Hour 2: The List & Rangers Win

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 2: The List & Rangers Win

Release Date: February 26, 2025
Hosts: Don LaGreca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Duration: Approximately 31 minutes
Topic Focus: Top Teammates of LeBron James, Luka Doncic’s Impact, and Rangers vs. Islanders Game Analysis

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In the second hour of the "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" podcast, the trio dives into a spirited discussion inspired by Luka Doncic's recent standout performance against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. The episode seamlessly transitions from basketball analytics to hockey insights, reflecting the hosts' versatile sports expertise.

---

2. Top Five Teammates of LeBron James

Timestamp: 00:54 – 05:32

The discussion kicks off with Don LaGreca introducing the premise: evaluating the top five teammates LeBron James has ever played with on NBA teams. This list excludes Olympic players and focuses solely on NBA collaborations.

Don LaGreca:
"This is the top five teammates LeBron James has ever had on a team. Not all Star, obviously, or Olympics. That doesn't count. This is just NBA team."
[01:06]

Honorable Mention – Ray Allen
Don advocates for Ray Allen as an honorable mention, citing his pivotal role in crucial playoff moments, including his game-winning shot in Game 6 against the Spurs. However, he places him just outside the top five due to the nature of his contributions being game-specific rather than consistent season-long impact.

Don LaGreca:
"Ray Allen had the biggest shot, one of the biggest shots in LeBron's career... he's an all-time great hall of Famer, so he should be higher. But that's six for me."
[03:07]

Top Five Breakdown:

1. Anthony Davis
   Don places Anthony Davis as the third best teammate, highlighting Davis's exceptional skills as a big man and his significant impact on the Lakers' resurgence.

   Don LaGreca:
   "Anthony Davis is easily the best big man he's played with by far. They both took the Lakers from a bit of a doldrum to an elite team."
   [05:35]

2. Kyrie Irving vs. Dwyane Wade Debate
   A lively debate unfolds as Don ranks Kyrie Irving below Dwyane Wade, prompting Peter to argue that Kyrie’s skill set and on-court wizardry surpass Wade’s legendary status.

   Peter Rosenberg:
   "In terms of skill as a player, I think Kyrie's better than D. Wade. Is that crazy? I don't think I'm crazy."
   [12:49]

   Don LaGreca:
   "Kyrie Irving does things with a basketball like it's a magician. There's something innate that he has."
   [13:27]

3. Luka Doncic’s Integration with LeBron James
   The conversation shifts to Luka Doncic, with Don lauding the seamless chemistry developing between him and LeBron.

   Don LaGreca:
   "From watching just the small sample size we have seen, it is incredibly seamless. It's almost like they fit perfectly."
   [08:17]

   Peter Rosenberg:
   "Donch is just hands down the best player LeBron's ever played with. That makes this so potentially exciting."
   [09:47]

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3. Luka Doncic: Trade Speculations and Media Narratives

Timestamp: 17:01 – 20:31

The hosts delve into recent media reports questioning Doncic’s commitment and off-court habits, such as fluctuating weight and a penchant for beer and hookah. They debate whether these narratives are fair assessments or part of a broader strategy by other teams and media outlets to undermine his value.

Don LaGreca:
"They called him lazy. They predict his basketball demise, highlighting a health history that some say will likely lead to catastrophe in the next five years or so."
[18:45]

Peter Rosenberg:
"We're all trying to make it make sense. They even said he wouldn't invest as much in his body as LeBron does. Is this to push a narrative?"
[19:00]

The discussion highlights the tension between Doncic’s on-court brilliance and off-court scrutiny, pondering whether his performance will validate or refute these critical assessments over time.

---

4. Rangers vs. Islanders: Game Analysis and Implications

Timestamp: 25:10 – 31:32

Transitioning from basketball to hockey, the hosts analyze the recent game between the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders. They commend the Rangers' unexpected strong performance, attributing their success to contributions from players like Vakan Ainen and Brodzinski, despite pre-game criticisms from analysts like Larry Brooks.

Don LaGreca:
"He could screen the goaltender. Brodzinski, he's not really a fourth line player. He's got a great release. He can skate."
[27:23]

However, the Islanders’ defensive shortcomings are heavily criticized, particularly focusing on Sorokin’s poor performance and the broader defensive lapses that cost them the game.

Don LaGreca:
"He couldn't see. It's like there was a couple of poor exchanges too, in the D zone... they were just so pathetic defensively."
[28:01]

Injuries to key Rangers players Adam Fox and Keandre Miller add another layer of concern, with the hosts speculating on the team's ability to maintain performance levels amid these setbacks.

Peter Rosenberg:
"They got Zach Jones, but that could be an issue."
[30:49]

The conversation concludes with pessimistic views on the Islanders' season trajectory, citing poor power play and penalty kill stats, and expressing doubt about the team's ability to compete effectively in upcoming matches.

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5. Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Timestamp: 31:15 – End

As the episode wraps up, the hosts reflect on the current state of New York sports, expressing both frustrations and hopes for future performances. They sign off with mentions of upcoming games and encourage listeners to stay tuned for more in-depth analyses in subsequent episodes.

---

Notable Quotes:

• Don LaGreca:
  "Kyrie Irving does things with a basketball like it's a magician."
  [13:27]

• Peter Rosenberg:
  "In terms of skill as a player, I think Kyrie's better than D. Wade. Is that crazy? I don't think I'm crazy."
  [12:49]

• Don LaGreca:
  "From watching just the small sample size we have seen, it is incredibly seamless. It's almost like they fit perfectly."
  [08:17]

---

Conclusion

In this episode, Don, Hahn, and Rosenberg provide a comprehensive and spirited analysis of LeBron James' best teammates, spotlight Luka Doncic's emerging synergy with LeBron, and offer a critical look at the recent Rangers vs. Islanders game. Their blend of basketball and hockey insights, coupled with engaging debates, makes for a compelling listen for sports enthusiasts seeking in-depth discussion and diverse perspectives.

Transcript

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[Don LaGreca]

3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] this is the Han.

[Alan Hahn]

Han at Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app. And your smart speakers just made the list, buddy. This is the list with Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, so it's a Wednesday, so we have our list. And this list is inspired by last night. Luka Doncic playing against his former team, Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers do hold on to win. Luca had a triple double.

[Guest Speaker]

Really didn't hit my 32 though.

[Don LaGreca]

No, he, he was under, which I, I did say he'd be the only. In fact, I don't think he got the 20 right. He got 19.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, he came up short.

[Don LaGreca]

He took the ball well. But he had moments. The 13 did hit, he'd had to stare down like there was a lot of little drama.

[Guest Speaker]

He had more than moments. He had a very good game.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, he, again, big assist game. He and LeBron, right, they just the connection between the two that we're seeing already, it could be special. So inspired us to decide. Let's make a list of the top five. Well, we actually, we're not limited to five, right? We could just make a list.

[Guest Speaker]

No, I think the limit, I think the list, I, I, there's no rules anymore, really.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's why it's the list rules. But how far do you want to go?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, I, I think I, I.

[Don LaGreca]

Because I feel like six is a.

[Guest Speaker]

Good, no good number. Yeah, you're better than that. You don't like, you can't do six. I think you do five in an honorable mention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, I like that because you like.

[Don LaGreca]

The honor of mention.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It kind of gets you. It's like almost a get out of jail free card. Like the constraints of five is what makes it fun, right?

[Guest Speaker]

Because if you can't decide on the five, then what are we doing? You know what I mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, now that you've got the dilemma who to take out.

[Guest Speaker]

See who you taking out?

[Don LaGreca]

Someone's gotta come out. All right, well, you know what?

[Guest Speaker]

I'm sitting here wondering, because if I.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sat there and go, you know, the top 500 sitcoms of all time, which by the way.

[Guest Speaker]

Which, by the way, Don will go over sometimes just for fun, is a good list. Now, Don, here's the thing that I'm wondering is Alan's preparing and he's figuring out who's six. Here's the thing I'm wondering, though, Don, and I can't. I'm sweating over it. Will Luka Dodge make the top five? Wow. I just. I just don't know. I just.

[Don LaGreca]

If I was in the studio right now, I'd reach over and slap it. All right, I owe you one. I owe you a fresh one.

[Guest Speaker]

Will he make a list?

[Don LaGreca]

You know this guy?

[Guest Speaker]

The question is how high on the list?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that is the question. You will find out.

[Guest Speaker]

Here we go. Here we go. All right, so who didn't list?

[Don LaGreca]

This is the top five teammates LeBron James has ever had on a team. Not all Star, obviously, or Olympics. That doesn't count. This is just NBA team.

[Guest Speaker]

All right, here we go.

[Don LaGreca]

My honorable mention is Ray Allen. All right, okay. Hell yeah, Ray Allen. I thought, like, I fought with this one because I thought Ray Allen should be on list. He had the biggest shot, one of the biggest shots in LeBron's career. And somebody else on the list has the other one. But, but Ray Allen had that incredible finish to that game. Game six, I think it was, right? Game five, the one where they had the ropes out and the spurs were about to win, and then he makes that shot and then they went in overtime and then they go the next game. So that was a huge shot. He was, he's an all time great hall of Famer, so he should be higher. But he's six for me. All right, he's, he's honorable.

[Guest Speaker]

Just outside.

[Don LaGreca]

All right, number five is Chris Bosh. He was the, the third piece of the Heatles. They all came together. He agreed to go there from Toronto. He agreed to take less than he could have going somewhere else, but he wanted to join forces with them. And he was a big part of why Miami? Why that team? Although it was a short term, they were so good. You had to have a big man, you had to have a post presence. You had to have a guy like him. And, and he was phenomenal. And unfortunately, his career, the way it ended, too cut short by the. It was a blood clot. Right? He had blood clot issues. So anyways, Chris Bosch.

[Peter Rosenberg]

All right.

[Don LaGreca]

Number four, Kyrie Irving. The other one. The other player that hit the big shot for him. The chase down block is whatever. Yes. What? Everybody celebrates his face down block. But you can't remember. Can't forget. They don't win if he doesn't make that incredible three pointer and they get that win, the comeback that year over the 70.

[Guest Speaker]

Can I ask you a question, A caveat here for the list.

[Don LaGreca]

Sure.

[Guest Speaker]

Are they the best teammates LeBron had or are they the best players who were LeBron's teammates?

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I mean, they kind of go hand in hand, but I'm basing this off of the success together.

[Guest Speaker]

Okay, okay.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

Based on the success together, what they.

[Don LaGreca]

Did together that year. Come on, man, like, that's pretty special.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, no. I would have Kyrie higher than you have him.

[Don LaGreca]

You would. I know you would.

[Guest Speaker]

But in terms of best. In terms of best players. But that's why I'm curious to hear where you go.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, here's the funny thing. I will reveal this original list did have him higher. I flip flopped. Who I put third instead and now I regret it.

[Guest Speaker]

No, don't regret it. Stick with your guns, man.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, I'm sticking. I didn't change it, like, because you're making me rethink it because the original thought was that, that was.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How many more examples do you need?

[Don LaGreca]

How many? All right, all right.

[Guest Speaker]

That was when he yelled, so.

[Don LaGreca]

So? So for number three, I am putting Anthony Davis there. I know that sounds crazy, but Anthony Davis is easily the best big man he's played with by far. He's most talented. They got the summer league championship, which was cute. That was really nice. They also got an in season tournament championship, which was nice too. But you know, again together though, they both took the Lakers that were in a bit of a doldrums and brought them back to life. Once that trade was made, the Lakers became an elite team. They couldn't get past Jokic, but man, they got to a Western Conference finals together. And that was a hell of a run a couple years ago as well.

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, listen, credit where credit's due.

[Don LaGreca]

I think Anthony Davis is third on the list.

[Guest Speaker]

As a teammate. As a teammate, I agree with you. If that, if that is what it's about. Anthony Davis was better with LeBron than Kyrie was. They won a championship, went to a conference finals. The Kyrie in Cleveland was very. He was very good, but he was very young, of course, hit the huge shot to seal the finals. But he wasn't the player AD was when they Won the title and. And then. And then lost it. Jokic.

[Don LaGreca]

So I don't hate to remember Kyrie was short term with LeBron.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, I don't.

[Don LaGreca]

He didn't like it.

[Guest Speaker]

I don't hate that at all.

[Don LaGreca]

Okay. All right, well, that's. That's. That's. So that's three. So we have two left.

[Guest Speaker]

All right, now this. So. So, Don, we know who we're talking.

[Don LaGreca]

Now it gets spicy. Now it gets spicy.

[Guest Speaker]

Don. We know. We know. The two names here are going to be Mr. Doncic. To me. Number 77 and number three, it's going to be Doncic and Wade. And where. Who goes?

[Don LaGreca]

Really?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Where?

[Don LaGreca]

Not. Not. Not Mo Williams. You don't want to put Mo Williams.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, I. I think you should think. What about Big Z? What about Big Z?

[Don LaGreca]

Come on, man. What about Anderson Vere. Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

What about the Veri.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Ben Wallace is in the hall of Fame.

[Don LaGreca]

Ronaldo. Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

Come on, now. All right, here we go.

[Don LaGreca]

At number two, I have Dwayne Wade. Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yay.

[Don LaGreca]

Now I have him at 2. For this reason, while they did win two titles together, they went to four finals together, they also took time to figure it out. They had to. They almost had to change their game. Well, at least Wade did. Wade had to concede. He had to change his game. He had to conform a little bit. He wasn't the same player because he couldn't be. So that was an adjustment that they had to make, and they did. And they did it famously. They won two championships together, so that was something they had to do. And that's what I took into consideration when I made number one, Luka Doncic. First of all, I said Luka was his best teammates he's ever played with on Get Up. So I had to stick with it. You say that on national tv. You can't.

[Guest Speaker]

You're obligated.

[Don LaGreca]

But, Luka, why I say this is because from watching just the small sample size we have seen, it is incredibly seamless. And, guys, in the NBA, you rarely see two stars come together with a seamless transition in playing together. And it's almost like they fit perfectly. As LeBron said, I'm a great wide receiver, he's a great quarterback, and all he's doing now is running routes. There was a play against Denver that Tim Legler did a telestrator on. On Get Up. And I'm watching it. And not only was the moving the chess pieces thing amazing, the two of them telepathically just talking to each other on opposite sides of the floor. Luka threw the ball not where LeBron was, but where he wanted him. And LeBron knew that's where I'm supposed to go before the ball, as the ball's in the air. Caught it in mid, strip mid. Caught it right in the air. Like, never even hesitated. No. No break in his stride. Stepped caught right to the rim. It was because he led him there like a great quarterback leads a wide receiver to a spot that is something that is special. And the two of them, and last night you saw a few of them as well, if that's what they are right now, before they get a lot of reps together, can you imagine how much better it's going to get? And we all know LeBron's Benjamin Button, so he's not getting old anytime soon. He might actually get younger playing with Luka Doncic. So luka is number one. I agree or disagree.

[Guest Speaker]

100% agree. The reason I said I respectfully, I did not see the episode of Get Up. And I said the same thing to Alan before I knew that he said it. That Donch is just hands down the best player LeBron's ever played with. And to me, that's what makes this so potentially exciting. That when I saw it, when I watched last night, I only lasted about a quarter and change. But by the way, I love Brian Anderson. No better voice for a late night, no better late night basketball voice in the world anymore than Brian Anderson. Because it's a mixture.

[Don LaGreca]

Because he doesn't yell. No, he's Kevin Harlan wakes you from your slumber. No, see, I, I, it's like I can just chill.

[Guest Speaker]

Exactly.

[Don LaGreca]

He's a great west coast game guy.

[Guest Speaker]

If, if you want to stay up, he's got the energy that matters. But if you're watching and you're also going to doze off, you can do that too. I love him, but so, so last night when I was watching, I'm like, yo, if, if Doncic is this motivated and I think he's going to be, this team's going to be a problem. And LeBron must be so stoked. As good as AD is, and you pointed it out, he is the best big man he ever played with.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

But to be with another player who's just this big, a stud like LeBron James is decidedly, for the first time in his career, LeBron James is decidedly the second best player on his team. He knows it and he's cool with it.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, that's the part is that he looks at it and says, oh, no, I know my role. I Get it? Instead of looking at Dwyane Wade going, yeah, no, no, but we do the same thing. I do it better.

[Guest Speaker]

Correct. You're really good, Wade.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. Like, they had to figure that out. And it took Wade finally just backing off and saying, you know what? I got to let you have the ball. Like, you're better at it than I am. Whereas LeBron looks at Luka and he's like, we both think at the same level. I've never played with a guy that.

[Guest Speaker]

Thinks this, but you're 26 years old.

[Don LaGreca]

Special.

[Guest Speaker]

And.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Guest Speaker]

So I'm very. I got to tell you, it really didn't hit me, Alan, because you kept asking us, are you excited for the game? Excited for the game. And I didn't really know. You know, obviously, Davis wasn't playing yet. The. Dallas is not in great shape at this moment. Watching that energy in the last. And I ended up watching the full highlight of the fourth quarter. That has me excited for a second half of west coast doubleheader games. That has me excited about what this Lakers team could be. And I'm very, very curious to see if this team can compete for a championship. I think they can. Now, here's the question I want to ask you, Allen. I got into a big argument with my guy Dave, who's one of the doormen in my building. We talked about this subject.

[Don LaGreca]

Dave the doorman.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, Dave the doorman. Big basketball fan, Big Miami Heat fan. So he was very offended when I said that. In terms of, like, actual skill as a player. I'm not saying which guy I'd rather start a team with. That might get more complicated. But skill as a player. I think Kyrie's better than D. Wade. Is that crazy? I don't think I'm crazy. I think Kyrie's a better basketball player than Dwyane Wade.

[Don LaGreca]

I'm gonna say you're not crazy, but I could make an argument against it. But you're not crazy.

[Guest Speaker]

Like, just from a rare people.

[Don LaGreca]

Well, I'm going to tell you, I'm one of the people like that. I don't always get it with Wade. Like, I. You know, there's no question he's talented, and he's a clutch guy, and he's just something with momentum. He's really good at riding momentum. But Kyrie Irving does things with a basketball like it's a magician.

[Guest Speaker]

Insane.

[Don LaGreca]

Like, he just has a comfort level with the basketball like Ted Williams had with a baseball bat.

[Guest Speaker]

I. I think that's completely apropos. Yeah, completely apropos.

[Don LaGreca]

He had with a hockey stick. There's just something. Now, again, look at the. Look at the level I'm putting. Kyrie Irving has physical ability that isn't. Like, you're born with that. Like, there's just something innate that he has. So when I look at him and I tell myself, like, that's his. That's a complete basketball player. The problem with him is that sometimes he wants to play, sometimes he does. Like, there's always little things with him.

[Guest Speaker]

That's the thing. And that's why I'm not a guy.

[Don LaGreca]

That will fight you to the end, tooth and nail. Like, he's a real. Like he's a guy you want in the foxhole.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, from the second we saw D. Wade in college, from the second we saw D. Wade in college, we knew the kind of guy that he was, right? And so I'm starting a team. Maybe I pick D. Wade over Kyrie Irving, but in terms of skill, I don't know if I've ever seen anyone play quite the way Kyrie Irving plays. It was on display yesterday in the first quarter. You're watching that game and you're going, all right, you're going, I'm here to watch Luka Doncic. And then you went, oh, yeah, I forgot. Kyrie Irving is not going to let anyone steal the show completely. He's too good.

[Don LaGreca]

This is why I'm. I'm. I'm warning everybody to not jump the gun on this trade, because when Davis is healthy and he's going to be at some point, at least he better be, or else Nico's going to lose his job. But if he's going to be healthy and those two together, because remember, he's going to be at the four now, which is what he wants. He's not going to have to play the five and bet. He doesn't want to be a physical center. He wants to be more of a finesse player. Kyrie with him will be a very dangerous duo, especially because they have guys that can space the floor and give them that room to play. And they've got guys that can defend on the other end, which protects Kyrie. That Dallas team guys is going to be a beast. They're not going to be easy to play. That's a good team. They just got to get him right. They got to get the two bigs, right? Can you guys imagine that happen, right?

[Guest Speaker]

Can you guys imagine a final of series if that. If that's the conference finals in the west, guys, that is so second round.

[Don LaGreca]

I'd Watch, I'd love it.

[Guest Speaker]

That is the sexiest series. That would be so good.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What could be better?

[Don LaGreca]

That and how about that on one side and Lakers warriors as the other one.

[Guest Speaker]

Well, the Lakers have to play.

[Don LaGreca]

Go to the.

[Guest Speaker]

They're playing two series at the same time.

[Don LaGreca]

Wait, wait, I'm sorry. Oh, no, no. What am I saying?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Charger.

[Don LaGreca]

Not like he's a Ram. He's a Ram now. No, no, the other option. I meant to say.

[Guest Speaker]

Oh, the other option. Yes.

[Don LaGreca]

There's two. There's two right.

[Guest Speaker]

There's because of the warriors go on this run that people are people. A lot of people gearing up for a Warriors run here.

[Don LaGreca]

That's dead sex. Yeah, you get kind of the old guys that are trying to take the league back again. You get Curry and LeBron trying to get one more and you get that throwback.

[Guest Speaker]

You get that throwback to the early 2000s where every Western Conference series. I'm talking about, even the 8 1, when it would be like Portland playing LA right in the first round. Every series. You know, Allen, the Nick Van Exel Mavericks. Yeah, like every single series out West. Sacramento. The Sacramento team that was so fun with Bobby Jackson.

[Don LaGreca]

Remember, remember Portland had Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge. Like they had.

[Guest Speaker]

No, they were a good team.

[Don LaGreca]

Those were good team. Like you'd have first round series that were going six at the very least. Knock down drag outs.

[Guest Speaker]

What's we still had. You still had Sabonis in Portland like this. There was, there was fun series to be had out west. I would love for us to get that this year again.

[Don LaGreca]

I mean like I said that that's. That would be for ESPN because ESPN has the west to get that as a conference final.

[Guest Speaker]

I'll be crazy.

[Don LaGreca]

But yeah, that's that did you see just. Just to add to this off of the Doncha stuff because I know like I pay attention to what media. We all pay attention to what media does. Do you feel like it's getting too far that okay, the trade happened and everybody had to make their reasons why and all that stuff. And now you keep seeing more and more reports that are disparaging to Luka Doncic. The latest is from the Athletic that apparently they were dead set on trading him. If they didn't do it at the deadline, they were going to do it in the summer. They didn't want to pay him the 3,345 million dollars and their reasons were his off the court habits. So. So in this report, this is what it says. Dallas was worried about his Fluctuating weight and his taste for beer and hookah. Apparently he smoked a lot.

[Guest Speaker]

He loves hookah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who doesn't?

[Guest Speaker]

I mean, listen, I've enjoyed hookah in my day before.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I never. I never.

[Don LaGreca]

So they never partook.

[Guest Speaker]

You'd enjoy it, I think, too communal. It is a little community. Post Covid. Post Covid. I don't know if I'd be as much right then.

[Don LaGreca]

Like. Like, we're all. We're all pulling from this. I don't know if I like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because you're trying to make. You're trying to make it make sense. And you even said at the time that, like, when you're going to try to invest long term, these are the things you look at and say, I don't know if I could do that. Little overweight, a lot of stuff going on outside the court. So I think people are just trying to wrap their mind around it. Otherwise, you're saying, was this something that the NBA, you know, put together because they're worried, you know, about the future? How's things going to look post LeBron? And we want to try to make sure that the Lakers are still good. There's a lot of people who believe that the NBA is in cahoots with the Lakers. So do you want that to be the narrative? Isn't this a better narrative than that?

[Don LaGreca]

No. Yeah, I guess it is. But to keep writing because like this. In the story, they called him lazy. They predict his basketball demise, highlighting a health history that some say will likely lead to catastrophe in the next five years or so.

[Guest Speaker]

What?

[Don LaGreca]

That's why they didn't want to invest all that money.

[Guest Speaker]

Do you think he's that bad?

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. That he's that lazy? He does. I have heard he'll. He'll play pickup basketball to get in shape. He will not, like, do what again? LeBron James spends a million dollars a year on his body. Luke is not doing that. You know, this is. Luke is more like the Zion approach, which is, I have a ton of talent and I'll just stay in shape. He is like, Larry Bird did that in the 80s, but that was the 80s. Nobody was lifting weights in the 80s and doing that stuff. Today, it's much different. But they feel like with the amount of basketball he plays, because every summer he goes to. He goes to Slovenia and he plays for his home country, trying to get them, you know, status and standing in Europe and the European, like, for the Olympics and everything. He. And then he takes a break. He doesn't do anything. So he's Never really training. And they think his body's just going to break down. So these stories keep coming out. So does it motivate him to want to prove them wrong? Or does he just say, the list works for me, and he keeps doing it until they're proven right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what it feels like, doesn't it? And we'll see how. What happens, how it ages.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, that's the only thing is we won't know right away. But I don't know, is there a comp.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's got to be a comp, right? Of somebody that we got to get out of. This guy's a mess. And it was proven right or proven wrong. But it's not too often you see it that.

[Don LaGreca]

That highly.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That kind of high level.

[Don LaGreca]

Like, I can't even. I'm thinking of every sport. Like, was there a quarterback that someone moved on from? Most of the time, these teams, the easiest thing to do is to say, he's so freaking good. We got to pay him, we got to keep him. And then he has the demise. And you just go, well, I mean, you know, or. Or coming. But we had. We couldn't move them, we couldn't trade them.

[Guest Speaker]

But I wonder if it could be. I wonder if. I wonder if it could be a mix of things of like, Kyrie thought Anthony Davis would be a better fit. He wasn't really into playing background to Luca.

[Don LaGreca]

You know, I think there's definitely something there. So the kid also don't. Jason Kidd was definitely involved in this.

[Guest Speaker]

So.

[Don LaGreca]

So I believe that wholeheartedly.

[Guest Speaker]

What if kid. What if Kid and Kyrie were not particularly into him, thought there could be a better option available. They know that the moves widely getting panned. So in an effort to sort of clean it up, you kind of leak some stories about how bad he is. Crazier things have happened, guys.

[Don LaGreca]

No, no, it's definitely going on. It's definitely going on. I just feel like, all right, we're. We're a couple of weeks out. It's time to stop. Like, it's time to stop with these stories, but they keep coming up. And obviously because the two teams played last night, there was a good time to post a story like that. But they won't play each other till April. But that's gonna be interesting when he goes to Dallas. Will that be the game where he goes into God mode and tries to drop 60 or more and, you know, really, really. Because that building is going to be so conflicted because they're still protesting about this trade. I Wonder if that crowd will cheer for him instead of the home team. How bizarre of a atmosphere.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One of the things we kicked around is like the. The greatest revenge games. Right. What you just described, like, would it go the other way where they start cheering Eddie Jockey for him is the Eddie Jockerman in 75. And for those who don't know, for.

[Don LaGreca]

Those who don't know, you know, Eddie.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Jockeman was waived, Peter, by the Rangers and he was picked up by the Red Wings.

[Don LaGreca]

Now, Eddie Jochman was love the goaltender, by the way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He loved him. They didn't win a cup with him, but they did go to a final and he was beloved by the fan base. They wave him towards the end of his career and the Red Wings pick him up. Red Wings come to the Garden, Peter. The place is going mental. Outwardly rooting for the Red Wings. Full crying. When they introduced him, he's sitting there crying with his gray again. I don't know how old he was, but certainly looked way older than he actually was because that was the seventies everybody did. Right. He's probably. I got to look it up. Probably like 36. He looked like he was like 106, right?

[Guest Speaker]

Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And he's crying and the fans are chanting his name and they're just cheering for the Red Wings. I don't think there is a comp to that. That's how beloved he was. Could that happen in Dallas? Like they're protesting?

[Don LaGreca]

Exactly it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I can't imagine if it meant something. I'd have to look up and see where the Rangers were at that particular point. Obviously, if the game had a tremendous amount of meaning, I don't know if the Ranger fans would have turned on them like that. But, you know, if Dallas goes into a bad streak, falls out of it, you know that. That would be the comp. I Don't you ever remember, Peter, or any other sport where they're like, cheering for the opposition?

[Guest Speaker]

No. That would be incredibly unique. Incredibly unique. Especially with the history between the Lakers and the maps.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know what the 776 at MetLife when Saquon came here, it was.

[Don LaGreca]

I didn't get the ultimate revenge game, too. No, they. I don't know if they were cheering for him.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Don LaGreca]

That was definitely a revenge game. I mean, there was definitely emotional Eagles fans in the building.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There's plenty of examples of revenge games. I've never seen a fan base turn on their own team like they did in the Jockey game. Look it up. It's on YouTube. You can. It's no Exaggeration. It is pretty incredible.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah. All right, we have more calls to get to, but we have ENN to get to as well. But Don, we have one more thing to get to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We certainly do. And that's Don Lagreca and Don legreca here to tell you about my friends over at Bath Fitter. They remodeled my mom's bath. Did an awesome job. The process was easy. One expert installer, even with the customization she needed for a cast iron tub. But it's done in one day with no demo or message. It's a beautiful, high quality, permanent solution. Bath Fitter provides a lifetime guarantee. Three million happy customers like my mom get zero percent interest for 30 days or 30 months. Excuse me. So start designing your bath [e-mail] there's only one Bath Fitter.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Guest Speaker]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Don LaGreca]

All right, game time. Brought to you by Tilamardu Irish Whiskey. Because, boys, when it's game time, it's tiii time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sorry.

[Guest Speaker]

Don and I were combo. Sorry about that.

[Don LaGreca]

I understand Nixon. The Sixers tonight. Well, that's right. Jake jumped in. That was a good job.

[Guest Speaker]

Yeah, that was Jake who saved us.

[Don LaGreca]

Well done. We can always rely on Jacob Perry.

[Guest Speaker]

That's right.

[Don LaGreca]

Knicks and the Sixers tonight here at the Garden. Coverage begins immediately following us on 880. Note the start time because it's ESPN side by side with us at MSG. So it's a 7:00pm tip. That means a 6:30 pregame show, which means we're done at 6:30. The Nets and the Thunder. So the Thunder OKC in Brooklyn tonight, 7:30, St. John's Butler. That's at 9:00pm and the Devils are in Colorado. They take on the ABs. And that's at 9:30 game time. Brought to you by Telemardu Irish Whiskey. The original triple distilled, triple blended, triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telemardu or try the new Tullamore Dew. Honey. During tonight's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. I don't really want to talk about it, Don, but I'm glad I decided not to go to the Ranger Islander game last night. I was kind of like. Part of me was in the mood because I wanted to, like, get that kind of rivalry feel off Four Nations. You know, there was this. This vibe of you know, that kind of hockey would have been fun. And I just. I wasn't feeling well last night. Cali wanted to go so badly and then was just like, yeah, let's just watch it on the couch. And man, I'm glad we did, because that was as bad a defensive performance by the Islanders that I can remember ever seeing. And they've had some doozies, but they were pathetic. But the Rangers got the two points. The Rangers got some goals from unlikely resources as well.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Don LaGreca]

But they also got some injuries. Adam Fox, that shoulder, clear. They call it upper body, but it looks like a shoulder. And Keandre Miller. So the blue line suddenly banged up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that was the one negative that came from what I thought was just a brilliant performance by the Rangers. Vakan Ainen, three points, career high. Brodzinski, three points, career high. Ryan Lindgren had a couple of points as well. It was getting panned before the game. Even Larry Brooks tweeted out like, way to Barry Othman playing with Brodzinski and Rempe. But it ended up being brilliant because.

[Don LaGreca]

Rempe was huge, literally huge in this game. His net presence, this is what he.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Can do, is that he's such a monster. He can. He can screen the goaltender. I thought that was a great deflection on his goal. Brodzinski, he's not really a fourth line player. He's got a great release. He can skate. And, you know, Othman can skate too. And so maybe they found something there. I don't know what they'll do when Kreider comes back, but they might have found the fourth line that can really, really produce. And then you can kind of move Carrick up to the third line and win you some face off. So you gotta like that. But God, the island, Sorokin, I don't care how much you're screen, fluke, whatever. Five goals on 11 shots. I mean, that's. That's awful. Awful.

[Don LaGreca]

He. He couldn't see. There was one time you could tell on the replay, he lost the puck. And rather than, you know, make the effort to, like, look around or move somebody uses, you know, use his stick, the block or whatever, he just kind of like, just peeked around and the next thing you know, he was in the net. Like, it's almost like. It was like there was a couple of poor exchanges too, in the D zone, where suddenly somebody's left open and there's just an open, easy shot to take. They were just so pathetic defensively in their zone. I can't possibly Blame it all on.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, but it's bad in an eight point.

[Don LaGreca]

But he definitely didn't look like he was locked in either. What an awful performance for a game that felt as much a must win. Never mind the Rangers are in your building, but it just felt like a must win. Like I know it's February, but it's almost the end of February, we're a couple of days away. Like this feels like a first nail. And if when that trade deadline comes next week, Lou's got to think about selling. He's got to think about starting to. Starting to dismantle and starting to find a way to. You got to go through a rebuild here because this group let you know that they just. It's not there anymore.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It just doesn't feel great. They're in Boston this week, I guess. What's today? Wednesday, I guess they're in Boston tomorrow. All right. And then. All right, you're home against Nashville. You should be able to beat Nashville. Nashville is awful. But then you have the Rangers again at the Garden and the second of back to back your home against Winnipeg and then you go out west. So I think the writing's on the wall. I mean you've got the worst power play. You got the second worst kill. I just don't see it happening. It's 31st, the 31st kill and the 32nd power play. It's. Look, based on what you saw last night, listen, they just came off a seven game winning streak. But what do they've lost now? What? Five of their last six since then, four straight losses. It just. I don't see it. Like I told you before the game, I said it could, you could. Whoever loses in regulation, you're not going to feel great. But considering the Islanders were three points back of the Rangers to begin with and had lost the previous three games, that it'd be a lot worse for the Islanders and the way they lost and. But the Rangers are right if they've got to play without Fox and Miller, I mean they got Zach Jones, you know, so they've got that extra but not too extra. So that could be a bit of an issue. Arranges got Toronto coming up and then Nashville. I'm getting a chance to call both of those games. I'm excited about that.

[Don LaGreca]

Nice.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That could be a problem if you're down two defensemen, but let's see, they got a couple of days off before they play on Friday.

[Don LaGreca]

Got to get an update. Did they use the BanaJad on the three guys? Right? Yeah, they got to figure it out. But no, that those are concerning injuries. The way Fox went down, I know they're only calling up a body, but he went right for that shoulder and went off the ice and did not return. So that is something. Yeah, that would be a concern.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But again, you know, same thing with the well, Miller too, he was like very early in the second that he left and didn't come back. But at the same time, five one going into the third, Fox got hurt three minutes in, so I don't know if the score dictated them not returning, but it didn't look great for either. So like I said, they got the extra day, but we'll see what they do if both those guys can't go against Toronto.

[Don LaGreca]

Yeah, it's not been a great hockey season here in New York.

[Alan Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Don LaGreca]

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

[Alan Hahn]

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.

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