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah. For the. For the seventh, they. And they play Boston, but they have. They still. I mean, their back court is really good with maxi and educom.

[Don Hahn]

I believe Richard said the most talented in the history of the league.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, that's. That's a lot.

[Alan Hahn]

What, Peter?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's a lot. You did have Thomas and Dumars. You did have Curry and Clay.

[Don Hahn]

No, I think he said the best active. Didn't he say the most talented active backcourt?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I believe he said, oh, active, current.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, I think he did. I think that's what Richard said.

[Don]

Richard of Manhattan. Hi, Richard.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But anyway, it's really interesting.

[Don Hahn]

Like, either of you had it. Neither you guys had the old appendix out?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no. Knock on wood.

[Don Hahn]

It was a bizarre day where I really just thought I had, like, to go to the bathroom and it wasn't happening. And I did. I. The worst part of it was I was complaining to my ex wife. She's like, downplaying it and was like, I'm sure you're fine, you're fine. Like, I don't know. Went to the doctor. I told him everything that was going on. This is a perfect time. I know you don't have it on hand. I'll give you time. This would be the perfect time to play my urgent care doctor as a quack. Because I went to the urgent care don and talked to them, explained everything. It never crossed their mind. And then I left and had now taken all kinds of medicine to try to speed up what I believed was a problem of me being slowed down, if you will.

[Don]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

And then they called back and were like, hey, we just got back your blood work. You definitely have an appendix issue. You need to go to another doctor right now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And yeah, they tell you you have to, and then so you gotta go right away.

[Don Hahn]

So I left. But then the problem was, guys, once they knew I needed my appendix out, I'd already taken all the constipation medicine. So that meant that every five minutes up until surgery, I was, you know, it wasn't great.

[Don]

Well, so I just want to go back to your appendix.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

I was.

[Don Hahn]

It could have happened.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't happen.

[Alan Hahn]

I just. But, like, think about a guy of Embiid's talent and, like, he was an mvp. And ever since that MVP year, what's he been but just one injury, one bad luck after. Like, you talk about a player who is, like, so talented, yet never had

[Peter Rosenberg]

any, like, bad things just continually happen to him physically. His knees are shot now, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Then he comes back this year and

[Peter Rosenberg]

he starts to play well. And when he was playing well and

[Alan Hahn]

then like that, they look like a scary team. There are a lot of people that

[Peter Rosenberg]

were wondering if they could be one of the dragon slayers. Because you have Paul George, who's healthy and playing well. They have that backcourt, you have Nick

[Alan Hahn]

Nurse like this is a team that

[Peter Rosenberg]

you'd not have fun playing with in the first round and then this happens.

[Don]

Yeah, it's crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, damn, if you're a Sixers fan, can you catch a break?

[Don]

Well, trust the process. That's what you get.

[Don Hahn]

Well, and here we are.

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[Alan Hahn]

Oh, oh, oh, oh, Righty.

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[Alan Hahn]

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[Podcast Producer/Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where are you guys with Jackson Brown? Just quickly.

[Don Hahn]

I'm nowhere.

[Alan Hahn]

Nowhere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. You don't feel it?

[Don Hahn]

No, no, no, not that. No. I don't have a. I don't mind here. The songs I've heard from Jackson Brown, I don't have any, like, formulated opinions.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don]

Well, I think he's fantastic.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think he's great. I think he's great. I'm not like, you know, it's not like I got every album and play it on no repeat, but when you know his classics. Come on.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm good.

[Don Hahn]

What's his. What's. You're going to make fun. Well, you won't, but you'll judge. What's his biggest record?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, there's a couple of them.

[Don]

Well, it's running on empty, so that's the best album.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

But my. I don't know if you ever heard the Loadout Stay. That's my favorite.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love that. Yes.

[Don]

Where he's, like, singing about, like, it's.

[Alan Hahn]

He praises the roadies.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

It's a slow song, and then it turns into Stay. It's like two songs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

So if you have it, like, on Spotify or like, when I had my ipod, it would always, like, skip because it would acknowledge there were two different songs. But usually when it was played on the radio, it'd be those two.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

That's my favorite.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jackson Brown. Yeah, that's a really good one.

[Don]

He wrote with the Eagles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He wrote. He's super talented.

[Don]

Tons on.

[Alan Hahn]

On the Embiid thing. Just to put a bow on it. We don't.

[Don Hahn]

What.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We don't know, of course, if it's. If it. The. If the appendix burst. Right.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that. That would make it different for sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Because.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because again, I'll give. I'll give our guy Hinky Haynes on Twitter credit, but it. Og Anunoby missed the NBA Finals with the Raptors that year because right before the end of the season, almost similar timing his burst and he had to have emergency surgery and the complications from

[Alan Hahn]

it bursting caused him to miss.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, just. He couldn't play in the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

And so that's what we don't know

[Peter Rosenberg]

because they were very vague in what they said, the Sixers, you know, that they would give more information when it's appropriate, meaning they don't really know the whole situation yet.

[Don]

Or is it just, hey, let's. Let's have the surgery, make sure that everything goes okay, and then they can give a timetable rather than, oh, there was. There's an infection. Anytime there's. Anytime you have surgery.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you got to make sure the

[Alan Hahn]

surgery is a success.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

Is there's always the. The possibility of something going wrong or finding something so that they're probably just waiting for the. But it's crazy to be done.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just crazy how, like, this guy has been. Like, everything happens to him. You know what I mean?

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. Even appendicitis right before a playing game, it's unreal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, he's.

[Charles Barkley]

He.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's. He just. Everything happens to this guy.

[Alan Hahn]

And if you're the Sixers and you've

[Peter Rosenberg]

invested in the process for, God, 13 years now.

[Don]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, it ain't processing, man.

[Don Hahn]

The process ain't processing. Speaking of which, let's go to Ed, the limo driver. What's up, Ed?

[Don]

Hey, Ed.

[Podcast Promo Voice]

Hey, guys. How you doing? Listen, I love a pmpa. I'm a Knicks fan anyway, but listen, the organization is tired of it. Everybody in Philadelphia's part of it. In Pennsylvania, Maxi's tired of it. You know what? It's one thing and another. The 76ers should have been. Probably won a damn ship. This guy cannot stay on the court.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Podcast Promo Voice]

And then they stopped them. They signed him to a big deal.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Podcast Promo Voice]

The guy needs a fall apart, you know, hey, you need to trade him for Giannis then.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God. You think. You think the Knicks don't have anything

[Peter Rosenberg]

to trade for him?

[Podcast Promo Voice]

That's what I'm saying. I know, but. But I'm just telling you guys, every. I know it's appendix. Understand it, but why does it always happen to him? Everything happens to him. It always happens around before the playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. No, no, you're 100, right?

[Alan Hahn]

It's like, if you're a Sixer fan,

[Peter Rosenberg]

this has got to drive you.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, they actually, over the last month, they've looked good. I'm tired. I've been watching them, and now they're a fully functioning team and they've got all their players healthy. And there are times, there are nights when you watch them, you go, they're going to take somebody out or at least push them to seven games, that they've got talent, they're good, they have a good coach. And then this happened, and he was a big part of it. Embiid is such a big part of it because of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Obviously, you know, he's just got so much skill and he's so difficult to guard.

[Alan Hahn]

But you take him out of the equation now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're a small team.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah. No, it's one of those arguments we had many times on the show don't. About, you know, I used to have this fight with Gunling about Carson Wentz. Right where the line is of like, you know, yeah, sure, your appendix has nothing to do with being quote, unquote, injury prone, but here we are. It's the end of the year. Well, that's the problem in a season in which you could maybe surprise some people and you're not going to be able to play.

[Don]

You and Anthony had not. Andrew had the argument semantics because he thought he looked at injury prone as somebody that's prone to injury. He's weak.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's not fair.

[Don]

Can't take a hit. That's why he gets hurt all the time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I try.

[Don]

Every day where you were talking about prone injury means it just. It blank happens to you, man. You're Nordberg, you know, And I think both could be true. Like, listen, if you've got a chronic knee or you can't take. Every time you get hit, you get a concussion. Like, you know, Philip Heidel in Vancouver, you know that that's injury prone. But there's also a guy that just for whatever reason, always just has the.

[Alan Hahn]

If it can happen, if it can

[Peter Rosenberg]

happen, it'll happen anyway. That's the feeling you get.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, I had to

[Peter Rosenberg]

look it up because I am interested

[Alan Hahn]

in this too, because remember, the Sixers

[Peter Rosenberg]

recently gave him a contract extension and

[Alan Hahn]

that was one that they weren't sure

[Peter Rosenberg]

they really wanted to do.

[Alan Hahn]

And guys, starting next year, his cap

[Peter Rosenberg]

hit goes from 57.9 million, which is

[Alan Hahn]

a lot, to then 62.6 million. And then he has a player option in 28, 29 when he's 34 years old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who knows if he's still even walking by then.

[Alan Hahn]

$67 million. You think he's picking that option up?

[Don]

Of course he is.

[Alan Hahn]

My God.

[Don Hahn]

And you know, speaking of Andrew, you have to imagine he's sickened by this news.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not fair.

[Don Hahn]

No, another. Another year, another six or drama.

[Alan Hahn]

We'll fight you after this show.

[Don]

And he deserves better. Although I don't. I don't care for any of his teams, but I care for him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Look, I'll get behind anything.

[Don]

I'm gonna give him a call, see how he's dealing, how he's dealing with all.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because I've had it. You ruin everything.

[Alan Hahn]

That's that's big, big news in the East. Big news.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, again, one, one potential team that could really give you a hard time if they end up matching up with you. That now could be, depending again on how long he's out could change everything.

[Don]

Well, let me ask you this. You felt convinced that one of the top four.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don]

Was going to get bounced early. Was that because you thought the Sixers would be a problem or if, if the Sixers aren't a problem, is there still somebody else at the bottom of the conference that can be a problem?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I, I still think like, I believe the Sixers were one of those

[Peter Rosenberg]

teams that I was watching saying like, I wouldn't mess around with this team.

[Alan Hahn]

I still think though,

[Peter Rosenberg]

like Atlanta is a dangerous team and they're, they're going to be, you know, they'll be in the bottom because it's the top four. So they'll be a five seed. Now it's a high seed.

[Alan Hahn]

But still I, Atlanta is a problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought the 6 would be a problem.

[Alan Hahn]

And I don't think the Hornets are got enough to take anyone out. But they might take a piece of

[Peter Rosenberg]

you along the way.

[Don]

Yeah. They could affect what happens later on in the playoffs.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, exactly. Like they might make you play an

[Peter Rosenberg]

extra game that you don't want to play in a first round series. Like it could be something like that.

[Alan Hahn]

So, you know, like those are the teams I had my eye on. There's one that's off the list now.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So.

[Don]

Yankees down to their last out.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good Lord.

[Don Hahn]

It's, it's not.

[Don]

Ben Rice is up two outs, nobody on. Yankees down one to nothing.

[Don Hahn]

So listen, we, we, we want to play some met sound from you after yesterday's horrible Mets outing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But now for 15 with, I'd like to dive into this.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, but now we're going to have the Yankees ending here. So on the other side, we got to break down. Assuming nothing changes here and the Yankees lose one, nothing and just have an absolutely miserable offensive performance. We got to get to that. So a lot to do in the 4 o' clock hour, 4:30. That guy. Thursday enn at 6. Don Hanna Rosenberg ESPN New York hey guys.

[Alan Hahn]

With Xfinity, you already enjoy ESPN as

[Peter Rosenberg]

part of your TV lineup with live

[Alan Hahn]

games, daily sports coverage and expert analysis. And now the ESPN Unlimited plan is available at no additional cost, giving you access to additional ESPN content in the ESPN app, including more must see action like WWE Premium live events on demand programming and originals. To Explore, visit xfinity.com your xfinity.com your subscriptions to activate ESPN Unlimited Access. Then start watching in the ESPN app. More from ESPN all in one place.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Don Hahn]

I don't want to know how the

[Peter Rosenberg]

sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8am the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

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