Hour 1: SGA & Ethical Basketball

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: SGA & Ethical Basketball (May 27, 2026)

Main Theme:
Hour 1 dives deep into NBA playoff drama as the Knicks approach the Finals, the controversies around Shea Gilgeous-Alexander’s (“SGA”) foul-drawing tactics and the debate on what constitutes “ethical basketball.” The team also explores Becky Hammon’s old comments about small guards leading championship teams, fan reactions, and even detours into sports fandom politics—and dog naming debates.

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NBA Playoff Landscape & Knicks’ Path

[00:47–06:21]

• The crew discusses the ongoing playoff series between the Thunder and Spurs, noting how the outcome directly impacts the Knicks’ Finals opponent.
• Don points out that Knicks fans are watching closely, hoping for the Spurs’ inexperience to be an advantage for New York.
  • “I want the inexperience of the Spurs. And I think you saw that last night... That's a big game five." – Don La Greca [02:33]
• Alan highlights how playoff officiating inconsistency makes any matchup with the Thunder frustrating, due to the fluctuating ways games are called.
  • “That’s the problem... the inconsistency from officiating crew to officiating crew. Like you'd want the same crew for every game when you get this deep into the playoffs.” – Alan Hahn [03:25]
• Team depth and injuries are raised as decisive factors, with the Thunder’s bench stepping up while Spurs are “running out of gas.”
• SGA’s “free throw hunting” becomes a central focus:
  • “SGA is going to be a problem with fouls and the flopping and I can't wait.” – Don La Greca [06:21]

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"Ethical Basketball": The SGA Debate

[06:21–13:05, 34:30–39:54]

• Don, Alan, and Peter debate whether SGA’s mastery at drawing fouls is crafty gamesmanship or bad for the sport.
  • “When you look at SGA, do you say, boy, that guy just... he knows how to draw fouls, he made it a talent. Or... that’s not the way you should play the game.” – Don La Greca [06:28]
• They reference similar arguments in other sports:
  • Yankees’ Jeter pretending to get hit by a pitch: praised as a winner.
  • A-Rod’s interference: vilified as a cheater.
  • Hockey’s Sidney Crosby cast as a “diver”.
• “Unethical hoops”—a phrase attributed to Wembanyama—becomes shorthand for crafty but disliked tactics, especially with the Thunder.
  • “The unethical hoops is now the line that people use to describe the Thunder.” – Alan Hahn [08:07]
• Peter argues the best players (Harden, Wade, Steph, LeBron at times) often skirt this line.
  • “They're all the best players in the world.” – Michael Rosenberg [10:35]
• Officiating is scrutinized for rewarding or failing to detect flops; Alan and Don propose rule tweaks to penalize flopping as much as fouling.
• Call-in Segment [34:30]:
  • Andrew (caller): “Me and my friends find it absolutely disgusting to watch it. The way [SGA] plays basketball, flopping, the foul baiting, it’s just too much. It’s not enjoyable to watch.” [34:30]
  • The hosts defend the officials, arguing that real-time decisions are tough when foul-drawing is so subtle. Peter likens it to a boxing judge fooled by fast, misleading punches.
  • “You don’t think there’s art... to get someone to jump... and one... there's an art to that, like that’s what the game is.” – Michael Rosenberg [36:26]
  • Alan distinguishes legit foul-drawing from shameless “head-down, driving right into you” plays, labeling the latter as what frustrates fans about “unethical hoops.” [38:04]

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Becky Hammon’s “Small Guards Can’t Win Titles” Take

[13:05–21:05]

• The hosts revisit Hammon’s old ESPN commentary about championship teams needing a big lead player, and Knicks’ Jalen Brunson being too small.
  • “I said what I said. If he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong.” – Becky Hammon [15:16]
• The team admires Hammon’s insistence on standing by her opinion rather than apologizing just because circumstances changed.
  • “Why would Becky Hammond ever have to apologize to Brunson?... She was wrong. She had an opinion and it was wrong. Don't apologize to the guy. Like... she had an opinion. We all have opinions and we wear them.” – Don La Greca [16:12]
• They contextualize her comment, noting that Brunson’s offensive load has decreased with better team balance, making her take less relevant now.
  • “That version, it’s never winning a championship. That’s not how this team is winning.” – Michael Rosenberg [20:28]
• The conversation morphs into a reflection on sports media, fan reactions, and the expectation that every opinion is driven by bias or “agenda.”

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Politics & Sports Fandom – The Trump-Knicks/MSG Controversy

[24:27–33:24]

• Don rails against politicians pandering as sports fans.
• Trump’s expected attendance at the Garden for the Finals sparks debate:
  • NY Governor Kathy Hochul’s jab at Trump (“I ask him to name the starting lineup from 1993 championship team and see how he does.” [25:52]) is analyzed; the hosts realize she confused the 1973 and 1993 Knicks.
  • “Did she just guess... or did she mean to say 73 and said 93?” – Don La Greca [26:28]
• They discuss the political calculations, crowd response, and logistical headaches for MSG if Trump does attend.
  • “My prediction is he will not go... The juice isn’t worth the squeeze.” – Michael Rosenberg [31:04]
  • Security complexities for a former head of state at the Finals in Midtown Manhattan are highlighted.

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Knicks Nostalgia, Brooklyn vs. New Jersey, and Fan Tribes

[28:07–29:32]

• Alan and Don revisit the debate about the Nets’ move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, their fan base, and whether the Nets should return.
  • “They can own New Jersey... At least if you’re in New Jersey, you’re in a different state and you can kind of have your [own identity].” – Don La Greca [28:35]

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Lighter Moments: Dog Naming and Knicks Lore

[41:47–45:54]

• Call-in Segment: Dog Names
  • Dale asks which Nova-Knicks player’s name to choose for his next dog: “Jalen,” “Josh,” or “Mikhail.”
  • Laughter ensues over whether to name a dog after Kevin McHale (Boston icon) or as “Cat” after Karl-Anthony Towns.
  • “I like the irony of calling the dog 'Cat', but K-A-T.” – Don La Greca [44:25]

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Show Highlights & Notable Quotes

• “Unethical hoops is the phrase now... Wemby used the ethical hoops line a while back, talking about his team versus some others.” – Alan Hahn [08:07]
• “Why would you ever apologize for having an opinion and being wrong?... That's how I get punished. I'm wrong!” – Don La Greca [16:12]
• “That was the problem with LeBron — he had to sell the call, and then everybody wanted to call him LA Flop...” – Alan Hahn [11:34]
• “If you're not a sports fan, so what? You shouldn't be voting for somebody based on who they root for.” – Don La Greca [30:06]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment Description | |---------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 00:47 | Playoff implications for Knicks, Spurs-Thunder context | | 02:33 | Don on wanting the Spurs due to inexperience | | 03:25 | Officiating inconsistencies in Thunder/Spurs series | | 06:21 | SGA’s foul-drawing/flopping and NBA officiating | | 07:29 | “Unethical hoops” and gamesmanship v. cheating | | 13:24 | Becky Hammon’s “small guard” stance revisited | | 15:16 | Hammon: “I said what I said, he proves me wrong...” | | 24:50 | Politicians as sports fans; Trump @ MSG storyline | | 28:07 | Nets: New Jersey v. Brooklyn debate | | 34:30 | Callers on SGA, foul-baiting, and fan frustrations | | 41:47 | Dog names and Knicks lore—“Josh” vs. “Cat” |

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Tone & Style

The conversation is lighthearted, witty, opinionated, and rooted in passionate New York sports fandom. The hosts blend sharp sports analysis with banter, side stories, and plenty of self-awareness—never missing a chance to poke fun at themselves or the industry.

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For Those Who Missed the Episode...

• If you want Knicks Finals insight: The crew sets out the real stakes and challenges, especially around officiating and opponent matchups.
• For NBA culture observers: Get a crash course on the new “unethical hoops” debates and what annoys fans about the modern flagrant foul-hunting style.
• If you love sports debate: Listen for nuanced (and comedic) takes on everything from Becky Hammon’s “small guard” theory to politicians “repping” New York teams.
• Looking for laughs? You’ll find dog-naming dilemmas, body-shaming jokes, and dad banter galore.

Skip the ads and tune in for the best blend of Knicks talk, NBA drama, and classic New York radio energy.

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Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

So good, so good, so good.

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[Alan Hahn]

Don sitting sick.

[Don La Greca]

You stink.

[Alan Hahn]

Han, how about your nuts? Can I get some?

[Michael Rosenberg]

And Rosenberg, he wanted me to jump up and make the jokey jokey so the people go laugh time.

[Don La Greca]

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

[Podcast Producer/Host]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Don La Greca]

The best threesome I've ever heard on

[Podcast Producer/Host]

ESPN New York and streaming live on

[Don La Greca]

YouTube 301 to the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg here on a Wednesday getting closer and closer to the NBA Finals. And again, guys, you can look at last night as another break for the Knicks because if the spurs had won last night in Oklahoma City, then in all likelihood the spurs would be the favorite at home to wrap it up in six. But now with the home court being upheld, you figure the spurs are going to come back, win at home game six and four to game seven. Now, that doesn't necessarily end up being fact, but. Right. The better odds. If the spurs had won last night, the talk would be, oh, they could, they could wrap this up tomorrow. Right now, the feeling has to be this is likely going to go seven and we'll see who ends up winning.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well. And I think most people are now just going, let's be honest, every other day now, especially for Knicks fans, because everyone's ready to get to the Finals. Whoever won yesterday, we were going to go to. All right, so I guess that's who we're playing. The truth is, we don't know. They still got to play two more. Injuries are becoming a factor. Fatigue is becoming a factor. Yes, of course I lean towards the team that's up three, two, win because statistics will tell you they're going to

[Alan Hahn]

win majority of the time you win game five and a two, two you wouldn't like.

[Michael Rosenberg]

At the same time, we just saw what happened in the wackiness of the Cleveland, Detroit, you just don't know what's going to happen over these next two. But we're desperate to get to it. So I understand people want an answer. They want to know who am I dealing with next week.

[Don La Greca]

And the thing is, is that we had this conversation when it was Detroit and Cleveland is that. And I thought at the time and I ended up being wrong. It's like all the reasons you want Cleveland is why they're not going to beat the Pistons, but the Knicks get every break and the Cavs come out like watching last night is every reason. I think you want the spurs over the Thunder.

[Alan Hahn]

Why is that?

[Don La Greca]

Because I think you can. I think the Knicks can handle Wemby the way the Thunder did last night. And you saw Wemby get frustrated, didn't talk to the media after the game, which is wrong. I'm sorry. You're in the conference final. You're. You're almost the face of the NBA at this point. Right? Come on. So that tells me there's an air of frustration that you can get under his skin. And I'll say it again and, you know, maybe I'll be wrong. Is that so? All the reasons you kind of want that is probably why the spurs aren't going to win the next two games and win the series. So I'm rooting for the spurs because I don't want that experience of the Thunder because they've been there, done that. I want the inexperience of the spurs, and I think you saw that last night in. That's a big game five. You just said that the winner of a game five and two two usually wins the series. And I think there's a reason why the Thunder won that game. That's just the fact that they're home. But they understand the importance of that. And I think the better team won. And that's why I think the spurs are not going to be the knicks opponent.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, 29 fouls called and 38 free throw attempts. It's. That's the problem I would have with a series with the Thunder is the inconsistency from officiating crew to officiating crew. Like you'd want the same crew for every game when you get this deep into the playoffs, because it establishes already, this is how we're calling it. But game to game, it changes. And so last night, because two nights ago, they, a lot of the histrionics, they were saying, no, we're not giving you that.

[Don La Greca]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

We're not going to give you a little. These little flails and these little flops and all that stuff. And so you had to play straight. And when you did, the spurs will able to. They were able to play physical, which is what they need to do. Physical defense. They couldn't do that in this game. And that's. That. That was evident. And once, once that was set, they had Some guys in foul trouble. They already like to me, that and the fact that Wembanyama are coming off a great game in game four. And that's what he's done here. He's had a good game, then a bad game, then a good game. But he. He's got a play through some contact that he didn't really. He didn't seem like he either had the energy to do or just had the want to do. I don't know. He did get 12 free throws, so he got to the line, but it wasn't his best performance. And Shay Gilgis Alexander guys had 32 points. He only made seven field goals. I mean, listen, 16 for 17 from the free throw line. Now, were a lot of those real fouls?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, they were.

[Alan Hahn]

I watched the game. They were real fouls. But that's maddening. So that's what's frustrating about playing the Thunders. You just. How are you calling the game tonight? And then we'll know. And it benefits the Thunder when they're getting the whistle because they really do benefit. They know how to draw fouls. They're a crafty team. So we'll see in game six how that's called because that could decide if there's a game seven. And then when the finals begin, if you're a Knick fan, that's what you're watching. How they calling it? That'll be the most frustrating part of playing against a team like the Thunder. But they have injuries, don't. They've got like. Their depth is being tested.

[Don La Greca]

It is. And they got plenty of it, but it's being tested.

[Alan Hahn]

But their bench guys had a good. You know, they had a good. Their bench guys were terrible in game four and were really good in game five. They're supporting cash guys. They put McCain in the starting lineup. He had a really good game. Caruso was back. He had a good game. That stuff. That's also the part of this too is the. Is the attrition, the wearing down. The spurs are starting to look like they're running out of gas. The Thunder are reaching to some depth that they have to. They have to utilize. And they also decided to play really big. They had Chet and Hartenstein play together. That's a big front line, man. Big front line. That's hard to deal with.

[Don La Greca]

But SGA is going to be a problem with fouls and the flopping and I can't wait.

[Alan Hahn]

You thought Embiid was maddening.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, but how do you look at it, guys? When you see somebody like SGA or even like any player that can do. LeBron's been known to do that. We always had this conversation on the K show. Like, remember when. When Jeter, I think was against the Rays, almost got hit and he pretended he got hit and everybody's like, jeter's a winner. That's what winners do. But then when a rod tried to knock the ball. Oh, yeah, played so bad out of Bronson Arroyo's hand, Remember, it was like, oh, a rod, such a cheat. Oh, he cheapened the game. I was like, dude, so it can go either way, right? Like, when you look at sga, do you say, boy, that guy just know he gets it. He knows how to draw fouls. He made it a talent. Or do you feel that's disrespectful? That's not the way you should play the game. Because it really, let's be honest, right? If he was that good at doing it, you'd be like, oh, listen, good credit to him. But you know, SGA's getting fouls in the finals, People would be like, oh, this is a joke.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, it's already. If you follow NBA Twitter, there's a lot of accounts that are now posting like, it's every game now. They'll post a whole bunch of highlight film of Shay flopping and then it becomes everyone on okc flopping and how they get cheap calls, right? And so again, is it gamesmanship? Is it understanding the rules and how to use them to your advantage and not apologize? Or as you said, or do people look at it and say, I don't respect it, it's unethical hoops. That's the phrase everybody uses now. Unethical hoops.

[Don La Greca]

All I know is that's the new word.

[Alan Hahn]

That's the word. Well, Wemby used the ethical hoops line a while back, talking about his team versus some others. He was side eyeing the Thunder when he said this. So the unethical hoops is now the line that people use to describe the Thunder.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's ridiculous.

[Alan Hahn]

This is today's.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You use the rules the way the rules are done for you. I've seen people, they didn't use the word unethical, but the implication I've gotten from for years from Ranger fans and from Cavs fans is about Sidney Crosby and they get the same concept.

[Don La Greca]

I remember he's a good example. I don't know if it's urban legend or not. I want it so desperately to be true.

[Alan Hahn]

What's that?

[Don La Greca]

That there was a guy. First time I have to Think about what year it was. First time that the Rangers played the Penguins in the postseason with Sidney Crosby. Because Sid had that reputation. He's grown out of it because he's older now, but there was. He'd always. When I'd call a game, David's like, look at. Look at Sid. He's talking to the official. He's gonna get a call. And then five minutes later the Penguins would get a call. Like, he was always good with that. Always go talk to the officials, which I think is smart. And I think whatever's gonna get you the advantage. Of course.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Keep your eye open here.

[Don La Greca]

I.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Keep your eye on this.

[Don La Greca]

That there was somebody, I hope it's true, that was not allowed into the Garden because he had a Penguin jersey on over a scuba suit. It was a Sidney Crosby jersey and he was wearing like a scuba suit because he was a diver. Get it?

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's a bit. It's a lot of work for the job.

[Alan Hahn]

A lot of weather, if you don't know.

[Don La Greca]

I think the guy came in with like the. Whatever they call that, like the. The whole spear or whatever, you know, like, he was the. He was. He was full. What I would have done if I had. If you had the money, if you really wanted to be a diver. Because when I think about a diver, I think about skydiver. No GI Joe dolls. Like the old scuba stuff. The orange thing, metal helmet.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The bright orange.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, well, no, no, no. Just. Just. No.

[Alan Hahn]

That metal helmet with the cape.

[Don La Greca]

You almost look like an astronaut, but like an old timey astronaut, you know, just the big hose and that would be funny. But. But you hated Crosby. But it worked.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Like.

[Don La Greca]

I think there is that fine line between ship.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Let's. Can we just be real? The players, we ever. The players, we talk about either diving, playing unethical ball, whatever the version is you want to give it. What percentage of these guys that end up shooting 15 free throws or get create, you know, three penalties in a night. How many of them are not MVP caliber players?

[Alan Hahn]

James Harden did.

[Michael Rosenberg]

They're all the best players in the world.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. James Harden was big. Dwayne Wade.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Steph can do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, he has. He has too. But it's like it has become a thing in the sport really Beyond.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You know, LeBron had his period where he did.

[Alan Hahn]

And then he got away from it because he realized everybody was calling him out for it and he didn't want to do it anymore. So he. Because. But see, this is how it happened. And it really. I do think it started a bit with LeBron. Because Wade would get a lot of calls because Wade would play through contact hard and fall hard. Allen Iverson, same thing. He'd fall hard. And so you just were caught up with, oh, my God, he must have gotten clobbered. And then LeBron, being 69250, would just have layups, and his arms would be carved up from everybody just slapping down. No call. He'd never get an N1. And so people were like, yeah, he's not getting calls. He has to sell the call. So LeBron would start selling the call, and then he became. But everybody wanted to call him LA Flop.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, The Flop Champs didn't really work exactly.

[Alan Hahn]

But he got away from it because he didn't like it. But it's like, the great example is Carl Anthony Towns talks. I've talked to him about this all the time, how many times. He gets hit on drives. And I say to him, you're too big. Because the same drive by the same by another player is a foul. But on you, it's not, because you're 7ft and 280.

[Don La Greca]

That's.

[Alan Hahn]

It's. And it doesn't look like you're getting clobbered.

[Don La Greca]

By the way.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Gretzky didn't draw a ton of penalties.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yes, he did.

[Don La Greca]

Sure he did.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right?

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, like, in front of the net.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's what I'm saying. He was tiny, relative.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And, like, he wasn't getting pushed around and getting all the pressure was.

[Alan Hahn]

Remember, two can play at that game. Billy Smith. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Of course.

[Alan Hahn]

Billy Smith was tired of him getting penalties in front of the net because Smitty would chop him in the ankles. So one time, I think Gretzky went for a rebound, and Billy Smith threw himself back as if he got, you know, shot and drew a penalty. And that was the famous quote after that game.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah. One of the great things is now that they put the diving calls in, so there could be consequences. I wish the NHL would actually take the original penalty away when you dove.

[Alan Hahn]

Not just even.

[Don La Greca]

Like, that's the pet. Like, go ahead, try to dive if you want. If I catch you, then. Then you know what? Now you got to.

[Alan Hahn]

I wish the NBA would say, all right, it's a foul, but you flopped. So it's offsetting fouls. No free throws.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It is an interesting.

[Alan Hahn]

Now you get a foul because you flop. Knock it off. If that rule came into play, it would change the game again and again. You're not changing the actual game. I'm not giving you free throws. You'll keep the ball. But you get a foul diving, he gets a foul fouling you and lets play.

[Don La Greca]

But if you are so good at it that you can fool the officials, you want to get on the officials, go ahead. They screwed up. But I don't think getting on the player for doing whatever he can to try to win a game. To me, listen, it's a culture of winning. It's trying to win. The other topic of conversation today is Becky Hammond. Now, everybody remembers a couple of years

[Michael Rosenberg]

ago

[Don La Greca]

she said that you can't win a championship when your best player is small. Small.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

And which Brunson is. And again I. She's coaching in the WNBA now.

[Alan Hahn]

She said this on ESPN when she was an analyst on espn.

[Don La Greca]

And that's what you do. I mean, that's what we get paid to do. I've always talked about if you're going to have an opinion and you want to win, pick something that you've got the odds of winning. Right. Oh, the jets are never going to win a Super Bowl. I think I'm in good shape.

[Alan Hahn]

There's right.

[Don La Greca]

Like I always killed Colin Coward, God love him. I think he's a singular talent. I do as a talk show host. But going back to his ESPN days, he'd always say, oh, Knicks are never going to win with Carmelo. Let's see, Melo never won. The Knicks haven't won since 73. Oh, that's a huge limb you're on. Right. But that's the, that's the cheat code in sports radio. Find a subject where odds are you're probably going to be right. And I think for the most part she's writing and when she was pushed on it about Curry's like, well, you know, Curry's one of the great scorers in the history of the sport or whatever, but I know how Nick fans feel about it. But I just would love to hear what you guys think about it. I guess they caught up with her now that the Knicks are in the finals about, oh, what do you say now? And she said, I said what? I said, if he proves me wrong, he proves me wrong.

[Michael Rosenberg]

If he died, I love that.

[Don La Greca]

Honestly, I love that here it is. Specifically, you don't have to hear from me.

[Becky Hammond]

I speak from experience and I never, you know, Allen Iverson got MVP and he lost in the finals and I think the two best teams are probably in the west, but I'm up for being proven wrong. And that's the other thing is I think Jalen Brunson is a hell Of a player. A hell of a player. I'm speaking historically on the NBA with. With what I said. I don't know why that's being brought, like, why everybody's so stuck on that. I said it two years ago.

[Alan Hahn]

I stand by you.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Clear the.

[Guest Analyst]

Clear the air.

[Becky Hammond]

There's no air to be cleared. I said what I said. He proves me wrong.

[Don La Greca]

He proves me wrong.

[Becky Hammond]

I mean, good for him. But I do think the two best teams are in the West.

[Alan Hahn]

We know who you like, right?

[Becky Hammond]

Oh, you know who I'm cheering for.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's the origin of the whole thing, though. Why are we, like, getting past that? But doesn't. Wasn't Becky Hammond an assistant in San Antonio? Well, yeah. And wasn't he on Dallas?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And now, like, so this is like. Honestly, I'm not saying she doesn't mean it, but I'm saying there's a little

[Don La Greca]

bit of, you know. And she has an opinion. Well, here, as a talk show host, I love what Becky did.

[Caller Andrew]

Sure.

[Don La Greca]

Because I can't stand. It's my little thing that just drives me crazy. Is that one big turn off. If you want to go back to the old, you know, center folds at Playboy, big Don Lagreque turnoff. As I'm posed, there is having to apologize for being wrong. Having an opinion.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, why.

[Don La Greca]

Why would Becky Hammond ever have to apologize to Brunson? She was wrong. She had an opinion and it was wrong. Don't apologize to the guy. Like the questions to Becky during that little interview, almost had that air of, are you going to apologize to Brunson if he wins the championship? No, he proved me wrong. Like, that's all you have to do. There's no apologies. We always hear that from calls. Oh, you're going to apologize for saying that the Mets weren't going to win this game or the Giants were going to do that?

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, I don't apologize.

[Don La Greca]

I have an opinion. I am wrong. That's how I get punished. I'm wrong. She said something publicly. The whole world knows it. And if she's wrong, that she has to own it. And it sounds like she's going to own it. There's no apologizing. Brunson was. Shouldn't have been offended by it. She had an opinion. We all have opinions and we wear them. When we're wrong. We don't have to apologize for it.

[Alan Hahn]

Fan takes. Fans take everything like a personal attack. Everything is personal. If you have any type of criticism or. Or if you take the opposite side, if you disagree or don't Think a team can win or all that stuff. It's personal. And that is. It's. It's. That's been. That's been going on since Al Gore invented the Internet.

[Michael Rosenberg]

God bless.

[Alan Hahn]

It's been happening forever. That is just how life works. What I like is what you just said. I agree that Becky stood on business. Well, I said what I said, and if he does, all right, I'm wrong. But that's what I feel. And it's not. And what she's trying to say is, I don't know why it's a big deal. It's not. Like I said, he's a bad guy. Right. Like, that's the problem is everyone takes any type of criticism or any type of disbelief in something as a personal attack. Oh, you just don't like him.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's the thing. Everybody believes that every opinion is attached to an agenda.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Don La Greca]

If Michael K. Predicts the Yankees to win the world, too. Oh, well, because he works for. Yes. And they call Yankee, of course. No, he can actually have an opinion. And I work with the guy for 22 years. I know there were times he didn't pick the Yankees, but anytime he picks the album, you know, if Allen picks the Knicks, of course you pick that. He works for msg.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Give me a break.

[Don La Greca]

Come on.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, right. You know, we all know the years in the past, what I've said, I don't think they're winning, but nobody remembers that.

[Don La Greca]

So everybody thinks that there's. Oh, the reason he's. The reason Peter said that is because he hates this guy. They always try to find some kind of history.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No.

[Don La Greca]

So we get paid to have an opinion. And my opinions come from how I feel about that situation, not because I'm a fan of this or I work wherever. I mean, that's just the way it goes. But, hey. And she'll get jumped. Believe me, she's getting jumped now.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

Of course. Social media is a cesspool. It's a pit. So I'm just looking at the comments.

[Alan Hahn]

Just don't.

[Don La Greca]

No, dude, she'll own it. Yeah, she's not scared of you.

[Alan Hahn]

What's funny is she was a small point guard and had great success. But it's not amazing, though. She is what she says. Can't work in the NBA. She was that in the WNBA and had great success. But I just. Look, it's the easiest thing to say. And I like the fact that instead of her trying to backtrack or she is standing on business, this is what I believe. And let's see if he can win four more. Can his team win four more now? One quick thing to add.

[Don La Greca]

Go ahead.

[Alan Hahn]

Is what she said at the time was when Jalen Brunson was pretty much 38, 40% of their offense, where he was. If he didn't have 25 to 35 or 40 points in a playoff game, they probably weren't winning. He was everything. He dominated the team offense.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I was thinking this exact same thing.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what Allen Iverson was island. Iverson was the entire offense. Right. And now this offense has changed so

[Don La Greca]

dramatically and also lost to an historic team. Nobody.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And actually the only team that beat him that game won.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

They won that game one. But I think she was trying to imply that you could argue that Brunson isn't what he was as far as the offensive importance to this team because of what they've figured out with this new offense. He does still close. He is still a great opener, but they don't need him to carry it like he was last season. Two years ago in his first year as a Knick.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah. I think that her point when she made it coming off of Dallas into him being he has to shoot 30 shots a game for them to win. I understand why you'd say, yeah, that version, it's never winning a championship. That's not how this team is winning. So frankly, I said that last week. If they had to win a lot of games the way they won a few games ago when they relied on old Jalen Brunson in the second half, I don't think they're winning a title.

[Alan Hahn]

Look at the numbers for Jamal Murray. When the Denver Nuggets won the championship, Jokic was the hub of the office. Jamal Murray was the killer.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Mm.

[Alan Hahn]

It's kind of what they got going on right now.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

So that's one of my turn offs. I'm not gonna give you my turn ons.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Please. I don't.

[Don La Greca]

But my.

[Alan Hahn]

We saw one.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Which one?

[Alan Hahn]

His little pose there.

[Don La Greca]

Well, I. I was. I was. For the YouTube crowd, I just said, like, well, my pose would be.

[Alan Hahn]

So you. You like it more of a natural pose instead of one that's sitting Obvious rectal bleeding. Well, that kind of ruined the moment.

[Don La Greca]

Hot six. I don't. I don't have a butt to show off. My father used to make fun of me. He's like, you're just a flat board from your shoulders down to your ankles. Just one straight line. What's going on?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Your dad used to make fun of you for having a Flat ass.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Wow. I didn't think that was in your dad's arsenal.

[Don La Greca]

And also he was really paying attention and then used to work at a pharmacy. And Bill Hansen, God rest his soul, tremendous human being, big hockey guy, everything. Bill Hansen, he said my, my, my other problem is I've got short legs and I got a long torso. I'm oddly shaped. So people were just right. I was, I don't like this. How did you get this far? You know what amazing. You know, I was being body shamed at the. Like my father and, and a pharmacist. Father and pharmacist.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Who would have guessed that body shaming an 18 year old Don Legreca. But I don't have much of a body.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, all you have to say though, what I lack in the back, I got plenty in the front.

[Don La Greca]

Well, that's it. Can't move forward. That's why he was giving you the, you know, the, you know, the full frontal kind of thing.

[Michael Rosenberg]

There's so much that was said in the last couple of minutes and I wish most of it, I wish it

[Don La Greca]

was more isolated, but it was cnn, we could maybe ice it. A lot was said. That's why the beginning of ENN is so much fun.

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[Podcast Producer/Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

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

[Don La Greca]

So another bugaboo that I have is politicians getting into sports when they don't have a leg to stand on. And I'm not. I'm not being political here.

[Michael Rosenberg]

All right.

[Alan Hahn]

All of them. All of them.

[Don La Greca]

They all do it.

[Alan Hahn]

Both sides, you know, country and west.

[Don La Greca]

Who was it? Kerry. When. When he was running for president wearing the red sock hat and not knowing any of the Red Sox. Now, Giuliani was different.

[Alan Hahn]

He was a Yankee, Julie.

[Don La Greca]

He was clearly a Yankee fan and he knew the Yankees and all that. So the big story is it sounds like Trump is going to go to either games three or four because he's still a Knick fan. Makes sense. He, you know, grew up in Queens, spent his life in New York. He's a Knick fan.

[Alan Hahn]

He was at the Garden back in the day.

[Don La Greca]

No, he's a Ranger fan, too. I mean, I remember, you know, Roger telling stories now.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know.

[Don La Greca]

He passed.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think he's doing strange polls with us on Nick.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I know. I don't know.

[Alan Hahn]

Certainly don't think he would. Naming Anthony Bonner.

[Don La Greca]

No. I don't know. Maybe one day he could. He's obviously being busy being the president now. He's gonna try to go to games, either game three or four at the Garden. So someone asked the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, how she feels about Trump attending the NBA Finals of Madison Square Garden. And here is her response.

[Becky Hammond]

I ask him to name the starting lineup from 1993 championship team and see how he does.

[Don La Greca]

So how do we look at that?

[Alan Hahn]

Wait a minute. Play that again. I gotta hear that again.

[Michael Rosenberg]

What do you mean?

[Don La Greca]

That's.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's it. That's what it is verbatim.

[Don La Greca]

What you think is. I don't know. I already read dramatic effect or whether he.

[Alan Hahn]

Everybody listening hears it clearly.

[Becky Hammond]

I asked him to name the starting lineup from 1993 championship team and see

[Alan Hahn]

how he does 93 now. Yeah, that's not a good memory.

[Don La Greca]

She's old enough to remember 73. She is, is she? So how old is she?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Hokul?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, 60.

[Don La Greca]

Can we just double check?

[Alan Hahn]

That's a barely remember I I again,

[Don La Greca]

you don't want to insult women and get a 67 years old.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I compliment if it was a day

[Don La Greca]

now is it now here's the question. Did she just guess was given the wrong information or did she mean to say 73 and said 93? Now it could be a 90. It could be because if she said 94 then that could just be a little bit of misinformation because they almost won. They lost the game.

[Michael Rosenberg]

She meant championship team. That's why she said literally said championship.

[Don La Greca]

So and then it's so it's 93. Well, we would have loved and not 73.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So by the way, I can actually see in her brain how she goes, no, no way. It was 73.

[Don La Greca]

She meant 73 and said 93.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I I because of the level of confidence in which she said it and the year in which she said the three.

[Alan Hahn]

You think it was just one of those.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think it's when we do reads

[Alan Hahn]

and we say something, we say the wrong word.

[Don La Greca]

I meant to say McLean and I said McNeil the other day. We talked and I didn't know I did it.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So it's we talk about 73 all the time. I don't think she talks about it that often. So I think she, I think she had it. I think she had it.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, really?

[Michael Rosenberg]

He wants to get cute. I bet he doesn't remember the 93. And she just botched it.

[Don La Greca]

That's, that's my and she botched it because now you're, you know, hey, what does he know about the Knicks? And asking just real quick as governor

[Michael Rosenberg]

of oh, she's over New York. Sorry, I was confused with Mikey Sheryl. So she's governor of New York. So I get it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Mikey Sheryl's trying to get the Nets to move back to New Jersey.

[Don La Greca]

Is she really?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yes, legitimately. Yeah. I'm not kidding. It's not gonna happen.

[Don La Greca]

By the way, they I've been saying that she was born.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think they'd get more love there.

[Alan Hahn]

I think so.

[Don La Greca]

Oh, I, I, I am a big I get hammered by net Brooklyn Net fans for this.

[Alan Hahn]

Can they play at the Rock?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Is that like why not?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, they got basketball. They're seating hall still in newest building. I mean, Seton hall plays There.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that's true. Yeah.

[Don La Greca]

Okay. You can do basketball there because I think. I think what works for the Devils. And it hurts because a lot of the New York, like the Daily News and the Post don't even acknowledge anymore. Well, they don't.

[Alan Hahn]

They don't barely cover the Islanders, too, but they.

[Don La Greca]

They can own New Jersey. And I'm telling you, it wasn't. There's not that big of a difference. I mean, you're in Brooklyn, but you're in Knicks territory. At least if you're in New Jersey, it's like you're in a different state and you can kind of have your. And that's where your fans are anyway, right? I mean, a generation of fans came from New Jersey. I'm sure a lot of them actually go to Brooklyn. It's a difficult track, but it's not impossible.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I don't know the demographics anymore, their fan base.

[Don La Greca]

I don't think it's affected their winning going to Brooklyn. No, I mean, that building.

[Alan Hahn]

But what do you do with that building?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, they got. They have a. They have a champion that plays there

[Alan Hahn]

would be the Liberty.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's correct.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So now they're not gonna. They're only 20 games a year or whatever, but then they have a ton of events there.

[Alan Hahn]

Concert to be a concert venue.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I wonder if the Liberty keep being good, you know, over time, with how bad the Nets are and how good the Liberty are. It may be a net win, you know, no pun intended, because that's the

[Don La Greca]

only net win you get because it really worked. The Devil's going to Newark was a godsend for them because they. They can draw now because it's easier to get to.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, if you're going to counter what she said, which was we're going to say she probably slipped, but if you're the White House, how are you not, like, responding right away with, like, just name dropping a bunch of guys off the 93 team and saying, but really, I'm all about Bradley Debusscher, Clyde, here's where I falter.

[Don La Greca]

Here's where.

[Alan Hahn]

That's what you do.

[Don La Greca]

Now, if she legitimately thought they won a championship in 93, then that's just a bad job out of her. What are you even dancing with that if you don't know? That's my problem is, is that if you're not a sports fan, so what? You shouldn't be rooted. You shouldn't be voting for somebody based on who they root for.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don La Greca]

You go deeper than that.

[Alan Hahn]

But you're supposed to show some type

[Don La Greca]

of own it, man. Dudes do, do the work. And if you're gonna go after Trump, like, I wonder if he's, if he's that big of a Nick fan. Don't screw it up now. You screwed it up. Now you look bad. Yeah, but he looked way worse than him. But he didn't say anything.

[Alan Hahn]

You do look worse.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But I have a whole. I have a question. Is she. Why were they even asking her? Is she going?

[Don La Greca]

Well, she's the governor of New York.

[Alan Hahn]

You know why they asked.

[Michael Rosenberg]

He has to get a reaction to get this.

[Don La Greca]

Absolutely.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I mean, ultimately, I'm sure she's not even attempting to go.

[Alan Hahn]

Not about going. The question was, what are your thoughts on Trump saying he's a lifelong New York Knicks fan? That was the question.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So they were just trudged. So they were just. Yeah, that was. They were fishing and she jumped in. That's it. The bigger issue to discuss here, though, is if Trump is to go to the Knicks game, the nightmare that it

[Alan Hahn]

will be, oh, getting in the building.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Oh, my God, you think that is.

[Don La Greca]

Dude, Ask any Yankee.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It is the Finals at Madison Square Garden in the middle of Manhattan, potentially, when he goes during World Cup. A lot of things going on. And now we're going to bring.

[Don La Greca]

Ask any Yankee fan what it was like to get into game three of the World Series, Yankees Diamondbacks, when Bush was throwing out the first pick. Well, that was during. Well, it's during 9 11. But you're talking about a building that holds 50,000 people. This is coming into the city, right into a building that holds 18,000 over a train station. It is going to be unreal.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Also, here's my prediction. I'm not going to get overly political here. My prediction is he will not go. And I think of all the different venues that he could show up to in New York to receive a friendly reaction, I don't think the optic is going to be worth the juice. Will not be worth the squeeze. He would get booed more at a Knicks game than, say, a Yankee game to start out with. Then you're going to have people have to get there an extra two hours early to get in for the tickets they spent $10,000 on. Then you think about the NBA crowd versus the NFL or major league Baseball. Juice isn't worth the space.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't think the crowd part is, is in the equation, but the other stuff probably could be the logistics of it. And that might be something that Adam Silver talks about. Just how this, like, as do we want this Would be a lot for that venue to handle because again, you got to go beyond a lot and also the detailing. Nypd. Think about this. It's not just the arena like a Super Bowl. Him going to a Super bowl, okay, it's an 80,000 seat stadium probably in the middle of nowhere. This is in the middle of Manhattan, above one of the busiest train stations in the country.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It's, it's like.

[Alan Hahn]

So you got to not only watch what's going on in the arena, what's going on underneath is also something you got to watch out.

[Don La Greca]

He's also closing off, you know, how many square blocks around the Garden. I doubt he's going to go through the Lincoln Tunnel. He'll probably fly in a helicopter or whatever. But wherever that usually what happens, wherever that is, you don't think, what about take the long.

[Michael Rosenberg]

What about take the train of himself?

[Don La Greca]

No.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Hop on the Amtrak PATH train, jump right to a PATH train from New Jersey. I don't think it happens. Remember this prediction? I don't think it happens. I think it's a lot of helicopter.

[Don La Greca]

But I think it not happening is for the reason you just.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I think it is too.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, because he doesn't want to go. It's just be like, oh, three. I'll let you know the day of whether three or four. No, you can't do that. But listen, if you were to bet Peter.

[Michael Rosenberg]

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[Don La Greca]

All right. Phones blowing up. 1-800-919-3776. We started off with Andrew in New Jersey. You're on. Don Hanna, Rosenberg. What's up, man?

[Caller Andrew]

Hey, good Afternoon, guys. I'm just calling in about the whole shea situation. I'm 24 and me and my friends find it absolutely disgusting to watch it. The way he plays basketball, flopping, the foul baiting, it's just too much. It's not enjoyable to watch. I know Allen before was talking about NBA Twitter. It's not just NBA Twitter. All the sports Twitter. You go under a post from Adam Schefter, anyone? And there will be a comment there saying Shea's probably shooting free throws right now. It's just. It's ridiculous. And it's ruining the game of basketball.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, that's strong.

[Don La Greca]

Ruining is strong.

[Alan Hahn]

But he is a product, though, of the direction of the league.

[Don La Greca]

But I can understand you being upset with it, but aren't you misdirecting where you're upset? Like, shouldn't you just be killing the officials for falling for it rather than killing him?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Can I defend the officials? It's tough. The guys who are really good at it. When you create contact, well, it's just very hard, you know, I mean, like, there are certain things.

[Alan Hahn]

Peter, think of it this way. You're calling a fight and the. The guy who is throwing most of the punches, like, he's throwing great punches, right? And so you have to, as a referee, or what do they call the judge that's a referee? Or just score, Right. But he's so fast that you can't tell if he's making contact or not. So he's getting credit for punches. And then when you're watching replays, you're like, this, even land.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right, right. But he's getting credit for being the effective aggressor.

[Alan Hahn]

But you're watching in real time and you just like, that's true.

[Don La Greca]

But don't self scout. I mean, don't you go back and watch the games you officiate and say, boy, he. Well, that's why I said he got me that time. He's not going to get me again.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right, Don. And that's why Scott Foster doing Game 6 and Scott Foster in Game 5, Game 4 was not falling for it. He was not given those fouls. That crew was not. Anytime the head went back, it's like, I'm not.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Can I ask you guys a question?

[Alan Hahn]

So that is a true thing from referee to referee.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Can I ask you a question, though? You don't think I'm talking to you, Alan, more than Don, who hasn't played as much as much basketball, ethical or unethical hoops. You don't think there's a certain art form.

[Don La Greca]

It's what, he hits 13 in a celebrity game?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, no, but you didn't play a lot of pickup as a kid, right?

[Don La Greca]

I'm offended for him.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Do you play. Do you play in basketball?

[Don La Greca]

I had a hoop on my garage.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Do you play in leagues as a kid?

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

You played in basketball?

[Don La Greca]

I played CYO basketball. Okay. I traveled.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't. I've never.

[Don La Greca]

By the way, I focused on baseball and high school.

[Alan Hahn]

God is my witness.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And the listeners will agree as. And the listeners will agree. Never heard that.

[Don La Greca]

Never knew that.

[Michael Rosenberg]

So. I know. So. Anyways, maybe you'll appreciate this too. You. You don't think there's art. You don't think there's like. You know that feeling when you. When you get someone to go up, and the second they go up, you're like. And one. And you just let them hit you. Chuck it up. You taking. There's an art to that. Like, that is part of what the game is. Get someone to jump. That's.

[Bucked Up Energy Announcer]

It's.

[Don La Greca]

That's different than, oh, my God, I got shot. Like soccer.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But it's not.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, he does, though.

[Michael Rosenberg]

He does some.

[Don La Greca]

He does series.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's not how he gets to 20 free throws a game.

[Alan Hahn]

But he shoots. Like. That's the problem is that's what these videos that are coming out. It's not necessarily the obvious fouls that he does get fouled. It's the ones that, like, I think the problem is this.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I'm gonna look up a compilation as you're talking.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, they're on social media.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I'm gonna look.

[Alan Hahn]

He'll shoot a jumper and kick his legs out as if he's getting hit.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Now, that I hate.

[Alan Hahn]

He'll. He'll shoot it. He'll shoot things. He'll run right into you and just throw a ball up, like, looking like, oh, you fouled me. It's like you just dribbled right into me.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, no, right. And I position.

[Alan Hahn]

See, that's what they mean by ethical hoops. It's. The way they're drawing fouls is literally head down, driving right into you. And you're going like, what are you doing? And then you just pretend you're shooting a shot and they blow the whistle. It's flopping when you're fighting over a screen, because as we know, in the playoffs, clutch and grab happens in the postseason. But because you. You act like it's not just this guy's. He's mugging me right now. You get the whistle. I Think that's the part that frustrates fans. Not the typical foul. It's the other stuff.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah, I'm watching just a compilation from a couple of days ago in OKC Game four. It's.

[Guest Analyst]

Yeah, last.

[Michael Rosenberg]

This is game two I'm looking at. It's. It's rough.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, game two.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's right, it's rough.

[Guest Analyst]

Last night was egregious, especially because I tried to defend Shay and then I had a whole conversation, even with my friend. Like every play in the NBA flops to some sort of degree.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Guest Analyst]

It's whether the refs allow it, what they call and what they don't call.

[Alan Hahn]

But on jump shots, every time you land, you fall down that slot.

[Michael Rosenberg]

That's what I'm not liking. I'm watching them now. The amount of jump shots where no one's there and he falls, there's drawing

[Don La Greca]

a foul and then they're slopping.

[Guest Analyst]

The only. The only player I could probably argue that probably has the worst wrestle and I get frustrated that he doesn't get more foul calls is Carlin than he towns. Yeah, like he drops to the rim. He's getting robbed every time yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

They hit the ground.

[Guest Analyst]

He's probably like one of the only guys.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But you know what? And he sort of suffers from the opposite thing. He's big, as Alan pointed out, which is part of it. He also hits the deck so much as a big man that at a certain point reps like, all right, you're always on the ground, buddy. We're used to it because like, Cat will. Cat will go to the basket and hit the ground 35% of the time. And they just don't call it. Even though to your point, he really is getting hit hard quite a bit. But at 7 foot 280, you're getting what you're getting.

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[Podcast Producer/Host]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

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

[Don La Greca]

Back to the busy phones at 1-800-919-3776. Let's talk to Dale in White Plains. You're on. Donjon Rosenberg. What's up, man?

[Caller Dale]

Hey. First time, long time, shout out. You guys Just wanted to chime in on the, you know, the Knicks thing and the generational you guys have talked about a couple days. You know, I'm 41. My dad is not doing so well health wise. So this may be the last swing at a Knicks championship. So just, you know, we're, we're, we're rooting hard and the tie in with the Nova Knicks is where I really need the advice. So after the shout out for my dad, okay. So my wife went to Villanova, major Nova hoops head, also a Knicks fan. So this is obviously really cool. What I need your take on is for our next dog. We have one. So Peter Allen, you can relate. Fred isn't going anywhere. But for, if you will, a player to be named later, we got a couple options for absolute dogs on the Knicks. Jalen Brunson. Jalen JB As a dog name. Josh. As the dog name, Josh Hart. Hilarious. Those are the front runners. But the third option, my last name is our last name is McHale. Like Kevin McHale.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Right.

[Caller Spike]

So.

[Caller Dale]

Or Joe, you guys, to weigh in on which of those dog names you're gonna, we would go with.

[Alan Hahn]

I would avoid Mikhail at all costs.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, because that is. Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Very Celtic.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, no, his last name is Mikhail.

[Grainger Announcer]

I understand.

[Alan Hahn]

I know his last name is.

[Michael Rosenberg]

The dog's name is Mikhail. There's nothing you can do about. Last name is McHale.

[Alan Hahn]

That's fine. Don't name the dog.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, he wasn't gonna name it Mikhail. Mikhail.

[Alan Hahn]

Can't happen.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Does. Is Alan insane, Right? You were considering naming the dog your last name, or you're saying that's just gonna be his last name?

[Caller Dale]

It was just more of a bit because he is, out of those three. My wife's favorite player, too, but. So she's kind of going for that. But it's got to be Josh as well. Human dog name. Our current dog is named Fred, so Human dog.

[Don La Greca]

The whole thing threw me off. Like, you know, dogs don't have last name.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I don't have a last name.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I didn't understand that part, so I thought Alan was being insane.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, he said Mikhail.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But he said his last name was Mikhail, so why would that be an option?

[Alan Hahn]

He just said we named the dog. Our last name's Mikhail. So the third option, he said, there's Mikhail because that's our last name. And I.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And that's insane. I apologize.

[Alan Hahn]

There's no chance to do that. Is way too Celtic, so.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, well. And just.

[Michael Rosenberg]

And you'd be a psycho. Someone came over. Hey, this is our dog, Rosenberg.

[Don La Greca]

That's actually kind of funny. Just thought of it. Hopefully he's still listening.

[Alan Hahn]

Rosie would be.

[Don La Greca]

I like the irony. I like the irony of calling the dog Cat,

[Alan Hahn]

but K a T. Yeah.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I love what you've done. So.

[Don La Greca]

By the way.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Or Carl. Or it's Carl. We call him Cat.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but, you know, it's. Right. But you know, it's funny, though, having to explain that in, like, you know, 10 years.

[Michael Rosenberg]

It'd be great.

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, it's our dog. What's his dog's name?

[Michael Rosenberg]

Cat.

[Don La Greca]

Why? Because of this guy who won a

[Alan Hahn]

championship with the New York.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah. This goes right? Alan, there is no. There's this guy. He's part of New York lore forever, baby. Cat with a K. No one's forgetting Cat.

[Alan Hahn]

Cat with a K. Because he's special.

[Michael Rosenberg]

But I'm serious, like, you have to remember that part. If they win, you're never gonna have to remind him.

[Alan Hahn]

Said that on the air one time in msg.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Were you proud or. No. Said it and realize, like, set it and forget it as you go to break, too. So, you know, like, for the next two and a half minutes, people are like, get this guy off the now.

[Michael Rosenberg]

No, but you know what I'm saying, like, you have to really process it. I don't think Allen's taking it all in here. If they win, there's no such thing as reminding people About Cat.

[Don La Greca]

I just think. Well, they may randomly right away. But it's.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Do you know how many names I've had to hear people like Spike and God bless him, Richard talk about in Nick's lore. Hear me out on this. You know how many people Wingo. You know how many of those people will be surpassed by Kat if they win a title?

[Don La Greca]

How many?

[Michael Rosenberg]

We only talk about Brunson. So if you is going to surpass tons of legendary Knicks too.

[Don La Greca]

But if you name the dog. If they win the championship and you name the dog. Cat people. Cat. Oh, I'm a Nick fan. That's all you'd have to say? Yeah, that's all you'd have to say.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don La Greca]

Yeah, so I think that's my.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I like. No, I think you win.

[Don La Greca]

See if he calls back to see if that's something he'll take. I wish I thought of it when he was on the air.

[Alan Hahn]

What a brilliant thing to do too because those who don't get it, they'll think you're crazy. And that's even right. It's even better.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Well, I will tell you, it's confusing teaching Maya that Bears that the dog's name is Bear. Yeah, we're having some issues.

[Don La Greca]

Listen, I. I just had to answer Marco this morning. You know, why don't dogs and cats marry?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I mean, it's a good question.

[Don La Greca]

I mean. And I say, well, because they just. Why? You know.

[Alan Hahn]

But wait a minute. Why.

[Don La Greca]

Get your shoes on. We were late for school.

[Alan Hahn]

Why don't you just tell them they could they just choose not to.

[Don La Greca]

I mean, who's gonna pay for it? That's probably. Let's go to Spike and St. Pete. You're on ESPN New York. It's not gonna be me. Mr. Orange and Cisco want to get married. That's on their dock. Go ahead, Spike. What you got?

[Caller Spike]

Yeah, first of all, my shout out, whatever you call it that the Garden's paying honor to Al Trout. Look, I think that's a wonderful gesture. I told you yesterday. Alan, I hate to keep coming on. I love talking to you guys and talking about officials. I saw to brothers and I said 50 plus free throws. Secondly, look, he paid his dues. The players love him. He's voted the best official favorite officially, but he doesn't have it anymore and. And not because of Zach Joburg. We get a couple of these younger guys in there that don't do this because it's wrong. That SGA as great a two way player he is in Kentucky and the whole background and all he's been unbelievably fantastic for him to go to the free throw line, 18 and 19, 21 out of 22, it's wrong. I mean, remember Ronnie Nunn used to do that show on NBA tv. He used to do a show and show what calls were incorrect. It reminds me of the last two minute thing. But I'm going to make a prediction here because I really feel strongly about this and not pie in the sky. I don't think the Knicks are going to lose more than one game. I really don't. I watched these two teams last night. They're missing two starters, they're deep OKC, they, they plug in A.J. i forget the last name. They plug in him and, and their bench is good. You know, the two defensive guys. I can't believe the bench player beat out O.J. in his defensive player here. But the Knicks are playing flawless balls. I talk to all my kids, my friends that are alive and they go, he's going through over the third quarter like the old Celtics used to do. And like the Showtime Lakers. Forget about the players, they're just playing. So together they are playing like a wired unit. It's, it's beautiful.

[Don La Greca]

It is amazing. But all I'll just say and listen, we'll have our predictions and everything. You're not wrong to think that the way they're playing, but I think we can all agree spurs or Thunder, it's an upgrade from what you've played. So I'm not saying you can't win, but don't think what you saw the previous these last 11 straight games is necessarily going to apply to the next possible seven. Because the Thunder and you don't have to win by 30. That's the beauty of it.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's what you've created for yourself. What you've also done is something that is also unprecedented. Which is what is supposed to be a grueling 2 month 16 win run is you're getting breaks in between that no one else gets.

[Don La Greca]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Podcast Producer/Host]

listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I don't want to know how to

[Alan Hahn]

the sausage is made man. I just want to know. It's good.

[Podcast Producer/Host]

Hear more of Don Allen and Peter Weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Don La Greca]

This is what everyone's talking about.

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Everything's on the table.

[Don La Greca]

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.

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This is winner take all.

[Don La Greca]

And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it.

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