Hour 3: Knicks Rollercoaster

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast Summary Episode: Hour 3: Knicks Rollercoaster
Release Date: May 16, 2025

---

Introduction

In the third hour of the "Don, Hahn & Rosenberg" podcast, hosts Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg delve deep into the New York Knicks' tumultuous playoff journey. The discussion not only examines the team's recent performances but also explores the heightened expectations, strategic decisions, and fan sentiments surrounding one of New York's most storied basketball franchises.

---

Knicks' Playoff Series Analysis

Current Standings and Pressure

The central focus of this episode is the Knicks' arduous path in the playoffs, particularly their second-round series against the Boston Celtics. The hosts discuss the immense pressure on the team to advance past the second round for the third consecutive year, a streak that has left fans anxious and the organization contemplative about its championship aspirations.

Notable Quote:

• Don Hahn (00:32): "If you can't get out of the second round again, especially in this situation... the organization starts to say, 'How do we advance the cause?'"

Historical Context

Alan Hahn provides a historical lens, comparing the current Knicks' predicament to their past playoff performances. He emphasizes the shift from being a team with potential, aspiring for conference finals, to facing recurring second-round exits despite significant roster overhauls.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (02:49): "Three years now... if you can't get out of the second round again, especially in this situation... the path to victory that's laid out this year... is when impatience starts to ramp up."

Player Performance and Strategy

The hosts dissect key player performances, with particular attention to Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. They discuss the strategic double-teaming of Karl-Anthony Towns and its impact on his game, questioning whether the coaching staff is optimizing Towns' strengths or inadvertently hindering his performance.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (07:16): "They have to find ways that he is in rhythm. He misses having the ability to be on the perimeter and take threes."
• Peter Rosenberg (35:28): "What should the Knicks do to get Towns free?"

Coaching and Team Dynamics

Tom Thibodeau's coaching decisions are scrutinized, especially his approach to defensive strategies and player rotations. The discussion highlights the need for adaptive tactics to counter the Celtics' robust gameplay and prevent recurring playoff disappointments.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (35:28): "They have got to get him [Anunoby] going offensively and that also I think makes him more aggressive defensively."

---

Fan Reactions and Audience Calls

Listeners' perspectives are featured through phone calls, revealing a spectrum of emotions from frustration to unwavering support. Felicia from Mississippi voices confusion over Yankees fans' animosity towards Soto, while Lang from Connecticut expresses a love-hate relationship with the Knicks, yearning for consistent victories without the accompanying anxiety of potential blowouts.

Notable Quotes:

• Felicia (24:33): "I just don't understand the narrative of some Yankee fans saying they hate Soto."
• Lang (27:33): "The Knicks this year is the biggest love-hate relationship I've ever had in my entire life."

---

Off-Topic Discussions

Mayonnaise Debate

In a lighter segment, the hosts engage in a humorous debate about the origins and preferences of mayonnaise, sparked by a listener's question. This serves as a brief respite from the intense sports analysis, showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and ability to entertain beyond sports.

Notable Quote:

• Peter Rosenberg (24:17): "Steve Brzezinski sent the ingredients of mayonnaise... one egg yolk, a cup of neutral oil..."

Ticket Prices and Game Day Experience

The conversation shifts to the skyrocketing secondary market prices for Knicks playoff games, highlighting the fervent fan base's willingness to invest heavily for a chance to witness pivotal moments.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (14:35): "The lowest asking price is six hundred bucks. To sit with your back to the wall all the way up."

Yankees and Soto Narrative

The discussion touches on the inter-city rivalries, specifically the tension between Yankee fans and Soto, offering insights into how fan loyalties and player transfers influence perceptions within the New York sports landscape.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (26:01): "You're going to feel."

Traffic Etiquette

Wrapping up, the hosts humorously debate proper etiquette during traffic jams, reflecting on the broader societal tensions and the importance of maintaining civility in everyday situations.

Notable Quote:

• Peter Rosenberg (40:08): "People are willing to put their lives on the line for the stupidest things nowadays."

---

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts reiterate the high stakes of the Knicks' upcoming Game 6 against the Celtics. They emphasize the critical nature of this game in determining the team's future trajectory and the potential for either escalation of expectations or a necessary organizational overhaul.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (36:25): "So, you guys, of course you want to tune into MSG Networks tonight at 7:30... it's going to be interesting."

Don Hahn wraps up the show by promoting the upcoming game coverage and ensuring listeners are tuned in for the post-game analysis, underscoring the ongoing narrative of the Knicks' playoff saga.

---

Key Takeaways

• High Stakes for Knicks: The team faces immense pressure to break their second-round playoff exit streak, with Game 6 against the Celtics being pivotal.
• Strategic Concerns: Coaching decisions, particularly around player utilization and defensive strategies, are under intense scrutiny.
• Fan Engagement: Listener calls reveal a deep emotional investment and varied perspectives among the Knicks' fan base.
• Broader Discussions: The episode offers glimpses into everyday topics, balancing sports analysis with relatable humor and societal observations.

---

This episode of Don, Hahn & Rosenberg provides a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the New York Knicks' playoff journey, balancing in-depth sports analysis with lighthearted banter and listener interaction. Whether you're a dedicated Knicks fan or a casual listener, the discussion offers valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of New York's beloved basketball team.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 880 ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers 500 one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Of the big city Don Han and Rosenberg taking up until 6:30. Then it's Mets baseball. Mets and the Yankees. Knicks of course have a huge game we talked about at the beginning of the show, guys, I mean everything that they've built up going from there's a path to a championship to being same old Knicks. That's what we're looking at.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Win tonight. You're doing something you did haven't done 25 years, go to a conference final, clinch a playoff series at home, lose tonight. We're opening a show Monday talking about the Knicks having to win a Game 7 in Boston to not have it all just go up in flames.

[Alan Hahn]

And this would be. You think about it too. This is three years now. Again they re they kind of reworked the starting lineup in the off season so it is a different team but it's still for this group talking about front office head coach, star player. It's three years now in the second round and if you, if you can't get out of the second round again, especially in this situation like last year you got a pass because everybody got hurt at the end of that playoff. Sure you were up 3:2, but everybody got hurt. This is much different. This feels like you were up 20 in a couple of games that you were able to outlast a team that was making a ton of mistakes. Then you have a huge home game, a massive injury to the opponent who's defending champs. You have the defending champs on the ropes. If you don't get out of this series and now that's three years in a row where you're stuck in the second round and can't advance even with everything. Like you said, the path to victory that is laid out this year, that's when I think the impatience now start. The impatience meter starts to ramp up. That's the problem is that's what. Which is why again as I gave the May a couple at the start of the show, I was dead wrong. There is a ton of pressure on the Knicks in this game. Not only tonight but obviously if they get to a game seven and if they are, if they struggle to advance out of this round, it really does start to become rethinking everything about how are you building a championship caliber team because you built a good team that every year is going to win 50 games and every year is going to win a playoff round. And those are things that five years ago, every Knick fan would have signed up for. But three years in, if you're running an organization, you do start to say, okay, how. How do we advance the cause? Because we are here to try to win a championship. And it feels like that second round, we keep hitting the wall. And so it's going to be very interesting if the Knicks can't get this done, what the off season is going to look like.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I want to ask both of you this question before we go to some Knicks sound everything that would have been on the table if the Knicks had lost to the Pistons. Would blowing a 31 series lead in the second round be the same thing? Alan?

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know if it's the same.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Peter.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't know if it's the same.

[Ian Begley]

Because you mean in terms of the overall bad. How bad it's gonna feel?

[Peter Rosenberg]

How bad it's gonna feel like all things, all fire tibs. The trade didn't work. Same old. We knew that was all gonna be on the table of the Pistons if they, if they.

[Ian Begley]

How about this? It might be worse because is there.

[Alan Hahn]

Not a caveat that says it's defending champions and Jaylen Brown is still upright and he was the finals mvp. Like, is it still. Like you can't still have that as a bit of a caveat? Again, I'm not trying to sugarcoat anything. This was set up for them to get to the conference finals and end the drought of 26 years, 25 years. I'm not trying to. But to say not getting out of the first round and losing to a team that is young, with no experience in the postseason. I know both of us is losing to the defending champs, but, but, but.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think Peter might be right. I think. Definitely debatable. We'll think about it in the immediate.

[Ian Begley]

It'll feel worse.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You'll. You'll have blown a three one series lead. You would have blown a three one series lead with them losing their best player. With the Indiana Pacers waiting in the conference final, you lose in the first round. You have no idea how we might have lost to Boston anyway. You know, like, so there. It still would be disgusting. You took a step back, all those things really, really bad. But now you're up 3:1. With the Pacers home court in the conference final, the best team in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, may get knocked out this weekend.

[Alan Hahn]

Big game Sunday. Big.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They may get knocked out. You know, and that. So I, I think both of you. It's so compelling to me because you have taken a step back. You can at least say, hey, we lost to the defending champions. We made it to the second round, which is better than getting bounced in the first. But having everything laid out in front.

[Alan Hahn]

Of you, how you felt now, how.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like how the Knick fans felt after game four. Oh, yeah, it might be worse.

[Alan Hahn]

Now, let me, let me, let me add this, Let me ask this question. If they win today and advance, is it as good as it should be when you say they beat the Celtics in the second round or do you say, you know, they lost Tatum?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Celtics weren't very good and they had no Porzingis. Like. Or does it soften it? And it's like, you know, you still haven't accomplished anything because you beat a compromised Celtic team.

[Peter Rosenberg]

First of all, poor Zingis is out there. I, I know he left game one. So clearly he's compromised, no question. But no, we had, we had this conversation the other day, guys, I don't want to hear from boss. The only beat is because we lost Tatum yet a nine point lead with under three minutes to play when Tatum got hurt. Yeah, anything can happen. A Reggie Miller moment can happen. You were winning that game. If Tatum didn't get hurt, you're still up 3:1. Now, I do think it'll definitely rear its ugly head if they lose today and then there's a game seven because we had Tatum, we probably would win. But no, you're up three one man against that team with Tatum healthy.

[Alan Hahn]

What I mean is this. You win this game tonight, doesn't the expectations ramp up even more? Like, remember, we were, we were talking about this team going in like, let's see what they can be. Their offense is great. What can they develop into? By the time we got to the playoffs, we weren't looking at this as a championship team. We were talking about, can they get to a conference final? Can they just get there, like, take the, you know, take that next step and then keep building? But now it's almost like you accelerate the expectations because if you beat this team, they, Vegas would have them as the second favorite to win the championship. And oh, by the way, if the Thunder lose Sunday afternoon to the Nuggets, who do you think would be number one?

[Peter Rosenberg]

The Knicks would be the favorites. That's why I think Peter's right, Allen, because that's what would have been on the table, that you lost again. You lose to the Pistons, you're disgusted. You lost in the first round, Everything.

[Alan Hahn]

Would Be up for grass. I think that would have been.

[Ian Begley]

It could have meant the end of Tibbs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, you could have met the end. But. But this. You're right. That's why I think what Allen's response is, is very intriguing. But you. There would still be the unknown of, yeah, we probably would have lost to the Celtics anyway. Or this path that we would have to go through Cleveland maybe is sitting there as. As if it plays out the way it did.

[Alan Hahn]

You'd be lamented even more. Oh, my God, you lost the pisses. Look at the Celtics are all banged up and now the Cavs stink. And the Pacers were in the conference final. You couldn't play them. No, like that would happen.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right, but that. Right, But I'm just saying in the moment.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

As soon as you lost to the Pistons. Okay, yeah. Seeing how everything had gone down. But who knows? You know, maybe the. Maybe the Celtics beat the Pacers and you'd be like, I see. Well, maybe Tatum doesn't get hurt. All these things happen. But the fact is, is that the path is right there in front of you. A 31 series lead. No Tatum, no Cavs.

[Alan Hahn]

You could taste it. Done. If you're, if you're, if you're Jalen Brunson, you've got to be. Think if you're, if you're Leon Rose, if you're Tom Thibodeau, you've got to be thinking, especially Tom Thibodeau. He's been to one conference final, right? That was it. When he had Derrick Rose, he had one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

And if you're thinking, you got. You're looking at the landscape of the NBA right now going into this game and saying, you cannot lose this game tonight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's embarrassing to lose in the first round, but that's all it is. You lost in the first round, blowing a 31 series lead. You might have blown a championship.

[Alan Hahn]

That. But, but winning tonight, to me, going into this game, there's a feeling of, man, one win. And there is so much potential for a season that didn't feel like it had that. But it's there. It's there for the taking. And you got a strike. That's like that extra motivation. You know, when we Talked about Game 5 and Josh Hart hated that question about, you know, do you feel like you gotta win Friday? You always gotta win players. I want to win tonight. Like, you know, you have bad games. But that sense tonight, after seeing what happened between the Thunder and the Nuggets, after seeing the fact that the Pacers Are there now? Not the Cavs. You got to think to yourself like, man, I got to lay it out for one night and I have a chance. I might even have the best chance for me to get a ring that I might ever have over the next X amount of whatever's left of my career. Every player on this roster should be feeling like that. Tom Thibodeau should be feeling like that. I got to coach my ass off tonight. If we get this win, we get a four or five days off. We play a Pacers team that we feel like we can match up with, we can get revenge for last year. But not only that, there's a real chance of putting a banner or two of up in that building. And that's forever when you do that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that's why, believe it or not, everything that you just said, they'll be. There'll be some hell to pay if they don't be the Pacers. So right all of a sudden, now it ratchets up to where like all of a sudden they lose in five to the Pacers. You don't think the minutes police are going to come out or. It's a. It's just amazing. This, this run, this. This really is just very, very. And I know they were a three seed. They were an outstanding team all year long, but this does have. Don, can you compare miracle feel to it?

[Alan Hahn]

You're so good with history and recall. Can you compare something that for a team that had this kind. The emotional roller coasters and, and all of the. The what ifs that come with it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You've got to enjoy it. You're too strong. Yeah.

[Ian Begley]

Thanks, Wendy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was. I mean, he's not wrong.

[Alan Hahn]

But Don, do you. Can you think of a team that had this kind of. That do or die sense of every win is you is as euphoric of, oh my God, they could do something incredible. And every loss felt like, nah, there's no chance. This whole thing should be blown up, feel like.

[Ian Begley]

Like that.

[Alan Hahn]

It feels so com.

[Ian Begley]

Like there's no feel that way.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It.

[Ian Begley]

No, I disagree. The last game didn't feel that way. The last game was game five.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, game five.

[Ian Begley]

The last game didn't. No one walked away from game five feeling anything terrible.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, what are we doing here? We're talking about if you lose tonight, you're not going to win the series and everything goes to hell. And now we're going to go back to firing everybody.

[Ian Begley]

But are reasonable people actually thinking that because of what happened then or if they lose game six, I Think it's.

[Alan Hahn]

Because there's a lack of a. Like, like I said, and I'm being as objective as I can, the Knicks don't have the look of a championship team. They have a look of a good team that will scratch and claw, and if it's late in games, they got a great closer. But do they look like a team that you're like, wow, they can win a championship, but on the landscape of who's left, you're like, yeah, they actually. They actually could.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

So that's. That. I think it's. It's. You're trying to convince yourself that this could really happen. I mean, while also believing that at any moment the whole house of cards was coming down. And that's what it's felt like every game from the Pistons to this series.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Listen, there's plenty of comps as far as, like, a team that, if they don't win, are going to blow it up. Like the, you know, the 80 Islanders, they were going to blow that up if they didn't. If they didn't, you know, you know, win at least a couple of rounds or whatever. But, like, I don't think things broke their way the way it broke for the Knicks. The.07 Giants, yeah, they were probably going to fire Coughlin if they didn't make the playoffs. Yeah, they had to win that Week 3 against the Redskins, otherwise their season could be over. But I don't. But maybe. But I don't think if they lost to the Bucks in the first round, anybody was going to lose their job. It would be, hey, at least we made the playoffs. But it's. And they didn't. And the Giants didn't catch any breaks on the way to the run. It wasn't like Favre got hurt for the packers or, you know, Tom Brady didn't play in the super like this. It's. I don't think there's any kind of the roller coaster of everything. Just to know that as happy as you are with all these stages that have been presented to you, that if you still fail, you can go right back to square one.

[Ian Begley]

Well, the roller coaster would really be rocking. We'd be fully flying down the big drop. If they lose tonight.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Ian Begley]

Because they win tonight and you kind of look back at it and you go, the series had some bumps, but we felt good.

[Alan Hahn]

But.

[Ian Begley]

But they got to go play another.

[Peter Rosenberg]

One, you know, get swept by the Pacers. You don't think that they'll be like, oh, God, but how do we do that? Because I Think there's going to be a level of expectation if the Knicks win tonight or Monday and they go to the conference final. There's going to be a level of almost from this positive fan base inevitability. They're going to the finals and not going would be a huge disappointment. You're not going to be like, oh, at least we made it to the conference final for the first time in 25 years.

[Alan Hahn]

You're going to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You've been presented with home court advantage against the team that you're better than.

[Ian Begley]

But again, that's that. First of all, that's negligible. The better than part, I'd say. And also, isn't that a what it looks like kind of thing too?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No.

[Ian Begley]

Well, of course, a sweep. Of course, yes. Sweep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's like, wait a minute.

[Ian Begley]

Any sweep would have been really, really bad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That would have been tough.

[Ian Begley]

By the way, what is the line for tonight?

[Alan Hahn]

I think it was two. Is it two?

[Ian Begley]

Is it Nick's by two?

[Alan Hahn]

It's like two. Two and a half.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, they're favor.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes, they are. Yeah, that's the first time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think that's the first time in.

[Alan Hahn]

The first time in the series. Yes, it's two and a half still. Yeah, it's two and a half. By the way, do you know what it's going to cost to get in the building? Secondary market.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's got to be right up there with game three. If not exceeding it.

[Alan Hahn]

It's actually not exceeding it. You're right. But we're talking about twelve hundred dollars. Vivid seats. Lowest asking price is six hundred bucks. To sit with your back to the wall all the way up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

By the ceiling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's great. There's.

[Alan Hahn]

So there was a ticket sold center court, but like, you know, lower. Lower bowl, center court area, not on the court. 20 grand.

[Ian Begley]

The idea of paying 20 grand and your feet can't trip the ref is.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's it.

[Ian Begley]

Imagine that, Don. You're like, I spent 20 grand here. And then the person show, they're like, oh, my rich friend, he dropped 20 grand. I can't wait. We're going to be sitting next to Spike Lee and then you get there and you're like 18 rows back. 20 grand.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, well, probably can't even catch a T shirt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, Josh Hart was asked about Game 6 tonight. How important is it to get the W on this very next game at home?

[Josh Hart]

This is such a stupid question. I mean, every game that you want to win, bro, like, there's no added anything. Like every game you want to go out there and win. It doesn't matter where if it's at home or away. To question the stupidity of me. Every, every game you go out there, you want to win, you want to compete at the highest level, and obviously we didn't do that. And next game's our next game, and that's all we're focusing on, is getting a win.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not Otis. Otis took a, took a stray there. He, you know cbs, right. Otis Livingston, great guy that asked the question. And Josh, this was post game. That quote is from post game, game five. So he's pissed off. He's got his eye all patched up and he, he, he was annoyed by the question.

[Ian Begley]

But is it. Is it a. Being honest? Is it kind of a stupid question?

[Alan Hahn]

No, but you're, you're not.

[Ian Begley]

How important is it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold on.

[Ian Begley]

How important is it to get the W@ MSG, right?

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, but you understand what you. Sometimes you ask a question to get the answer to get him to respond to the question. Not necessarily. It's a great question. Oh, it's. I want the sound bite of you saying, yeah, it's a really important game for us. Right. Like that's what you're looking for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, Obviously every question, it's not so much like, I know the answer to it, but I need you to say it like what I. Listen, the percentages are low, but what if his answer was not at all? We got it. We'll have a game seven that will just win. That would be something.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. We got two games to win. We got one. Two games to win. One. That's all we. That's all we're thinking about. Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Right. And I guess the odds are low, but if he did answer that, then it would be a great question.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ian Begley]

Because look at the response. I mean, no one's going to.

[Alan Hahn]

You were a guy that had to get sound right after games sometime back in the day, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. So you don't understand those roles.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, because I think that's what the.

[Ian Begley]

But sometimes you guys do ask stupid questions, but you're admitting it with the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hope of getting an interesting answer. Stupid questions.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know, when I, When I, When I've got Brett Hull mother effing the organization, the St. Louis Blues, calling out his coach and general manager to be fired, and then Bill Meth says, well, you got the Islanders tomorrow. That's a stupid question.

[Ian Begley]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's a stupid question. But every question I ask, I could probably. 90% of the time, any interview we do 90% of the time. I probably, verbatim could give you the answer that I'm gonna get, but I still have to have him say it. So all it is, don't even look at it as a question as much as it's almost like a prompt or.

[Alan Hahn]

A directive or I'm leading you to sound bite. You know, I one time said to someone because I asked a question and the response was, you know the answer to that. And I'm like, yeah, I do, but nobody cares what I think. I need to hear you say it.

[Ian Begley]

Right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Do they think they were just like, I'm. I'm just really. I just need to know. I don't know the answers to these questions. Please help me. What's the meaning of life? You know, where does mayonnaise come from? Like, these are things I don't know the answer to, but that's not what I'm doing. I know how you feel.

[Ian Begley]

You're just lost.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's your disgust. But I need you to say it into my microphone so we can play it on the radio.

[Ian Begley]

Do we need to, Don, is the mayonnaise thing a tough thing for you?

[Alan Hahn]

Is that. Yeah. Did you not know?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't talk through it. I don't know. I don't care. But it's like, you know, I don't know. It's an old joke. There was a. There was a boss that I had in an old job that would always send, like, before email. So he would. He would print out a note and put it on the bulletin board. And like, one of them was like a one line thing on a piece of paper that says, don't waste paper. And it was like one line. You're wasting paper with that note. But he'd always say, if you have any questions, let us know. We'd always write underneath it, like, where does mayonnaise come from? What's the meaning? Like. Like stupid things, but I remember that being one of them. What does mayonnaise come from? And I don't. I don't know the ingredients to mayonnaise. I probably could figure it out, but I don't know.

[Ian Begley]

I think it's eggs and oil.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You think? You're not sure? So if I put eggs in oil, I instantly have mayonnaise?

[Ian Begley]

No, I don't think that either.

[Peter Rosenberg]

See, it's a legit question. I wouldn't ask Josh Hart, but Ian Begley was on dnr. What will we see from Kat tonight?

[Michael K]

You know, he talks about just doing what he's been asked to do in terms of the offensive end. You know, when I hear that, I hear him saying, look, this is what they're telling me to do. It's not something that, that I'm doing or not doing, he said. I just don't. I haven't gotten the opportunities to shoot out there. That could be veiled frustration. It could be. What I go back to is the Detroit series where, you know, game two of that series, Towns also was, was pretty quiet. There was a lot of questions about his involvement or lack thereof. And then game three in Detroit, the out, and they started the game finding him beyond the arc and he was knocking down three after three early in that game. And then early game four, they found him in the post with Tobias Harris covering him again and again early on. And he operated out of the post and operated effectively. So they did make adjustments in that Detroit series. And I just wonder if you see that again tonight where Towns is involved regularly. Early.

[Alan Hahn]

Boy, he, he answered that way better than I did yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How so?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, he. Because he explained it using history. I was just basically saying this is what they believe works, is that he's got small guys guarding him and they want to, they want to take advantage of the size factor. And what the difference from game four where he went nine for nine on dunks and layups versus Game five, was the fact that when he had a smaller player on him once he went into his movement, Luke Cornett or Al Horford left Josh Hart and went to go double and they got the better of him in those situations. They timed it right and he looked bad. And the question keeps coming up is this guy shot 43% from three point range during the regular season and he's. What is he 2 for 13 in the series? He hasn't taken a lot, but he also hasn't made a lot. What's going on and how can they get him open? And that's the part where it's not what they want and you can hear him say it. I'm just doing what I'm told. I'm following the game plan. It's supposed to work. So far it is. They won three, but there is a little twinge of him going like, you know what I do and how do they get him into that kind of a rhythm where he can exploit the size factor on the perimeter and shoot over smaller defenders from downtown.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ian Begley]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Tullamore. Do Irish Whiskey. Because it's game time.

[Ian Begley]

It's toast time. What the.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Close out the Celtics with coverage at 7 on 1050. And the subway series kicks off tonight in the Bronx with coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6:25 Tullimore Dew. The original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullimore Dew honey. During today's action, glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. One of our favorite listeners, Steve Brzezinski, sent the ingredients of mayonnaise. It's one egg yolk, a cup of neutral oil like canola or sunflower oil, one to two teaspoons of Dijon mustard, a tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine vinaigrette, salt to taste, and you can also put a few drops of water if it gets a little too thick. So there is mayonnaise. Thanks.

[Ian Begley]

So it's eggs and oil.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's eggs.

[Alan Hahn]

Pretty much, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, pretty much.

[Alan Hahn]

There you go. See?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Not a fan of. I know some things. Not a fan of mayonnaise.

[Ian Begley]

Not a fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No. And the ingredients.

[Ian Begley]

What about.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hold on, hold on.

[Ian Begley]

Let's talk for a second.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Ian Begley]

Do you. You don't enjoy tuna salad?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I do.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's weird.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I have to. I have to have mayonnaise with my tuna.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Begley]

But that's the only way you like it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But I can't have mayonnaise like, on a sandwich. I don't.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, you don't like it as. As a condiment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't like it as a condiment.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I'm with you. I'm not a big mayonnaise guy as a condiment on a sandwich, but if.

[Ian Begley]

Like, you're not adding it to a sub.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, definitely not. But.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you're with me.

[Alan Hahn]

Chicken salad, tuna salad. All right. Potato salad, 100. Gotta have it. And a little special sauce for the burger. Yeah, no doubt. Because you use.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Wow.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean? Like, you just use it as a base to make a little special sauce. Yeah, absolutely.

[Peter Rosenberg]

This is how we learn and we grow. 3776. How about Felicia in Mississippi? You're on ESPN New York. How are you, Felicia?

[Felicia]

Hey, guys. How's it going?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Good. Hi.

[Felicia]

Oh, hello. So I just wanted to chime in. I'm a Yankee fan, and I just don't understand the narrative of some Yankee fans saying they Hate Soto. You know, we knew he wasn't going to stay unless we paid up the most money. It's not like he was a homegrown Yankee. That was something tragic. I like the Tavares situation with the Islanders. I just don't get the narrative of Yankee fans hating him. Like, if I was there, I wouldn't boo him. I also wouldn't cheer him. I wouldn't give him a tribute or anything, but, you know, it's just he won't move along and, you know, and Alan, I get what you're saying about the narrative of Soto versus Judge, but I totally agree with Don that that's for the. That's for someone who's not a real baseball fan or someone who's not in the New York market. Just this is my 2 cents.

[Alan Hahn]

I just think it's part of it, you know, because they're the stars and the stars are always involved in any, any type of rivalries. You know, what they do and how they carry their teams. Like, all that stuff is part of the discussion. Who's the hero, who's not, who had a bad game versus a good game. Look, if they both go 3 for 4 with two home runs, that's even a bigger story. It's awesome. Like, this is the stuff. We love to see the stars playing great. Yeah, but, you know, like, I'm surprised, Felicia, like, like to not feel a certain way as a fan. Like, to you, you can't be completely apathetic about the fact that a guy once wore your pinstripes, now he's playing for somebody else that's in the same town. You are going to feel.

[Felicia]

No, you're right. And I do wish we had kept him. I'm not one of those fans. It's like, oh, we're better off without him. No, I don't agree with that, but I. I just think, you know, there's nothing you could do about it. It's not. It wasn't heart wrenching for me when he left. I kind of already knew, you know.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So you were logical.

[Alan Hahn]

It is what it is. That's a fair point.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think you're right. Listen, I'm not telling you gotta be a fan of them. But I think the Yankee fans that hate him, Felicia, and thank you for the phone call. Are the ones that really believe that it wasn't going to be about the money. But if you knew it was about the money, then this shouldn't surprise you and you shouldn't be mad.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And the other thing that's just Weird about it though. At least give me this, Alan. Like we're talking about a player that was a Yankee for one year and, and it's been a Met for a month and a half. Like there's not a lot of history for either team, you know? You know what I mean? Like, so he's been in New York for a decade.

[Alan Hahn]

That's true.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's so weird. Like it's true, you know, 18 months ago or like it wasn't like anything at all.

[Alan Hahn]

You're right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You had to have like him be a Yankee and it was only a year. Like if Judge had signed with the Mets. That's really something, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yankees drafted him. He had been a Yankee for, you know, six, seven years and now he's a mad. And Met fans knew him. Like Met fans knew Soto. But like, you know, he there wasn't really on their radar as much.

[Alan Hahn]

All of it's fair.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's very odd. It's, it's an, it's, it's sports, man. You can't make this stuff up. Let's go to Lang in Connecticut. You're on espn, New York.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Lang]

Guys, this Knicks team this year is the biggest love, hate relationship I've ever had in my entire life. I don't know why they feel so highly of themselves, why they think so highly of themselves. They haven't accomplished anything.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Who feels highly Lang for the Knicks?

[Lang]

The, the Knicks. The Knicks. For them to come out lackadaisical, for them to come out without their.

[Alan Hahn]

They didn't come out lackadaisical. They did. They were up by nine. There was not like a days ago give credit to the Celtics played a physical game. They played. They played tough, they played hard. Brown had to be a star and he was, he played hero ball. He was great. The Knicks made a ton of mistakes. It's the thing. Guys, I'm sorry, I can't deal with this. I know it looks like it, but a lot of times when you miss shots, the other teams are making shots, you're going to look lackadaisical. But it's not like they decided to come out and not try. They did try. They did not play well. They had an awful game. Awful.

[Lang]

My body physiologically cannot take msg. Regular scheduled programming getting interrupted for the postgame breaking news and looking at you like you just saw a ghost. Because the knicks were down 20 points and then they came back to somehow win the game. I can't do that tonight. I need them to win by 15 points or more. I want a nice Easy Friday night. I can't do it again.

[Ian Begley]

Well, Lang, it's a nice story you're telling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it is.

[Ian Begley]

And we all would love that. And I'm not saying that there is a world in which. There is a world in which, you know, the game's closed for a while and at some point the Knicks pull away a bit and maybe you sense the Celtics and. Alan, hear me out. I'm not saying this is conscious, okay? I know consciously a competitor never gives up. But there could be a world in which the Celtics heart gets taken at the right time and they get that reminder of, we don't have Tatum, we're not winning this whole thing. And you'll see them fold. That is possible. But in all likelihood, Alan, I think the Boston talent is too good for the Knicks to have a kind of coast into the sunset victory tonight.

[Alan Hahn]

Absolutely not.

[Ian Begley]

Yeah, I don't think it's likely.

[Alan Hahn]

No. It's again, what you saw in game five. Expect more in game six. And that's all just, you got a match. It's the same thing as we saw game three versus Game four. It's just that kind of a series. And that's what you got to expect. No, look, when he said, I wanted to put my feet up and just watch the game, that's not the playoffs, especially second round against the defending champs. But I wanted to have put my fit and watch baseball tonight. I didn't want to have a game tonight. So we all understand it's really amazing. Guys like it. The. The anxiety levels were like two, two and a half hours from. From tip off. And you could feel it building. Like it's just. It's starting to build the closer you get to the game. That there is a high anxiety about this game for a lot of Knicks fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But also just to show you how a crazy, a wild journey this all has been. Colossally big game. And yet there's something else going on in New York that people care about. Like, usually these are standalone. Like imagine. I'm not going to put it at the level of a Super bowl, but imagine if there was like another story that kind of feels like it can get the same play as the Super Bowl. You know, imagine the jets playing in a Super Bowl. But there's another story that we gotta. We also have to take calls on.

[Alan Hahn]

They're talking about the Liberty opening up tomorrow, raising a banner.

[Ian Begley]

That's right.

[Alan Hahn]

ABC 130.

[Ian Begley]

It's something. Don't sleep on that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oceanside, you're on ESPN. New York. I Didn't say anything.

[Alan Hahn]

I did nothing. I want to get down, fired.

[Peter Rosenberg]

What's up, Garrett?

[Garrett]

I think that last call needs some medication before we watch. Yeah, that's how I call.

[Alan Hahn]

He deals with.

[Garrett]

Anyway, last night, last day I called you. Spirited conversation about Towns. We sort of disagreed about what's happening with Towns. But today I was listening to Michael K before the show. I didn't call him and he sort of said it much better than I could. And what he basically saying is it's really up to the coach and the team to make. Get Townes in a position to get. To make his plays. I don't think they've been doing that. And Alan, you perfectly said what they were doing with the double team and then bringing him over. Well, that's where the coach has got to call timeout and come up with the play to beat that. Okay. And that's something they're not doing. And I don't want to hear Tibbs after this game saying, well, we're going to look at the films. You can predict what the team is going to do, what the other team is going to do. Now Towns is not. Doesn't have his DNA and Michael Cage brought out perfectly today. He's not going to sit in the huddle and say, get me the ball. That's not him. Baltimore's a head coach. He's the first of Brunson. He sits out there and he watches Brunson. In fact, he does his best playing probably and most assertive is when Brunson's not in the game. So my question to you, Al, who I respect a lot, I've never. You when you're at News day writing, I think for the Islanders News Day, I respect everything you say. What should the Knicks do to get Towns free?

[Alan Hahn]

And Garrett, when. When we, when we talk, I was trying to explain that, that, you know, like, think about it. His game four was exactly what they want him to do in this series. It's just dominating the paint, you know, be that guy that won't be denied small. Make them pay because they're putting small players on you. In the Pistons series, he had another again, small player, Tobias Harris. And when he was at his best, especially in the clinching game, he abused Tobias Harris. So that's this. That. That's part of. I think what they're trying to do is take advantage of the fact that teams are playing small players because if you put a big player on him, he'll go out on the perimeter and he'll blow right by him. That's just what he's been able to do. So the smaller players that are quicker, he can't drive past them. And then there's the big that's hanging. So you have to have quicker decisions. But it worked in game four. It was terrible in game five. But what you're learning though from hearing him is he kind of misses having the ability to be on the perimeter and take threes. It is part of his game and it does help get him into rhythm. So what would I do? I probably would have spent yesterday thinking about ways that you can get him some looks on the perimeter. And I still don't know why guys, they have gone away from him and Brunson playing a two man game. Two, two best offensive players just have those two working together. You're going to switch, have, have Towns pop and now you got a smaller guy jumping out and he can get a quick shot. The big man has to drop off because Brunson's so good on the drive. Like I don't understand why they don't have the two of them play off of each other instead of playing where Towns is away from Brunson. And so those are things that I'm curious to see what kind of adjustments are made in a game like this. But you got to get him going. You know who else you got to get going? OG Anunoby. You can't ignore Anunoby either when he scores 20 points or more in the playoffs. The Knicks are five and oh guys, they're five and oh, you've got to find ways that he is in rhythm. He was 1 for 12 in Game 5. We don't talk enough about him. You know, he makes $40 million like he, he makes like he and Cat make the most money on the team. And we all talk about Towns. No one talks about Anunoby. He was equally as bad in game five. They have got to get him going offensively and that also I think makes him more aggressive defensively.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ian Begley]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Hahn]

So guys, of course you want to tune into MSG Networks tonight at 7:30 because it's at 8:00 clock tip off. So it's 7:30. Go to MSG Networks. We got a pregame show as we always do before the playoff games. Knicks Celtics Game 6 tonight at the Garden. Hottest ticket in town once again. And of course remember after the game We've got you covered. Back to MSG Networks. You go after, of course, the game on espn and we'll break down everything from game six. Analysis, interviews. We have a one hour post game show on msg and we have your fans, we have, of course, all you Knick fans cover with pre and post game coverage tonight and throughout the playoffs. And this will be one you won't want to miss for sure. Because that post game show, one way or another, it's going to be interesting.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, it's going to be. Definitely. I usually don't dive into the post games after my team loses, but I think tonight Knick fans are going to want to watch that if it's setting up a potential game seven.

[Ian Begley]

Oh, boy, it's a scary thought.

[Alan Hahn]

So, you guys, Anthony Volpe for tonight's game. He's got special cleats. They are. Now, again, this is a Yankee. They're blue and orange and they have all the names of all the Knicks starters on them. They're Knicks themed cleats. But it is odd that he's wearing blue and orange cleats. Although they're mostly blue, I guess. Don, you into it or trying number is 11.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, he's a local kid, so it's a good chance he grew up a Nick fan.

[Alan Hahn]

He's. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

But he's got the numbers either way. But blue and orange in a Yankee uniform playing a mess. You don't care?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, no, because it's the Nick colors and he's got a. Again, there might be. I guess there might be people that don't know and go, why does he have blue and orange? But then when you find out. Come on.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, I think 11 in orange, but I get.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know for sure. I mean, I guess growing up in Jersey, he might have been a Nick fan. But even if he. Even if he's not, I mean, you want to rep the other team. No.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's certainly not going to. If you're a Yankee. There's no. Nothing Boston you're ever rooting for.

[Peter Rosenberg]

True.

[Alan Hahn]

Speaking of which, you see the Red Sox City edition, City connect.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. The Green Monster going green.

[Ian Begley]

It's. It's not what you want.

[Alan Hahn]

I don't.

[Ian Begley]

There's not a team. I'm gonna say it right now. There's not a team doing alt jerseys in sports. Doing it much worse than the Boston Red Sox.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, the blue and yellow is for.

[Ian Begley]

I don't give a damn what.

[Alan Hahn]

It's marathon. It doesn't matter.

[Ian Begley]

But that doesn't make the jersey look good.

[Alan Hahn]

Alan.

[Ian Begley]

I could, I could tell you I'm having a cause, and the cause is amazing. And I show you guys the logo, and if it's a swastika, you go, you know what? I'd rethink it.

[Alan Hahn]

So I don't know what the cause would be.

[Ian Begley]

Well, my point is not quite the.

[Alan Hahn]

Cause that I think I could get behind.

[Ian Begley]

My point is it's not just about. It looks like we know the cause for their, their connect jerseys. About the marathon's a beautiful cause, but the bright yellow looks ridiculous. The green monster looks stupid. Why are they. Why are they.

[Alan Hahn]

Why can't they just do my red socks? Right?

[Ian Begley]

Like, you have red in your name.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You can't go yellow or green for honoring everything, but you still have to look good. And if you really want to honor it, you want to make sure the way you're honoring looks good. And I know those are the marathon colors, but you can come up with something better than, than that.

[Ian Begley]

Do better. Do better, Red Sox.

[Alan Hahn]

He says, do better. Etiquette question, guys. Because I sat in God awful traffic in Queens today.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Sure.

[Alan Hahn]

It was really getting through Queens right now is you really need to pack a lunch. But I'm curious about etiquette. So when you're in that stop and go, just everybody's just crawling along kind of ton of traffic, but you know, like, you know that lane's moving a little bit fast. Let me, let me edge over and just get into that lane a little bit. And so somebody lets you in, you wave, right?

[Ian Begley]

I mean, that's what you're supposed to do.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If you're a decent.

[Ian Begley]

If you're a decent human.

[Alan Hahn]

If you're a decent. It's just, all it is, is simple. Lift your hand, rear view mirror. They can see in their, you know, windshield that your hands up, little acknowledgement, right?

[Ian Begley]

That's how I feel.

[Alan Hahn]

We're all, we're all miserable. But then there's the other one. There's a little opening. You try to edge out and that guy guns it. Fender gets up there. Just so you know. No, you're not getting that spot. Not letting you cut. Not letting you do. Now you do another gesture. Do you not? Or do you just like, do you do anything? Eye contact, something like, really, bud? Like we're doing this. Like we're all. We're not going anywhere. Or do you say nothing? What do you do? Head straight. Just let it go.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah. You don't even look.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, because we're in. We're in an era right now where you might get shot.

[Ian Begley]

Yeah, I do.

[Alan Hahn]

Honestly, that's when I'm sitting in that kind of traffic. That. That sounds appealing.

[Peter Rosenberg]

People are willing to put their lives on the line for the stupidest things nowadays. Listen, are the odds. Are the odds low that God forbid somebody's gonna get that upset that they're gonna shoot me? But if they did, the narrative would be, well, why did Don have to do. Why did he have to give the guy the finger? Could he just stare forward?

[Ian Begley]

I gotta tell you, I'm with Don. I think almost no situation in the world that we currently live in is worth doing anything.

[Alan Hahn]

Not even a really. Not even like, with just a look. Like, come on, like, what do you.

[Ian Begley]

I mean, I. No, no, the look is always good because that way you can look at the person and judge whether you might die. And if they look like. If you see the crazy, you go, I'm gonna just keep looking. I'll give him a pleasant wave instead.

[Alan Hahn]

So I'm gonna change my ways then. I shouldn't.

[Ian Begley]

I think it's not. I don't trust the world.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Well, so I. But I will say this really quick. Like, there's Broom street by us, which goes directly into the Holland Tunnel. And it gets backed up a little bit, so you kind of stop and go. But the left lane is for left only on the Varick. And then you'll get people that will bypass the traffic, go on the left lane only. And then just before crossing Varick, they're going to try to squeeze themselves in. I don't let those people in.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, I'll go to war for that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, no, I just waited a half hour. Tomorrow, traffic, you're deciding to go on the. On the left lane only. And then I'm supposed to do you a favor.

[Ian Begley]

No, it's a lane now, Don. So, Don, does that mean. Are you someone who. When you see that there's traffic for an exit on the highway and you know that the traffic is backed up entirely too far, you still just pull to the back of it and wait properly. You don't pull up forward and hope you can sneak into a gap and avoid some of it?

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, I'll tell you what, if it stopped, I am not doing that. Because now not only you might not be able to get in, you're holding traffic up, like in that situation. No, no, not stop.

[Ian Begley]

I'm not talking stop. I'm talking about if it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

If it's moving where I think I've got enough time that I'll be able to. Somebody will be gapped enough, they'll be able to wedge in, of course. But when you're stop and go. So you know that somebody's gonna have to let me in. There's no way I'm gonna slide in.

[Ian Begley]

Right. Without the stop.

[Peter Rosenberg]

No, if you're. If I'm gonna have to basically ask somebody to do me a favor, so I'm gonna cut the line, and you need to be happy about it. No, that's rude.

[Ian Begley]

That's rude.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Then. Then I'm. Well, then you know what? I'll take the 10% chance of getting shot because it'll be a noble cause.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, God bless everybody today on the Jersey side, we all know because of transit, but even on again on the other side of Queens, Long island, that it has been. Today has been a day we hope. We hope we've been entertaining you this whole way.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Hahn]

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

[Don Hahn]

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