Hour 1: Unacceptable Performance

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: "Unacceptable Performance"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don Hahn & Rosenberg
• Hosts: Don LaGreca (ESPN New York and New Jersey legend), Alan Hahn (long-time sportswriter and New York Knicks broadcaster), Peter Rosenberg (opinionated Hip Hop veteran and WWE personality)
• Description: A dynamic trio delves into New York sports and beyond, offering candid insights and lively discussions.
• Episode: Hour 1: "Unacceptable Performance"
• Release Date: May 28, 2025

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Introduction

In the inaugural hour of "Don Hahn & Rosenberg," the hosts dive deep into the New York Knicks' recent performance, dissecting their struggles in the playoffs against the Indiana Pacers. The conversation is charged with frustration, analysis, and the passion that Knicks fans know all too well.

Main Discussion: Knicks vs. Pacers Playoff Series

Don LaGreca kicks off the discussion with a scathing critique of the Knicks' performance:

"Nick fans, instead of complaining about the officials or complaining about all the Pacers are lucky or we're just not getting the breaks. Admitting that right now, whether it's factual or just in the way that it appears, the Pacers are a better team."
[Timestamp: 00:53]

Alan Hahn builds on Don's points, highlighting both agreement and the inherent spirit of the Knicks:

"They should be mad at themselves. In another sense, I had a peaceful feeling wash over me. The Pacers are a better team and the Knicks are not as good..."
[Timestamp: 02:15]

Together, they explore the Knicks' tactical deficiencies:

• Defense: Persistent struggles in key defensive moments.
• Turnovers: High number leading to easy points for the Pacers.
• Lack of Consistency: Inability to maintain momentum and capitalize on opportunities.

Don emphasizes the collective failure from the coaching staff to the bench:

"That's a collective failure last night that has now put your back against the wall."
[Timestamp: 06:06]

Key Points & Issues

1. Inadequate Offensive Execution:

   • The Knicks struggle to convert possessions into points, often grinding for every basket.
   • Don LaGreca: "They only show you that one moment that makes you think, there it is... instead of running back for the billionth time this season."
     [Timestamp: 02:15]

2. Defensive Lapses:

   • Frequent breakdowns in defense leading to easy baskets for the Pacers.
   • Alan Hahn: "They don't play good enough defense, stupid turnovers."
     [Timestamp: 02:15]

3. Mental and Physical Fatigue:

   • Constantly fighting to overcome deficits leads to exhaustion and mistakes.
   • Don LaGreca: "They are a team of smart players who collectively had one of the dumbest games you'll ever watch..."
     [Timestamp: 06:06]
   • Alan Hahn: "It just gets to where you know when everybody wants to use fatigue."
     [Timestamp: 37:34]

4. Player Performance Issues:

   • Jalen Brunson: Struggles in critical moments, high turnovers.
   • Karl-Anthony Towns: Inconsistent defense and missed opportunities.
   • Don LaGreca: "He had five turnovers, which is just... that kind of stuff makes you say what happened to this team mentally."
     [Timestamp: 19:18]

5. Coaching and Strategy Flaws:

   • Ineffective game planning and adjustments.
   • Don LaGreca: "Rick Carlisle has exposed something that I'm sure the Knicks have been hiding and trying to hide desperately all year."
     [Timestamp: 45:32]

Listener Interactions

The podcast features passionate listener calls, further illustrating the widespread frustration among Knicks fans:

Caller Merv (Queens):

"Every play looks like it's broken and freestyle."
[Timestamp: 29:21] "This team has no identity... gritty is good, but gritty wins—gritty doesn't win you a championship."
[Timestamp: 36:56]

Caller Shamir:

"Bench Cat, let him come with the second unit. Bring in a Chua or go small with Shamet."
[Timestamp: 35:01] "The team has no identity. Gritty is good, but gritty doesn't win you a championship."
[Timestamp: 36:03]

These interactions highlight the community's desire for strategic changes and accountability within the team.

Insights and Analysis

Peter Rosenberg adds another layer of analysis, emphasizing the emotional toll on fans and the psychological state of the team.

Alan Hahn raises critical questions about the team's future:

"Are you ready to say that after one loss to the Pacers, it doesn't work, or are you going to say... maybe we can learn from this and get better now?"
[Timestamp: 43:02]

Don and Alan debate the chemistry between key players, particularly the tandem of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, questioning their compatibility and championship potential.

Conclusions & Future Considerations

The hosts agree that the Knicks face a crossroads:

• Adjustment vs. Overhaul: Should the team make strategic adjustments or consider significant roster changes to enhance performance?
• Mental Fortitude: Addressing the mental fatigue and fostering a championship-winning mindset is crucial.
• Future Trajectory: The potential departure of key players like Giannis Antetokounmpo to other teams looms as a significant factor.

Don LaGreca poses a pivotal question:

"Can you win a championship with Brunson and Towns together, especially by what the Pacers have exposed in this series, which is the defensive liabilities and matchup problems that are caused with them on the floor together?"
[Timestamp: 42:17]

Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with a blend of frustration and hope. While acknowledging the current shortcomings, Don, Alan, and Peter emphasize the importance of rallying behind the team and striving for improvement. The discussion leaves listeners pondering the Knicks' path forward, the potential for redemption, and the deep-seated passion that fuels every Knicks fan.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Don LaGreca: "Defense wins championships and we're certainly seeing it in these playoffs for some teams."
  [Timestamp: 48:10]

• Alan Hahn: "My argument always is because players would rather say that than to say the obvious. That the Pacers are just better."
  [Timestamp: 11:10]

• Peter Rosenberg: "Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast."
  [Timestamp: Multiple closing remarks]

This episode stands out for its raw honesty and in-depth analysis, making it a must-listen for Knicks fans seeking clarity and constructive criticism during a tumultuous playoff run.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Don LaGreca]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee, full [e-mail] never seen holes han. I'm not comfortable touching it. I'm not. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Rosenberg.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm not breastfeeding. No, but I.

[Don LaGreca]

That's too bad.

[Allen Hahn]

This is in North Dakota. This is New York.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is Don, Han and Rosenberg.

[Don LaGreca]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

880 ESPN and the ESPN New York app.

[Allen Hahn]

I don't know how everybody else feels, but I think if you're a Knick fan today, this should be the day where you're legitimately ticked off of the team. Like legitimately upset that players after the game are talking about they wanted it more, they had more intensity than we did. How is that even possible? They did not play well. Game one. Hey, a fluke. It happens. Oh, you know, they showed effort in game two, the comeback. It's the same tired old fall behind. Work your tail off to get back. And now this time it just didn't seem like they had the energy or the ability to. To be able to get back into the game and win the game. And I honestly feel like Nick fans, instead of complaining about the officials or complaining about all the Pacers are lucky or we're just not getting the breaks. Admitting that right now, whether it's factual or just in the way that it appears, the Pacers are a better team. The Knicks are consistently getting outplayed in the key spots and last night is the one game where. I'm sorry, you should be mad if you're a Knick fan and you should be ticked off. They're down three games to one. So I'm not going to speak for you guys, but I don't want to hear about the officials. I don't want to hear about Wall. If that pounce didn't go their way in game one, we'd be winning this series. Stop it. This is three one and it's on you.

[Alan Hahn]

This is interesting because I don't know if I agree with Don, like in one sense, you're 100% right. They should be mad at themselves. In another sense, I had a peaceful feeling wash over me. The Pacers are a better team and the Knicks are not as good with. The Knicks are is defined by that jeune sais quoi that makes magic happen. That's who they are. They're the magic. But the. But Don, as a team, they get out worked. They don't play good enough defense, stupid turnovers. I mean, how can you reasonably feel like they should be winning the way. I don't know if you felt this way watching the game, Don. The most telling sign of how bad things were to me it didn't it feel to you guys like every single Knicks offensive possession they had to grind for every single point the Pacers would get the ball and in seven seconds would have a wide open land. And you're like, wait, they're going to have to work double as hard to.

[Allen Hahn]

Keep up with this team.

[Alan Hahn]

It just looks so much harder for the Knicks to do anything. In part because of how hard the Pacers play. And it also dawned on me, Don. I do. Did I say donned on me? Dawn?

[Allen Hahn]

I heard Don. I don't know what that was.

[Alan Hahn]

Excuse me. Yeah, it also dawned on me, Don, that while I was upset by some of the officiating, I'm not going to lie to you, every loose ball, every single loose ball being a loose ball foul against the Knicks, I thought was a little silly, but. But guess what? When you get out worked, those are the calls that happen. That's what you were talking about yesterday, Allen. That's creating luck. Of course, when the ref see one team constantly gunning and the other one's kind of hanging on for dear life, that team that gunning gets all the calls. So they got what they deserved last night, unfortunately. The question is, can they come up with magic at the Garden tomorrow? I'm not ready to kill this team off yet because they seem to be like Michael Myers. I'm never quite ready to kill them off. But Allen, it was not good last night.

[Don LaGreca]

There's a guy named Ariel Pacheco who writes for the Strickland. It's a great website. It does a lot of good coverage of the NBA, of the Knicks, who had a tweet that I feel like encapsulated this year and this Knicks team perfectly, especially the playoff run. So this Knicks team has a special way of playing the worst basketball you've ever seen, all while somehow staying within striking distance. It's a special kind of torture. To watch because you could surmise that the Pacers are just a better team. Wave the white flag and just go with that. Or you could say the Knicks are a madding, maddening team that gives you evidence of greatness, but more, more repetitions of underwhelming, like, like underperforming. They. They are that they. They'll just show you that one moment that makes you think, there it is, there it is. That's what it should look like. And then it's one guy's yelling at a ref instead of running back for the billionth time this season. No matter how many times somebody says, stop yelling at the refs and just get your ass back. This team likes to run. But no, we can't help it. We're mad we didn't get a foul call. So we stop, we pout, and now it's a four on five and we know that they find the open man quick and beat you.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, I can picture many plays.

[Don LaGreca]

Like that, A million of them. So there's. Those are the things that make you crazy, is there's so many self inflicted wounds that are disguised as great defensive plays by the opponent when it's not. It's why the hell are you trying to pass that ball? It's why are you fouling him there? Why do that? This is a team of smart players who collectively had one of the dumbest games you'll ever watch last night at a critical moment of the season. And that doesn't make sense. So for me, I'm with you. You should be pissed off as a fan about that performance last night, because as fans, you are all in and you're devoted. And what happened was to me, collectively, from top to bottom, starting with the head coach all the way down to the last guy on the bench, that's a collective failure last night that has now put your back against the wall. And now the best you can do to salvage anything left is do not get eliminated on your home floor by this team for the second straight year. Don't you dare do that, because I promise you the best season in 25 years, you will get booed off the floor if that happens tomorrow night.

[Allen Hahn]

And that is what you got to try to avoid. Just take it one game at a time. But when you really assess where this team is in the postseason, they have won nine games, they're in the conference final for the first time since 2000. They are three wins away from going to their first NBA final since 1999. But if you really look at it, the Only complete game that they've played in this postseason is game six against Boston.

[Don LaGreca]

Correct.

[Allen Hahn]

Every game has been a formula. Fall behind, fight back. They're not great defensively, they're not great offensively. But the one thing I will say they are, is they're a gritty, gutty team that's never out of a game.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Allen Hahn]

But that's it. Otherwise. Otherwise, what else are we talking about? They don't start games well, they don't defend well. They can't defend the three. They're not a consistent offensive team. Yeah, there's spurts like Cat the other night with his 20 points in the fourth quarter, but it's so inconsistent. It's so maddening, as you put it. It's a great word to describe a team that's so good. But when you really look at the collective, the only compliment you could pay this team is they've got grit, which is not nothing, but sometimes it does act as a deodorant to what is wrong with this team. Why do you need so much grit to win?

[Don LaGreca]

It's a great way to put it.

[Allen Hahn]

And that's the problem. Because you can't count on that because it's every other night now they are starting to look spent because the pace that the Pacers play in, the fact that you've got to fight back every night. How many 20 point deficits have you been able to have to fight back last night? It didn't get that out of hand. But they never really had control of the game. And then at the end of the second quarter, you outlined it very well in the post game on msg. 6, 0, run to close out the second seven. Oh, run to start the third game over.

[Don LaGreca]

Amazingly done. When you watch start of that game, didn't it go as I predicted? Yes, they went, they went crazy from three. Halliburton was putting on a show like everything I said was going to happen happened. And you survived it. And with about 1:40 left in the half, you had a 1 point lead. You had a 1 point lead after all that. They put up 43 points in the quarter, first quarter, 43 points. They were making a mockery of your defense and somehow you survived it. And you were about to to walk into the half at worst, maybe tied at best with a lead, and then what? For whatever reason, the last minute and a half of the first half was, let's make the worst possible passes we can make. Let's take the worst possible shot we can try. And let's not battle for a rebound and so then they score six straight points. Two off free throws that were like, what the hell are you falling for? And then, okay, fine, but it's still a five point game. He's still very much in it. And you know, 24 minutes to even this freakin series, reset it and come back home with a chance to take back the series. And instead you come out and play that third quarter like it's a preseason game in Charlotte. No, the urgency was not there. That didn't make sense. It's the conference finals and after the game you heard players talking about it. Mikhail Bridges, you know, we got to come out of the second half, we got to play a little harder there, we got to have a little more energy coming out of second. It's like, why does that even need to be discussed? It's the conference finals.

[Allen Hahn]

I hate when players do it. I used to always talk to Michael Caine. Michael brought it up at the open of his show today. We'd always get into it, right, Peter? Michael always had that problem with. How do you say they wanted it more? How do you say that they played with more intensity?

[Don LaGreca]

Not this late in the series, not this deep into the play.

[Allen Hahn]

My argument always is because players would rather say that than to say the obvious.

[Don LaGreca]

Which is what?

[Allen Hahn]

That the Pacers are just better.

[Don LaGreca]

They're not lost to a better team. No, they're not better.

[Allen Hahn]

But then why is this happening?

[Don LaGreca]

Because you're making mistakes and they're not. They are part of point.

[Allen Hahn]

That's part of it, Alan.

[Don LaGreca]

Every one of their guys plays hard, but every one of their guys know, knows their job.

[Allen Hahn]

But part of being a good team is not making those mistakes, not melting down.

[Don LaGreca]

They didn't do it all year, Don. That's the thing. They're doing it at the worst possible time. And a lot of them are. Like I said, it is just. Did you see. When I heard. I heard it and I went back and saw the tape because obviously, you know, we're not. We're all over the place with this game. But apparently there was a. Tibbs is miked up in the, in the huddle and he's got Carlton Town sitting in front of him and he's pleading with him to run back. You can't jog back. I need you to run. Come on, man, you gotta run harder.

[Allen Hahn]

How can that be? I mean, honestly, there's only two ways to say it is, are they exhausted? Are they physically exhausted?

[Don LaGreca]

I think they're mentally exhausted.

[Allen Hahn]

Is this even a possibility? Cuz I wasn't gonna Go there, but you're starting to bring it up.

[Don LaGreca]

Come on.

[Allen Hahn]

Did they. Did they look past the Pacers? Did they beat the Boston Celtics? The mighty Boston Celtics, the team that they targeted since training camp? A trade they made during the off season to beat the Celtics? Was that their opus? Was that their championship? And now, oh, we'll just wipe the floor with the Pacers. Mayor Adams is naming streets after our players. Every fan out there is talking about how they're going to wipe the floor with the Pacers. And now the Pacers, who, let's face it, exceptionally well coached, very well. Play the best to their ability.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, they're maximizing their talent, and they.

[Allen Hahn]

Are right now wiping the floor with the Knicks. So is it on the table, guys, that this team just said, well, we beat the Celtics, everything else here is cream cheese?

[Alan Hahn]

And also, I would push back against Allen and say, when you add up all of those things, is it possible to argue that equals they're a better team? That's what a better team is.

[Allen Hahn]

Part of being a better team is.

[Alan Hahn]

They'Re focused, they're better coach. They're focused.

[Don LaGreca]

They work harder up 17 in game one in your building. And that feeling was, this series is over.

[Alan Hahn]

Maybe they can't.

[Don LaGreca]

They can't beat. They can't beat us. Right? That was the sense in that moment. This team ain't beating us. Like, it just. There was a. Not a. I don't want to use arrogance. It was just that sense. And I don't know what happened there, aside from, of course, Neesmith just. He went. He went crazy. Couldn't miss for whatever reason, but they softened up. And the softening up part of it, allowing walk in three, step in threes. We watched those replays enough. We went through that end of that game, all right? We. We went through the autopsy of game one, and we all agreed that you're gonna regret this, that you're gonna chase this game the rest of the series, and that's exactly what happened. That was, to me, the first sign of death, was the fact that they softened up in the last three minutes of a game in the conference finals. That's not. When you soften up a team that really believes that they could play for a championship and win a championship, they die. They dial it up right there. They're looking at them and they're going, we're winning this thing by 30. Not, hey, we got this one. Untie the laces. We don't have to attack. We don't have to take away the threes. That guy just hit 2. All right, doesn't matter. No, their attitude was piss poor at the end of that game, and they have chased it ever since. But I think it revealed a character flaw of this team. Yes, they are mentally tough, Don. They are. They don't ever. When they're down, they always fight back. The problem is their killer instinct doesn't exist. Why? Why is that? What's missing?

[Allen Hahn]

Well, that's part of being a championship team, Alan. That's just part of it.

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly.

[Allen Hahn]

You know, all the fans can look at, well, Brunson's better than Halliburton, and, you know, Cat is better than this guy. You know, you can go all down. It's not. It's not rotisserie basketball. It's not about who's got the better players or even who had the better regular season. It's. There's just some teams that seem like they're built for this, and it looks like the Pacers are built for it.

[Don LaGreca]

They weren't last year. Remember what happened to them? They beat the Knicks. Cause the Knicks fell apart last year. Then they went into the Boston series and they looked overwhelmed.

[Allen Hahn]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

They. They should have won game one. They were overwhelmed.

[Allen Hahn]

They.

[Don LaGreca]

They had to learn from that. They got better because of the bad experience of them being embarrassed in the conference finals against the. Against the eventual champs. They were ready for this year's playoffs because of that. The Knicks. Can. Can they. Can they learn from this and be better for it, or do you look at it and go, this ain't working and you can't wait?

[Allen Hahn]

Well, that's going to find out when Giannis decides where he's going to end up going. And maybe that's a. That's a move. And I'm sure there's gonna be a lot of calls about Tibbs and his future and all that, but right now, you go back to last year. What was the talk last year? The talk was, well, you know, we would have beat Boston if we didn't get hurt.

[Don LaGreca]

That's right.

[Allen Hahn]

But you didn't. You didn't get a chance to do it. The Pacers did. And maybe they did learn from it. Yeah, but guys, you just gotta be able to go out there and do it. There's just some teams that are built for it, Right? Why, you know, why. Why does Florida win all these games in the NHL? You know, why are there just certain teams during, like, the Yankee dynasty, just, like, they knew they were going to win?

[Don LaGreca]

They get the maniacal about winning because.

[Allen Hahn]

They just know how to do It. So it's not about who's the best team in the regular season or who had more wins or how many times you beat them during the regular season. It's now the postseason. And let's really call it the way it is, guys, because I think it's fair. All right. You batted around the bunny against the Pistons. Did you? Or did a team that really had no right to play with you, had a chance to play with you, and you went six games when it shouldn't have gone that long, And. And there was some ugly losses, especially at home, in that series. And we even said it at the time, congratulations on beating the Celtics. Celtics kind of beat themselves. You know, if all of a sudden those three starts falling, a lot of them undefended, by the way, then maybe it ends up being a different series. I don't want to take anything away from this team, but all I know is, will you look at how this team played all year and how they've played in this postseason? They should not be down three games to one to the Indiana Pacers. And if you want to sit here and call 1-800-919-3776 to go one, well, Don, if that fluke bounce off the rim with Halliburton doesn't go down, it's a different series. It had a chance to be a different series when you lost game two. Well, when. When did you not wake up then, you know, losing your first two games at home, then you wake up and you have a huge comeback. What, you had to breathe a sigh of relief. You still had work to do in game four.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, that's the thing. Game one happened. And that, you know, they were mad about losing that game. Game two begins, and Pascal Siakam was unstoppable. And like, it was as if, oh, well, like nothing. And I know we love to live in the past and this whole thing, hey, hard foul or so, but there is no message delivered ever in these situations. They will claw, they will scratch, they will fight and all that stuff. And because of the NBA game, there's always that ability to come back. But like, you were waiting in this series for. For a statement. Towns had a bit of a statement in the fourth quarter of game three. You will say that he did all of a sudden start flexing, start playing with a little more aggression, and that was all right.

[Alan Hahn]

He gives you moments.

[Don LaGreca]

Now go from there. Now take that. And instead, the beginning of game four was the same thing. Halliburton taking 30 footers, dancing, prancing, doing brunson celebration in front of Brunson. Nothing.

[Allen Hahn]

Nothing.

[Don LaGreca]

No response.

[Allen Hahn]

And Cat couldn't build off of what happened in game three.

[Don LaGreca]

They double teamed him, which you knew was coming.

[Allen Hahn]

Hart absolutely killed them.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, his. Yeah, that's where again the out of character stuff to me is his five turnovers, which is just. He doesn't do that.

[Alan Hahn]

Four of which. Four of which led to buckets.

[Allen Hahn]

Eight points.

[Don LaGreca]

That's the kind of stuff that makes you say what is like what happened to this team mentally in that game. And yet there they were still with an opportunity. If they could just get a stop. But they couldn't late in the game.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no.

[Don LaGreca]

And you didn't deserve to win the.

[Alan Hahn]

Game, by the way.

[Don LaGreca]

If your defense was not good enough.

[Alan Hahn]

And if you got a stop, there was an offensive rebound or a loose ball foul. Every single.

[Don LaGreca]

That one. The Turner rebound. Loose ball foul.

[Alan Hahn]

The nothing. The absolute nothing one.

[Don LaGreca]

No, the tackle. It was a tackle because there were.

[Alan Hahn]

There was a couple. There were a couple in there. Guys though, they showed the replay and I just go. I don't. Not exactly sure. Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

But again it was very even. The free throws were like the fouls, all that stuff. I am don's. You do not call in to talk to me about the officiating last night. Do not. I'm not going there. I understand there were. You're absolutely not. There were moments you're like, what the hell is that?

[Allen Hahn]

But it's not an foul.

[Don LaGreca]

That wasn't a foul. I don't know. He got crushed.

[Alan Hahn]

Anunoby got destroyed.

[Don LaGreca]

Absolutely destroyed. No call. But I'm not doing that right. Because it's still six points. Was that the reason with four minutes to go.

[Alan Hahn]

Right?

[Don LaGreca]

And all you had to do was get like just play solid defense, not give up a wide open three and give up a drive down the lane. Like why are you grabbing his hand? Drawing a foul? Why are you holding his hand?

[Alan Hahn]

I know, by the way. So you could argue that was ticky tack. Why are you doing it?

[Don LaGreca]

But why do it open like the whole world saw you grab his head.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So what you could say it's a nothing foul. But everyone saw it, so it's an easy talk.

[Allen Hahn]

And the breakdown with the top in three, which was basically they all.

[Don LaGreca]

They all chased. They all chased Nisment.

[Allen Hahn]

That.

[Don LaGreca]

That's no communication, no talking, no nothing. That's what I mean. It's. It's. That's why I say it's madness.

[Allen Hahn]

A panic.

[Don LaGreca]

And here's why I'm frustrated and mad and Expressing it this way because. And Don, I think you got me in this mood just by opening the show the way you did. But it is fair to say they're better than this. Don't go out like that. And I don't want to hear it. It's like, well, shrug your shoulders and go, well, they're just. The Pacers are just a better team. No, they're not.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Are you sure?

[Don LaGreca]

Look at the point differential in the series.

[Alan Hahn]

It's marginal, but look at the Knicks point differential in the entire playoffs. They don't ever beat anybody.

[Don LaGreca]

All right?

[Alan Hahn]

They don't beat any. They do not dominate games.

[Don LaGreca]

And they don't get dominated either.

[Alan Hahn]

No, they hang around in every game.

[Don LaGreca]

Which is what that tweet was about.

[Alan Hahn]

But is that championship metal? Honestly? Is that a team that goes on and wins all? I mean, it can happen.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm the first guy to say this was not a championship team, but they were taking advantage of where the league was in the playoffs this year. But I just, I thought you didn't see it yet. It's not there yet. They're still building towards it. But this is a great thing to build towards. But when you get this close, it's like, guys don't. Don't throw away this opportunity playing like just, I don't want to say dumb. It's low IQ basketball and self inflicted wounds. Don't go out.

[Alan Hahn]

Who's that? Who's the. If you guys were to rank the top three players in this series, would. Would Jalen Brunson crack the top two or he.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, he's the second best player.

[Alan Hahn]

You think he's the second best player in the series?

[Don LaGreca]

The third. Then Towns. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Come on. He's.

[Alan Hahn]

I know it's weird.

[Don LaGreca]

He said two. 30 point game.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. But it's weird. But it's weird because last Night was a 31 point game that at no point, I felt like he was dominant in at all.

[Don LaGreca]

First half, he was dominating.

[Alan Hahn]

First half is second quarter. Yeah, when they pulled things back, but when the game mattered. When we got to crunch time yesterday, when we got to Brunson time, there was no Brunson.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, he took three shots. He was getting trapped and doubled. And he was trying to do the right thing. Like Anthony Edwards. They're taking me out of it. I got to trust the pass. And he was finding bridges and bridges for a minute. Made a couple of shots and then the clean looks that would have made a difference. Late, late. He didn't make.

[Allen Hahn]

All right. We got to hear from you.

[Alan Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Allen Hahn]

Game time is brought to you by Tumblr Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time fellas.

[Don LaGreca]

Like when he holds it.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm sorry.

[Allen Hahn]

Nice. Well, he didn't say that was Listen, I do okay, Mets White Sox going on right now. Mets are trailing seven three in the seventh as they're trying to go for the sweep of the white. So going to have to come back to try to do that. NYC FC plays host to Houston at Yankee Stadium at 7:30. The Red Bulls welcome in Charlotte at 7:30 and the Yankees wrap up their series in Anaheim with the Angels at 9:38. Also bringing out the broom Tullamore due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Iris whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or the new Tullamore Dew honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly.

[Don LaGreca]

Hey Don, for everybody that's listening of course, of course on the app and on 1050 do know that tomorrow we will be out and about back at one of our favorite spots, Stout, 33rd 7th Avenue, right by MSG maybe for the last time of the season, boys, to get out and be around all the Nick fans. And so we're going to have, we're going to do our show there at Stout, but in not in the middle of the bar. We're getting like the downstairs, which is more of like a private room. So we'll be a little more intimate with you and our fans and the people that want to be with us. And we're going to have a lot of things for you, including some very special guests, some great guests to have that are going to join us and a whole lot of Knicks talk getting you ready for a game that I clearly now we are in must win mode, but it is also a place where we are worried that this might be the end of the NBA season. It has been a fun long year. So if it is our last time together, let's celebrate it together as much as we can.

[Allen Hahn]

First time they're facing elimination, so that's new. So I'm sure it'll be a turnout and you just don't want to go quietly into that good night. Let's be Honest, only less than 5% of teams, only 14 overall have everybody able to come back from this type of deficit in the NBA. Not saying it's impossible, but it's going to be very tough. What shouldn't be all that tough is winning a home game. So just win game five and then we can assess a possible game. Right now, forget about the if necessaries. The one we know is Thursday, right?

[Alan Hahn]

That one's tough though. Man. That, that's the one that scares me more than six.

[Don LaGreca]

Why?

[Alan Hahn]

Because A, they haven't been particularly good at the Garden Halliburton seems to be on. You know, he's not intimidated by msg. The Pacers don't seem to be. And you guys know as well as I do, based on what this t. This, this fan base is like and what this run is like, you have a bad first quarter there.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, it could get ugly.

[Alan Hahn]

That, that, that building, the tightness is different.

[Don LaGreca]

The frustration.

[Alan Hahn]

You'd rather have you. You'd rather have the opposing fans all cheering against you than a tight home court. That, that, that tightness, Don, is tough to fight through.

[Allen Hahn]

And that's not how a third round exit should be like for a nick team.

[Don LaGreca]

Like, God, no.

[Allen Hahn]

This should be a celebrated season. Now listen, you're going to be sick to your stomach no matter when game get the plus.

[Don LaGreca]

And if you go to Indiana and.

[Allen Hahn]

Lose there and you lose and it's. And it's bad, it's ugly.

[Don LaGreca]

Give these people one more game.

[Allen Hahn]

But it just. You can't. The fans deserve better. They just can't. And you know, they're gonna. They're gonna come out and they're gonna hear it, and you know that that's gotta be the edict. And then we'll assess everything after the fact.

[Don LaGreca]

But don't let this guy dance on your floor again.

[Allen Hahn]

It just.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, that would be.

[Don LaGreca]

So don't let this guy dance on your floor again. With Reggie Miller, by the way, sitting courtside.

[Alan Hahn]

It would be so ugly. You imagine ugly Trey Young rolling dice.

[Don LaGreca]

At center of court like, like all this stuff that went on this season.

[Allen Hahn]

Don't let that happen. And then. And then if it ends over the weekend in Indiana, then by the time you get to Monday, we put our baseball caps on, we'll assess it, and then we'll move on to the summer. But.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, there'll be a lot to talk.

[Allen Hahn]

About this, of course, but my point.

[Don LaGreca]

Is, is that baseball season, it's officially.

[Allen Hahn]

You want to go. If you're going to go quietly into that good night, have it over the weekend in Indiana. Not on a Thursday at Madison Square Garden with the place lit. And you know it's going to be lit.

[Don LaGreca]

Amen.

[Allen Hahn]

Let's go to Merv in Queens. You're on. Donjon Rosenberg.

[Merv]

What's up, fellas? Alan, man, today I feel like you became my relative. You really said it with your chest. You sound ticked off. Rightfully so. What you're saying we do have more talent? These guys are playing better? Are we being out physical? And why does every play look like it's broken and freestyle? And yet all the pacers on the screens, on the picks, they know where to be point.

[Don LaGreca]

17 turnovers, they're on point.

[Merv]

Aren't there times where. Aren't there times where it's supposed to be Brunson, Towns, let's take over the game. We're taking the next 10 shots. I really, really, like, I'm crushed today. I respect you guys opinions. I want to hear what you have to say. And I definitely know who has to call in. I gotta hear from him today. Please have Spike call in. This team has me sick. They're capable of being better, Alan. You would know. I don't know if it's a thing in the locker room. Is it hard? What's wrong? Why do we have to. Are they gas? Do they think that they can.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm not, I am not giving birth.

[Merv]

Are they full of themselves?

[Don LaGreca]

No, it's none of that. I am not giving, giving them the fatigue excuse. I'm not doing it because they have talked this whole.

[Merv]

I'm sorry, I didn't. I didn't mean gas that way. I think, I mean gas like full of themselves. Like, hey, we can come back.

[Don LaGreca]

No, I don't. I don't think they're like that. I don't. I don't think they're. I don't think they're like that. I think what happens is they, for whatever reason in pockets of the game, just suddenly they just kind of brain freeze. They just kind of like they just disconnect for a minute. They unplug. I don't know what it is. I cannot understand the end of the second quarter in the early third. And the early third, the coming out of halftime, as we know, guys, has been a problem. This is nothing new. That wasn't a one off. That's why when they closed the six. Oh, and they suddenly went from a lead to a deficit at halftime. At halftime. I was doing a thing for the Knicks with John Starks and Latrell Sprewell. We were just doing some Instagram thing and while we were talking, like, you know, Starks is like, he's into it. Like, John Starks is as passionate as a fan these days. And we both said the same thing. That was a bad close to the half. And you know how they are in the early thirds. They never come out with that kind of fire and punch ever. It's always like a slow get themselves back into rhythm. And so you just felt. And then when I looked up and saw it was seven nothing. And Siakam hits it. They go up 12. Tibbs got to bang a timeout, what, two minutes into the half, and I'm like, son of a. Like you just knew it was coming. If I know it's coming, how do you not know it's coming?

[Allen Hahn]

I. I understand how easy it is to discount that this is not the type of team to look past the Pacers, but maybe it's not as simple as that. Isn't it just human nature that when things break the way that broke against Boston and coming back from those huge deficits, that they just feel like they.

[Don LaGreca]

Got this team of destiny and that.

[Allen Hahn]

Maybe that allows you to get a little outworked, where you kind of just think, don't worry, man, we got this. We're better than they are.

[Don LaGreca]

But you're up 17 in game one at home. I just close the deal.

[Allen Hahn]

No, but that.

[Don LaGreca]

But not give up open threes.

[Allen Hahn]

And you would think that even that would be the wake up call. And yet that you lose game two.

[Don LaGreca]

At home because Siakam gets off to a hot start and nobody wants to turn the water off.

[Allen Hahn]

Then you. But then you get things back. Not even. But you get back things a little bit better with the game three win. But then this happened again. I just, I can't imagine that in the, in the final four, basically, that you can allow yourself to get outward.

[Don LaGreca]

Right.

[Allen Hahn]

Unless something is just in your mind, like, you got this, that you slayed the drag.

[Don LaGreca]

You slayed the stuff. I think it just gets to where you know when everybody wants to use fatigue. J. Will and I were arguing this this morning on get up. And it was. My point was, is it mental fatigue that at some point in a game where it's like they're fighting, they're fighting, they're fighting. Okay, we're up one. And there's this moment of, all right, let me just take a minute. But you don't have the minute. You have a minute and a half to get to the halftime. Then you could take your minute, then you can catch your breath. But for whatever reason, this happens to them. And I don't get why out of the gate start of games, they just aren't coming in. Just like with the. With this right kind of area. It's almost like they are a slow starting team and once they get into rhythm, then you start to see it and then it's like, all right, it slows down again. They go through these lulls that have been debilitating and now they have been devastating.

[Allen Hahn]

Shamir, he's in the coffee shop.

[Alan Hahn]

You're on.

[Allen Hahn]

Shamir.

[Don LaGreca]

Coffee shop.

[Shamir]

How you doing?

[Don LaGreca]

How you doing?

[Shamir]

Thank you for taking my call. Real quick. I am mad Alan. Mid season you said with a more talented team. You were right. We are not the better team. Though winning via the perfect game is not sustainable.

[Don LaGreca]

That's fair.

[Shamir]

A couple points I want to make. I'll be very quick. Bench Cat, Let him come with the second unit. Bring in a Chua or go small with Shamet. Point 2. We've got to pressure Halliburton up the court. At least make them start their offense with 18, 17, 16 seconds. Bump them a little hand, check him just like they do to us. If nothing else, make this guy run diagonal. Point 3. Mikel Bridges. This fadeaway is beautiful. During the regular season, it's a playoffs. You have to go Jimmy Butler mode, Shay mode, Brunson mode. When he gets the benefit of the whistle, get to the free throw line. Fouling, getting Halliburton and foul trouble is as good as 2 points.

[Don LaGreca]

I agree.

[Shamir]

Even if you don't. Even if you don't make the free throw.

[Don LaGreca]

Can you believe Shamir? Did you see the play where Bridges had Halliburton? Halliburton had three. Three fouls on him. Bridges had him deep in the paint, caught the ball. And I'm thinking, all right, little post up move. Every NBA player has one. Get him on your hip, try to draw a foul. Just go up strong. You know he can't defend it well. He's got three fouls and he decided to pass it out to the corner for. For a three that wasn't there and it was stolen. And I'm thinking like, that's the. That's the lack of aggressive mentality in that moment. Understand the situation. This dude's got three fouls. He can't guard you right now without taking a four. Just get the two. And I didn't understand how.

[Shamir]

They're hunting our cap.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes.

[Shamir]

Successfully. We're not doing that.

[Don LaGreca]

Yes, yes.

[Shamir]

You interview these guys. Alan, you're in the locker room. Slip this guy a sticky note. Say up and under, please, for the city. My final point.

[Don LaGreca]

They're not going to listen to me. They're not listening.

[Shamir]

I had to make notes because it's my therapist.

[Don LaGreca]

I get it.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go.

[Shamir]

Brunson and Cat are not a good fit. They're two important Lego pieces from different sets. All year they had the time to work on a pick and roll. Pick and pop from the top of the key. Nash Nowitzki style never worked.

[Don LaGreca]

They're right.

[Shamir]

They played. They played hero ball. All year, get their own shot. You can count on one hand how many assists Brunson had to catch this playoffs. One hand. I promise you. Look it up.

[Don LaGreca]

No, the team has no identity.

[Shamir]

The team has no identity. You talked about being gritty, Don. Listen, gritty is good, but gritty wins. You won two games. Gritty doesn't win you a championship. Last time it happened was 04 the pistons.

[Allen Hahn]

Well, it's just you can't rely on the same formula over and over. Spot a team in early lead because it takes a lot of energy mentally and physically to fight back.

[Don LaGreca]

Right?

[Allen Hahn]

So nobody's saying they're gas, they can't play, but it does. Mentally fatigue. You constantly come back like that all the time. Just can't have one, one time where you just can play the game. And that's why you're making mistakes. That's why you're turning the ball over, that's why you're committing these fouls is because you're not in the right headspace. Because you're mentally fatigued from having to take all of these games and work your tail off to come back by spotting them double digit leads early in the game.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, he said something that is premature right now, but it doesn't mean that by Monday this isn't the primary topic of conversation. You know what it was? Hmm.

[Allen Hahn]

Well, tell us when we come back. See, that's the tease.

[Alan Hahn]

You see what he did there? You see what he did? Like a professional.

[Allen Hahn]

Mozaka was a team effort. I like it on Don Hanna Rosenberg on ESPN New York and ESPN New York app.

[Don LaGreca]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Don LaGreca]

So the previous caller had a lot. He had his notes, clearly he wrote down. So he was very passionate and he had to get it all off his chest. And that's what we're here for. Here for the therapy. I used to do that. So one of the things that he said I think is not it's way premature to discuss today or tomorrow, but it will be. It could be by Friday or by Monday and hopefully not, but we'll see. And that is Brunson and Towns as a tandem. And are they a tandem together that could win A championship? They're two All NBA players, which means this season they were two of the top 15 players in the league. By definition it means you have two of the best players in the sport on your team. And so on paper that suggests you've got a lot of talent there. You should be able to win a championship. But not all pieces fit together. Example Phoenix Suns. They had three brand names on that roster and they stink. Milwaukee Bucks with Lillard and Giannis, that didn't work. Right. It doesn't always happen. So I do think that we are going to have to have that hard conversation. Can you win a championship with Brunson and Towns together, especially by what the Pacers have exposed in this series, which is the defensive liabilities and matchup problems that are caused with them on the floor together?

[Allen Hahn]

Well, it's obviously a better conversation for after the series is over, of course, but clearly, when and if that does happen, the Giannis conversation is gonna dominate the summer.

[Don LaGreca]

Oh, unavoidable.

[Allen Hahn]

And if he really wants to be a Knick, well, there's the answer. Right, because you would have to break them up, because I would think Kat would go in that deal.

[Don LaGreca]

He's got two years left, 50 million a year, so a little over 100. It's like 50 in Chase, so it's like 51 and 53, whatever it is, but he's got two years left before he can opt out, and the years are 50 plus on each, so that's, yeah, 100 million left. And that would work in any kind of like. Because Giannis is almost at 60. So you're. You're. You've got to be able to match the salary.

[Allen Hahn]

Are you willing to say after losing in the conference finals, if that's what happens, that it doesn't work, or are you going to say, well, maybe we can learn from this and get better now, obviously, other changes have to come. Bridges might be gone, but are you ready to say after one loss to the Pacers that it doesn't work? Let's pivot. Or is Giannis just such a big guy to get that? It doesn't matter. You still have to go out and get it.

[Don LaGreca]

I think you have to. I think any. It's irresponsible to not be in the conversation. You might not have enough to do it. You might not have what Milwaukee would want. If they are willing to go to that place, Giannis might have to help you by saying, I only want to play in New York, and if you trade me anywhere else, I will not sign an extension. So then he can have a little bit of control. Right? That's all on the table. We don't know yet. But there is a lot of things here, too, that you can look at and say, it worked all season for the most. Like, it worked all season, and maybe they just need more time.

[Allen Hahn]

Well, that's always a problem, because remember.

[Don LaGreca]

He joined the team at the start of training camp. They had no time. It was just right on jump on the treadmill, let's go. And they had to figure it out as they went along. And does, does that kind of time together help? And like you said, adjustments they can make. But they've got to be honest with the film. And that's why I said, like you could, you could compound a problem by trying to ignore it and hoping it goes away or you can recognize and just say, you know what, it's not the right fit. Jalen Brunson is a franchise player here. He is going nowhere. He's here locked in. He will be a nick for life.

[Alan Hahn]

I believe you're right.

[Don LaGreca]

But Towns was the piece that was supposed to put them over the top. They've been. This is the best year they've had in 25 years. You could argue that, hey, give it another year, right? Like he, it has worked as far as being the best that you've had here in a quarter century. But we're not here to just be better than a quarter century. You're here to end a half century plus weight for a championship. And are they championship caliber?

[Alan Hahn]

Question together, are they championship caliber? Can you make up for the lack of defense that you can get on any given night from Brunson, especially when teams can exploit.

[Don LaGreca]

Rick Carlisle has exposed something that I'm sure the Knicks have been hiding and trying to hide desperately all year, and you can't. It's in plain sight right now and it is really difficult.

[Allen Hahn]

And let's not forget Peter just said, you know, championship. Well, we're not even there yet. I mean, you still have to win this series. And then what happens against the one more run? Like, so, yeah, it's nice to go to the finals, but if you're ultimately trying to compete with the Thunder, because very good possibility, whoever wins the series is going to lose four straight to the Thunder.

[Don LaGreca]

Who knows? Wouldn't shock me.

[Allen Hahn]

You know, so you're still looking at, well, if you're trying to win a championship, that's where you're at now when you're a consistent 50 win team. Now you're playing in the third round. The, the point is, let's find a way that we can actually lift the damn trophy instead of dancing around it. How do we get to be the Thunder? How do we get to be one of the best teams in the NBA? So even if you beat the Pacers, that question still can sit there and go, are we good enough to win a championship? Because if he got swept by the Thunder, isn't the question the same? Well, we're not on their level. How do we get there? Well, maybe Giannis can get us at that level. So there's a lot to be discussed. There's still a series to be played, so we're not throwing that away, but obviously, next year is going to creep into the minds of a lot of people. Let's go to Joe and Yonkers. You're on. Don Hanna, Rosenberg.

[Joe]

Hey, guys. Good talking to you again.

[Allen Hahn]

What's up?

[Joe]

Always what's up, guys? Yeah, I thought we had it yesterday. That was brutal. Very brutal. And just the confidence is. Is bad. But like I said, but like, I'm thinking three, one. We can still get over that. You know, is, you know, you. It's very painful to watch this team play with, with, play with the food. And, you know, after last year, game seven would happen now. Now, you know, you got the home court. You're not injured now. And, you know, that's why I would feel like something to do with the coach. And at the end of the day, it's like a great storyline, if nothing else happens, for the Greek to come play over here and get paid back. If the Pacers are good because of the whole storyline with Papa, Hallelujah, what happened with him.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, right. That's a good point, actually. That adds the fuels to the. To the Pacer Nick rivalry, because Giannis and Halliburton's dad had that altercation.

[Allen Hahn]

That would be. So that would be something that. That would be pretty cool. We got game five. We're going to be at stout 33rd, just steps away from.

[Don LaGreca]

Come out and hang out with us tomorrow, everybody.

[Allen Hahn]

K show is going to be there from one to three. We're going to be there from three to six. So hang out as we get ready for what we hope is the Knicks extending the series to a game six this weekend in Indiana. We also have the list coming up at 4:30, enn at 6, all happening here on ESPN New York and the ESPN New York app. Better help Peter, Better help the Knicks. Better help yourself, Better help me.

[Alan Hahn]

I like what you've done. Well, Don, let me tell you, this May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and everyone should be taking care of their wellbeing and breaking the stigma that we know exists, because the world is better when people are healthy and happy. All right. Mental health awareness is growing, but there's still progress to be made. 26% of Americans participate in a recent survey say they've avoided seeking mental health support due to fear of judgment, which I certainly relate to. But trust me, when you take this step, it's worth it. BetterHelp has over 10 years of experience matching people with the right therapists from their diverse network of more than 30,000 licensed therapists with a wide range of specialties. BetterHelp is fully online, making therapy affordable and convenient, serving over 5 million people worldwide. Easily switch therapists anytime at no cost. We're all better with help. Visit betterhelp.com timeout to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com timeout.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

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.