Hour 1: Robinson's Pinkie & Ian Begley

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: Robinson's Pinkie & Ian Begley

Episode Overview
Date: May 29, 2026
The first hour of this episode is dominated by a breaking story: New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson’s pinky injury and its implications for the upcoming NBA Finals. Alan Hahn and Don La Greca break down what it means for the Knicks’ chances, analyze the state of the team, and touch on the latest from the Western Conference Finals. The show also features an in-depth interview with SNY’s Ian Begley for the latest updates and context on Robinson’s injury and the team’s mindset heading into the Finals.

---

Main Topics & Breakdown

1. Mitchell Robinson’s Pinky Injury

[01:21–11:30]

• Severity and Timing:

  • The injury is the first real negative news for the Knicks in over a month.
  • It didn’t occur during practice or a game, but away from basketball—causing comparison to infamous, fluky New York sports injuries (Leetch, Glavine, Ojedo, Jack Hughes).

    “It does have that Brian Leetch slipping on the ice, getting into a taxi…” – Don La Greca [09:53]

• Playing Status:

  • Both hosts confirm Robinson is expected to play through the injury, despite earlier uncertainty.
  • Alan Hahn stresses Robinson’s primary role is defense and rebounding, and that the pinky injury isn’t as devastating as a leg or foot injury would be.

    “If anyone’s going to get hurt in any body part, I think you’ll take pinky on Mitchell Robinson.” – Alan Hahn [02:26]

• Functionality and Impact:

  • Detailed discussion of what a pinky means to a basketball player, referencing Alan’s own damaged pinky as a former player.

    “Do you really need it? You don’t wear a pinky ring... what else are you gonna do with a pinky?” – Alan Hahn [03:37]

  • Stat dropped: Pinky function is roughly 30–50% of total hand grip strength [08:04].
  • While Robinson’s free throw shooting is already poor, Hahn muses the injury might reduce pressure and even improve his performance.

    “When there’s a mental block… One of the ways to take pressure off someone is to give them little expectation.” – Don La Greca [05:27]

• Strategic Adjustments:

  • Mike Brown has adjusted in anticipation of teams exploiting Robinson’s free throw weakness, rotating him in and out as fouling opportunities arise.

---

2. Team Mentality & Chemistry

[13:00–18:43]

• Player and Team Reactions:

  • OG Anunoby underscores belief in the full roster, citing trust and resilience:

    “…we have resiliency and that we will go out there and we trust everyone in this locker room.” – OG Anunoby [13:06]

  • The Knicks have gotten used to adversity and playing short-handed, including stretches without Robinson.
  • The hosts and J.R. Smith (in a referenced interview) highlight the team’s unity and willingness to sacrifice for winning, noting how rare and vital this dynamic is.

• Importance of Depth:

  • “You’re not getting this far without 1 through 15.” – Alan Hahn [13:45]

---

3. NBA Finals Preview: Matchup Considerations

[15:16–16:19]

• Upcoming Opponent Uncertainty:
  • Knicks will play either the Thunder or the Spurs, both teams with serious size and strengths.
  • Robinson’s role seen as pivotal for defending bigs like Chet Holmgren (Thunder) or Victor Wembanyama (Spurs).

    “He’s got everything that you need to defend a guy like that. So he’s going to be important in this NBA Finals. There’s no getting around it.” – Alan Hahn [15:16]

---

4. Western Conference Finals Recap & Finals Outlook

[20:38–24:49]

• Spurs/Thunder Game 6 Recap:

  • Spurs’ physicality, officiating trends, and the outsized impact of Wembanyama are dissected.
  • A “game 7 whistle” is predicted to play a decisive role.

    “That Game 7 whistle is going to decide who’s going to be in the final.” – Alan Hahn [24:09]

• Matchups:

  • The Thunder are seen as more vulnerable, especially if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Williams aren’t healthy, but both teams are “scary” in their own ways.

---

5. Ian Begley Interview: Robinson Injury & Finals Preparation

[38:09–49:54]

Injury Details

• Confirmed to have happened between Game 4 and returning to practice; not basketball-related (off-court cause).
• Robinson had immediate surgery.
• He’s pushing to play in Game 1, but day-to-day assessment is needed.

  “Once it happened and the Knicks found out about it, Robinson had surgery. Robinson didn’t practice today. He… is going to keep pushing to play.” – Ian Begley [39:24]

Impact & Expectations

• Any protective apparatus is likely to compromise catching ability, but scoring is not the main role.

  “This is a player who rebounds the ball, who finishes al lobs. Both of those things are going to be a little more difficult…” – Ian Begley [39:50]

Organizational/Team Focus

• The Knicks are laser-focused: no “celebratory vibe,” just business.

  “They’re locked in in a way that I haven’t seen… since I’ve been covering a team in the NBA.” – Ian Begley [44:20]

• Mike Brown’s humility, adaptability, and willingness to listen set him apart as a difference-making coach for this Knicks group.

  “There’s a humility with Mike Brown and there’s a willingness to listen to different opinions… change your thinking based on what’s happening.” – Ian Begley [45:50]

Health & Rest Update

• OG Anunoby appears fully engaged and healthy heading into the Finals.
• Rest days between series put Knicks in a strong spot for health.

Finals Opponent Preference

• Begley leans Spurs as the preferred Finals matchup if both teams are healthy, but emphasizes injuries could sway that [49:25].

  “If everyone’s healthy… I’m going to say San Antonio.” – Ian Begley [49:25]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you’re shooting, if you’re catching, I mean, the pinky is a big deal, right?” – Don La Greca [03:59]
• “Put him on the list… But if you’re going to prioritize him as a strategy, there’s seven other people that you’ve got to worry about.” – Alan Hahn [09:20]
• “I wouldn’t say Allen, that he’s embracing the challenge of the adversity of the injury, but is ready to deal with it. Like, he doesn’t want it, but he’s ready.” – Don La Greca on OG Anunoby’s response [13:33]
• “It’s not a celebratory vibe… these guys have taken it to another level. They’re not patting themselves on the back. They’re not going after any clubs.” – Ian Begley [44:20]
• Caller: “I broke my pinky punching the wall…my grip strength is bad. It was hard for me to grip a bat… so I’m worried, a little worried about Mitch…” [34:45]

---

Highlighted Timestamps

• 01:21–11:30: Robinson’s pinky, what it means for Knicks, injury context, functional analysis.
• 13:00–14:33: OG Anunoby’s locker room/trust comments; team chemistry.
• 15:16–16:19: Why Robinson is vital in upcoming Finals matchups.
• 20:38–24:49: Spurs/Thunder discussion; officiating impact and Finals implication.
• 38:09–49:54: Ian Begley interview: medical status, team focus, coaching, player health, matchup preference.

---

Episode Tone

Lively, knowledgeable, and infused with classic New York banter, the hosts keep things both insightful and banter-filled. Alan’s dry humor and Don’s earnest, everyman concern for the Knicks set a tone that’s serious about basketball but always self-aware and engaging. Listeners get both real-time reaction and broader context—a must-listen if you’re tracking the Knicks’ pursuit of a title.

Transcript

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Chronic migraine is 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more. Botox Onobotulinum toxin a prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they start. It's not for those with 14 or fewer headache days a month. It prevents on average eight to nine headache days a month versus six to seven for placebo.

Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems or muscle weakness can be signs of a life threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection infection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions including als, Lou Gehrig's disease, Myasthenia gravis or Lambert Eaton syndrome, and medications including botulinum toxins as these may increase the risk of serious side effects.

[Don LaGreca]

Why wait? Ask your doctor.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Visit botoxchronicmigraine.com or call 1-844botox to learn more.

[Han Rosenberg]

Done.

[Don LaGreca]

One day you're not going to play football anymore. And if there's a goddam up above, it'll be soon.

[Han Rosenberg]

Han Huge no, but big and Rosenberg.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Han Rosenberg]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Caller/Guest]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Han Rosenberg]

ESPN New York and streaming live on

[Don LaGreca]

YouTube 300 one of the big city Don, Han and Rosenberg on a gorgeous Friday. We're Peterless today as Peter is hurtling his way to Italy as we speak. And because the spurs won last night, we don't have to have him on to make a pick because we still don't know who the Knicks are playing.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't that amazing?

[Don LaGreca]

And that's a good thing. But finally, I say finally, like it's a positive thing. There was something that didn't go the Knicks way last night. Like everything has broken the right way, but now finally something broken that's a negative for the Knicks and that is the pinky of Mitchell Robinson. And it's really the first negative news in over a month. They haven't lost everything they've needed other teams to do. They've done as we get prepared now For Saturday's Game 7 at Oklahoma City between the Thunder and the Spurs. But finally some bad kind of news. It's not bad, because it looks like he's going to play, but still not what you wanted to hear on this wagon. That's been the New York Knicks. It's true.

[Alan Hahn]

But I did get word that Jordan Clarkson was summoned by OG Anunoby to sprinkle some of his magic dust over this. This pinky. And. And he's been. He. He's been healed. Okay, but look, I. I thought Wendy said it best this morning. I think on first take, if anyone's going to get hurt in any body part, I think you'll take pinky on Mitchell Robinson. You don't want it to be his feet. You don't want it to be anything involving. Anything legs, because his rebounding, his defense is so critical, and that's, you know, everything about what he brings. Guy's not going to be catching the ball and shooting a lot. You just hope he can catch the ball with whatever they're going to do to protect it.

[Don LaGreca]

His free throws can't get any worse.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I mean, there's that.

[Don LaGreca]

Maybe this will make it better, but. But I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, I mean, he'll. He'll. You knew he'd play through it. You had to, like, once you heard like, I heard it.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

When I heard it yesterday, I was like, he's gonna play. Like, I know they said there's no timetable. They have to say that. But he's the longest tenured, Nick. You think he's gonna go? Well, it's pink. You can't play. I mean, that's when you start discussing Ronnie Lott with him.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, that's what you start saying. Well, listen, how much does it mean to you, really? Do you really need it? You don't wear a pinky ring. I've seen you. What else are you gonna do with a pinky? Like, really, what's the purpose of a pinky? Don, can we discuss. What do you really need it for?

[Don LaGreca]

It balances everything out.

[Alan Hahn]

Does it? Yeah, I mean, the big toe balances. That's why you need your big toe.

[Don LaGreca]

No, it balances for you to be. Look at me talking like I'm a doctor. It balances. You like standing, but no, if you're shooting, if you're catching, I mean, the pinky is a big deal, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Can I show you something? People on YouTube. You might. You might get grossed out. This is my pinky. Ready? This is what basketball did to me.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay, that's. Oh, that's not good.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, that's what basketball did to my pinky. Do you think this thing is as functional at all?

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

Times I broke this thing, but it's

[Don LaGreca]

there and it doesn't do it.

[Alan Hahn]

If I play basketball, this thing, look what it does when I just hold it straight up.

[Don LaGreca]

But does it hurt?

[Caller/Guest]

No.

[Don LaGreca]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

This feels like nothing. Right?

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

But it's literally bending it as far back as I can. It does nothing.

[Don LaGreca]

But it's still there. Right. To balance out a shot or a catch or something to that effect. He's going to have pain. And even if he gets shots or whatever. Listen, I don't. Once I found out that he was going to play, it was over for me. I'm over it.

[Alan Hahn]

Your concern is gone.

[Don LaGreca]

When I found out that he was. No timetable. When Sham sent it out, it's like, oh, boy. Really? This is what they need?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's better than getting a time. He was like, you know, it's good. Four to six weeks. That would have worried me more. No time. So I was like, all right, that's good.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. But it had the. At least the way I read it, Alan had this, like, indefinitely kind of feel to it, like, we don't know, and.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

And then you said the text, there's no way he's missing. And then that made me feel better. And then when they said that he's going to play, then I was like,

[Alan Hahn]

that's plans to play through it.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. And that's fine because again, you want him blocking shots. You want him to be a disruptor. He can't. He's not there to score points. His free throws are a mess anyway. Maybe this in some kind of freaky way will make it better. Because clearly. No, because he's obviously put in the work. Right. Obviously. It's a mental thing. Right. And I've always been a big believer. I've said this many times on this show and others, that when there's a mental block to do something, take the pressure away is going to make it easier for you to do it. And one of the ways to take pressure off someone is to give them little expectation. You tell Don Lagreca he's got no shot of doing something. I've got a better shot of doing it from a mental standpoint, because nobody expects me to succeed. It's when you tell me, oh, you got this, Don. You're definitely gonna do it. Well, then that's what adds the pressure. Because now I'm disappointing everybody. He's gonna go to the foul line and everybody's gonna think, is he gonna be worse? And if he misses they'll go, oh, well, listen, he's not good at it. But now he's got a broken pinky. Now he might step up there and go, listen, I'm gonna defy the odds. If I miss, nobody's gonna boo me. They're gonna feel bad for me. You know, that's why I never understood when they say, you got this in sports, like when I watch Marco play baseball, they always, you got this.

[Alan Hahn]

You got this.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't want to hear, you got this. That puts more pressure on me. You should say, don, you stink. You got no shot. It's almost like the break a leg thing in entertainment, right? Go break a leg. Like, that's the opposite. That's how I kind of feel. I go out there and say, don, you got no shot, man. I created. You know how many people in this business told me I was an update guy and that's all I was ever going to be and just lean into that.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

If they had told me when I first came into the business I was going to be, you know, the next Michael K or the next Doc Emrick, I would have been shaken because now I'm going to disappoint them. You hear what I'm saying?

[Caller/Guest]

You know what?

[Don LaGreca]

I get it.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it. I get it.

[Don LaGreca]

So if anything, this could be good for his foul shooting.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I just want to make sure he can catch a ball, especially rebounds. That's his biggest. His biggest attribute to me is rebounding and blocking shots. And the best thing is that he blocks shots with both hands. He's a very rare ambidextrous shot blocker. And that's one of his. His innate skills. So that and rebounding are the two things that matter more than anything. Shooting we know is catching lobs. You know, like, can he. Can he handle that? But we saw Mike Brown already handle his minutes differently once everybody started making it a. What? What? You got to say that out loud, Jake, Because.

[Don LaGreca]

Sorry about that.

[Alan Hahn]

Your pinky is about roughly 30 to

[Don LaGreca]

50 of your overall hand grip strength.

[Alan Hahn]

See, 50 of your grip strength is a pinky. That's probably why I don't have any grip strength in this hand.

[Don LaGreca]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

Because as you can see, this ain't doing a damn thing. This thing is useless. Useless Digit.

[Don LaGreca]

It looks like it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it is very useless.

[Don LaGreca]

But I think. But being there, it's for the support of what Jacob's talking about.

[Alan Hahn]

That's good.

[Don LaGreca]

Research, budget, and that's your left hand. Right. So from a grip strength standpoint, everything Else is okay?

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. Yeah, but I'm a lefty.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, see, then it's a problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, very much a problem,

[Don LaGreca]

especially on the road.

[Alan Hahn]

But we have, but we have noticed that Mike Brown has realize that teams are going to do the hack of Mitch thing. And what he started doing was using it as a. Another chess piece by. When a team gets clo. Like has about 3 foul. 3 team fouls, he'll put Mitch in the game instead of later on. And then they'll. Once they get close to a bonus and they want to start fouling Mitch, he takes him out and puts downs in. Now if you get another foul, guess town's a great free throw shooter. So you don't want to foul anymore. Right. Like, so if you're going to play that game, they have the counter to it and it's really the only thing. Mitch going to the free throw line is obviously not a good, not a good strategy for the Knicks. And so it can be something that whoever the opponent's going to be wants to target. But put him on the list. Now, he's a very important player when it comes to rebounding and everything else. But if you're going to prioritize him as a strategy, like there's seven other people that you've got to worry about first when it comes to your strategy.

[Don LaGreca]

This is. I don't think.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen, you worry this is gonna be a major issue.

[Don LaGreca]

Everything has broke their way and you just. And also if you know New York Sports, because it's been confirmed by the Knicks, this was not basketball related in the sense it didn't happen in practice, didn't happen in the game. So all the people looking at social media showing different times, this could have been the injury. No, it happened away from the court. So it does have that. Brian Leach slipping on the. On the ice, getting into a taxi. Tom Glavin getting into an accident in a taxi. What's another one? Bobby Ojedo. Yeah, trimming the hedges. Which. Listen, God love Bobby, he wasn't trimming the hedges before a playoff game. Something else was going on.

[Alan Hahn]

But whatever.

[Don LaGreca]

That's the, that's the official thing. Or what happened to Jack Hughes this past year that derailed the devil season.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, the glass.

[Don LaGreca]

It just seems like whenever there's something. Because injuries are supposed to happen on the court field. Right. That's where the injuries happen. You can always go, woe, he's me. But you always brace yourself every time somebody gets hit, every time there's some sort of collision that there could be an injury on the field of play. But when injuries happen away, that's when it feels like there's some really bad karma going on here. So if you want to look at it that way, like I don't think anything that neither happened. It just, it was one of probably just a fluky thing.

[Alan Hahn]

It just happened. Probably was an accident.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And, and the timing is bad but as you said, they have had so much go their way for four weeks that you know, you were waiting like what something's got to like go against them. Something. And, and this is clearly it and you hope this is it and nothing else.

[Don LaGreca]

And no offense to Mitch because you just described he's important.

[Alan Hahn]

He is very important.

[Don LaGreca]

If something bad had to happen, just about the balance of nature kind of deal, let it be this, right? This isn't Brunson, this isn't Cat, this isn't og. This isn't something that completely changes the specter of the series. It's a problem. But you know what? The one thing that this team has been able to face adversity and the fact is he's going to play now. Like the New Jersey Devils bring intensity on the ice, Viking Pest control brings the same level of protection to your home. And I know this because I use Viking in my own place. The season might be over, but pests are always in play. So it's time to lock in your off season defense. As the pest control provider and proud partner of the devils, Viking delivers 45 years of trusted experience to keep ants, cockroaches, stinging insects, rodents, mosquitoes and more out of your zone. Their local team builds a personalized game plan that actually works. And when you bundle pest control mosquito services, you score big savings one call, one company. Total peace of mind. Visit vikingpest.com protecting your home inside and out. Ian Begley is going to join us coming up at 4 o' clock as we're going to try to get as much information as possible on this breaking story and to see he had mentioned earlier on SNY that he was going to do everything to play and that's been forwarded since that he is going to play. We do have some sound from earlier today. Players reacting to what happened to Mitch Kat talked about the Robinson injury.

[OG Anunoby]

Whatever the picture ends up being, us having those trials and tribulations for the last two years where things weren't looking

[Announcer]

good just like at the end of

[OG Anunoby]

December with the two 911 game stretch, you know, it shows that we have resiliency and that we will go out there and we trust Everyone in this locker room and display up run has shown anything, I feel, to the fans and the Media, you know, 1 through 15 could be able to go out there, put an extra on and get the job done. And we truly believe in that. So this is a situation that. That we've garnered enough experience and enough trust in each other that whatever the picture ends up being when we step on that court on Wednesday, we feel confident.

[Don LaGreca]

I wouldn't say Allen, that he's embracing the challenge of the adversity of the injury, but is ready to deal with it. Like, he don't. He doesn't want it, but he's ready. That's what it sounds like.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And at this point isn't that. That's just the way it is. Like, you. You got no choice now. You're in it. I mean, you're in the. You're in the championship round. Whatever comes your way, it can't slow you down. It can't take away your confidence. You have to have full belief. And every single guy, as he said, the 1 through 15 thing, and I know that sounds cliche, but I would think, Dom, when you get to. When you reach this point, you're not getting this far without 1 through 15. Like without. With. With one guy who's just, you know, I'm not ready to play. Everybody's got to be locked in and dialed in at this point. Everybody's ready to go when called upon and has to be. Whether they're good enough or not is another story now. But everybody's got to believe that whoever comes in the game, we know that you know the job. You'll do your job as best as

[Don LaGreca]

you can, and not specifically during this run, but they're used to playing without Mitch. I mean, there's been plenty of games they've had to take the court without him playing. Yeah, he didn't play on opening night.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, no, no. Back to back. So you were right.

[Don LaGreca]

Ye.

[Ian Begley]

So.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean, it's not. It's tough. We're not sugarcoating it. But. But of all the things that could happen, I think, A, they can handle it, and B, he can handle it.

[Alan Hahn]

My concern only is the fact that both teams, no matter who it's going to be, has size you have to contend with. You're not going up. Like the Hawks didn't have any size. You get away with small lineups. Even the Sixers, you know, without embiid.

[Don LaGreca]

What.

[Alan Hahn]

What were they bringing into the game? You could play small lineups against them. Cleveland had a big front Line you needed Mitch. He was important. So I do think either team, because we know the Thunder have chet Holmgren, who's 7 2, and then Isaiah Hardenstein, who's. I think he's better than Holmgren. I think he's more effective. And he's another big dude, 6:10, 6:11 that you got to contend with. You need size. And then the other side. Do I even name need to say it. We know what the spurs have. They have a seven foot five freak, right. Who you've got to throw body after body against. And you've got to have fouls to use and you've got to have physicality and you've got to have somebody that's got some serious length. And that's what Mitchell Robinson has. He's got the wingspan, he's got the standing reach, he's got the jump. He's got everything that you need to defend a guy like that. So he's going to be important in this NBA Finals. There's no getting around it. There's no sugar coating it. But I'm just like, like Brian Windhorse said, I'm fine with it being a pinky if that's what it's going to be. Right.

[Don LaGreca]

It's the best case scenario in what ends up being a bad situation for Mitch. Here's OG on what he thinks about the Robinson injury. Mitch is very important to us.

[OG Anunoby]

I mean, amazing player, unfortunately, what happened.

[Don LaGreca]

But sure, just take it day by day out. Yep, same old, not a minute worse. They. But they just all on the same page. You know, they're all going to say this. They are working as a unit. That's the best thing you could say about them, I think, at one point during garbage time. And there's plenty of garbage time at the end of Game 4 against the Cavs where Mike Breen asked Legler, what do you love about this team? And he just like that they're working together. They. It's almost like they've been together for like 10 years. Right. That's what it kind of feels like during this run where they know where everybody is. They all speak alike.

[Alan Hahn]

There's a trust.

[Don LaGreca]

It's pretty incredible what's happened here.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, there's a trust. You've seen a lot of the stuff the players are talking about. J.R. smith said it to us when we had him on yesterday. Right. And that, that, by the way, is a interview that if you missed it, I did repost it this morning on Twitter. We had the whole interview out there as well. So you definitely want to check that out, because first of all, JR Was fantastic. Talking about his experience in New York and coming back, being welcomed back to New York, and him saying that if they do win a championship, he will be front and center. He's always a lot of fun. But when talking about the current team, that's literally what J.R. smith said, is that he's like, that's. That's the kind of team you want to be part of. You want to be around a team like that where it just feels like there are no agendas, that there's no nobody that's trying to do his own thing, that's about himself and the sacrifices that players are willing to make. Just. All right, what's it about? It's simply about winning. What's it going to take to win? That's important. And everyone has really kind of locked in from that between game three and four. I'm telling you, whoever writes the book, they're going to have that story about the meeting, the practice in the film session, or I should say meeting, film session, then practice, and everything that was said and done and what changed from that moment forward. And I do think a lot of it has to do with players who all kind of looked around going, what are we about? Do we want to do this or not? And all 15 guys said, I'm in. And so far, they have stayed in for 11 straight games.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, you hear this whenever we open with enn, where I go in.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, there's a. I would joke about his first name, Ian o'. Connor. I'd say that's where that came from. Well, he's going to join us at 345. We won't talk about that because there's plenty of other talk about. But from a. What's great about having Ian Begley on is to get the latest on what's happening with the team. Get the latest on what's happening with Mitch.

[Alan Hahn]

He's there. He's front and center there.

[Don LaGreca]

Ian brings, I think, historical perspective to this because he's covered, you know, he covered those. The 94 and 99 teams. He's been around forever in the market. He'll be great to just set us up here, even though we don't know the matchup, but just what's going on right now. Not necessarily from a fan perspective. We've gotten that from you. We've gotten that from the callers and the listeners to the show, our family. I think he brings real. An interesting historical perspective to it. So I'm looking forward to Talking to Ian O' Connor coming up at 3. 45.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, Ian Begley's at 345.

[Don LaGreca]

What'd I say?

[Alan Hahn]

You know, Connor.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, you know what?

[Alan Hahn]

We love Ian o', Connor, too, and I'd love that.

[Don LaGreca]

Here's, here's.

[Alan Hahn]

But Bagels is coming on to give us. Because he's right there in the. In the press.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, you know what's happening? Here's what happened.

[Alan Hahn]

What happened?

[Don LaGreca]

This is why. You know the communication breakdown.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, boy.

[Don LaGreca]

Right. Ian Begley's four.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. He had to change it, so.

[Don LaGreca]

He had to change it. So Anthony was in my ear saying, Ian at 3. 45. So I thought maybe he got Ian O', Connor, you know what I'm saying? But you know what you do. Looking back at that, it's my fault.

[Alan Hahn]

But. But you know what? Let's make it. Let's make a wrong or right.

[Don LaGreca]

You know what? I would have no problem.

[Alan Hahn]

Let's get IOC on now.

[Don LaGreca]

I would have no problem with it. I love to be able to get him on the 345. I don't know if Anthony can make that happen. So I heard Ian in my ear and I even said Ian Begley, but he was at 4. So I just.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

So he had. He had to pivot.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, lots of Ians.

[Don LaGreca]

Lots of Ians. But. So what is your take before we get to the calls? Coming up in 1-800-919-3776 on what happened last night in San Antonio.

[Alan Hahn]

It's been a. The series has kind of gone back and forth, and I hate to sound like that guy, because it's not that guy Thursday. It's Friday, by the way, everybody. So be ready for that at 430. But it does feel like if the Thunder aren't getting the cheap whistle, they struggle.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

And they struggle with physicality. And when the officiate. I said this. And the officiating allows the game to play out, and it's a playoff game, so you. Physicality has got to be part of it. But, like, that was a big difference. And Zack Zarbour was the ref last night. And that crew called, you know, called it fair, but wasn't calling anything cheap. And so I'm telling you, I think that was a big part of why the series depending on who's reffing it. And I hate that. That game to game, we don't know how it's gonna play. But that and the fact that when my nyama showed up, 22 years old, on with it with a. Just. He Had a bad game and he made up for it. He was determined not to let the season end at home. In that moment, this guy's going to be. He already is special. But I'm telling you, like, if he's that way already, mentally, he's going to be special for a long time.

[Don LaGreca]

And just from. From my perspective, and I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I've watched every Thunder game all year long and I'm sure there's many times they've won when SGA doesn't hit his shots. But in the playoffs, they're cooked if

[Alan Hahn]

he doesn't hit a shot and he's not playing well.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean, he didn't like 0 for 5 from. But the Knicks don't do this. We saw that in game one against the Cavaliers. These teams shut it down, man. Sometimes it's like there was no pushback. It wasn't their night. Their shots weren't going down and the spurs just beat up on them like they knew there was going to be a game seven and. But now all bets are off, man. There is no game, you know, eight. So you better play to the best of your ability. But man, I was just disappointed. I thought I'd see a classic game. I really did. But, you know, outside of a couple of games early on, it just seems like the series.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, flip flopped and blowouts. I mean, a 200 run in a playoff game. The Knicks did that in game 4 against Cleveland. Like 200 runs are ridiculous in the playoffs, but it happened and the spurs blew that game open. But I'm telling you, SGA did not have a good game. He wasn't getting his cheap fouls. He didn't get to the free throw line. That's a difference maker. They tried to play Jalen Williams, who has the hamstring injury. He. He did not look himself, but he tried to go. That's concerning. Chet Holmgren has not been great. I'm telling you, the most. The three best players. Two best players in the series for the Thunder have been Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. Those two guys have been really good. It's hard to find someone who's been like, Jared McCain has had some moments, but they haven't had one guy give him every night. Really. Like their star has not been every single night. He's been bringing it and that's a problem. And Wemby's had that issue too for the spurs, but his supporting cast was much better. Of course they're home, but I think the whistle had a lot to do with it. And that Game seven whistle, Don, that's something to watch. Tomorrow night. That Game seven whistle is going to decide who's going to be in the final.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, my prediction, I don't doubt it. And you know what? What I found in history, when you get a Game 7, they're going to err on the side of letting them play.

[Alan Hahn]

You would think.

[Don LaGreca]

That's what I think.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, you would think.

[Don LaGreca]

I don't think In a Game 7 with that kind of magnitude on a Saturday night, NBC, the officials aren't going to want to be a part of this thing.

[Alan Hahn]

You can't now. It could be Scott Foster, something to watch.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, that should be so. And everybody will be watching here.

[Alan Hahn]

He doesn't fall for the histrionics either, which would be very important. But hard to believe the defending champs will lose a Game seven at home.

[Don LaGreca]

You wouldn't think it, but. But stranger things have happened. They obviously know they won a Game 7 in the Finals last year against the Pacers. So we'll see. And that's coming up on Saturday. And then we'll finally know at the end of that game where the Knicks are going on Wednesday.

[Advertiser]

Most protein drinks ask you to choose between results and taste. Bucked up decided that's a ridiculous trade off. Bucked up makes lightly carbonated protein drinks, 25 grams of protein per can. Clear protein, not milky or thick. And they taste so good that 25 grams of protein almost feels like a bonus. Bucked up is so confident you'll love their drinks, they're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary. Giveaway ends May 30th. Enter and find your closest Bucked up at buckedup energy.com Grab a Bucked up and and feel like a million bucks

avoiding your unfinished home projects because you're not sure where to start. Thumbtack knows homes so you don't have to don't know the difference between matte, paint, finish and satin or what that clunking sound from your dryer is. With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the Thumbtack app download today.

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-granger. Click granger.com or just stop by.

[Han Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Han Rosenberg]

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

[Alan Hahn]

With Xfinity, you already enjoy ESPN as part of your TV lineup with live 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, on demand programming and originals to explore. Visit xfinity.com your subscriptions to activate ESPN Unlimited Access. Then start watching in the ESPN app. More from ESPN all in One place. Donnie.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, I had an epiphany before we get to the phone calls.

[Alan Hahn]

Epiphany?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, because the one thing that I took from doing the Devils this year was that I've got to do a better job with my wardrobe. I have to. And I guess I didn't realize it, but, man, Danico, Rachel, and Sal, they bring it every night. And I thought what I had was nice, but I'm like, you know what? I think I can do better.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

So I went. I chose a place today, and you're gonna start seeing a guy. I went nuts today.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. And I got you and Peter something, too. I went a little crazy. I went to Robert Graham. I don't know if you're familiar.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, well known very well.

[Don LaGreca]

And. And Tony Monzo, who's a huge fan of the show, from Pittsburgh, but he moved. He's been living in the New York metropolitan area for a long time. He's a big Penguins fan. He listens to the show, and he listened to the K show, and now he listens to us. And he actually picked out an outfit for me for the beach bash.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, really?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. And so it's really. It's really looking good. So be ready, because I'm gonna be breaking some of the stuff out. But they. I wanted to give him a shot because they really took. I just needed direction, man. And I ran into somebody that suggested Robert Graham. I went there today. They got a place over the Short Hills Mall.

[Alan Hahn]

I got a couple of ties from Robert Graham that.

[Don LaGreca]

Wow. It's. And I needed. You know what I needed, Al? I needed. I needed fashion. Like, I needed a style. Like, I got Nice clothes. But it's not anything in particular. It's not a style. I mean, I've got some JCPenney stuff, for God's sakes.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, you wouldn't know it.

[Don LaGreca]

It's your first year, but those days are over, man.

[Alan Hahn]

So listen, we all went through work. I love it. We all went through this. My first transition from a sport charter, which I never had to wear anything that neither could I afford to being on tv. Like, my wife bought me three Banana Republic suits. Right, right. Like, nothing tailored. Just. Just got the sizes and all and I had three and I just rotated. Blue, black and charcoal. I just kept rotating it and I'm like, that's my first year on msg. My first probably two years on msg. That's kind of what it was until you start looking around realizing, like, you know, people around here really dress well. And then of course, you got Clyde Frazier to deal with.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, well, that's another level.

[Alan Hahn]

That's another level.

[Don LaGreca]

Tax bracket as well.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you're not. Never getting there. So it takes a minute to kind of find your way and then you find what you think is your style.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that's it. I think I found. I think I found it. I think I found my style.

[Alan Hahn]

I can't wait.

[Don LaGreca]

And I. I went nuts. And it's. And the reason I'm doing it now, because the season. Well, season is going to come quicker than expected because 84 game season. So that is.

[Alan Hahn]

Anything that's going to be made for you, tailored, any of that stuff?

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, yeah, no, it's all. It's all. It's all being done.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, okay. And Donnie's throwing it around.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I'm really throwing it around. I am. It's been. Listen, it's. It's great. It's great stuff. And I'm. And because we've got. With the Knicks going to the Finals, we're going to be doing some stuff over the next couple of weeks. We're going to be out and about and there's going to be a lot of different things we're going to be doing. And I want to at least attempt to be the best dressed of us three. An attempt. I think you'll probably still win out anyway because it just looks better on you. But I'm going to.

[Alan Hahn]

You're going to be.

[Don LaGreca]

You're going to notice. You're going to notice something.

[Alan Hahn]

I think I like this. I'm excited about this. While we're doing some stuff. Can I. For those. On YouTube, you're looking at the shirt I've got on right now. Athlete logos made this shirt. I love this shirt. So shout out to athlete logos. I think it's great. If you want one, go to their website because this is a, you know, very subtle homage to, of course, the greatest stage in basketball, the Mecca.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, it's pretty good. It's pretty cool shirt. 1-800-919-3776. Let's get back to the phones. Let's talk to Eric in Westchester. You get us started here on Donnon and Rosenberg.

[Caller]

Hey, guys, what's going on?

[Don LaGreca]

What's up, man?

[Caller]

Yeah, just real quick, real quick about the Knicks. Yeah, so I have it on some inside information. Nothing, Nothing more detailed than maybe something as I mentioned earlier, but inside information can't reveal sources. But yeah, Mitch did hurt it at home. He is gonna play and, you know, anything else is a smokescreen. As far as his unavailability. He's. He's gonna stick it out. But, you know, as far as it goes within the series, you know, as far as I'm watching the games last night, the spurs just look tough. And obviously spurs are scary without Mitch against.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, the Thunder don't scare you, but like, the Thunder are really good and well coached and deep. But there's something about how they're looking that feels, you know, that you could overwhelm. I think the spurs are just. They've got waves of guards and they've got that guy, that kid. And yeah.

[Caller]

Was playing last night.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, man, it was tough.

[Don LaGreca]

I like.

[Caller/Guest]

We got it.

[Caller]

We got to be praying for an OKC winning Game 7, though.

[Alan Hahn]

Isn't that amazing? You'd. Isn't that amazing? You'd rather take the defense. Think about this. Don and I, like, think about this. You'd rather face the defending champions than the first time in the playoffs team. That's. It's because it shows you, though, where one versus the other.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, Eric, thank you for the phone call. I can't. I can't go there. I can't. They're the defending champions. They won a Game 7 last year

[Alan Hahn]

with a player with the other team. Star popped as a kill.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I get it. I get it. But they did win. They did win their first eight games in the playoffs. And this spurs team is a beast. All right, but yet they look like no shows in their losses. And then you weren't. Listen, I can't speak for Eric, but I didn't hear these calls after game five.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, I.

[Don LaGreca]

When the Thunder wiped the floor with the spurs and Wemby didn't even want to speak to the media after the game. And you're like, oh, it looks like the spurs are dead and Right. You know what I'm saying?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I do.

[Don LaGreca]

How are we going to feel after game 7 if the Thunder win by 30?

[Alan Hahn]

We flip flop every game. It's amazing because that's how this series is called.

[Don LaGreca]

These teams are going to be animals. Let's. Honestly, I'm not, I'm not saying the Knicks can't beat them, but they'd be a dog for a reason because I think both of these teams and the reason that I think the Thunder look the way they look, because they're playing the spurs. And when the spurs look bad, it's because they're playing the thunder. These are 260 technically 260 win teams. Yes. Two of the three best teams left in the NBA and they happen to be playing each other. And the one thing that I'll say again, not saying the Knicks can't win, but this is another, this is a major upgrade than what you faced in the first three. It just is.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course it is.

[Don LaGreca]

So pick your poison, man. Can you at least say that? Pick your poison. You might like one after the other, but both of these taste bad.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes. You can make a case why both are scary. And I my case for the Thunder being scary is less about matchup and more about the whistle. Whereas the case about the spurs being scary is because while you played them three times this season, including in the NBA cup and you've had success against them, they just like you can say the Knicks aren't the same team. This spurs team is not the same team. No, there's something like they have, they have grown fast. Way ahead of schedule. Yeah. And a lot of it has to do with, you know, the seven foot five Frenchman.

[Don LaGreca]

Let's go to Jose in Connecticut. You're on. Don Han and Rosenberg.

[Ian Begley]

Hey, what's up guys?

[Caller/Guest]

I had two things. First like I, I actually when I play sports in high, I play basketball, baseball in high school.

[Ian Begley]

Sorry.

[Caller/Guest]

I broke my pinky punching the wall

[Ian Begley]

and you know, I had to get surgery.

[Caller/Guest]

It never healed correctly. Like I, my grip strength is bad. It's hard for throw football. It was hard for me to grip a bat like every, it was never the same. So I'm worried, a little worried about Mitch and to my other point about that was I thought I'm even more worried after hearing about that it didn't happen in, in the game because as you know, I think guys mentioned he, they spoke about his mental health issues, which you can tell he was not himself. Well, he's last series and he spoke up about it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

And you know, obviously, you know, we gotta respect mental health stuff, but that's, that's clearly affected his game. And now I don't know what, what happened to him where he broke his hand or his finger. Like now he has two things like, so. And that's the one area I feel like as a Knicks, even though I think we have a really deep roster, the one area that we really can't afford to miss have is. Is that backup center. Because we saw that game against the Sixers when he was out. We had nobody like after, after Cat, and it was really hard for it. And that's my biggest concern because I agree with you, Alan. I think we can be both of those. Those teams are not perfect. Like, you can see the, the. You can see they're not perfect. They do have some flaws and I think we can match up and, and beat them. But this is to me is a big worry. Once I heard that combined with the mental health, like, I do think it might be a problem. So I hope I'm wrong. But I'm more concerned not hearing about that.

[Alan Hahn]

I hope he locks in. That's, that's what I'm thinking. Like you have an injury like this. First of all, I can tell you this much that the support he's getting from the 14 other guys in that locker room is exactly what he needs. And that's very important. Now he has to be willing to receive that support and feel the amount of love that he's going to get here because they all know how important he is.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

Everything you want for summer is at Nordstrom Rack stores now and up to 60% off. Stock up and save on the brands you love like Vince, Sam, Edelman, Frame and free people. Join the NordicLub to unlock exclusive discounts. Shop new arrivals first and more. Plus buy online and pick up at your favorite Rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you Rack, study and play

[Announcer]

come together on a Windows 11 PC. And for a limited time, college students get the best of both worlds. Get the unreal college deal. Everything you need to study and play with select Windows 11 PCs. Eligible students get a year of Microsoft 365 Premium and a year of Xbox game. Pass ultimate with a custom color Xbox wireless controller. Learn [e-mail] studentoffer while supplies last ends June 30th terms at aka mscollegepc. This is what everyone's talking about.

[Don LaGreca]

Everything's on the table.

[Announcer]

This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. No do overs, no second chances. No more Mr. Nice Guy. This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app.

[Han Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Han Rosenberg]

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

[Don LaGreca]

done. A great job covering the Knicks all year for SNY is Ian Bagley and he joins us here on Don Han and Rosenberg. How are you sir? Keeping busy.

[Ian Begley]

Good. Gentlemen, how we doing?

[Don LaGreca]

You must. I. I see Alan running around with like a chicken without a head. I'm sure you're in the same boat with this.

[Ian Begley]

Yeah, you got to sleep with one eye open apparently. And it's, it's been fun, man. Like this is, this is why we do it, right? This is exciting time for fans, interesting time for the centers on the team and we'll see how it goes.

[Alan Hahn]

Bagels. You know, I taught you, this is team no one sleeps. We sleep in July. Not even in July. You won't be sleeping in July either. That's the job, baby. That's the job. But you know, you're right though. This is, this is special times and, and things have gone so well for this team for the better for the entire month of May that anyone who has followed this team as long as you and I have knows that you're just waiting for, okay, when's that other shoe going to drop? Something's, something's going to happen at some point because it's just going too well. The news of Mitchell Robinson's pinky gets out. What exactly do you know, start to finish? Where are we right now? With his availability as well.

[Caller/Guest]

Right.

[Ian Begley]

So this happened between Game 4 and the Knicks returned to practice. It did not happen. It's non basketball related. Didn't happen on the basketball court. Once it happened and the Knicks found out about it, Robinson had surgery. Robinson didn't practice today. He, as I've been saying, is going to keep pushing to play. He's going to want to play. There's, I think hope internally that he will be able to play game one. But you know, I think you have to take it day by day. But certainly really, really big blow for the Knicks and people kind of dismiss it as just a pinky. I think it's like a hand pinky thing. But this is a Player who rebounds the ball, who finishes al ubs. And both of those things are going to be a little bit more difficult now with however they, whatever they put on his hands to play, assuming he gets back. So not, not great news, no matter how you look at it.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. I was going to ask you, will there be some sort of apparatus on his pinky or on his hand when he comes back and plays?

[Ian Begley]

I'm sure it'll be something. I'm sure it'll be something because, you know, surgically repaired and you're going out there, what are we talking about, six, seven, eight days after the surgery? So, yeah, he's going to have something on there. I don't, I don't know exactly what it'll look like, but it'll compromise his ability to, you know, catch the ball. And he's not a jump shooter, so that's. That at least is good.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, we haven't, we don't know exactly what happened or it hasn't been made public what happened, but it's not, it's not Jason Pierre Paul with fireworks, but if you remember that. And he had the glove the Giants went on when the super bowl, so maybe there could be a little symmetry there. Right.

[Ian Begley]

Look at that. Well, I'll give you another one. Amari Stoudemire, the fire extinguisher in my. Yeah, that did not go as well. No further at that point in time. But hey, that's an interesting connection. I appreciate it.

[Alan Hahn]

When it comes to though, the rest of the team Bagels, I know something that Towns Car Town said after game four is we're going to get with the coaching staff and whatever we did in the nine games, nine days off before the conference finals, we're not going to do that again because they know they got away with one in game one. They did not play well for three quarters, but they were able to turn it on when it mattered most and steal that win, which is what led to the sweep. What do you know about or if you know anything about the approach that they're going to have during this break?

[Ian Begley]

So, yeah, I was up there today at practice and I was asking about it and they were light on details. Carl Towns did say that they did scrimmage some in that first kind of layover and there would be, you know, just a kind of a greater attention to detail in this second one. But as far as the things that are totally different, different between the first one and the second one, I'm not sure because they're not really talking about it. I Don't think that there had been. You know, obviously you're coming off that series, so I would be surprised if there was, like heavy scrimmaging early on in this week. Maybe they get to it a little bit as you get closer to Wednesday. And that's initially what I was wondering about. Robinson did happen in some kind of a scrimmage setting, and it did not. It happened off the floor.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, I had suggested kind of in passing. Alan will tell you last week, when they had the long layoff going into the conference final, why not get out of Dodge, go rent a couple of courts in New Hampshire, Just get away from the chaos and all the nuts and everything that's going on. Do you think that was ever batted around or even considered to just get out of all the mayhem that's going on in this city right now?

[Ian Begley]

It's interesting. I mean, I don't know if it was considered. I think, you know, the performance staff and everything they have at the training facility to help these guys recover, I would assume you want to stay near that stuff, so I would assume that's a factor. I don't know if it was considered, but I just have to think that as important as that medical staff, training staff is everything they have set up at that facility. I think you want to be near that and using that as much as you can.

[Alan Hahn]

So this team, you know, it makes this run. And I know by now you know the story about last year when they lost in the conference finals. After exit interviews, they, the players got together, had this party in the city. The theme was Finals 2026. A former player told me that this should be back to back finals appearances, that they really feel like they let one go. Last year. It he had criticized Ford, pictures got out. Nobody was happy about the pictures getting out, but it was criticized because it was right after Tibbs was let go. It looked like they were partying because Tibbs was let go, which we all know is not the fact that, but the fact that they got here. At this point, while New York City is celebrating this, all Nick fans are celebrating this. Because this is the first time in 27 years being around the team, what's the vibe you get from them?

[Ian Begley]

You know, it's not a celebratory vibe. You know, Carl Towns talked about in the locker room, they said, hey, let's get back to work. Let's figure out how to handle this layover in a different way than we did the first time. And so these guys, I mean, Alan, you know, they're they're locked in in a way that I haven't seen really, probably since I've been covering a team in the NBA. Just the idea that it's totally we over me at this point. And Josh Hart made an interesting point after, I think it was game four. Just saying, like, hey, if you're upset about shots, you're upset about your inclusion in the offense, you're upset about touches. That's a regular season thing. But once you get to this point, everybody's just locked in on winning. And he wasn't mentioning a specific player, but had to look at Mikhail Bridges. And just his focus on both ends of the floor is just remarkable. And so these guys have taken it to another level. They're not patting themselves on the back. They're not going after any clubs. I think they're locked in on what's next.

[Don LaGreca]

Talking to Ian Begley from sny as the Knicks get ready for the NBA final starting on Wednesday, you know, after Tibbs got let go, and you saw they go after Jason Kidd, they go after Billy Donovan, and almost like they settled on Mike Brown, which gave the vibe of anybody but Tibbs to coach this team. So I'll ask you, would this be happening with any other coach, or did Mike Brown bring something, a formula that he's been able to capitalize on that we're not sure other coaches would have been able to do?

[Ian Begley]

It's a great question. The one thing I would say is there's a humility with Mike Brown and there's a willingness to listen to different opinions, different voices, change your thinking based on what's happening in front of you and what you're hearing. You know, the offense that he wanted to run with this team coming into the season was vastly different to what they're doing now. They obviously made that change after Game 3, that loss in Game 3 in Atlanta. The defense has changed. He's taken input from coaches, players, I'm assuming, also front office people, people on how to proceed. And, you know, the. Josh Hart coming off the bench to start the season, he quickly went another way, and then the Knicks took off. So I think it's. It's a. It's an openness to making changes on the go. And I don't. I can't say if every coach would or wouldn't do that. Other coaches would or wouldn't do that, but they found to me a very good fit into what they had here, which was a veteran locker room, a group that knew mostly how to play together, and. And they give Brown all the credit in the world for getting them to that next level.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, Ian. So we know now about Mitchell Robinson's situation they've really only had to deal with. And we know everybody's got, you know, everybody's banged up. We know Josh dealt with a lot of stuff during the regular season, now in the postseason as well, but Og Anunoby's hamstring was really the only other thing during the playoffs that we know about, at least that was concerning. He missed two games. Where's he at right now, as far as you know? And is there anything else to keep an eye on with this team?

[Ian Begley]

Yeah, he spoke after practice today. We didn't get to see. We saw like, two seconds of practice. I don't know how he's looking on the court, but in terms of his. How he's talking about everything, he seems just as locked in as. As he always is and seems to me just excited to. To get out to wherever they're going. San Antonio, Oklahoma City. And if you looked at how he had. I think there was a progression there, and maybe the numbers didn't jump out to you if you're just looking at the box score, but if you're watching the games, the way he was moving and the way that his shot started to fall, I think was significant, and it tells you that he. I think he's feeling good. I think he's in rhythm, and he's in a good place.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry, Donnie, It. Just to follow up on what Bagel said here, it's amazing the amount of time they've gotten between. Between these series, and it just shows you how important it was, right? Like, things have to break your way to go on a run. And this, you know, getting the sweet, like, not wasting time, not messing around, playing with your food, like Don always says, like, this is this. This has also been a huge part of the story of this run to the Finals, is that this time off in between series.

[Ian Begley]

There's no doubt. I mean, look, you want to thank somebody, thank old friend RJ Barrett, who knocked that shot down in Toronto to force a Game seven in that series. And it just. It forced everything to go a little bit longer. And it probably put you, if you're in the Knicks, in better position to do what you did. And, yeah, the rust versus rest is always a debate. We saw the rust Game one, Eastern Conference finals. I'm curious to see what it looks like once they get into the finals. But you would if you had to choose one over the other. I'm sure you prefer to have some rest here as opposed to doing what Cleveland just did, which was the gauntlet of second game series and another seven game series and then you're out of gas.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, I know you're up against it, but really quick, who do you think they match up better against, the Thunder or the Spurs?

[Ian Begley]

Depends on the injury report. To me, I mean, Jalen, Jalen Williams coming back was significant. So if everyone's healthy across the board, A.J. mitchell is playing for OKC. I'm going to say San Antonio. I don't want to cop out and say injuries are a big factor, but they will be. And so yeah, I think I'm there. I'm San Antonio. But if Mitchell can come back, that would be big for the Thunder.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, thanks a lot, Ian. We'll talk to you soon.

[Ian Begley]

Thank you fellas. Take care.

[Don LaGreca]

Ian Bagley doing a great job covering the Knicks.

[Han Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don 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.

[Han Rosenberg]

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

[Announcer]

Hey sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional cost. Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access Access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now.