Hour 1: Knicks-Hawks

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg

Hour 1: Knicks-Hawks (April 13, 2026)
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
ESPN New York

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Episode Overview

Theme/Purpose:
The trio dives into the New York Knicks’ 2026 playoff journey, spotlighting the first-round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks and addressing the controversial broadcast shift—Knicks games moving exclusively to Amazon Prime in the first round. The hour blends in-depth Knicks analysis, playoff expectations, media accessibility issues, and real-time audience reactions, including a frank discussion about gender stereotyping among sports fans.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Knicks Playoff Coverage Moves to Amazon Prime

• Broadcast Shake-Up:

  • For the first time ever, Knicks’ first-round playoff games will not air on MSG. Game 1 is exclusively on Amazon Prime, sparking confusion and frustration among fans used to the traditional cable setup.
    • [02:07] Alan Hahn: “...The Knicks will not be on MSG in the first round of the playoffs and game, well, or at all. Right. But in game one is Saturday, six o'clock, tip off. And you can find it on Amazon Prime.”

• Fan Adjustment & Streaming Landscape:

  • The hosts discuss fans' struggles with streaming apps, echoing broader trends across MLB, NFL, and now NBA.
    • [03:23] Peter Rosenberg: “So there you are, already out of the gate. You're gonna have to find your way to Amazon prime and be in streaming jail with everything else going on...”
    • [04:10] Don LaGreca: “Oh, they're not happy. But you had to figure with all of these apps in bed with these leagues, they want playoff games... They want the Knicks.”

• Are Fans Ready for Amazon?

  • Questions arise over fan readiness. Many likely have Amazon Prime for shopping, yet are unaware it includes streaming.
    • [06:44] Don LaGreca: “Well, I think, Peter, it's very possible that people have Amazon and don't know it because they have Prime.”

• Humorous Take on ‘Box Arrivals’ and Streaming Access:

  • The hosts riff on stereotypical home dynamics—who deals with package deliveries and app logins—sparking later controversy.
    • [07:46] Don LaGreca: “You pull up to the front of your house and there's like, six Amazon boxes… and now we're going to tell you in your fit of rage that the reason you have Amazon prime and you've got the app is because your wife gets things delivered.”

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2. Knicks’ Roller-Coaster Season & Playoff Readiness

• Season Recap and Turning Points:

  • The group recaps the Knicks' up-and-down season—hot starts, nasty mid-season slumps, and a strong finish.

    • [09:11] Alan Hahn: “They went 23 and 9 to start. Then they went two and nine. Right. And then they finished the season 30 and something.”

  • Weak Opponent Pool:

    • The regular season’s weak schedule, with a record number of teams with 55+ losses, is cited as a problem for overall NBA competitiveness.
    • [09:55] Alan Hahn: “Just to put a cap on the NBA season. This is the first year I think they had eight teams with 55 losses or more.”

• The "Real Season" Begins:

  • All attention shifts to the playoffs. The regular season’s tanking and lack of effort are dismissed as the ‘real’ fun begins.
    • [10:53] Don LaGreca: “Nobody's thinking about that because now it's on, man. Now everybody's trying win and it's, it's going to be fun.”

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3. Playoff Matchups and The Importance of the Path

• First-Round Opponent: Hawks, Not Raptors

  • Knicks miss out on “easier” Toronto matchup due to wild last-day results. Some fans instantly panic about facing Atlanta, given prior history.

    • [12:26] Alan Hahn: “...it became the Hawks again...A lot of people I saw Nick fans in the building were going like, oh, my God, we got to play the Hawks. Oh, no. And I'm thinking, did I miss something?”

    • [13:01] Peter Rosenberg: (joking) “Is that Kevin Willis?”

• Should Fans Fear Atlanta? Debate on the Value of a Real Test:

  • Alan (“iron sharpens iron”) argues a tougher first round prepares the Knicks for Boston in Round 2. Don prefers “path of least resistance” for rest and health.

    • [14:15] Don LaGreca: “Give me the path of least resistance...I don't want to have to play extra games if I don't have to...I want to be tested and it's not a case of I'm scared of Atlanta. But if you are a team that thinks it's going to make a significant run, then I don't want to have to mess around with extra games.”

    • [16:14] Peter Rosenberg: “That's to me is the key. If you worry that, like as good as you think they are, you don't know if they have that level yet of like, we can just turn it on.”

    • [18:07] Alan Hahn: “...I just feel like this run, this year is going to be excruciating...the end might be fun, but I think Journey is going to be excruciating because of the teams you're going to have to beat.”

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4. Playoff Anxiety and Fan Psychology

• Is Playoff Season “Fun” For Knicks Fans?
  • Don says high expectations make every moment agonizing—not enjoyable—unless you’re a decided underdog.

    • [19:17] Don LaGreca: “If you're a die hard Nick fan, you do not enjoy this time...when you're expected to win, explain to me how it's fun to sit there and watch your team play. It's hard, man.”

    • [19:42] Peter Rosenberg: “...the most frustrating thing...that shouldn't be. Because respectfully, this team doesn't have a championship yet...I think you still have to view this team with a sense of wonderment and excitement about what they could be.”

    • [20:23] Alan Hahn: “That's why I said the pot of gold. You know what the pot of gold is...if this team can do it as a team, then it quiets all of it. But if they can't, you know the noise that will come the minute their season ends...”

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5. Listener Calls & The Amazon Prime Gender Stereotype Debate

Roxanne’s Call: Calling Out Sexist Stereotypes (28:00)

• Roxanne (Caller) calls in to challenge the hosts for depicting women as box shoppers and men as oblivious sports fans, handling the Prime account logistics.

  • [27:58] Roxanne: “...the rant that you all made a couple of minutes ago that was so sexist in nature. First of all, I am a woman who is a passionate sports fan as much as any man... I do not shop online and leave my boxes for a man to take in. I take in my own boxes. I cut them up myself.”

• Hosts Respond—Clarifications, Apologies, Reflection:

  • [29:38] Don LaGreca: “...most men are too dumb to figure out how to use Amazon Prime. If anything, men should be insulted because women can figure out...I was giving you a description of a man driving home because that would be me.”
  • [33:18] Peter Rosenberg: “I just say sorry anyway because if it struck a tone with someone, it doesn't matter really what my intention was. It matters how it hit her.”
  • [32:07] Alan Hahn (summarizing): “Roxanne, holding us accountable...for her, she's sensitive to that image.”

• Broader Reflection:

  • The group jokes about the need to be more thoughtful in spontaneous talk and acknowledges how sports radio often overlooks female die-hard sports fans.

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6. More Knicks-Hawks Analysis and Fan Questions

• Caller Steve Inquires About Alan's Changing Stance on the Hawks:

  • [34:48] Steve: “You know, why would I not have a little trepidation?...why now A little backtracking on that?...”

  • [34:48] Alan Hahn: “When I say dragonslayer, it's not always where they're gonna take you out. Win a series. It's more or less take so much out of you in that series. It could affect you going forward.”

  • [36:31] Alan: “...2021 when the Knicks played the Hawks that that place was very loud...But...Knicks go down there, it's always a half-and-half crowd.”

• On "Picking" Opponents—Atlanta Rested Guys, Did They Want the Knicks?

  • [48:02] Caller Bob: “I truly believe that Atlanta lost on purpose to play the Knicks and that should give the Knicks fuel.”

  • [49:18] Alan Hahn: “I think they made a conscious decision, Don, to just say, like, we don't care either way. We're fine.”

  • [50:30] Alan Hahn: “...you can't, like, pretend like there's a revenge factor. There's no Trey Young. He's gone. And there's no one really on this [Knicks] other than Mitchell Robinson...”

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7. The "Tibbs vs. Mike Brown" Coaching Credit Conversation

• Caller Manny challenges media/fans on giving former coach Mike Brown credit versus Tibbs:
  • [53:14] Don LaGreca: “Well, I don't know what credit you want to give them credit. I mean he took over a team that basically had the same record as they did last year. Alan, this is going to be judged in the postseason.”
  • [53:22] Alan Hahn: “...It's the fourth straight year the Knicks win total has improved...But of course, why was Mike Brown hired? Because the belief was that Tibbs couldn't take them to the promised land.”

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Alan Hahn on Amazon Prime Confusion:

  “A lot of Nick fans were not happy…you’re hoping this is the beginning of a fun ride and you’ll have to be on a streaming service to watch it.”
  — [06:07]

• Don LaGreca on Streaming Trends:

  “You don’t think that when the NHL’s contracts are up 100% that they’re not going to say we want the first round, too?”
  — [04:59]

• Peter Rosenberg’s Perspective:

  “I think you still have to view this team with a sense of wonderment and excitement about what they could be.”
  — [19:55]

• Don LaGreca on Playoff Stress:

  “If you’re a die hard Nick fan, you do not enjoy this time…when you’re expected to win, explain to me how it’s fun to sit there and watch your team play.”
  — [19:17]

• Roxanne Calls Out the Stereotyping:

  “You depicted women as if they were some sort of frontal lobe creatures whose only passion was to shop, and not at all as the serious sports fans, which many of us are.”
  — [28:42]

• Peter Rosenberg Models Modern Apology:

  “...if it struck a tone with someone, it doesn’t matter really what my intention was. It matters how it hit her.”
  — [33:18]

• Alan Hahn Distills the Knicks’ Challenge:

  “...this run, this year is going to be excruciating...the end might be fun, but I think Journey is going to be excruciating because of the teams you’re going to have to beat.”
  — [18:07]

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Key Timestamps

• 02:07–07:59: Knicks playoff broadcast moves to Amazon Prime; implications for fans
• 08:32–11:00: Knicks’ season journey and playoff context
• 12:26–18:07: Playoff matchup: Knicks-Hawks, fans’ apprehension, and ‘iron sharpens iron’ debate
• 19:09–22:36: Is playoff stress fun? Expectations and fan psychology
• 27:56–33:36: Roxanne’s call and lively discussion on gender stereotypes in fan culture
• 34:48–37:20: Clarifying “fears” of the Hawks and the roots of playoff confidence/concern
• 48:02–51:10: Did Atlanta try to get the Knicks? “Picking” your first-round opponent and revenge talk
• 53:14–54:12: Coaching credit debate: Tibbs vs. Mike Brown

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Tone & Style Notes

• Energetic and playful, with banter, self-deprecation, and NY sports bravado.
• Candid listener interaction, especially around themes of fan identity and gender.
• Honest about the mixed emotions of Knicks fandom—hope, dread, nostalgia, and expectation.
• Passionate, informal, and at times lightly confrontational—reflecting true NY sports radio spirit.

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This episode is essential for any Knicks fan navigating the new world of playoff streaming, hungry for smart, honest playoff talk, and eager to see themselves—and be recognized—in the passionate, neurotic world of NY fandom.

Transcript

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[Don LaGreca]

I'll be licking the television screen. Licking it like it's ice cream.

[Podcast Announcer]

Han.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, the type of music I listen to would make you cry.

[Podcast Announcer]

And Rosenberg, I expect to be called ball coach.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Podcast Announcer]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Caller or Guest]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Podcast Announcer]

ESPN New York and streaming live on YouTube.

[Alan Hahn]

301 in the big six. Oh, you bet your ace with Don Legrecka. Peter Rosenberg. I'm Alan Han.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure you are.

[Alan Hahn]

We just decided. Just a little pause there for a minute.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, we were talking about something. We were, Don, that, that you're gonna. I'd be very passionate about on the air.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that is just the cable situation for these NBA playoffs as we get started.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's set. Let's set it up for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Set the table, for God's sake.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. As we know, we are finally where we've been waiting to get to. I've been told by my left and right wingers here, wait till April. It only matters in April. Very Yankee mentality to this next season.

[Don LaGreca]

Who's left and who's right?

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, listen, you guys, you know, I'm the center right now. One's a left wing, one's a right wing. You guys choose your side.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'll be on the left. Wait, wait, wait.

[Alan Hahn]

Sorry,

[Don LaGreca]

Peter. I don't think you had to declare.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I think you were the one guy we knew. But I was told it only now it only matters in April. Guess what? Game 82 is behind us. The season, a regular season, is over. And now we have the playoffs for the Knicks. We know now who they're playing. The Atlanta Hawks. And now we can start to decide if this team is going to give us another run close to what they gave us last year. Better, hopefully, and potentially possibly disappointing. But there's still a pot of gold at the end of this thing, which is even funnier. So, yes, we are in the playoff part for the Knicks. That's the big part of the story. But as Peter was alluding to Mike Breen last night, guys said something that I like. A lot of us that are in the NBA, cover the NBA, follow the NBA closely knew this was coming because we follow all the stories. But a lot of other people who there's a million things going on in your life. You don't know this. You're so used to the first round being on MSG Network. We're going to do pre and post, but for the first time ever, and I mean ever, ever, the Knicks will not be on MSG in the first round of the playoffs and game well, or at all. Right. But in game one is Saturday, six o', clock, tip off. And you can find it on Amazon Prime.

[Don LaGreca]

There you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Amazon prime, like you dream about.

[Alan Hahn]

So there you are, already out of the gate. You're gonna have to find your way to Amazon prime and be in streaming jail with everything else going on in the world, including the Mets and the Yankees. And we'll get to them, of course, everybody. But that's the reality that we are in now. We've done this with baseball and now we're football and now we're doing with basketball. And I couldn't believe, Don, how many people in Mike Breen told the story last night about, for Clyde and I, this is our last game of the year. Uh, you know, we are doing pre and post, but all the games now will be elsewhere on national coverage. And then when the schedule came out and I'm like, game one, Amazon prime out of the gate, a lot of Nick fans were not happy.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, they're not happy. But you had to figure with all of these apps in bed with these leagues, they want playoff games and they don't want just any playoff games. They want playoff games with, you know, big markets. They want the Knicks. The fact that a wild card game in the NFL could be on an app then, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

It's easy for the other leagues to fall in. You're lucky it's just game one.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we'll see the rest of the

[Don LaGreca]

schedule, see if you can get it, you know, get it out of the way, hopefully. And it's not maybe a pivotal game seven or, you know, spills into later on in the playoffs. But, you know, this is the brave new world. And I got news for you, too. You don't think that when the NHL's contracts are up 100% that they're not going to say we want the first round, too?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, and the regionals are all doing poorly. Why? Because of this people cord cutting and because of the fact that, you know, they're losing important games. How many games were taken away from MSG in both the NBA and the NHL by national television and the money that they spend and now the NBA has lost the first round. I would think eventually the NHL is going to lose the first round. And you know, and it's a shame. I do, I do wonder baseball forever.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do wonder whether the average Nick fan, if they had to pick it to be on one of the outside things, would you take Amazon like do most people have Amazon prime already where it's not a big deal. The other Peacock, because Peacock could be tough for some people.

[Alan Hahn]

NBC is doing a doubleheader Sunday night, but both of them on NBC proper.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh no Peacock.

[Alan Hahn]

No Peacock. Now I don't believe I'm not at the check. I don't think Peacock exclusive in the playoffs. I don't believe it. Amazon. Yes. Amazon bought the play in.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

This whole week is on Amazon and

[Don LaGreca]

Amazon has the, the wild card. NFL.

[Alan Hahn]

NFL. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

And they pay big bucks for that. Yeah. And so they'll get game on that. And that's what, that's what they wanted. They took of course the New York market right out the gate. Took the New York market immediately instead of get let. So because obviously if it's on espn, you're fine with it, but it's not. And that, that I couldn't believe the response. I thought everybody knew this was coming. And it caught a lot of people by surprise that the first game of the playoffs for your Knicks and a season that you know, you're hoping this is the beginning of a fun ride and you'll have to be on a streaming service to watch it.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I think, Peter, it's very possible that people have Amazon and don't know

[Peter Rosenberg]

it because they have Prime. Because here's the thing, gentlemen. You may be out there right now and you're going, I don't have this prime, but my wife orders from Amazon every day.

[Alan Hahn]

Why is Bob Dylan worried about Prime? I mean that was very Bob Dylan, wasn't it?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. All those boxes outside my door so I can walk the NBA on the floor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So. So the point is though, so. So guys, there are people out there, they're very Don legreco type guys. They don't know what's going on in their house.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They got nothing to do with the bills.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they just do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They just show. They make the money box shut up at the door. But you, your wife may have Amazon prime in which case, you don't need to do anything. You just go log in and watch.

[Alan Hahn]

So, honey, what's the login? She probably doesn't know.

[Don LaGreca]

Think about that. You're driving home. Think about you're driving home listening to us tell you.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

That the Knicks Hawks game one's going to be on Amazon prime and you're punching the pissed off and you're aggravated. This app, I don't even know how to watch it. You pull up to the front of your house and there's like, six Amazon boxes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yep.

[Don LaGreca]

And you're like. You punch the steering wheel again. It's like, oh, now after a long day, I got to drag all these boxes in, and then I got to cut those boxes for recycling tomorrow. This is ridiculous. And now we're going to tell you in your fit of rage that the reason you have Amazon prime and you've got the app is because your wife gets things delivered.

[Caller or Guest]

Mm.

[Don LaGreca]

And it comes with those deliveries. Advantage of Amazon prime means you have the app. Probably didn't know it, but you do have it. So congrats.

[Alan Hahn]

So there you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So some people, I think, in terms of the ones that they can do this with, in some ways, Amazon's the easiest. But no matter how you cut it is interesting. But either way, we're here. We're going to have playoff basketball to discuss. We're not going to have to do what we're going to be doing, I'm sure, for much of this show today, which is speculating on baseball teams that we may feel really passionate about in mid April. And it is literally not even the same sport as mid September. They're barely even related. We are now finally here with the Knicks. Do you remember the brutal Nick spell in the middle of the winter? What did they lose? 8 of 10. Right after.

[Alan Hahn]

Right after the Emirates cup, it was 9 out of 11.

[Peter Rosenberg]

9 out of 11. And obviously you have to play the 82 out. So all we can do is.

[Alan Hahn]

So think about this. They went 23 and 9 to start. I followed this because I was really curious how it was going to end. 23 and nine to start. Then they went two and nine. Right. And then they finished the season 30 and something.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. But they also had a solid month without a win against a winning team, but only five games against schedule.

[Alan Hahn]

Schedule was embarrassingly bad. Like, yeah, like, did you hear that? Just to put a cap on the NBA season. This is the first year I think they had eight teams with 50 loss, 55 losses or more.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, beautiful.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, you dream about Just like absolutely aesthetic product that we thankfully.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, yeah, exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

We can finally just kick that it just put it into the closet, slam the door shut, never think of it again. And now just turn and look at the remaining 60 or 20 teams now. Get the play in. At least just say, thank God there's something now. Competitive teams are actually trying to win players to play.

[Don LaGreca]

But that's the problem, Alan, is that it's a major, major, major issue in the NBA that every April gets forgotten about because the postseason is so great. So you get to the playoffs and that's all anybody's going to be thinking about. All the games are important, all teams are fairly good. And then once you get through the first round, all the teams are really, really good. And then you got the summer, you don't think about it again. And then, oh, by the way, come October. Oh, yeah, that's right. We got a tanking problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, we remember it by October, by November, by Thanksgiving, we start realizing, oh, this team's not trying to win.

[Don LaGreca]

Nobody's thinking about that because now it's on, man. Now everybody's trying win and it's, it's going to be fun.

[Alan Hahn]

But here it's on. So it's on. All right, so it's gone right now. And I want to know from you guys, and I want to know from everybody at 1-800-919-3776, is this. Because this is the other thing I heard last night as we're watching the Nick game is now yesterday's game meant nothing. Of course, the Knicks, they sat everybody. It meant everything to the Hornets. They wanted a home play in game, they got it. They got their win. They played all their guys. And I'll tell you what, the Knicks, jv, they gave him a game. Like, it was not easy for the Hornets to win that game until the second half and then they finally pulled away, but they got it. So that game ends. And now you're just curious to see this different scenarios play out. Because if Orlando beat Boston, and we knew the Hawks were not playing anybody, so they were losing and Toronto beat the Nets, which we had to figure that was going to happen, then the Knicks would have played Toronto, which was the favorable opponent because Toronto, the Knicks swept Toronto, they beat him five times this year because of the NBA Cup. They played him an extra time and Orlando was winning at the half in Boston. Boston didn't play any of their guys. And so it felt like a fait accompli. All right, it's gonna be Toronto. Then all of a sudden, a third quarter happened in Boston where the Celtics, JV guys, Baylor, Baylor Scheireman and Ron Harper Jr started just making three after three after Luca Garza.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's Luca Garza.

[Alan Hahn]

All these guys that you sure, you guys all know they scored 42 points in the third quarter. And a magic team that had to win to avoid the play in desperate, Suddenly we're down 15, and guess what, guys? They came back, tied it, and then lost it at the end. They lost. And that means instead of playing the Raptors, now all of a sudden, it became the Hawks again. The Hawks were the team that finished sixth. And a lot of people I saw Nick fans in the building were going like, oh, my God, we got to play the Hawks. Oh, no. And I'm thinking, did I miss something? Dominique Wilkins come back to life?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Is that Kevin Willis?

[Alan Hahn]

Was that like. Like what? Like, am I missing something? So if you're. I think I said this last week. My thing is this. You guys tell me if I'm crazy or if I'm just the orange and blue skies thing. If you're afraid of a first round opponent, if there's a team that you're like, I don't know if I could beat them, then, you know, you're not. You're not a championship contender. That's what I think. And I'll add one more thing to it. If I know I've got a Boston Celtics team waiting in the second round that has spent 365 days waiting for the chance to get revenge on me. I'm going to want to play a team that's going to have me ready for this series instead of a team that I know I'm going to smack around for four games and then go home. So what? Poke a hole in those two theories of mine that I feel like A, if you're who you say you are, doesn't matter you play. And B, I actually would rather. I'd rather spar with a team in the first round that's going to get me ready for a brawl in the second round, then smack around a team that I know I own and then walk in a little too fat and happy against the Celtics.

[Don LaGreca]

Give me the path of least resistance. Really, I understand what you're talking about. You know, get the donut on the on deck, circle right, make the bat a little lighter later on in the postseason. But if you want to sustain and you think you can make a run, I don't want to have to play extra games. If I don't have to. You're going to have a war in the second round with Boston. Right. I don't want to have to go six or God forbid, seven against Atlanta. So it's not a case of I'm afraid of Atlanta. Atlanta's the better team. Of the ones I could have matched up with, I think they would have

[Peter Rosenberg]

wiped the floor with Toronto. Good.

[Don LaGreca]

Give myself a few. A little bit of rest late in the season. I could take a little bit of time off, get ready for Boston. You know that's going to be a war. You know, Boston, you know they'll wipe the floor with whoever they play. Right. So they got the two. So they'll play the other player.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, they're going to play. They're going to play the winner of 7, 8 game, which is Orlando and Philadelphia.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Caller or Guest]

So.

[Don LaGreca]

So that, that might not be a walk over either.

[Alan Hahn]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

But if they end up sweeping their series, you got to go six or seven with the Hawks.

[Alan Hahn]

I agree.

[Don LaGreca]

That's gonna put you at a distinct disadvantage.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right. Rest and all that other stuff, you're.

[Don LaGreca]

Understand what you're saying. I want to be tested and it's not a case of I'm scared of Atlanta. But if you are a team that thinks it's going to make a significant run, then I don't want to have to mess around with extra games. I want to make sure that I'm healthy, I'm rested, going up against Boston. And maybe you catch a break in Boston ends up having to go six games with Philadelphia and you sweep whoever you're playing and make them have to have Tatum have to play a couple of extra games. But that's the way I look at it. Not that you're scared, but I want to make myself as fit as possible for the second round.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I could see it either way. I guess it's a matter of do you believe this team has it in them to have an easy series and then be able to just turn it on?

[Alan Hahn]

Because to me, I worry about that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's. That's to me is the key. If you worry that, like as good as you think they are, you don't know if they have that level yet of like, we can just turn it on.

[Alan Hahn]

Especially like this. Think about the next two rounds. If Detroit goes all the way, Detroit takes themselves all the way to the conference finals. Like, if it goes chalk, let's just play. And you have now after the first round, Boston. And then if you get by Boston, Detroit, you're talking about two teams that see they're out for blood against you. Right. It's personal to both of these teams for various reasons. It's personal to Jaylen Brown, it's personal to Jayson Tatum, it's personal to Joe Missoula, that entire organization. It's personal to them because of what happened last year. Right. Then Detroit, we already know, like every time you played them this year, they took out the belt, you know, bta. A bta.

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like they. I mean, they. And it was like, you know, throw the damn towel. You threw the towel. They still throw punches. Like that team was angry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know, that's a war.

[Alan Hahn]

So, like, I don't know why you'd want to be. You'd want to like soften like tomato can your way into heavyweight fights. That's what I'm thinking. And I prove now, you could say you don't want to have to go six or seven. Done. They should not go six or seven against the Atlanta Hawks if they are at full health. And the Knicks right now, as far as we know, are at full health. Deuce McBride played yesterday and did play well and said he feels great. OG Anunoby left the game on Friday with an ankle thing that they said was day to day, so it doesn't seem like it would have kept them out. You think he should be fine? If they are at full health by next Saturday, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to win that series in no more than five.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. But things happen. You didn't think you'd go six with Detroit last year, did you?

[Alan Hahn]

Detroit again. Like, I. It's what happens versus what should happen. Right. That's how I look at it. So I just feel like this, this run, this year is going to be excruciating. I just feel like it's something about this team at the end of this season when they figured something out with the offense and it started to click with. With Brunson and Towns with a defense that about 25 games ago started figuring stuff out in a rotation now that started to figure it out where a guy like Jordan Clarkson was. Somebody that's like, oh my God, this guy can't even help this team to okay. This guy's impactful off the bench. Right. Like little things that they've done along the way. Mitchell Robinson. I just feel like this is going to be a run and in the end it might be fun, but I think Journey is going to be excruciating because of the teams you're going to have to beat.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, this is this is going to sound so crazy, and we are looking forward to the postseason for so long.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

If you're a die hard Nick fan, you do not enjoy this time, you potentially could be overwhelmingly joyful. And as you win each series, you'll breathe a sigh of relief and have a couple of days to celebrate until the next series. But when you're expected to win, explain to me how it's fun to sit there and watch your team play. It's hard, man. As a fan, really, it's like NFL playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. The commanders are in the playoff. You don't enjoy those three hours. If they win the game, you'll look back and say, boy, that was fun. But during the course of the game, your palms are sweaty, you're rocking back and forth. You're nervous spaghetti.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Exactly. Well, the most frustrating thing.

[Alan Hahn]

That's all right, though. But it's all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it shouldn't be that because respectfully, this team doesn't have a championship yet. Like, to me, it's like, once you've won a championship, yeah. Everything after that's just kind of scary because you're like, hey, we're expected. I think you still have to view this team with a sense of wonderment and excitement about what they could be. Not act as if, like, if we don't do anything, it was like, that's. I understand it. No, no, I understand.

[Alan Hahn]

That's why I said the pot of gold. You know what the pot of gold is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I understand how people view it that way. But I hope people are able to try to enjoy this run a bit.

[Alan Hahn]

This is. This is going to be very similar to 99, when Phil Jackson was out there as a free agent and Jeff Van Gundy was the coach of the Knicks. And the Knicks in that shortened season were barely over.500 team. And there was a lot of talk about, you know, Phil Jackson's the best coach in the world and he's available and he's a former Nick and we should hire him as the head coach. And Patrick Ewing was like, no, this is my coach. Jeff Van Gunny's my coach. And then they went on this run with Jeff as the coach to a point where the Garden crowd was chanting Jeff's name. And the executives who were quietly flirting with Phil Jackson finally were like, I guess he's our guy. He got to the Finals, right? The honest thing, very similar. It's going to be like, you know, if this team we got like, are you trying to just make the Finals? Are you trying to win the Damn thing. You're trying to win the damn thing. It's about winning all of it. Not about, hey, we competed because the Knicks have done that in the past. This is about getting over the top. How do you do it? You got to get, you got to get the best players you can get that you can match with anyone. And if this team can do it as a team, then it quiets all of it. But if they can't, you know the noise that will come the minute their season ends, wherever it ends.

[Don LaGreca]

But as far as the enjoyment's concerned is that if you're supposed to win the series and it's a disappointing year if you lose, that's when the nerves come in. It's when you fade. When you get to a series, maybe you're the underdog. It's like, hey, if we lose this series, but we play hard, I can live with it. Then you might be able to have some fun with it. But when it's win or pain, which is what it's going to be in

[Alan Hahn]

the first round, win or pain, I

[Don LaGreca]

love it's going to be tough now. Boston, that'll be interesting. Like, I don't know what the expectation will be from the fan base of we should beat this team. They'll probably think they should because they

[Alan Hahn]

beat them last year, three one this year you're going to expect to beat them. But you know what's coming because they are going to be out for.

[Don LaGreca]

But Atlanta. Honestly, Allen. Yeah, I don't, I don't know if Brown survives losing to Atlanta.

[Alan Hahn]

That's a very, very interesting Boston.

[Don LaGreca]

You go six, seven, lose or a guy, you know what they got the revenge, will regroup, maybe go out, get Yanis. You see how it works. I think, I think heads roll if they.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I, I agree. I mean, we can talk about that as the day goes on.

[Alan Hahn]

We can. We got lots of calls to get to 800-919-3776 first and no, let me

[Peter Rosenberg]

talk about something real quick because I do want to get into that. That's a real conversation. And I also want to make at some point, some time during at least ENN, talk about the great work of Rory McElroy. But right now, new FanDuel customers can bet $5 and get 250 in bonus bets. If your first bet wins. That's right. You turn five bucks into 250 in bonus bets just for getting started. And when every possession matters in the playoffs, FanDuel makes it easy to get closer to the action from player props on your favorite stars to all the tools you need to back them up. FanDuel puts player research right at your fingertips so you can check stats, trends and matchups all in one place and make your picks with confidence. It's everything you need all in one app, so don't miss your shot. Head to FanDuel.com local to get started. FanDuel play your game 21 and over, physically present in New York first online real money wager only $5 first deposit required. Bonus issued is now withdrawable. Bonus bets that expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See [e-mail] for help with a gambling problem, call 877-8-Hopeny or text hopeny467-369Amazon Hub

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[NHTSA Safety Announcer]

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[Don LaGreca]

Taxes.

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[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Alan Hahn]

I Don Rosenberg so let's get right to the calls. 800-919-3776. We're finally at the place where the Knicks are in the playoffs. We're also back in that place where our baseball teams suck. We will get to that conversation, I promise you. There's a lot of passion on the airwaves throughout the day that we were hearing, so we will get to that. But a ton of nick passion on the airwaves right now. And let's begin with Roxanne in Montclair because she's not happy with us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sorry. Hi Roxanne.

[Caller or Guest]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh no.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

Hi. I am as fond of you three as one can be of people to whom I have never spoken in person. But right now I am seriously annoyed because of the rant that you all made a couple of minutes ago that was so sexist in nature. First of all, I am a woman who is a passionate sports fan as much as any man to whom I believe you are addressing that. I do not shop online and leave my boxes for a man to take in. I take in my own boxes. I cut them up myself.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't mean to.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

You depicted women as if they were some sort of frontal lobe creatures whose only passion was to shop, and not at all as the. The serious sports fans, which many of us are.

[Don LaGreca]

No, not fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, part of it was fair, part of it wasn't fair.

[Don LaGreca]

First of all, I was describing my

[Peter Rosenberg]

life and real quick, don't let you go. Hold on real quick, though. Because I brought up this thing, just to be clear, I didn't mean that men are expected to bring in the packages. I just meant that in my lifetime, a lot of packages arrived to the home. That's all I was referring to. I apologize. Before Don gets his piece in. He may disagree. I apologize if the nature of it sounded like I. I think the average sports fan is only a man. I don't think that, but I think a large part of the audience is.

[Don LaGreca]

Don't. I was giving you a description of a man driving home because that would be me. I don't like apps. I'd be driving home complaining. The Nick games on an app.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

And when I get home, there'll be boxes in front, and some of them, especially when the cat food gets delivered, I'm going to be the one that lifts it because I'm not going to have my wife lifted. Those things are like £75. So I was not suggesting that women can't lift boxes and I was not suggesting that women don't enjoy sports. But what I know is most men are too dumb to figure out how to use Amazon Prime. If anything, men should be insulted because women can figure out. Meanwhile, I'm the one that when I can go to Amazon prime and I can go get the new shovel next winter, but instead I'll get in the car and drive to Home Depot and get it. Because I can't figure out my prime account because I'm a man and I'm stupid. Why didn't you look at it that way? Maybe I was insulting men as being just guys that care about sports and lift boxes and can't figure out the intricacies of how to order online, which is a convenience. Why did you spin it negative when I meant it more negative towards men?

[Roxanne (Caller)]

Because the tenor of it came across as the little woman.

[Don LaGreca]

No, that's how you heard it. There was never any mention of only women. Only men like sports and only women are on Amazon. I was. I was depicting a scenario in which a man being me would drive home being upset the games on prime, knowing there's a bunch of boxes there.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

Well, it wasn't only you, Don. I've picked that up from all three.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, actually, I disagree. I disagree, Roxanne. I think they were both out of line. I'm very much on your side on this. This whole thing is. I didn't say a word, and I'm only. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.

[Don LaGreca]

I can't apologize.

[Alan Hahn]

I will say this.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't mean. I did not mean to say it that way.

[Alan Hahn]

Roxanne.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

I don't. I'm not expecting an apology, Don. I am just calling us out. I don't. Because I don't feel. From the bottom of my heart, I don't feel that sexism is the way any of the three of you spin. I don't believe that. But that is how. I am. Pretty sure that's how it came across to at least a majority of women who were listening. That's all I'm saying. I don't expect an apology because I do believe. I believe you 100% that you meant it in the right way. But I would just say be careful how things are uttered, because it did come across.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That is very true.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

As a little woman who loves to shop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Women be shopping. As a wise man once said. No, I agree with you, Roxanne. It makes sense. I appreciate.

[Roxanne (Caller)]

Okay. I appreciate that. I do.

[Alan Hahn]

Roxanne, holding us accountable. Thank you. And. And that part I understand. I also think for her as a. As a rap. She's a diehard sports fan, clearly listens to sports talk radio, listens to us. I think for her, she's sensitive to that image.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, so that.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the thing that maybe some of us in our lives, like, yeah, my wife is not a diehard sports fan. That's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's the.

[Alan Hahn]

That's. So that's what we're doing. We're relating our own lives and creating a character and a caricature of something that we've seen in our lives. And for Roxanne, she's like, I don't like being portrayed that way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And we're not. This wasn't the only time it's happened. Think about it. If you're a woman who loves sports in general, you listen to sports talk radio, you're a hardcore fan.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This was not the only time where it comes up and it's just very casual that you assume the wives aren't paying attention. I'm sure she hears it every day,

[Don LaGreca]

so I'm sure I can't help. No, but she's a fan of the show. Then if she's a fan of the show, she knows my wife is a huge giant fan and Canadians fan and NASCAR fan and love sports. I mean I can't claim her everything I say by giving my backstory. But no, I got to talk extemporaneously.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know but all you have to all you. This is something I've had to do many times in my life. I do it all the time. I just say sorry anyway because if it struck a tone with someone, it doesn't matter really what my intention was. It matters how it hit her.

[Alan Hahn]

Think about it.

[Don LaGreca]

She didn't like it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I get it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a very Canadian approach. Sorry.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You say sorry that you feel that way about it and then you move

[Alan Hahn]

on and then we just keep. Well, it's all right. Let's piss off more people. Here we go. Steven knew Fairfield's also annoyed at least at me. Steve, you're up next.

[Caller or Guest]

Not really.

[Caller Steve]

I'll quick trivia though. Roxanne. Roxanne. Who was the artist?

[Caller or Guest]

Al Pete.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That would be the police, I believe.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's Roxanne.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, sorry.

[Alan Hahn]

The hip hop version utfox. There you go.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought you meant Roxanne. I didn't know you met Roxanne. Roxanne.

[ESPN App Announcer]

Wow.

[Caller or Guest]

Good work.

[Alan Hahn]

Good work there. Shout to you too. Very good. Okay.

[Caller Steve]

I don't. Not necessarily think you're contradicting yourself but like about a month ago probably a post religiously man. Love your work.

[Caller or Guest]

Ms. Bali.

[Don LaGreca]

Everyone.

[Caller Steve]

You know, why would I not have a little trepidation? Now you point blank said I'm just saying everybody watched Charlotte and Atlanta. So now that it's time to play these boys, why not a little trepidation? I know you're pointing have some bravado. You're not working metal if you're not going to go in with confidence but why not? I mean you sounded the alarm a bit with Charlotte and Atlanta. Especially when Atlanta and ripped up 18 out of 20. So why now A little backtracking on that. I just want some clarification because I

[Alan Hahn]

was focusing on mat. I was saying I said this on get up a couple of times nationally that there's a. There's a dragon slayer in the bottom of the bracket and Atlanta was one of those teams I thought Philadelphia before the embiid thing had a chance to be 12 and Charlotte was a team you just don't want to mess with. But I can't see them beating somebody in a series. When I say dragonslayer, it's not always where they're gonna take you out. Win a series. It's more or less take so much out of you in that series. It could affect you going forward. Forward. Matchup wise though, I was looking at Atlanta as a team that if they played Cleveland they would take Cleveland out. But I do not see them as a team that would take the Knicks out. No.

[Caller Steve]

Do you see Atlanta being similar maybe like a sub a to what Detroit was towards last year? I kind of do not to the same brutality. You know how not the grittiness.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And that's the part that I think is most important. I think Atlanta is going to play a fast game. That doesn't always happen in the postseason. I don't think they're good in half court and they're not very deep. They don't have any size. Like that's a team that you know they, they're, they're, they're really good. They really got it right. They got rid of Trey. They changed up who they were. They have a ton of length as far as on the wings. There's a lot of great things about them but what you know in the right matchup and that's why I said Cleveland because they look like they could give Cleveland a hard time and I thought that should be worried about who they play in the first round be Cleveland.

[Caller Steve]

One thing that I'm sure you noted that were you not a little impressed our last trip down there usually it's New York south down those in those cities. But that a lot of energy. I don't typically see Atlanta fans like that.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we do.

[Caller Steve]

Home games for them are going to be tougher.

[Alan Hahn]

Well it's. It better be. It's the play. You would hope so, right Steve? I mean it's the playoffs so thanks for the call. I also remember in 2021 when the Knicks played the Hawks that that place was very loud and very one sided. Very, very much Atlanta. But over the last couple of years during the regular season, which has always been the case regular season Knicks go down there, it's always a half and half crowd. Well I remember Don, you remember when the Thrashers were there, Rangers and Islanders would go down there. Half and half crowd.

[Don LaGreca]

It'd be ridiculous. But let's not forget come playoff time they probably play that old.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, they don't sell tickets.

[Don LaGreca]

You know certain zip codes and area codes are allowed to purchase tickets. So they probably are able to make sure that New Yorkers and people from the Tri State area can't get into the plows in the regular season. They probably don't care. They want the full Building.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, let's take Greg in New Jersey. Greg, you're up next.

[Caller Steve]

Hey there, guys. First time I've ever called. I've been listening for years.

[Alan Hahn]

Awesome. Thank you.

[Caller Steve]

So, listen, I was. I was wondering if I could get Roxanne's number. My wife is a big time Amazon shopper, but I'm interested in somebody and she sounds like a wonderful woman who doesn't shop all the time on Amazon and brings in her own boxes and yeah, I'm interested.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait, you're willing to make a trade? Is that what you're saying?

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is big.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't have to clean up boxes. You do this for me. I'm good.

[Don LaGreca]

Like.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, honestly, I mean, that's a man thing. What? What husband out there doesn't have that? I walked out in the garage and once again, there's a cardboard tower waiting for me.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean, I cleaned the garage.

[Caller Steve]

I was off last week and I cleaned the garage. I found so many unfolded boxes, you know, undone boxes. And Amazon returns. That too. Found a pile of Amazon returns. The best. I love being married.

[Caller or Guest]

I love her.

[Don LaGreca]

I think that the way things are divvied up in my house, I mean, situation.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's see how things go there. I know.

[Don LaGreca]

I get it done.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't even know why I speak, because you know, I'll offend somebody. No, but the way things are divvied up is basically things that I can screw up and things that I can't screw up. I can't screw up cutting the cardboard and putting in the recycling, but I can screw up the laundry. I'm allowed to do mine. I can't touch hers because I'll probably screw something up because I do my laundry. I just throw everything on the same temperature, same spot. I don't care.

[Alan Hahn]

To be clear, this is her rules, not yours.

[Don LaGreca]

Her rules?

[Caller or Guest]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

I want to help. I want to do everything. But the way it's broken down is you're too dumb to do that.

[Alan Hahn]

You'll screw it up.

[Don LaGreca]

You can't screw up cutting the bottom. Well, maybe you can cut your hand off. But you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's your problem right now. Boxes are a very sensitive thing to me because since we removed.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

My current situation is there's a lot going on.

[Don LaGreca]

That's why was just airing about like, you know, the. The stereotype of the guy being too stupid to figure easy stuff out, like

[Alan Hahn]

finding out that's not the time that it was taken. Realizing that you have Amazon prime, because that's why you have all those boxes.

[Don LaGreca]

Wasn't that the whole theme of the conversation was, I doesn't even know he's got it for free?

[Alan Hahn]

I'm telling you, Roxanne felt away because

[Don LaGreca]

she feels like, listen, I apologize for the ear sensitive. Oh, my God, it's good starts today.

[Alan Hahn]

And by the way, we haven't even gotten to the baseball yet, guys. You imagine what baseball is going to be like. I might have to bring up something here.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Bucked Up Energy Announcer]

The chat is very upset with Allen, actually.

[Alan Hahn]

Good. As they're saying that he didn't want to face the Hawks and said. He definitely said that. I said I would like to bring Everybody back to April 7th of this show.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

When? The next day. This is what you're going to do the day after this. But there is context.

[Don LaGreca]

You wonder if some people actually pay attention to other teams besides the Knicks and the Celtics and OKC this morning. Because you just outlined why you should get excited about beating the Atlanta Hawks and why you should try to avoid having to play them in the first round.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah, you're out of your mind. If you want to be the fourth seed. No way. Like, no. I'll take the Sixers. Even with the fact that they have a healthy Paul Jordan. I'll take that over that Hawks team all day long. Now, you never said anything about the Raptors. I didn't say I didn't. See, this is terrible context. I never said I wouldn't play them. I said I'd rather play other teams. I'd rather play the Raptors. But now that you got to play them, I look at it as well, you know what? Iron sharpens iron. Good. Give me a team that thinks they've got a puncher's chance instead of me, like, smacking around a team that I know I can beat, that knows I'm going to beat them. Give me that. So that I am ready for the Celtics. Because by the way, I've watched that Celtics team for the better half of this second half of the season. They're scaring the hell out of me. They got guys you've never even heard of doing things in the league, not in the G League, in the league that, like, you don't expect. You don't even know where these guys played in college. If I name some of these names, you're like, who's that? And they're killing it on that team. Yeah, that's why everybody mad at me when I went on get up and said, the east runs through Boston.

[Caller or Guest]

How dare you.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait and See, how could these not run through Boston? Everybody got upset about that. People in Detroit got upset and everybody in New York got upset.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that's the one thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Are you not watching the Celtics? Look at this team. Baylor Shireman.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's Baylor Shireman to you and me.

[Alan Hahn]

Luca Garza. Guy that people said probably couldn't play in the NBA even though he was player of the year in college because he just, he didn't move well. Celtics found a, found a place for him. They got dudes playing and you're just like, what, what's this? Nimus Kada.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, yeah, no, I know. Yeah, it's Nimus Keda.

[Alan Hahn]

A lot of valves, but still, this

[Peter Rosenberg]

is the team that's been there. It was Indiana last year. They're obviously not don't exist.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but who else is there in that little clip? There in that clip? Just all my YouTube friends. God bless you all. Thanks for watching and for remembering. I said I'd rather play other teams, but if you think the Knicks should be scared, you're not paying attention.

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[Podcast Announcer]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Announcer]

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

[Alan Hahn]

Ah, we love Roxanne now. We do. Hopefully.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Even though he meant the other Roxanne.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, the question about the Roxanne. Roxanne. But because we had a. We. Was it Eddie Murphy?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Was it 48 hours?

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

Singing this. Right. That's all I got. I was just trying to remember if I had the movie.

[Don LaGreca]

That must have been tough in 1982 to get a Walkman in prison.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, listen, people are always getting Walkmen in prison. You kidding me? 100%.

[Don LaGreca]

You get that with the pillow and the mattress.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait a minute. Walkmen in 1982? There weren't many. Even in society.

[Don LaGreca]

That was a big deal, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I guess early 80s was the beginning of the Walkman.

[Alan Hahn]

Do you remember the first time you put the headset on and heard the pristine music in your ears of a disc that. No, no. Just of a Walkman.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To me, they existed from the whole time I was little. So.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, for me, because I grew up with a like transistor radio basically.

[Caller or Guest]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Like there was no, you know, boombox until I think 84.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Caller or Guest]

They didn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They didn't even invent to the television yet.

[Don LaGreca]

When you were young, transistor radio, if you had headphones, you had just had the one ear. One earbud.

[Alan Hahn]

And it was awful. That's how I. That's literally how I heard that John Lennon died.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

On a transistor radio playing cars on the bedroom floor.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So I have my.

[Don LaGreca]

I have my.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have my own examples of things like that that I'm proud of.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because it's like so old that what you just described was so old.

[Alan Hahn]

That's very old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like that is old.

[Alan Hahn]

That's old.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Old. Like it was when John Lennon died.

[Alan Hahn]

It's like an 80.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. No, I was alive barely. It was when John Lennon died and you were listening on the transistor radio.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't it amazing that when the Emerson.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We will get to. We will get. And I guess our parents have gotten to see an incredible level of change.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my God.

[Peter Rosenberg]

When you think of what our parents grew up with.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What year is your mom born?

[Alan Hahn]

1946.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Mine's 47. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

Mine's 42.

[Peter Rosenberg]

42.

[Alan Hahn]

So that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That they've gotten to see it literally go from true old timey to now just a completely. Although who knows? We might see more. Maybe for us it'll be even crazy.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, we all say that, right? Because I always think of my grandmother born in 1910 and she made it to horse and Horse and buggy. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And she made it till 90. She made.

[Alan Hahn]

She died in 2000.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

Crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a lot. That's a hell of a run.

[Alan Hahn]

And I told you the story. She just called it a day.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

By the way, great call by her.

[Alan Hahn]

Skipped out on social media, got to the millennium.

[Caller or Guest]

I'm done.

[Alan Hahn]

She.

[Peter Rosenberg]

She skipped the worst time.

[Alan Hahn]

Loved it. But like, yeah, so what, whatever we're gonna see in our lifetimes, hopefully when we live forever, it's. It's pretty crazy. But right now we're gonna live to see the Knicks and try to make another run in the postseason. It begins Saturday. Game 1, Saturday, 6pm at the Garden on Amazon Prime. That's right, on Amazon prime. But we will have pre and post on msg. In case you're wondering, Bob in Florida has a very interesting take on the matchup with the Hawks.

[Caller or Guest]

What's up? Love the show. I love you all guys. I truly believe that Atlanta lost on purpose to play the Knicks and that

[Caller Steve]

should give the Knicks fuel.

[Caller or Guest]

On top of that, the Knicks was to them in 2021. So that's more few getting revenge, beating them. But the fact that Atlanta was the Bullets playing this, I should say, you want to play us, we're going to beat you. And that's not good because they would have either time against Cleveland, as you said. And I believe that if you pick your opponent, that will come back to you made a big mistake. And next you get that should feel the Knicks.

[Alan Hahn]

You would think so, right, Bob? You would think so. Thanks for the call. Here's one thing to think about though. The fuel part. Like Atlanta couldn't control the fact that the Magic were going to pee down their leg and lose in Boston to a bunch of backups. That that shouldn't have happened. Orlando wins that game, the Knicks play the Raptors.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

But Atlanta just made their own call and said we're either going to finish fifth or sixth, we don't care. We'll play either team. We're resting Our guys. And it just so happened to work in the. In their favor. But I don't think they could have controlled. Did anyone really think Orlando was going to lose in Boston?

[Don LaGreca]

But I see. That's why I. Do you really think they made a conscious decision?

[Alan Hahn]

I think they made a conscious decision, Don, to just say, like, we don't care either way. We're fine.

[Don LaGreca]

Because you're seeing it, like, even in the NHL over the last couple of days, you know, Crosby and Malka didn't play that first matchup against Washington in the home. And home like they. They've clinched last night. Ottawa clinched the day before. So when they came to the Rock, they didn't play Kachuk, they didn't play Sanderson, they didn't play Stutzla, you know, because how often do you get a chance this late in the season to be able to rest players, get ready for the postseason?

[Caller or Guest]

So.

[Don LaGreca]

And that's not like now. They could still affect where they finish in the wild card. I don't think Ottawa lost to the Devils last night because they'd rather play, you know, Tampa than Carolina.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't it harder to do.

[Don LaGreca]

Saw a chance to get to take a day off and it did.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't it harder to do in hockey, though, and see the problem in basketball is that it seems too easy to just pick your team and figure it out. But I do think that's a dangerous thing. Now. One other thing I wanted to point out is those who are talking about revenge in 2021, you know what the lineup was in 2021. First of all, no Brunson, no Julius Randle was the star. There was no really other star level player on the team. Alfred Payton was the point guard. New Orleans Noel was your starting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who was the next scorer, though? There was a secondary scorer for rj. Barrett was on that team.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, Barrett was on that team. Yeah, Burks on that team. Like, like, yeah, Alec Burks. Like, those guys, like did a pretty good job just making the playoffs and being like a team and in fact, having. Having home court, which is pretty amazing. I think they built fourth seed, right? Weren't they the fourth seed? They were in the four. Yeah.

[Caller or Guest]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

But you can't, like, pretend like there's a revenge factor. There's no Trey Young. He's gone. And there's no one really on this other than Mitchell Robinson. I don't think there's anybody else left on the team that played on. Played in that series.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, listen, you can use any kind of fodder you want. I guess, but I don't think it makes a difference in this case.

[Alan Hahn]

It shouldn't. Manny and flushing Manny.

[Caller or Guest]

What's up, guys? How y' all doing?

[Alan Hahn]

Good. What's up?

[Caller or Guest]

I mean, before I get to my next thing, I can't wait for Don's perspective in the meds. I hope it's a rant, almost a rent for. For the for for Dogs match. But anyway. But I want to discuss about the Knicks in this perspective. I have a two. I have problems with two with the media. One is that, oh, should the Knicks be scared about. Should be scared of the Hawks. First of all, there's no just thing to be scared. Should the nation be frustrated, you know, about the Hawks? I mean. Yeah, because they're, they're athletically. They're athletic. And I also think the Knicks shouldn't be worried about the heart because, you know, they don't got a closer, AKA they don't have Trey Young anymore. And also all the problem of your, of your, your previous host, Michael K. When it comes to Mike Brown with tips, you know, do you realize that Mike Brown has the most wins as a head coach in Nick's history? His first year?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Caller or Guest]

And what was his first year record wise? I know it was a 72.

[Alan Hahn]

72 regular season, 40, 47, something like that. 46 wins.

[Caller or Guest]

I think it was 41, 31 if I'm not mistaken. I remember. The reason I'm saying is because I have a problem. I'm not. Not you, but I have a problem with some members of me and even the fans are trying to like want to act like, oh, Dave saved the Knicks, all that stuff. His number. Listen, I appreciate what kids have done for five years, but he never won a title as a head coach. Not just the Knicks, but Minnesota and Minnesota and Chicago. Yes, he got, he improved, but he.

[Alan Hahn]

Do me a favor though. You don't have to give me the chapter in verse. I know it just what is the point you're trying to get to though about tips?

[Caller or Guest]

I mean, I have problems. Like people are like, I didn't have a problem. That people don't give Mike Brown a much credit. I'm not. Not you, but some people and you know those 10 supporters. That's what I mean.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I don't know what credit you want to give them credit. I mean he took over a team that basically had the same record as they did last year. Alan, this is going to be judged in the postseason.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. I mean they finished two wins better and so you advance the cause. It's the fourth straight year the Knicks win total has improved. And that's, you haven't seen that, believe it or not, year by year, win total improvement four straight years hasn't happened since leading into the 70 championship. That's the last time that's happened. So the last time you've seen that kind of progress. So that's significant. But of course, why was Mike Brown hired? Because the belief was that Tibbs couldn't take them to the promised land. He took them as far as he could. And so the next guy's, the next guy's responsibility wasn't to just be good, it was to take them over the top. And so that's why the jury is still out on Mike Brown's job this year as coach. He has done a good job to date, but it is still incomplete. And I think that's fair.

[Don LaGreca]

And let's not forget going into the season, the thought was this was going to be the one seed.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's true too. And a lot of things change throughout the year. All right, we have, we have a lot more calls to get to on The Knicks at 800 now 193776. We're coming up. What the hell's happening with the baseball teams? Don and I are going to battle it out about who has it worse. Certainly want your calls on that coming up as well. But hey, guys, as you know, I have a project going on. It's the spring. So at my house we always have projects going on. We're going to do windows in the house. Some are just to replace old ones and we're putting in a nice beautiful picture window as well. And so my contractor and I talked about it and we said there's only one place to go and that's Rings End.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why?

[Alan Hahn]

Because Rings End works with pro contractors who build and remodel for a living. That's why. Because the pros trust them. So I can too, and so can you. You got to rely on your contractor who's doing the job for you. And you say, listen, if you're getting estimates, do me a favor, go to Ring's End, talk to them. Why? They have premium brands in windows, doors, decking, paint, lumber, kitchens, you know, all the stuff that you want to do to update and upgrade your home. They have built to last high end product lines the contractors rely on. Just ask your guy, he'll tell you, oh yeah, I know who they are. So they're not a national chain. They have regional expertise. They have eight full service lumber yards in Connecticut and Westchester county and 12 freestanding paint centers as well. So very accessible. Their family owned and operated since 1902. They've been around forever. And if you can't make it to a store, you can shop [e-mail] that's ringsend.com thanks for listening to the Don

[Podcast Announcer]

Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't want to know how the sausage is made, but I just want to know it's good.

[Podcast Announcer]

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

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