Hour 2: Knicks & Thursday Rewrite

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Summary
Episode: Hour 2: Knicks & Thursday Rewrite
Release Date: May 8, 2025

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I. Knicks Series Overview

In this episode, hosts Don Hahn and Peter Rosenberg dive deep into the current NBA playoff series between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. Initially, the Celtics were heavy favorites to win the series with odds at -900. However, as the series progressed, the dynamics shifted significantly.

Don Hahn [02:29]: "The Knicks to win the series has changed dramatically. Right. Because it started out where The Celtics were minus 900. And then it drops."

The Knicks' odds improved drastically to -110, reflecting a substantial change in expectations.

Peter Rosenberg [02:59]: "Minus 110."

The hosts discuss the implications of these changing odds, emphasizing that the Knicks have become serious contenders in the series, challenging the initial predictions.

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II. Analysis of Knicks vs. Celtics

Defense and Mental Toughness:

A significant portion of the conversation centers around the Knicks' defensive strategies and their enhanced mental fortitude in closing out games. The hosts highlight key players who have been instrumental in this turnaround.

Don Hahn [12:23]: "But they're also getting stops. There's a lot of other things besides."

Peter Rosenberg [13:35]: "It looked like one team was coached up and the other team wasn't."

Coaching Decisions:

The performance of Knicks' coach Mike Missoula comes under scrutiny. Both hosts and callers debate whether coaching strategies have been pivotal in the Knicks' resurgence or if player resilience is the main factor.

Don Hahn [21:16]: "And by the way, you had two games where, in spite of all the mistakes you made, a well drawn up play could have been a win. He failed in both of those settings. That's on the head coach."

Key Players:

Mikhail Bridges emerges as the X-factor for the Knicks, with his defensive plays providing crucial stops against the Celtics' offense.

Don Hahn [07:11]: "There are a multitude of factors as to why the Knicks are up to 2-0. But I think there's only one X factor, like I said, which is, you know, Mikhail Bridges."

Anunoby and Bridges are lauded for their defensive prowess, particularly in critical moments that have stymied the Celtics' key players like Jayson Tatum.

Peter Rosenberg [12:23]: "They really aren't crediting their defense enough. We really aren't. I'm telling you that the adjustments they make, the efforts, the secondary efforts, the way they're playing defense connected."

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III. Callers' Opinions and Questions

Throughout the episode, several callers share their insights and questions, adding depth to the discussion.

Caesar from Huntington [07:11]:
Caesar humorously inquires about Paul Pierce walking barefoot, showcasing the hosts' playful banter.

Don Hahn [07:44]: "What if he doesn't play in that game? You don't think we should host. We should have the remote, a live remote, right next to the Garden where everybody's going to go for the watch party for game four."

William from Hackensack [11:37]:
William raises concerns about Coach Missoula's decisions during high-pressure situations, questioning whether the responsibility lies more with the coach or the players.

William [19:16]: "It's on the players more than it's on Missoula."

Harvey [13:35]:
Harvey shares his experience at a watch party, reflecting on the community and fan support for the Knicks.

Peter Rosenberg [13:35]: "They have always had the intestinal fortitude, if you will, to hang in there."

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IV. Thursday Rewrite: Alternate History of the 1970 Knicks Finals

A standout segment of this episode is the "Thursday Rewrite," where the hosts explore an alternate scenario of the historic 1970 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Lakers. The centerpiece of this rewrite is the legendary performance of Willis Reed.

Original Scenario:

In reality, Willis Reed, despite a severe quad injury, walked onto the court in Game 7, inspiring the Knicks to victory with his presence and scoring.

Alternate Scenarios Discussed:

1. Reed Does Not Play:

   • Outcome: Without Reed’s inspirational appearance, the Knicks might have lost the critical Game 7, altering the championship outcome.
   • Impact: The Knicks would potentially win fewer championships, affecting the team's legacy and future performance.

   Peter Rosenberg [25:38]: "What if he couldn't play in that game? What if the carbocane does nothing and he can barely walk and so Willis Reed doesn't come out of the tunnel."

2. Reed Plays but Injures Himself Further:

   • Outcome: Reed’s further injury could have jeopardized his career, preventing him from contributing to future championships.
   • Impact: The Knicks might secure only one championship instead of two, diminishing their dominance in the early '70s.

   Don Hahn [27:33]: "That's an even worse story than they currently have."

Key Insights:

The hosts discuss how Reed’s sacrifice not only won Game 7 but also set a precedent for the Knicks' resilience and championship mentality.

Peter Rosenberg [28:51]: "But the rewrite is what happens if A, he can't play in the game, or B, he plays and injures himself even more."

Comparisons are drawn to other sports legends who demonstrated incredible toughness, emphasizing the extraordinary nature of Reed's actions.

Don Hahn [35:14]: "This is stuff of legends. We can't just say, oh, he played. He had a little bit of a. Like this isn't like he had a sprained ankle. There's a lot more than that."

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V. Historical Context and Legacy

The episode also delves into the broader historical impact of such legendary performances, comparing them to other iconic sports moments.

Comparisons to Other Athletes:

• Isaiah Thomas: Playing through an ankle injury in the finals.
• Michael Jordan: His renowned flu game during the NBA Finals.
• Ronnie Lott: Playing through a finger injury in the Super Bowl.

Don Hahn [35:44]: "Yeah, that was a pinky, but it's not nothing."

These comparisons highlight the recurring theme of athletes pushing beyond their physical limitations to achieve greatness.

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VI. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Don Hahn and Peter Rosenberg reflect on the Knicks' journey in the current series, drawing parallels to their historical counterparts. The Knicks' demonstrated ability to perform under pressure and their significant improvement in defensive strategies have made them viable contenders against the Celtics.

Don Hahn [45:17]: "The Knicks have not lost a game on the road. They've gotten into that second gear that I've been talking about."

Peter Rosenberg [46:51]: "The Knicks are just figuring it out. I looked this up just to see. All right, because Shankel had the call on TV when Willis came out."

The hosts emphasize the importance of mental strength and strategic adjustments, suggesting that the Knicks are evolving into a more formidable team capable of clinching the championship.

Don Hahn [47:44]: "They've done it enough to feel like, like just put us in that position."

Overall, the episode underscores the Knicks' resilience, strategic growth, and the enduring legacy of legendary performances that continue to inspire current players and fans alike.

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Notable Quotes

• Don Hahn [02:29]: "The Knicks to win the series has changed dramatically. Right. Because it started out where The Celtics were minus 900. And then it drops."

• Peter Rosenberg [12:23]: "We really aren't. I'm telling you that the adjustments they make, the efforts, the secondary efforts, the way they're playing defense connected."

• Don Hahn [21:16]: "That's on the head coach."

• Peter Rosenberg [25:38]: "What if he couldn't play in that game? What if the carbocane does nothing and he can barely walk and so Willis Reed doesn't come out of the tunnel."

• Don Hahn [35:14]: "This is stuff of legends. We can't just say, oh, he played. He had a little bit of a. Like this isn't like he had a sprained ankle. There's a lot more than that."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and historical analyses presented in the "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" podcast episode centered around the New York Knicks' playoff journey and an alternate historical narrative of the 1970 NBA Finals.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Hahn]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Don Hahn]

It's game time. Brought to you by Tullamore New Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time fellas, it's some nice sweet teletown. How about that doesn't always have to be over the top.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

Sometimes it just hits just right. No, I mean yeah, but I love the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know.

[Don Hahn]

But it's all right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, this was. This was good.

[Don Hahn]

It was dull. And the perfect reason for not having the big because they not going on locally tonight. Everybody's off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Really. There's nothing to watch.

[Don Hahn]

Yankees, Knicks all. None of the hockey teams are around, baby. Aaron Judge the judger the right fielder, number 99 batting second. We've got double header on ESPN of playoff hockey Hurricane hang on at seven followed by the Oilers Golden Knights.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't we have some hoops tonight to watch?

[Don Hahn]

Well, I'm just reading what's here. It's not on ESPN so we don't care. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean we should care our all.

[Don Hahn]

Our basketball is consumed off the pre and post on MSG and whatever ESPN and ABC has given us.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right? Okay. Did I behave better last night? You know what?

[Don Hahn]

I'm going to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did I behave better last night?

[Don Hahn]

I thought you behaved fine the first night but you. You showed excitement at the desk after the game was over.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was more like shock like they did it again.

[Don Hahn]

Shock and awe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Shock and all.

[Don Hahn]

And it was almost like Peto and Wally were watching like a rerun of Bonanza. And meanwhile there's Allen completely engaged. All right, tonight what do we got?

[Peter Rosenberg]

We got Warriors, Timberwolves.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that's the TNT vehicle at only one game at 8:30. So I wanted to get everybody caught up on what's happening outside.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I like it.

[Don Hahn]

Of the area. And that is Tullamore Dew, the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey. During tonight's action glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So the Knicks. The Knicks to win the series has changed dramatically. Right. Because it started out where The Celtics were minus 900. And then it drops.

[Don Hahn]

It's not that anymore. So it's like minus 335 or something. Or 350.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it was around there.

[Don Hahn]

So the question I asked Alan, I said, are the. The odds similar Knicks winning the series or the Knicks not winning another game? So basically would be the Celtics in six. So what are the odds right now for the Knicks to win the series?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Minus 110.

[Don Hahn]

Minus 110.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

Okay. And what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Celtics in six.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Plus 425.

[Don Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Celtics in seven. Plus 200. So.

[Don Hahn]

You'Re the favorites, baby.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

We got to embrace the madness here.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Officially.

[Don Hahn]

This is. But that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's.

[Don Hahn]

That's the thing. Everything changes everything. This is where we are. Because you. Because honestly, do what you want, but losing this series is going to be a lot tougher than you thought when you're up two. Oh, and you win two games in Boston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. I mean, make it sound like they're going to try their best on.

[Don Hahn]

But. And I'll tell you, man, because I'll be honest with you, a lot of my prognostication. And listen, everybody had the Celtics. So I know there were some fans and Nick. Nick fans. But they. They were just coming from a place of fandom, not.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Perk came on with us and he said this is going seven.

[Don Hahn]

But he said, a. He said it was going seven.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

B, he thought it was going to be because of the injuries with the Celtics. Now, Porzingis. Not 100%. I don't think that they're shooting poorly because they're hurt. That. No, they're. It's not. This is not a Tatum wrist problem.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. Doesn't seem like.

[Don Hahn]

It doesn't seem like. Although you never know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Something else going on there.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, some, you know, maybe it's mentally, maybe it's arrogance, whatever, but I don't. I'm not ready to say beat. They're banged up. Cleveland's losing because they're banged up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Okay.

[Don Hahn]

Got guys not playing. I don't want to take that much away from the Knicks and again, making excuses for the Celtics. But now you are in a position to win this series. But the NBA has been weird because home teams are losing left and right. That never happens. The NBA's got parody that is off the charts now. The old days. It's going to be. It's going to be warriors, golden State market, it's going to be Warriors, Cavs, mark it down because you don't have those studs anymore. LeBron's older, Curry's older and now hurt. So now it's up for grabs, man. So right now you can't tell me that the Knicks aren't part of the conversation. Win a championship. If they're the favorites to win this series, they will be the favorites against the Pacers. If the Pacers win, I'm sure the Pacers are the favorites right now to win their series, which puts you in the finals. Now, OKC looks like last night that was, that was a blood drink.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That was okc. Like, you know, that's just how many times you said that was a big market. Correction. They had 87 points at the half. Guys. 87 points at the half is a first half record and a halftime record.

[Don Hahn]

That's crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, it's insane and, or I mean.

[Don Hahn]

I should say any half, any half record.

[Peter Rosenberg]

87 points, over 100 points to lose by 40.

[Don Hahn]

Crazy. But, but the point is, is that everybody's in the conversation. Knicks, Pacers are in the conversation. Certainly the Celtics, defending champions. OKC can win a championship. Would you be floored? I guess you'd be floored if the Nuggets beat okc.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It still feels like are the team.

[Don Hahn]

That everybody's choosing coming out, but it just, things are opening up. This doesn't happen in the NBA. This happens in hockey where six seeds make runs. Like, you know, Minnesota's in live and they're, they're a six seed then that's why the NBA's got a lot more parity, a lot more fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is in their history, you know.

[Don Hahn]

Well, 99. But. How much was 99 because of the lockout?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, a lot of it was because they made the big trade for Sprewell and it, they only played 28 games I think that season because they started so late because of the lockout. And it took them. They, they were like barely over 500.

[Don Hahn]

Well, that's that few. But it was like, I think it was in the high 50s. But yeah, I, I know where you're.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I, I can't remember. Maybe they won 28 games. Whatever it is is like it was. They, they, they didn't play a lot of games.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it took them all season just to get like figure it all out. And by the end of the year, you know, they, they, they actually were stumbling into that playoff. But they did finally make the clinch that last playoff, Bert the eighth seed. And they Met an old friend in the Miami Heat who were the number one seed. Of course, we all know the famous Alan Houston shot. But then they played at Atlanta Hawks team in the second round that like they were young, they completely overwhelmed, smoked them. And then that Pacer series was what it was. But you know, they just, they've had this in their past and so, you know, they can be that team this year because of what they're made up of. It's a veteran group that's still relatively young, made up of guys who have a foundation of winning.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to Caesar in Huntington. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Caesar?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Fellas.

[Don Hahn]

All right, so I had called him before with the same point, but I want to make my point. But I also have a very important question for Peter there. So, you know, there are multitude of factors as to why the knicks are up to 2 0. But I think there's only one X factor, like I said, which is, you know, Mikhail Bridges. I can't emphasize this enough and I want to get to a question. So, Peter, have you checked in on your friend Paul Pierce? Because according to my calculations, he should still be walking to work in his role barefoot. Thanks, guys. He's doing it. Is he doing it? What? I heard he was doing it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He did it. He did it already this morning.

[Don Hahn]

If he left at 9:00, I think it was an eight hour walk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Was it eight hours?

[Don Hahn]

I thought I saw him tweet something out that it was going to take him eight hours. And did he actually do it barefoot? That I don't know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, he said he's a man of his word.

[Don Hahn]

So I'll tell you what, if it's not barefoot, I'll tell you what, that was a good gimmick by him, though. Like just from, from the standpoint of gimmick or something. He just didn't think. Well, no, I mean, listen, if, if I were to, if I were to put a gun to both of your heads and say, tell me what show.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Paul Pierce is and what time it's.

[Don Hahn]

On and when it's on, no shot you two would say, oh my God, that's. I'm so happy Paul Pierce is on a show right now. You. Now there's a thing everybody's talking about with him. True, but I still don't know what show he's on. Well, you know, so it didn't have the effect on me, but good on him. Well, yeah, but you. Nothing would have an effect on you, Don. Unless it was Chico and the Man. I mean, don't devalue me. I mean, I'm not following Paul Pierce's post career. I mean, I had a hard time following his in career.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Chico and the man with Living.

[Don Hahn]

Why does he got to devalue me, Alan? Well, no, you're not exactly a little tv. The fact that I don't know, but you'll make it seem like I'd rather watch Chico. Well, now, I would.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, he would. Right?

[Don Hahn]

But it's the value in me, man. It's not the value. It's saying you're not a tv.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is who you are.

[Don Hahn]

You're not a modern day TV man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you don't watch the Yo Yo Bum Chuck. No debate shows, right? That's. You're not into that.

[Don Hahn]

I want to see his feet, though. I see him walking. I'm looking to see if he's showing his feet. In the video, though, he wore, like, a little sweater.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I thought it was a robe.

[Don Hahn]

Is that. Oh, it's a rope.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He said he would walk barefoot in a rope.

[Don Hahn]

Well, he's got to do it then. He's got to be. I guess you're right. Good for him, man. Let's go to Chris in the UPS truck. You're on espn, New York. What's up, Chris? Hey, what's up, gentlemen? How y' all doing this well this afternoon?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good.

[Don Hahn]

I'm gonna be back.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good, good.

[Don Hahn]

Listen, this is why I love Peter, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Because Peter is so damn smart.

[Don Hahn]

New York, we don't. If we go to the chip, man, cancel baseball. It doesn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It doesn't matter no more. But listen, what I really want to.

[Don Hahn]

Say is because I really do believe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That if we go up 3 0.

[Don Hahn]

You guys should not do, do the host on Monday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's going to be a zoo.

[Don Hahn]

But I. I do have one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not scared.

[Don Hahn]

What are you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If they win Saturday, you don't think we should host. We should have the remote, a live remote, right next to the Garden where everybody's going to go for the watch party for game four.

[Don Hahn]

It's going to be a zoo.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm not saying you guys should be scared. It's going to be a zoo. But listen, let me tell you, Han.

[Don Hahn]

On behalf of the Knick fans, listen, they.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They told me.

[Don Hahn]

They. A lot of them hear me, and I played my playbacks like, oh, I was on the radio, they said the same thing. Han, if we win game three and we are up three zero, we need you. We need you, Wally. And the guy with the toupee. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rude, but you guys need to come outside.

[Don Hahn]

You know, I'm done with Chris. He's annoying. Well, he's quit calling out Peto being bald. No, Peter's got a thrush of hair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's his actual hair.

[Don Hahn]

Did he mean Peto?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Don Hahn]

Wally, Allen and the. And the guy with the toupee. There's three guys. I don't know. I thought maybe there was a fourth.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm going to need that, though, just to play for Bill. Just to make him even more neurotic.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not a fan of Chris. Let's go to William in Hackensack. You're on espn, New York. What's up, William? Hey, how you guys doing? Good. All right, quick question. Well, first of all, Don, after the game last night, guess what I ate? Nope. A meatball sandwich and Santinis and Lodi. God bless. They are very good. God bless it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right, quick questions and I'm gone.

[Don Hahn]

Do you. Do you guys think that the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are wearing the Celtics down in the.

[Don Hahn]

Fourth quarter where they can't hang? Thanks for taking my call. Well, they can hang better than the Celtics. That's easy. I mean, the Knicks have made a living on being big in the fourth quarter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So they are. It's been. That was the conversation. The one thing that everybody wanted to use as the positive going into the series is if can you keep it close, take it to the fourth quarter and you got the closing. Yeah, you know, that's all you want. Now, the way they get there is a little awkward. It's better to not go down by 20. But that's kind of what happened. They, with a. With five minutes to go, it's suddenly a close game. And they for two games have had the better closer than the Celtics.

[Don Hahn]

But they're also getting stops. There's a lot of other things besides.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We'Re not crediting their defense enough. We really aren't. I'm telling you that the adjustments they make, the efforts, the secondary efforts, the way they're playing defense connected. And then, I can't say it again, those two plays. For Missoula to say that we ran the same play is insane because the first one he was full head of steam crossing half court and he caught the Knicks like, what is he doing? Is he driving right at us? The second one was a walk it up. Anunoby knew the screen was coming. They switched to Robinson and Mitchell. Robinson, the seven footer, was moving his Feet so quickly jumped on the right hand that Tatum was trying to go to that he forced Tatum to cross over to the left side. And Tatum was so caught up in not doing a step back three that he started to drive. And you know where he headed? Right to hell. You know who was there? Anunoby and Bridges, the two guys that the Knicks got to stop him in that moment. Robinson played that perfectly and set him up for failure. That was so well defended as a group. You can't even explain it without watching.

[Don Hahn]

It looked like one team was coached up and the other team wasn't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. One team said just, just go run and pick and roll and do something. And the other team was stay connected, switch talk and then send them to this side. And that's. It worked to perfection.

[Don Hahn]

Javier and Queens, you're on. Don Han and Rosenberg. Hey, Harvey.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, what's going on, guys? Thanks for taking my call as always, Peter.

[Don Hahn]

I'm not trolling, but I wanted to know how the, how your watch party was. Me and the boys were in the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Neighborhood and we were thinking about it. We thought it might be too Boston centric with you and Static there.

[Don Hahn]

It was not that at all. Yeah, people thought that it was mostly 90% Knicks fans. It was. No, it was a good time. You missed out. It was a very, it was actually a very cool thing. Now you, now you feel bad, right? You blew it. I, I blew it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I missed out.

[Don Hahn]

But, you know, the Knicks got the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Got the dub, so that's.

[Don Hahn]

That's what's important. All's well, right? So listen, it's like on Monday, right, Like all of the quote unquote experts, the conversation was, if the Knicks played well, they'd be lucky to get to five games.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

I think that's exactly what Jason Williams said. So to all, to all of those, got two words for your brothers. Listen, I'm shocked, too. I thought the spread was way too. I thought the spread was way too big yesterday. But I just want to say, like, I think we're looking at the hottest team in the playoffs right now. I think that. Or the most impressive team to like today at this moment. I know Indiana is on fire as well. But, like, the Knicks have not lost a game on the road. They've gotten into that second gear that I've been talking about. At least in the fourth quarter. It would be nice for them to put a whole, you know, say what you want. They. It hasn't been great. Like, they haven't put four quarters together. You know, they just haven't it hasn't been impressive all the time, but like, you know, they're right there. Like just celebrate it. Like if you, if you're not willing to celebrate this, if you're not happy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

About this, you're a fraud. And if you think it's not the.

[Don Hahn]

Answer, you're a fraud. But, but this, you have to be baffling about this is that the Knicks haven't played great. They've played okay at times, they played very well, especially in the fourth quarter. But when Jay Williams says that they're going to have to play great to lose in five games, they haven't played great yet. I mean, so as much as we're beating up on the Celtics and making it seem like they lost those games because of how poorly they played, the Knicks can still play better. And if the Knicks ever did put together a complete 48 minute effort, which.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They haven't done in a long time.

[Don Hahn]

And they're due to do that, they could actually win a game where the Celtics actually maybe perform.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, think about, think about the Pistons series they had. They didn't play a complete game in any of those games.

[Don Hahn]

One where they won.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They had to go 21 oh to win that game.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, that was, that was a miracle. Second half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They have not had a really consistently good game offensively.

[Don Hahn]

And I think they're in a long time. And if they're going to win this series, I think they're going to have to develop. I don't think you can rely on the Celtics playing like this the rest of the season.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of course not.

[Don Hahn]

You know, so. But I'm not saying the Knicks can't win. It's just that they're going to have to come up with a game where they go out and play all out and play that 48 minute game. They are going to be tested in the series, guys. They're not winning in a sweep, all right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think they're going to be, they have been tested.

[Don Hahn]

I mean, I mean I, they were.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Tested in game two because talking about.

[Don Hahn]

Series wise, like, I, I'm not saying they'll face elimination, but there will be adversity in this series, you know, and maybe that adversity, like Peter said, will come in game four. If, let's say they get blown out on Saturday, there may be some apprehension like, oh my God, are we going to cough this back up? Are we just going to hand it right back to the Celtics and lose our two home games? Like that might be the adversity.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's very real.

[Don Hahn]

But I think they can handle it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And I think they understand the moment more than getting caught up in their own headlines.

[Don Hahn]

I hope so. That stuff now see that. Yeah, that won't happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I don't think they're built like that.

[Don Hahn]

I don't think Tibbs will let that happen. Scott, Manhattan, you're on. Don Hanna, Rosenberg.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, what's up, guys? How you doing? A few points. Like I said, die hard, Knicks fan. Listen, I think that we still got some work ahead of us, you know, but Missoula is making a lot of bad decisions. We know that, but like I said, nobody with tips. He's not trying to get the team to go down 20 points to come back up. But at least the guys are staying locked there for the whole game. But I just want to get something from you guys. I heard something last night. They were saying that. Is it the fact that, you know, you look at. When you have a team on the floor, you know, whoever you have on the floor, as far as the Celtics. No. Is it. Should Missoula get the blame? Because the last five minutes of the game, you trust that the guys are going to make the best decisions. So therefore, I know he didn't make that timeout, but it seemed like the team is crashing under pressure. So who do you think that goes more on, the team itself or Missoula or both? I mean, the defending champions, they have been to the finals twice. They have been a 50 plus win team, 60 win team over the last couple of years. They have got two guys on the team that are considered superstars. You would think by now, do you need a coach to get you through pressure situations at this point? I think this is on the players. Missoula is an inexperienced young coach who happened to coach them to a championship, but he is still a young coach. There's not a lot that he's experienced, he's smart, he's dedicated. But you got to look at the players and it's got to be on them to not. How do they not recognize, oh, it's happening again. Somebody's got to put a stop to this. Somebody's got to take control. Instead of head down, hero ball and there's no ball movement, their offense stops. And I think that's this is on the players more than it's on Missoula.

[Don Hahn]

But, but you can't absolve Missoula because if you can't the players not responding well, then that's when you call a timeout.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So he had two timeouts. He had two timeouts and in the NBA, you get to under three minutes, then they go to commercial. You lose your timeout. That's how they do it. If you. If you have that timeout, they'll. They'll charge it to you. They don't let you carry all the timeouts late. So he never used it, and they were already losing the lead. So he burns that one by not using it. They have a TV timeout instead of. And then he's got one that he leaves in his pocket. And you heard Legs talking about that with us. Those are the things that I wondered. And I actually asked Legs this last night. We were chatting. I said, did Missoula freeze late in the game? Like, just not really know what to do and just. So leave it up to my players. Did he not grab hold of the game and say, guys, we're not doing this again? Because it just seemed like the avalanche happened and all the players were in disbelief that it's going to happen again, and it did.

[Don Hahn]

Or is it Missoula saying, yeah, I'll call a timeout. This is going to do what the hell they want to do anyway, so why even bother? I use it to that level because he's like. He's inexperienced. They won. The arrogance of this team. Does it come from the coaches? That come from the players? Are they unlikely? Hey, we want a title, man. You're the inexperience.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Their system. It's their system.

[Don Hahn]

But, dude, systems change, right? You got to do. You got to. And again, I'm not asking you to all of a sudden play under the basket, but can you. Can you milk the clock a little bit more? Do you have to be heaving threes with 10 seconds left on the shot clock? I'm sorry. You're up 16. This, to me, ultimately at this moment, is a reflection of Missoula, who recently, everyone had obviously been very impressed by, and with good reason.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

But when you're a team that is making mistakes and adjustments aren't being made. I'm sorry, There's. There's only one place to point your finger. Players are going to miss shots. Alan, it's. It's a make it or miss it league. Right? Like, shots go in and out. It happens or it doesn't happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

What are you doing to adjust? And by the way, you had two games where, in spite of all the mistakes you made, a well drawn up play could have been a win. He failed in both of those settings. That's on the head coach. But Alan could be right, too. You know what the Players bad job out of them, but that's why you have a coach. It's all. Ultimately, we can blame the players every game if we want to. Get your head out of the clouds, man. We got a game to win here. What's going on? What kind of adjustments are made at halftime even though you're up? Hey, let's remember what happened in game one, guys. This Nick team's not going away, so let's do this. Let's. Let's milk the shot clock a little bit more. Let's cut down on the number of possessions because you guys are still cold from three. So let's figure out some other way. Maybe you're trying to get it done. Mother's Day gifts at Bath and Body Works. It's kind of like my favorite scent. Ooh, this was good. This is literally the perfect gift for me. So don't just give Mom a gift. Thank you so much. I love it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

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[Don Hahn]

It's basically cheating.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don 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. The time continuum has been disrupted, creating an alternate 1985.

[Don Hahn]

This is hey, Doc, are you telling me you built a time machine?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Thursday rewrite. I still love the hey, Doc that you do, though. That's so good.

[Don Hahn]

You do it on request. Hey, Doc. There you go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's awesome. All right, so you guys know today is a again with the Knicks winning last night. Today is a celebratory day on many reasons. One, because the new Pope is from Villanova, so we like that. But also, May 8th is a pretty big day in Knicks history. You know what happened on May 8.

[Don Hahn]

1970, that was an NBA championship.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's correct. That would be game seven, and it's considered the Willis Reed game. Although, of course, Clyde Frazier will remind you that he also had one of the most epic games. Seven.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah. Line was insane.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes. But we do remember it for Willis Reed, who tore a muscle in his quad. Torn from the bone in Game. I want to say five in that series or four in that series.

[Don Hahn]

This was 1970, so witchcraft was an option when things.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. They didn't even know about Miyagi, you know, rubbing the hands together, healing powers. So as the story goes, Willis misses the next two games, and the Knicks find a way to win one, but then lose. And now there's a game seven, and the big question is, will Willis play? And as the story goes. And you remember Spike Lee telling us the story the other day. Remind me to ask me about Spike Lee, by the way, later. I have a.

[Don Hahn]

What's up with Spike Lee?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, ask me later. I have an update for you. But just everyone knows the story. It was the gigantic needle that had carbocane that was like basically a numbing agent that was shot into the leg of Willis Reed that allowed him to hobble out. You get Marv Albert, and here comes Willis, and he goes out on the floor. The Garden goes crazy. The Lakers are reportedly psyched out. Wilt Chamberlain is psyched out, and he hits his first two shots, doesn't hit anymore. And then Knicks going to win the game. All right, so what we're doing here in the Thursday rewrite was just saying, what if he couldn't put. He couldn't have that shot. What if he couldn't play in that game?

[Don Hahn]

He doesn't come out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What if the carbocane does nothing and he can barely walk and so Willis Reed doesn't come out of the tunnel. The Knicks don't have him. The Garden doesn't react. Now, Clyde probably still has the game that he has, but do the Knicks win that game? Do they win their first championship? So I'll leave that one as the. Choose your own ending. So I'm going to give you two options, okay? One is no. The Knicks lose that game.

[Don Hahn]

All right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jerry west finally wins his championship, and the Knicks lose in seven. Reed is injured, and as we know, the following year, he was out for almost the whole season. But they go back to the finals in 72, and they lose to the Lakers. They go back to the finals in 73, and they beat the Lakers. So what if they win the 72 and the 73 titles because he doesn't play in Game 7? He doesn't have a greater injury or a longer. Whatever it is, the time that he has to recover, right? And so he doesn't miss time. So there's your. There's. So they still got two titles, but it's different. But there's no Willis Reed game, now that's gone from history. So there's one, choose your own ending. The other one is that he plays in that game, which we know that's what happens. But when he goes out there, tears it even more done like that was a risk he took with his career. Yes, Tears just. It's gone now. Never can play again. They don't win a 73 title, they don't go to the 72 finals, and the Knicks end up with one championship.

[Don Hahn]

An even worse story than they currently have.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, this is like, think about it. We just accept the idea that he took this needle and Phil Jackson will tell the story. He was injured that year, but he liked. He was like an amateur photographer. So that year he was taking a lot of photos behind the scenes. And he took a picture of the needle as it was going to be administered to Willis Reed. And Red Holzman, the head coach of the Knicks said, do not shared that photo. And he promised to this day he never will share the photo that he has of that needle. But they all say it's this monstrosity of a needle. So you got to know that what Willis Reed did that night was a sacrifice. And not everybody would have done that. So what if he injured himself even more and now his career's over?

[Don Hahn]

It's pretty deep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So these are two, like rewrites that aren't great. Now, the story, the way it went, you don't want to rewrite this history. This is amazing history. It's a great story. Everybody references the Willis Reed game, no matter who it is, no matter what sport. But the rewrite is what happens if A, he can't play in the game, or B, he plays and injures himself even more. And somehow, some way, the Knicks only end up with one title.

[Don Hahn]

Well, I'm going to start with what if he doesn't come out? Now, we talked to a bunch of people about this Marv Albert, he talked about the energy in the crowd. He brought up the Lakers all looking. And we just had Clyde on said the same thing. Yep, they seem to be emotionally shook by the fact that he came out there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can tell you a story I was told that I wrote in my book that Wilt Chamberlain was there because Willis had gotten to the arena, like 2:30, 3 o' clock. They were still setting up the Garden for the game, like putting out chairs, all that stuff. And Chamberlain went to the Garden early that day because he heard that Willis was going to try to see if he could shoot. And someone told me that While Willis was out on the court when he got the first like little bit of a shot, like can you handle it? And was shooting. Chamberlain was in the tunnel just in the shadows watching. And they were noticing like he looks like he's like worried that Willis is going to play. Like it was almost affecting him. Like he was psyched out. So again, like him being on the court was the presence alone really was impactful. It's not hyperbole.

[Don Hahn]

Right. They did win by 14, so it wasn't like it was a one point game. No, but if it did affect them, then I have to think that they would have been in a little trouble if he didn't play and they would have lost. Now, now you go to the next one. Well, now he doesn't play.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

Does that help him? He doesn't get the shot and it makes him that much better of a player the next year.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But they still only get 1 10. Now they only get 73 because you know they'll win in 73. With, with. They get, they get Monroe like that. That team was one of the all time great teams.

[Don Hahn]

They lost in the final. In 72.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. But they lost in five. Like that was. That was the Lakers time. So. But you're only getting one instead of the two. The other one is the whole idea here is a lot of times when we do rewrite, it's always rewrite for the better story. But sometimes it's what really could have happened. This could have been a devastating story. You don't win in 70. He gets hurt.

[Don Hahn]

He played 27 minutes, so it's possible.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Like he get. Like a lot could have happened here because what he did was a gigantic sacrifice. Like you remember the story. Who was the. The trump?

[Don Hahn]

It would have been reasonable to say no.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. And who would have. A doctor might. Today you think today he's playing, right. No way they let him play.

[Don Hahn]

No, because you now know the history that you get too many of those shots. It could be an issue.

[Peter Rosenberg]

His agent is like, you don't do this to your career. Like, think about it. Like, there's a lot there that could have stopped this from happening. But nothing stopped it from happening. He did it. And it's one of the great stories in New York sports history.

[Don Hahn]

But the other thing is, is you got to get that first one. And I think once you get the first one, I do think even though they didn't make, they didn't. Where they get bounced in the second round of 71.

[Peter Rosenberg]

71.

[Don Hahn]

They lost in the final Lakers in five and 72 and then one in 73. Yeah, but getting the championship in 70, don't you think it contributed somewhat to the win that they got in 73, like getting that first one, the confidence, like with the Yankees. The Yankees won in 96. Right. And it's kind of a miracle. Not a miracle, but a surprise. They beat the Braves and that was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come back.

[Don Hahn]

That wasn't the team that was supposed to win the champions.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You talk about losing the first two at home. Right?

[Don Hahn]

Right. Lose the first two at home and they end up winning the next four straight. Whatever. But didn't that. And even though they lost in 97, when Alomar hit the home run against Mo, they rattle off three in a row. Like, don't you think 96 had something to do with, you know, kind of building up the confidence? So if they don't win in 70, if Willis doesn't play, they lose that game. Do we know that history for the actual back to the future of it? Do we know that everything plays out the way it played out?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you don't know what happens at that point. You're absolutely right. Is there doubt? Do they break the team up? You have no idea. Instead they doubled down. They went for. For Earl Monroe in that trade, but to get that second title.

[Don Hahn]

But the best question is, do they win if he doesn't play?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. And that's. That's kind of the rewrite that we were going with today. And so it's. It's a very interesting one. Again, a lot of times when you like to rewrite history, it's always a what if. And it's on the positive. You want to see like something better that could have happened. This is one that, when you look at it and the story of Willis Reed, that a lot of the younger generation, all they know is this old guy limped out and hit a shot and the Knicks won the championship. But you don't understand. This man couldn't walk. It's a torn. It's a ripped quad muscle. And he took a shot that I'm telling you, from what I've been told, like the length of your forearm, that's the needle. And they stuck it in this guy's leg in the garden. Not like he went to the hospital. He's sitting in the garden, a back room on a trainer's table, and they pull this thing out and they jab it into his quad. However many cc's of carbocane they put in them. And then they waited till it numbed enough for him to try walking on it. And then when he walked on it, he couldn't feel it, but he couldn't walk. He was limping and he went out on the floor and he knocked down two jumpers. I mean this is stuff of legends. We can't just say, oh, he played. He had a little bit of a. Like this isn't like he had a sprained ankle. There's a lot more than that.

[Don Hahn]

And he got a shot and he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Took it for his team.

[Don Hahn]

Now you didn't get to finish your question, but I did get it. The Maple Leaf that broke his.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Broke his bro laid on the, on the broken ankle.

[Don Hahn]

Bob Bourne was the guy that broke his ankle. He froze it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Amazing.

[Don Hahn]

And he played. Ended up winning the cup in 64 because of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's another legendary story.

[Don Hahn]

Because actually ESPN did a thing and like Neil Smith kind of narrated it because he was a big Maple Leaf fan at the time and he talked about that was that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Was there another story like this in any other sport of a player that had a catastrophic injury but gutted through it to finish the game? You know, Isaiah Thomas famously had his ankle where he could barely run in the finals. He had that incredible third quarter. They, they lost. But he just like it was so gutsy what he was doing. Playing on a, on a bad, bad.

[Don Hahn]

Not an injury, but the, the, the, the Michael Jordan flu game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think about that.

[Don Hahn]

But yeah, but you're talking about like something.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I'm sorry, like literally when the game.

[Don Hahn]

Was over, you would need to broke his ankle. Freeze it in 1964 again the witchcraft is on the table. And somebody said how about we freeze it? And these guys listen, we're going to freeze the ankle, you're going to play win the cup and you're going to lose the foot tomorrow. They probably would do it right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ronnie Lott famously had got off his finger, cut the finger. The Super Bowl.

[Don Hahn]

Yeah, it was a pinky, but it's not nothing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's still a digit.

[Don Hahn]

You know, it wasn't a championship game but one of my best Lawrence Taylor moments it was in a non playoff year was 88 was that Sunday night football game against the Saints where he separates his shoulder and he has just a monster game. Had a bunch of sacks but you see them, they're putting the harness on like between when the offense is on the field, they're tying it up. Like there's so many. That's usually like reserved for football but there's plenty of times where guys go out there they should. The other one too. Who I would compare this Nick team to. Everybody's comparing the nick team to the 07 giants like they came out of nowhere. They might make a run. I don't. Because the Knicks were better in the regular season than the Giants were. The better comparison is the 88 Dodgers and Gibson. You know, Gibson was on one leg and he hit the home run to win game one. That Dodger team had no business beating the Mets or the Oakland A's. Beat the A's in five, I believe it was. And then they beat the Mets and they beat the Mets in seven of the league championship series. They. That at least when only four teams went to the playoffs, they at least won the National League West.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They had Hershey.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, yeah. Hershey was untouchable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was untouchable.

[Don Hahn]

Right. But they were a really good team. But they were a massive underdog against the Mets, who won 100 games that year. And the A's. That was the same A's team that would go on to dominate for a while. Isn't the Gibson, though, the ultimate example of the. Literally looks broken. But that's. But that's Willis Reed. Yeah. Except Willis just had a couple of shots early in the game. But he inspired the team. Gibson couldn't play. Is the only at bat of the series. Yeah, he dragged one leg there. It's still. It did involve my team. But that's. That is definitely. That Gibson shot is one of those, you know, where you were when it happened. It was unbelievable.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What was? The car. I don't believe what I just saw. Yeah, something like that. Right.

[Don Hahn]

And there's an urban legend to that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh.

[Don Hahn]

That nobody's been able to confirm. Oh, no, we talked about this. We've had conversations about it. Because it's Jack Buck and the Dodgers win the game five to four. I can't believe what I just saw. The urban legend is because it was the radio call that he said Tigers instead of Dodgers because Gibson was a longtime Dodger, a Tiger, and that he had to go back and rerecord it for history saying Dodgers. I forget where we came. I don't think it actually happened. But there is an urban legend that that happened. That the Tigers win the game five to four. I can't believe what I just saw. Cuz that happened all the time. All those radio highlights that you hear, a lot of them were recreate.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes, yes.

[Don Hahn]

Because the original call, just statically, whatever wasn't clear.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And so they go back in the, in the studio and they recreate it that he had to do that. But I don't remember where we fell on that, but I think we fell on that being an urban legend. But that was Willis Reed. Do they win the game if he doesn't play? Because again, he contributed just four points. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

You got it. Like that's the whole thing.

[Don Hahn]

But every. But it's hard to believe.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You say all he did was give you four points. They could have won without him, you know. What did he do? Well, he still played 20 something minutes. I don't know what else he did. Like, again, I've. I've tried to watch that game like they do. They have had replays of the game.

[Don Hahn]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it's so hard to watch because the quality of the video is like, you can barely make out who's who.

[Don Hahn]

It's. It's 1970, by the way. It's not that long ago. Yeah, it's just amazing. Reports have come.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have a DVD of that game I've tried to watch.

[Don Hahn]

No, it's not good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. It's like you sort of figure it out. Like it jumps a lot. Like it's just not. Not great.

[Don Hahn]

It's just not good. But, but if the, the, the narratives always are created after the fact, right? Like when a team wins a Super bowl, there was always some speech at halftime. There was the reason why they won. Even though there's a speech every halftime, but you never find out about the ones when the team loses.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It didn't work.

[Don Hahn]

Right. I'm sure the Falcons got a great speech. Don't blow the lead against the Patriots. And it didn't work where if they held onto it, they would say that speech. Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Boy, that speech. Yeah.

[Don Hahn]

So everybody's narrative is, oh, the Lakers look like, oh my God, he's playing. But if you remember when we had Clyde on a couple of weeks ago, he said the logo kept shooting like he Jerry West. I didn't care. No, I mean, so the best player on the team, or at least one of the best players on the team is still on the layup line. He didn't care. Right. Like, but nobody ever tells that part of it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But, but everybody knew that Will. Will was psyched out that. That's, that's the story.

[Don Hahn]

But was he. Did it psych the Lakers out or were the Knicks would have won the game anyway? The great story is the Lakers were psyched out. They win by 14. Clyde goes out there, game of his life.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the rewrite.

[Don Hahn]

Might have had the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's the Rewrite. That's the rewrite. They still win.

[Don Hahn]

I still win. I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, Clyde. And Clyde maybe gets more recognition for it. They still win because everybody else did what they had to do.

[Don Hahn]

It's game seven. You're home. It's not that crazy to think they could still win the game. Like, let's not make it out to be the sweet sisters of the poor. I mean, right? There were three. Three there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They were good. Yeah. Did you like it, though? Is this a good rewrite?

[Don Hahn]

It's a very good rewrite. Look how much we're talking about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love it.

[Don Hahn]

Okay, all right, well, like the Gibson thing, too. They won five. You know, maybe they lose game one and they win the next.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, let's say Lasorda just goes, I can't. I can't have this guy. They go somewhere else.

[Don Hahn]

They probably win the series anyway. But that, that's not a good story. That's not fun.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, you know what's fun? Taking more calls.

[Don Hahn]

1-800-919-3776. That was a good one. Good job.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right. Well done.

[Don Hahn]

And Alan's like on no sleep, I got some help.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anthony was. Anthony was very creative on this one today. So we.

[Don Hahn]

He's one of the best producers in the business. We're lucky to have one of them, honestly.

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I didn't listen to anything you just said.

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

[Don Hahn]

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's do it.

[Don Hahn]

Let's go to let's see who's on hold. How about Gus in Westchester? You're on espn. What's up Gus? Hey, how you doing Everybody? I was 14 years old when the Knicks won their first championship and today's the day where I was at Shea Stadium watching Willie Mace hit two home runs off of Gary Gentry and they posted the final score on the on the board and the whole crowd erupted. I remember that feeling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Don Hahn]

And When I saw the rewind, when I saw the rewind, I said to myself, this team, you know, the Knicks were such a cohesive team that they moved the ball religiously. And I think they could have won.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Without Willis, but Willis gave them the.

[Don Hahn]

Inspiration to really put it to them because they had a big lead in that game. The final score was 113.99. And I think that today's Knicks, I believe that they were battle tested in Detroit, in the series with Detroit. And being that it was so physical, it really prepped them to play against the Celtics. And I'm very happy that they're 20 in front. Yeah, it's a different type of series, but you're right, I think they gain the confidence to know that if we're in a close game, we're going to figure this thing out.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right.

[Don Hahn]

And that's what's happened in these last two games. They have always had the intestinal fortitude, if you will, to hang in there. And to Peter's point earlier, 20 point leads are not what they used to be in the NBA, but to be in the game, last possession, that Detroit series, even though it's a completely different animal, Allen definitely got them set up for how to handle the fourth quarter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I think it also pushed them to push themselves right late in games, learning how to close it out, having the frustration of the game where Brunson was left at the scorers table. A game that, you know, that game five. But each time they had the opportunity to close the game out, they were able to do it. And I think that's. That does give you that, you know, confidence comes from demonstrated performance. They've done it enough to feel like, like just put us in that position. And I also think the talk going into the series, they heard every word of it. The idea that they have no chance.

[Don Hahn]

To win this thing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I mean, again, I was just pessimistic as anybody because the regular season kind of gave you a sense that the Celtics just could slap this team around. The Knicks just couldn't keep up with them. But this Knicks team heard all that stuff. You know, they prepared and locked in and they have the right kind of coaching and the right kind of leadership in that locker room. And they're a veteran kind of team that you just don't want to mess around and let them hang around because they're not going to melt.

[Don Hahn]

Isn't it crazy though that they, they melted in so many games that were so much less of a challenge than these two, like over the last Three weeks, guys. How many games were there that came down the stretch where they looked completely clueless and you're like, oh, my God, they're going to lose. They're going to blow up. They blew it. It just felt like down the stretch this team was lost. And now in three straight, they're just completely confident in the final couple of.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Minutes, how much do we feel like the minutes thing is actually working to their advantage?

[Don Hahn]

I think there's no question about it. It. Because it also builds you up mentally.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There you go.

[Don Hahn]

Because the Pistons series, it was all, well, the Pistons are inexperienced. They wet their pants in the fourth quarter. Well, this is the defending champions wet in their pants. So maybe it's not so much wetting their pants. It's just they're just not maybe as mentally tough as their opponent. The Knicks are just figuring it out. I looked this up just to see. All right, because Shankel had the call on TV when Willis came out. Yeah, we all know Marv's call, right? So. The 1970 NBA Finals were the first to be nationally televised in full, with ABC providing the coverage. Howard Cosell worked the locker rooms. However, the Knicks victory in Game 7 was not seen live on broadcast TV in New York City. ABC's coverage was blacked out on ABC TV, causing a raft of angry fans to call the WABC switchboard. Schenkel made an announcement during the broadcast that the game would be aired in New York at 11:30pm that night. The game was shown live on premium channel MSG Network in New York City, which then only was available to 25,000 cable households in Manhattan. So the game.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Now you know why they did that? Do you know why they blacked it out?

[Don Hahn]

Well, because the game was at home, right? They want the people to go to the Garden.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's it.

[Don Hahn]

They were deathly afraid back in the day that if they aired games at home, people wouldn't go. That's why my dad would drive to Connecticut and rent a motel room with buddies and watch giant home games because all NFL games are blacked out at home because they thought you wouldn't come. And then they realized, well, we got more than just 80,000 people.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Imagine. Imagine a world where you on a Sunday, you leave your family, you get a hotel room and go watch a football game.

[Don Hahn]

Oh, well, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Imagine this world.

[Don Hahn]

Well, again, we were stupid back in the day when it came to sports, man. Like, nobody thought like, you want to see the matter how many the Garden dreams of those days. 1970s, the new garden. Because the, because the, the Garden that we know now was in February. February 2, 1968.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Don Hahn]

Kenny Albert's birthday. The. The literal birthday. The Nixon Rangers gave him a garden. Wow. For his birthday. And little did they know, it would be his home his entire life forever. Forever. For sure. That they would be like, it held 18,000 people. It may be a little bit more for basketball. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

19 change.

[Don Hahn]

All right, so don't put it on TV in New York because we're afraid we're not gonna get the 19,000. Like, because what, they think only 19,000 people were interested in the game?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, there's four. There was at the time. I think there was 4 million people in Brooklyn. And they were afraid that, you know, 18,000. That means nobody will. Nobody will go, like, come on. So it really, really. It really is.

[Don Hahn]

And it's not that long ago, guys. 1970. I mean, it's. It's. It's 50, 55. Five years ago, but it's not. It's not 100 years ago.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's. It feels like 100 years.

[Don Hahn]

They were stupid back then. Again, we were at war. We're going. Vietnam's raging. Why do we care about airing a basketball? Just put the goalpost in the front of the end zone. Exactly. Don't have overtime. Just award the champion to whoever just shows up for it. It's over. When the season ends.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It ends. Thanks for listening to the Don, Han and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. 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.