Hour 3: NBA Finals Media Day

Summary

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Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 3: NBA Finals Media Day

Date: June 2, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Alan Hahn, Don La Greca, Peter Rosenberg (not present this hour)
Guest Host: Ian Eagle
Theme: NBA Finals Preview – Knicks vs. Spurs, Storylines, Injuries, and New York Connection

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Episode Overview

This hour dives into NBA Finals Media Day, with the focus on the New York Knicks’ matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. Alan Hahn and Ian Eagle dissect key injury updates, intriguing narratives including Jalen Brunson’s legacy and homegrown talent, coaching mind games, and the emotional backdrop for New York sports fans. The discussion is rich with insight, humor, and passionate fan perspectives—a quintessential New York sports conversation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mitchell Robinson’s Injury Status and Its Implications

Timestamps: 02:50–05:36; 46:02–47:14

• Visual Update: Robinson was seen at practice dribbling, shooting, and moving without visible impediment, only a small tape on his right pinky post-surgery. No official word on his availability for Game 1.
• Alan Hahn’s View (04:26): “I can’t worry about that. I’m trying to win a championship...If you can play, you’re going.”
  • Alan argues the Knicks need Robinson, even if it’s for limited minutes, especially for rebounding and defending Wembanyama or giving Towns a break.
• Ian Eagle’s Caution (04:26): “If you re-injure that, you can be done for the series...I’d give it a break, play him in Game 3 at the Garden.”
• Consensus: Expect Robinson to suit up, though the minutes could be very limited (08:09).

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2. Mike Brown’s “Who Let The Dogs Out” Moment & New York Sports Juju

Timestamps: 08:45–11:14

• Mike Brown’s Story: Brown shares a former cheer with Greg Popovich coaching kids’ flag football: “Who let the dogs out?” (10:08).
• New York Juju: The hosts joke (with mild superstitious dread) about the “Who Let the Dogs Out” curse, recalling Mets-Yankees history.
  • Ian: “Listen, it’s just the Baja Men and championship series just don’t mix here in New York” (09:17).
  • Alan: “Maybe the Baja Men come before Game 6—No, no, no, not doing that” (11:33).
• Humor: The guys riff on the superstitions that haunt New York sports—classic hometown anxiety.

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3. Jalen Brunson’s Legacy, Family Connections, & Hall of Fame Resume

Timestamps: 12:02–18:04, 37:34–45:56

• Father-Son Storyline: Jalen’s father played for the Knicks in the Finals 27 years ago; Jalen now leads the franchise there again.
  • Alan: “Isn’t that crazy? His father was on the team the last time they got to a final” (12:21).
  • Brunson’s 2018 NCAA Title was also in San Antonio.
• Resilience & Preparation: Jalen describes using this year’s playoff layoff more wisely than the last round (13:22).
• HOF Resume Talk: Caller Eli lays out Brunson’s potential resume—college national Player of the Year, 2x NCAA champion, potential NBA champion and Finals MVP.
  • Alan: “If [Brunson] finishes the job here and gets four more wins, [he] is a first ballot lock Hall of Famer. Done” (38:00).
• Small Guard Stigma: Alan champions Brunson as the “patron saint” for small guards, breaking the NBA Finals glass ceiling (44:38).
  • Alan: “He’s Mr. Right Now” (45:47).

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4. Knicks’ Playoff Composure & Experience Lessons

Timestamps: 13:22–15:04; 34:28–36:29

• Learning from Game 1s: The hosts and Brunson discuss how the team’s maturity will be tested, referencing poor starts after previous breaks.
• Brunson’s Mindset: “We just got to stay focused and keep learning. Even today, we can’t be satisfied just because we’re here” (34:28).
• Alan’s Analysis: “It’s so valuable to how they handle this time off” (15:04).

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5. Knicks Fans, New York Sports Catharsis, and ‘Breaking the Curse’

Timestamps: 15:04–19:31

• Ian’s Perspective: Many Knicks fans have never seen a title from their favorite teams (Mets, Jets, etc.), making this run especially precious.
• Red Sox as Example: Parallels drawn to the 2004 Red Sox slaying the “curse” by overcoming the Yankees.
  • Alan: “To break a curse like this...it really has to be something overwhelming” (16:41).
• Expectation of Agony: The hosts predict an excruciating, dramatic series, “It can’t happen that way. Right? Can it?” (19:06).

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6. Wembanyama and Spurs’ Perspective

Timestamps: 19:38–21:36

• Wembanyama on the Knicks: “It’s a great team...They’re right where they’re supposed to be, in my opinion. All of them are going to be super hungry in their own way” (19:38).
  • Hahn praises Wembanyama’s awareness and respect for the moment.
• Handling Emotional High: Wembanyama: “Coming back down from this is a challenge and it’s not done yet...We still need to really come back down to earth and realize that we haven’t done the hardest yet” (21:16).
• Alan: “He has a healthy respect to this Knick team. He sees what they’ve done.”

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7. New York Roots & Personal Connections in the Finals

Timestamps: 28:18–30:41

• Caller Phil: Highlights two New York City high school players in the Finals (Brunson and Jose Alvarado), rooting for hometown pride.
• Champagnie (Jeremy Sochan): “I would love to spoil their plans...Going back there and compete for a championship, it’s the best feeling ever” (29:43; 30:12).
• Debate over Birthplace: Lighthearted riff about New Yorkers fiercely defending their boroughs (31:09–33:40).

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8. Transition Offense and the Knicks’ Play Style

Timestamps: 47:46–50:22

• Caller Steve: Champions the Knicks’ defense, ball movement (“40 assists a game!”), and transition as the keys to tiring out the Spurs and Wemby.
• Alan agrees: The up-tempo, leak-out offense has become a staple for the Knicks in the playoffs.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|-------------|-------| | 04:26 | Alan Hahn | “I can’t worry about that. I’m trying to win a championship...If you can play, you’re going.” | | 04:26 | Ian Eagle | “If you re-injure that, you can be done for the series...I’d give it a break, play him in Game 3 at the Garden.” | | 08:45 | Mike Brown | “Who let the dogs out?!” (story about coaching with Popovich) | | 09:17 | Ian Eagle | “Listen, it’s just the Baja Men and championship series just don’t mix here in New York.” | | 12:02 | Jalen Brunson | “It’s pretty surreal...definitely a cool feeling.” (on NBA Finals 27 years after his dad) | | 13:22 | Jalen Brunson | “We were in the gym, we were focused. We were practicing pretty hard...We didn’t want to be behind the eight ball.” | | 16:41 | Alan Hahn | “To break a curse like this...it really has to be something overwhelming.” | | 19:38 | Wembanyama | “It’s a great team...They’re right where they’re supposed to be in my opinion.” | | 21:16 | Wembanyama | “Coming back down from this is a challenge and it’s not done yet...We still need to really come back down to earth.” | | 34:28 | Jalen Brunson | “I think we’re a focused group...our mentality is in the right place at the right time and we just got to stay focused and keep learning.” | | 38:00 | Alan Hahn | “If they finish the job here and get four more wins, Jalen Brunson is a first ballot lock Hall of Famer. Done. Done.” | | 44:38 | Alan Hahn | “Jalen Brunson right now is the patron saint of small guards trying to win a championship.” |

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Segment Timestamps for Key Topics

• Mitchell Robinson Injury: 02:50–05:36, 46:02–47:14
• Mike Brown/Dogs Out: 08:45–11:14
• Brunson Family/Legacy: 12:02–18:04, 37:34–45:56
• Wemby & Spurs POV: 19:38–21:36
• New York Connections: 28:18–30:41
• Knicks Play Style/Transition: 47:46–50:22

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Takeaways

• The Knicks’ health (Robinson) and focus are critical X-factors for Finals success.
• Jalen Brunson emerges as a unifying symbol for underdog guards and New York hopes; his story now intertwined with city history.
• Wembanyama and the Spurs give their due respect, setting the stage for a Finals where homegrown narratives and past emotions run high.
• The hosts mix sharp analysis with the angst, superstition, and dogged optimism that define New York sports.

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This episode is essential listening for Knicks fans, New York sports loyalists, and anyone seeking in-depth, character-driven coverage of the NBA Finals—and belongs in the record for its blend of serious hoops talk and city storytelling.

Transcript

[Alan Hahn]

So good, so good, so good.

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[Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ian Eagle]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Don Hahn]

Listen live weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

[Ian Eagle]

Game time is brought to you by Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey. Because when it's game time, guys,

[Alan Hahn]

it's Tony time.

[Ian Eagle]

It's Tolly time. The Mets continue their series out in Seattle coverage immediately following ty Butler at 9 and the Yankees host the Guardians at 7. O5 Tullamore Dew. The original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew. We try the new Tullamore Dew honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore due responsibly. Stanley Cup Final tonight, Vegas and Carolina, game one on ABC beginning at 8 o'. Clock. And I know all the talk about two small market teams, yada yada. I think it's gonna be a terrific series.

[Alan Hahn]

It's good hockey. Yeah.

[Ian Eagle]

I am rooting for Vegas for the only reason is because of Torts. I love John Tortorella and I know he's a pain in the ass. I get it. You know, and I reprimanded him for what he did during the Latin the previous series. Not talking to the media and all. I get it. I get he's a bit much, but I think he's a really good guy. And I've got no love for Carolina players. Great. Just their owner bothers me. I've stated that fair chapter and verse, whatever.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's true.

[Ian Eagle]

But Carolina, I think is going to win the series in six. They're just. I think they're too good. They've only lost once in this postseason. They're on kind of a Nick type run.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Ian Eagle]

Where the only loss was Game 1 against Montreal in the conference final. They won their first eight games.

[Alan Hahn]

What was their. Their length of time since between games?

[Ian Eagle]

11.

[Alan Hahn]

Are they at 11 days?

[Ian Eagle]

No, they were at 11 going into the Montreal series because Montreal had to go seven with Buffalo.

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so how long is this break?

[Ian Eagle]

Well, not. I mean, listen, it's a lot longer for Vegas because they swept Colorado at least Carolina had.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I got it backwards. Right. I got it back.

[Ian Eagle]

They had the 11 day break between their second round victory.

[Alan Hahn]

Yes.

[Ian Eagle]

And then the against Philadelphia and then the conference final against Montreal. So kind of crazy. But that starts ABC. Sean McDonough on the call. All right, let's hear from the Spurs. So where do you want to begin, Alan? You want to begin with the Knicks or the Spurs? On the game one coming up tomorrow,

[Alan Hahn]

I want the news first. Anything about Mitchell Robb Robinson that was said from Mike Brown. I know he didn't talk. Robinson didn't talk. There was video. For those wondering, there is plenty of video from all the reporters that were there at the practice. They got to see the first, I think 30 minutes of practice. And the videos that you're seeing circulate for those having a chance to see it. Mitchell Robinson has a little bit of tape on the right Pinky. That was that a procedure on it to fix what was something broken? But he's. He was handling a basketball, he was dribbling a basketball, he was shooting a basketball. There didn't seem to be anything that would have slowed him down. There's nothing that I could see that was said about his availability for game one.

[Ian Eagle]

Nothing was said.

[Alan Hahn]

But was anything from Mike Brown or anything like that about it?

[Ian Eagle]

Only Mike Brown we have is just talking in generalities.

[Alan Hahn]

Generalities.

[Ian Eagle]

Nothing about Robinson.

[Alan Hahn]

Nothing about Robinson. Because to me that's the only news, if there was any to get. Now, of course they're going to wait till the last minute. It's gamesmanship to probably say anything, but just visually seeing Mitchell Robinson on the court in practice, uniform, handling a basketball, dribbling a basketball, shooting it a little bit, that, that's enough to say that's a good sign, that there's nothing, that he can't hold the ball. There's nothing big and bulky on his hand. It was just a little bit of tape on the right side and that's it. So at least we can say we saw that much.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, I don't know anything as far as medical is concerned.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Eagle]

But I just have a feeling he's not playing tomorrow. I did not hear anything interesting, but come on, you're coming off surgery less than a week ago. Yeah, you can dribble, but this isn't an anger. And you know the spurs are gonna be slapping at his hand. They're gonna be doing anything they can to earn you that. Of course, that's the gamesmanship of the moment. You're trying to heal a bone. All right, so to me yeah, you can handle the pain to target, you get a shot, but if you re injure that, then you can be done for the series. So I'm not throwing any games away by any stretch of the imagination. But, but if I have a choice of having him playing game one compromised, being at risk so close to the surgery of hurting this to where he could be compromised the rest of the series, or just saying, hey, let's, let's give it a break. Let's play him game three at the Garden. Let's sure that that's as healed as humanly possible so that we at least have him the rest of the way. That, that would be my guess because come on, man, that's a short turnaround from, from you, from opening up your pinky have surgery to now playing in an NBA finals game. Never mind the whole deal with the pain. And I'm sure he wants to go, but I'd be concerned that he ends up breaking this irreparably for the rest of the series.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what? I can't worry about that. I'm trying to win a championship. This guy got me 10 offensive rebounds in the NBA cup game against Wemby and them boys.

[Ian Eagle]

No, I, I, this guy's got to play. All right?

[Alan Hahn]

Like, that's how I feel. I feel his legs aren't hurt and his legs are important because it's ability to run, jump, defend, all those things. I need him for 15 minutes. He doesn't play more than that.

[Ian Eagle]

Here's the deal.

[Alan Hahn]

So if you're good, you're playing. Listen, and if you hurt your hand, you hurt your hand. We worry about that in the off season. But you're playing. If you can play, you're going, in my opinion. Okay? Now, I don't know what they're doing. I don't know what their plan is either. But if there's nothing now, if he gets in the game and they're going to foul him on purpose and put him at the line, I've obviously got to worry about the bonus situation and keep him away from that. But if he's played 15 minutes, most of the time he doesn't play a lot. He's got to give Carl Infinite Towns a break every now and then. I also wouldn't mind using him against Wembanyama every now and then, even if it's just because I got a seven footer with long arms with athletic who could at least give him some trouble. Mitch hasn't played against Wemby much. Not a lot of experience this season. Against him. So it's not like they've matched up a lot, but in this series, I just. I need that. I need what he is. No, I get it in the game,

[Ian Eagle]

but I also don't want to have a situation where now I don't have him at all.

[Alan Hahn]

Because you're.

[Ian Eagle]

Because here's what you're talking about. I mean, it's all about time. Right?

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Eagle]

So when did he have the surgery?

[Alan Hahn]

I was probably. No way. No, no, no. This. This came to light. When do we know about this? Thursday

[Ian Eagle]

1.

[Alan Hahn]

They won Monday, and I believe they had Tuesday off.

[Ian Eagle]

Right.

[Alan Hahn]

So they probably found out about it on Wednesday. So I'm thinking Wednesday was the day that all that got done.

[Ian Eagle]

I thought when they announced that they said he was going to have surgery. So I thought the surgery was after

[Alan Hahn]

we found out, but, yeah, I don't know.

[Ian Eagle]

So we're talking about less than a week ago.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

Now if you. Let's say he doesn't play the first two games, but now. Now you're talking about. Not game three's on Monday. So now you're talking about, like, that's a. That's a significant amount of heel time. I'm not talking about wrapping him a bubble wrap. Just. I'm just saying that I don't want to. I don't want to rush things and now maybe compromise him later on in the series, and I don't have him at all.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

If I know that maybe the one or two games can make him a little bit fresher and more effective the rest of the way. But you're right. All of a sudden, not having him, you lose, you drop a couple of games and. And now you're in trouble.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Eagle]

They'll do the right thing because this is the NBA Finals, man, he's the longest tomorrow. Okay? He was drafted in 2018. That doesn't seem like a long time ago. Dude, that's eight years ago, all right? And it would kill him not to do it. So I'm sure he's gonna be dressed. And, hey, maybe you catch a break and you get out to a big lead, and then you don't have. You end up using him sparingly, and you end up catching every. I would be shocked if he wasn't at least dressed. But it'll. But I do think the minutes can certainly be compromised in game one. Now, I was told we don't have any sound on Mitch's availability, but I've been told by Jacob that the Mike Brown cut. I'm gonna play is gonna tick me off.

[Mike Brown]

Oh, so let's hear who Let the Dogs Out? Who let the Dogs Out?

[Alan Hahn]

What is this in context?

[Ian Eagle]

I don't. I don't know the context.

[Alan Hahn]

I got it.

[Ian Eagle]

Does he not know the New York history? Brother, the last time. The last we checked on the. The. Who Let the Dogs out?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, no, they were.

[Ian Eagle]

They were playing on the dugout of the World Series.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, God.

[Ian Eagle]

What.

[Alan Hahn]

What was this in context to? Please. I know he doesn't know the Met. He's not doing this.

[Ian Eagle]

He doesn't know it. But you know what?

[Alan Hahn]

He doesn't.

[Ian Eagle]

And I don't know. I'm sure this wasn't planned or any of the PR could have just reminded him. Listen, it's just the Baja Men and Championship Series just don't mix here in New York. All right? So maybe just stay away from that. But again, I don't know the context, but that was kind of funny. But I just. I got a d. Chill. Hearing it, because I'm. As a Met fan, I'm like, oh, boy, that's.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait a second. What is this? Yeah, I need to know the context of this.

[Ian Eagle]

Do we know the. I mean, I just.

[Alan Hahn]

I just looked for it. First of all, he's identified on Twitter as Sacramento Kings coach, which. Which we know is not. That's not it.

[Ian Eagle]

Now, the other cut here that I'm told to play.

[Alan Hahn]

What is the context of this?

[Ian Eagle]

Mike Brown shares story about coaching children's flag football with Greg Popovich.

[Mike Brown]

So we were awesome, literally. He was offensive coordinator, I was a defensive coordinator, and we actually dominated that league.

[Alan Hahn]

We had to cheer all our parents.

[Jalen Brunson]

You know, they.

[Mike Brown]

After every game, and before every game, we get our parents in with the kids, and our cheer would be, who let the dogs out?

[Ian Eagle]

There you go.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, come on.

[Mike Brown]

Who let the dogs out?

[Alan Hahn]

All right, so.

[Mike Brown]

So that's for all you older.

[FanDuel Announcer]

They're adults now, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, they are adults.

[Mike Brown]

For all you older dogs back in the day that were 6 and 7 that are now, like, 30, does that

[Ian Eagle]

make you feel better or worse?

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, better because he was telling a story.

[Mike Brown]

All right?

[Ian Eagle]

You could have done it without actually singing it. You could have told that story and have the same effectiveness without even bringing up the. Who let the dogs Again, I'm coming from a place where, as a Met fan, listen, they probably would have lost to the Yankees anyway. But.

[Alan Hahn]

But he doesn't know this.

[Ian Eagle]

I know he doesn't know, but now it's there. And now if it doesn't happen, we know why. Okay?

[Alan Hahn]

And you Think this will be used against him?

[Ian Eagle]

Why not? It should be.

[Alan Hahn]

He's too nice of a guy. This is my. I picture. I picture the Knicks singing this in the locker room during their celebration. Winning the champions.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, having fun with it. You know what that's doing?

[Alan Hahn]

Maybe the Baja men come before game six.

[Ian Eagle]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Alan Hahn]

Definitely not. No, no, not doing that.

[Ian Eagle]

But I will tell you that that could be taking a taking it back moment where if they win the title and do the. Who. Who let the dogs out now? It's like taking it back now. Now you've, you've purified it in a

[Alan Hahn]

way, because now the

[Ian Eagle]

Jalen Brunson on playing in the NBA Finals 27 years after his dad.

[Jalen Brunson]

It's pretty surreal. I'm not gonna lie. It's something I haven't really thought about, but I feel like once the season's over, once the career's over, it'll be times to think about the stuff that we able to go through together. But it's definitely a cool feeling.

[Alan Hahn]

I, I, it's still amazing. Don't you think that, like, isn't that crazy? It's crazy that his father was on the team the last time they got to a final.

[Ian Eagle]

There's, there's, There's a.

[Alan Hahn]

You want to hear something else crazy? Jalen Brunson's last championship was with Villanova. NCAA championship, right. In 2018. Do you know where that game was played?

[Ian Eagle]

I don't remember. I guess the Alamo Dome.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. San Antonio.

[Ian Eagle]

So.

[Alan Hahn]

And that.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, it's. It's all serendipity, man. Really. It's all these things that you can, if you really search, you can find connections, but this is, this is all exposed, man. This is just out there that everybody can see. Like, nobody has to dig to find this stuff, man. It's all right there. And to be in the finals for the first time since your dad was on the team, nuts. It is. It is pretty crazy to learn all this stuff. Jalen Brunson says Nick's learned from their last layoff experience between rounds, a couple days off.

[Jalen Brunson]

But when we were in the gym, we were focused. We were practicing pretty hard, understanding that, not knowing who we were playing yet, we had to prepare for both teams. We didn't want to be behind the eight ball. It was really important for us to have those days because we saw how we came out in game one last time when we had the rest days. So I feel like it's really. Those days we had were. It Was important for us, for sure.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, they recognize they're trying to correct it.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that's what I mean by, like, the experience that they learned from and they got away with in game one of the Eastern Conference finals, But yet how pissed off they were about how they played. Like, I remember that that game they won. They. They pulled one out of their butt, you know, like, that. That. That was an insane game. And I. I remember coming on the show and saying the prevailing feeling after that game was not like, too much. It wasn't like an overreaction of joy. It was more of a, like, get off the court. Like, we. Nothing to celebrate. They were so mad at themselves for how they played to start that game that they knew they stole a game, which was what made game two for them. Like, they went out and throttled down in game two. This. This will be interesting to see how they begin tomorrow night, knowing, fresh in their memory what they had in game one of these two conference finals. No, we can't do this again. And also this time off, they probably use with that same mentality like, we've got it. We've got to lock in, because we can't have this happen again. The fact that it's fresh in their mind, that it just happened, I think is so valuable to how they handle this time off.

[Ian Eagle]

The first two championships in my lifetime. And I think a lot of fans can relate to this because I think there's a. There's quite a few Nick fans that this is gonna. This might be their first title, because I don't know who they root for outside of the NBA.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

But if they're a Jet fan, they don't have any titles. Right. If they're a Met fan, they don't have any titles in their lifetime, most likely. But the first two titles, and I was so fortunate. It was. 1986 is one of the greatest years of my life. I graduated from high school. My baseball team wins a World Series first time, you know, 69. I was 1, so I didn't appreciate that. And then the Giants won for the first time in 30 years, for the first time in my lifetime. And I was confident, like Nick fans are with both of those teams, because The Mets won 108 games in the regular season. They won. They beat Philadelphia by 25 and a half games. It was like, literally in the National League east. And the giants were 14 and 2 and ran away with things as well. But it was two completely different experiences with the Mets. You know, they almost lose to the Astros, almost lose to The Red Sox probably should have lost to the Red Sox. The Giant just ran right through. So I saw it from both sides where there's a level of confidence. And I just feel like because they've won 11 in a row and because they're trying to end this long drought, that it's probably gonna go more Mets than Giants in the sense that it's gonna be excruciating. It's gonna be. It's. It has to be Alan. It just. How could it not be? Like, who has ever slayed the dragon? And there were. There was somebody that misunderstood what I meant. I'm not calling the spurs the dragon. The dragon is the 53 dragon.

[Alan Hahn]

Not winning a title, winning a championship.

[Ian Eagle]

That's what you're up against.

[Alan Hahn]

Breaking the curse. You mean break the curse. It takes like, to break a curse like this. And a curse is another weird way to say it, but you know what I mean? It really has to be something overwhelming. The Red Sox are the great example. What did they have to do? Damba come back from down three zero.

[Ian Eagle]

So they did sweep in the World Series, but they the round.

[Alan Hahn]

They were a machine.

[Ian Eagle]

They had to slay the other dragon, not just of having not won since 1918, but actually beat the big bad Yankees. And they come back from three nothing down.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a great example. How about this? Because for the Red Sox, beating the Yankees and coming back in three. Zero could have been where they were so caught up in that success, they could have gone into the World Series and not really been able to lock back in. Right, right. You just so like, we. Wait, wait, wait. We got to get back to competing. Whereas they were just on such a roll that nobody was going to touch them after that. It was almost like they were, you know, Bruce Leroy, you know, they had the glow. They finally realized it. We can't be beat. And that's kind of what, you know, people are wondering with this Knicks team is. Is this has this run and not just winning series the way they're doing it. Do they just suddenly have like this team collective? Like. No, no. We. Nobody's beating us. Like, not right now. Nobody's touching.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah, it's interesting because I.

[Alan Hahn]

They might just have the glow now. I don't know. We're going to find out.

[Ian Eagle]

I heard so many stories, but the one specific story I heard in 94, I told you. Bill Hanson was one of the guys that really got me into hockey when I worked at Lincoln Pharmacy back in the day. And his sons were huge Ranger fans too. And When Zelopukin scored the goal, they looked at each other and go, of course. Of course he scored the goal. Yeah. Because it's been 54 years. Of course the Devils are gonna put us through overtime.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course.

[Ian Eagle]

They just couldn't win the damn game in regulation. Of course.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course we have to go to

[Ian Eagle]

overtime, you know, and in Vancouver, they've got to Almost blow a 31 series lead, lose at home, go to Vancouver. Of course there's going to be a game seven. Of course. Because it just can't be that easy. Listen, I hope, nick fans, it's 15 straight and you roll. And next Wednesday, we're celebrating the title.

[Alan Hahn]

Jeez, Don. Don.

[Ian Eagle]

But you. You just know it's not. It can't happen that way. Right? Can it?

[Alan Hahn]

Why not?

[Ian Eagle]

Why not?

[Alan Hahn]

Why not?

[Ian Eagle]

Because, honestly, it. It just doesn't work that way. It never works that way.

[Alan Hahn]

I know I'm. I'm being facetious when I say why not? But I'm just, you know, it's. It's. Would it shock you? No. Cause you'd go like. Yeah, of course. Yeah, yeah, of course, of course, of course. To finally break this thing. They make it look so easy. But. But do I expect it? Absolutely not. Absolutely not.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, because we got to get to some calls, but I want to hear from Wemby. He talks specifically about the opponent, the Knicks.

[Mike Brown]

It's a great team. You know, it's a great team of experienced guys who are not here by chance, but by relentless effort over the years and very different career paths for all of them. So they're right where they're supposed to be, in my opinion. And all of them are going to be super hungry in their own way.

[Ian Eagle]

Very well said.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Eagle]

I mean, that sounds like somebody who did his homework a little bit. Right.

[Alan Hahn]

Of course he pays attention. Again, here's a guy that I. You have great respect for. If you think about all the opponents that the Knicks have had over the last four years, the Brunson era, you know, there's just guys that you kind of. Whether it's, you know, Harden that we kind of rolled our eyes at, you know, Brown that you roll your eyes at, how much he hates the Knicks of stuff he was talking about or embiid. Like, there's certain players where you just. Enough for. This guy. Wembanyama is a. Like, I have great respect for what he's already become, what it looks like he's going to be, and not just who he is as a player, but his recognition of the league and understanding of it. Like he seems like he knows what's going on around the league. He knows teams, he knows players. He knows it all. He doesn't. He's not just kind of caught in his own world. He's not going to say dumb things after a game. I think he's got a real awareness of what's happening around him and I think that's why he has a healthy respect to this Knick team. He sees what they've done and he knows they beat me twice this year and every time we play each other something crazy happens. He's aware of it.

[Ian Eagle]

And he talked about the emotions of the spurs following the Western Conference final win over the Thunder.

[Mike Brown]

Coming back down from this is a challenge and it's not done yet. We. We still need to really come back down to earth and realize that we haven't done the hardest yet. The job isn't done at all. So we still got about, I don't know what time is it? Like 30 plus hours to recenter.

[Ian Eagle]

So he realized that could be a thing.

[Alan Hahn]

Listen to that. To Recenter this is.

[Ian Eagle]

This is going to be great. We have another Brunson that we want to play coming up. Plus your calls. We were jam packed with a really great guest.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ian Eagle]

That from 3:45 to 4:30. So we really want to knuckle down, get the calls in. 1-800-919-3776. Take you up until 7 o'. Clock. Then it's Ty Butler leading into the Mets and the Mariners right here. Don Hanna, Rosenberg, ESPN New York Vanduv

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg Podcast.

[Ian Eagle]

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]

Hey soccer fans, make sure to join us for a live broadcast presented by Milagro Tequila. It's all happening on Friday, June 12th at Platt Deutsch in Franklin Square on Long Island. Get there early starting at 3pm that's when the show begins. And grab a Milagrosa cocktail as we talk matchups and storylines while we get you to be part of the live passionate soccer atmosphere along with us while we do the show. Don't miss this special live event with US on Friday, June 12, Platt Deutsch in Franklin Square on Long island. All brought to you by Milagro Tequila.

[Ian Eagle]

Donnie, some sad news just saw came down. Alan David Halberstam passed away earlier today. He was a former play by play voice of St. John's basketball, the Miami Heat. He also wrote a book that I loved. I don't know if you ever got a chance to read it, Alan. A new sports on New York radio, a play by play history where he gave you each of the local teams in New York and all their play by play history. And me be just being in love with play by play. Yeah, just like I consumed that book in like two days, I bet probably still out there. He had a long battle with brain cancer, so he passed away earlier today. I'm not, I'm not sure if you ever crossed paths with him. I never did, but I was always a fan from afar. He was a general manager at Westwood one again, spent some time with the Miami Heat and St. John's doing play by Play and wrote that book. I don't know if it's in circulation at all. He also launched the Sports Broadcast Journal as well. So in case you know the name and familiarize yourself with him. One of the real great broadcasters and authors and NBA college basketball, he had passed away today. Wanted to pass that along to you. Let's hear from you at 1-800-919-3776. Let's get to the busy phones. Haven't had a chance to talk to you guys so far today. Let's start it off with Phil. He's in Queens. Ron, ESPN New York. What's up, Phil?

[Phil (Caller)]

Hey, what's going on guys? Just a quick, quick story. So I broke my finger in college right before a big football game and it was like three days before. And I had the surgery wrapped it. I ended up playing, but it was the worst decision of my life. So I know Mitch has way better doctors, you know, way better physical therapists, but I think he's gonna play. I think this just kind of gains him from the Spurs. That's my. That's my first point. My second point is there's gonna be two New York City high school players that are playing in the championship champion, the spurs, and obviously Jose Alvarado.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Phil (Caller)]

And I just want to take us to the bonnet to get Nick's in six. Jose Alvarado might not play a big role in it, but just him having him on the team is going to take us all the way, baby. So I actually went to Christ the King too, so, you know, I'm ruining hard for him. So.

[Ian Eagle]

Okay, let's go.

[Alan Hahn]

Nick, I was gonna say you didn't go to Lachlan, I'm sure, because that's where Champagne went. But yeah, that's a cool story, too. Dylan Harper also said he lives in New York City. He said he doesn't live too far, actually, from Madison Square Garden. So it's special for him as like a bit of a homecoming. And let's not forget, you know, for Jordan Clarkson, he's. He was a high school legend in San Antonio, so it's. It's personal for him. And Jeremy Sohan was playing for the spurs the last couple of years before they waived him. And the Knicks picked him up as a. As a player that they thought could be useful off their bench. And he might be useful, Don, because there was a great story in the New York Post where he shared some thoughts about how to defend when many. What to do, how to deal with him. And one of the things that I thought was interesting that he said yeah, was, you know, you don't have to really hit him and be as physical. You can do a little bit of that. He's like. But just make him run. He said he gets tired faster than most other people. And so you want to get him winded so he has to come out of the game. And while he's out of the game, you take advantage of those minutes. Found that to be an interesting insight.

[Ian Eagle]

Champagne, he talked about being ready to be the villain in his own hometown.

[Champagne (Jeremy Sochan)]

For sure. For sure. Obvious.

[Ian Eagle]

You know, I know a lot of.

[Champagne (Jeremy Sochan)]

I was telling somebody else, have a lot of friends who are New York fans, and I just. I would love to spoil their. Their plans.

[Jalen Brunson]

I would love to.

[Champagne (Jeremy Sochan)]

It just be fun, obviously, you know, Going back there and compete for a championship is great, but I personally want to win, so we'll just see how it goes.

[Alan Hahn]

I like that. I mean, it kind of sucks, but I know.

[Ian Eagle]

And you see, talked about playing in that finals at Madison Square Garden as a kid.

[Champagne (Jeremy Sochan)]

Yeah. I mean, it means a lot to play in New York for the championship. Obviously, I'm from there. I grew up in Brooklyn, not Staten Island.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Champagne (Jeremy Sochan)]

Thank you. I mean, I grew up there, you know, so being able to go back to the Garden and, you know, compete for a championship, it's the best feeling ever. And then obviously, Jose's from the towns, you know, so I've been around him for a while now. I won't lie. They definitely got the better of us a bunch of times when he was at Christ the King and I was at Lachlan, but it was always, always good memories. He was a great guard, quick, crafty, feisty. So it'll be fun.

[Alan Hahn]

So he made it clear because it's listed that he was born in Staten island, but he has often said that he's not from Staten island, that he's from Brooklyn. And it's reached a point where he actually makes it a point to keep saying it to people, as if there's some. Like, he's offended to be associated with Staten island, which is weird. Anybody from Staten Island? Does that bother you? Like, he does this a lot. He's always like, no, I'm not from Staten Island. I'm from Brooklyn.

[Caller or Guest]

I think it's more about, like, let's say I'm from Harlem, because I am, but you call me Brooklyn. Like, you say, I'm from Brooklyn, I'm immediately offended. Not for anybody in Brooklyn, but why, you know, why never anybody in Brooklyn in particular. But, you know, I'm very proud of you.

[Ian Eagle]

You want a rep where you spent the majority of your time.

[Alan Hahn]

Exactly right.

[Ian Eagle]

Like.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, it's weird because his, like, his basketball reference, birth, born, it says Brooklyn, but his Wikipedia, for some reason, says Staten Island. And so everybody, of course, is keep saying that. They keep going. That is, I think Mike Breen's actually done it a few times. And he has. Every time he does any type of media and they talk about him playing in New York. Now, again, he had that big game against the Knicks on New Year's Eve. He went. He had 11 threes, and he. Of course, the reference was he was from Staten Island. After the game, he's like, I'm from Brooklyn.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah. And maybe it would be reversed, like, if he was born in Brooklyn, but raised in Staten Island. He might want to rep Staten Island. You want to rep where you're raised? Now, here's a quick question before we get back to the calls.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Ian Eagle]

Technically, you're born, like, literally born in the hospital. So they'll say what city the hospital's in, not necessarily where you grew up. Like, I grew up in Hawthorne. Right. I'm proud of that.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Ian Eagle]

But if I ever became a big deal, it would say that I was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, because that's where Valley Hospital was, where I was born. My brother was born in a hospital in Patterson. Like, so if people ever were interviewing me saying, oh, you're from Ridgewood, New Jersey, I would correct them. There's nothing. Not a thing wrong with Ridgewood, but I'd want to let them know, no, no, no. I might have been born in Ridgewood, but I. You know, I was raised and reared and became who I am because of Hawthorne. So I. I don't think it's any shade at Staten Island. At least, I don't. I don't think that to be the case. Were you born in the same city that you grew up in?

[Alan Hahn]

No, no, I was. I was born in a hospital in Smithtown.

[Ian Eagle]

Okay.

[Alan Hahn]

That doesn't even exist anymore. Smithtown General.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, once. Once. Once you're born, I mean, they can't do any better. They probably set it right on fire.

[Alan Hahn]

They closed it down.

[Ian Eagle]

Your parents looked in the rearview mirror, and that place was up in flames.

[Alan Hahn]

The doors were shut. No, it was like the scene in Joker where he's just walking away from the hospital.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

But. Yeah, no, I get that part of it. Yeah.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah. So you wouldn't. If I said, oh, Smithtown zone, you'd correct me, right?

[Alan Hahn]

Probably.

[Mike Brown]

Yeah.

[Ian Eagle]

So I think that's where we're at.

[Alan Hahn]

I get it. But it's just funny how he's just. He. He just keeps hammering at home.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah, well, make it clear.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm from Brooklyn. It's a borough thing. It is interesting how the different boroughs just.

[Ian Eagle]

No, they're very particular. I know a guy, keep bringing up his name all the time.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

Dominic Dastani. Work with him at SportsVA. Yeah, he lived on Long island, and. But he was born and raised in Queens, and then later on in life, he moved out to Long Island.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

He would drive across the border every morning to get the. The Queen's edition of Newsday instead of the Long island edition because he wanted to rep where he's from. And I get that. Like, I Think it's a little anal, but you know, that's how people get, you know. But I promise you, I teach you the Brunson and why he believes the Knicks, this Knicks team will thrive in the NBA Finals.

[Jalen Brunson]

I think we're a focused group. I think we're a hard working group. I feel like we've been doubted a lot. There's been a lot of noise on the outside that we could obviously talk about, complain about, do something about. But we've always just went back into the gym, worked on our game individually and then when it came to practice, we were focused on. When it came to games, we kept getting better and better. I think our mentality is in the right place at the right time and we just got to stay focused and keep learning. Even today we can't be satisfied just because we're here. We gotta continue to keep learning.

[Ian Eagle]

Never let an athlete tell you they don't hear the noise.

[Alan Hahn]

Hang on a second.

[Ian Eagle]

Yes.

[Alan Hahn]

He sound like he's nasally?

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah, I think a little bit.

[Alan Hahn]

Play that back. Oh, no, I don't like this.

[Ian Eagle]

Oh, no.

[Jalen Brunson]

I think we're a focus group. I think we're a hard working group. I feel like we've been doubted a lot. Yeah, there's a lot of noise.

[Ian Eagle]

What are you trying to. What are you getting at?

[Jalen Brunson]

That we could.

[Alan Hahn]

I, you know, you got something going on.

[Ian Eagle]

So that's what's going to derail the Knicks phlegm.

[Caller or Guest]

Hopefully it's just allergies.

[Alan Hahn]

Allergies. He's in San Antonio. It's dry there.

[Ian Eagle]

He just came from New York. You think it goes away? Dude, I swear to God, everybody is nasally right now.

[Alan Hahn]

You think so?

[Ian Eagle]

Everybody.

[Alan Hahn]

So you think that's nothing? Like he doesn't have like a little cough, dude, cold or anything like that?

[Ian Eagle]

No, no, Forest. He doesn't.

[Alan Hahn]

I'm glad you got it.

[Ian Eagle]

Listen, you're becoming a worry war. I get it. You know, it's real.

[Alan Hahn]

Everything Snot is going to dot this rail. This, that is not derail. Wait, wait a minute. Like, seriously, that's when you just go. Jalen, a follow up question. Do you have a cold? You feeling along the weather you good. You're right. Like, you know, do you need a little like Mucinex something? Can I run the CVS real quick for you? Like I'm telling you, this is. This is it. Nothing can get in the way. Nothing. Not a sniffle, not a pinky.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah, you know, you almost. You know what? Don't leave your room. Don't Even leave the room across the street. Nothing.

[Alan Hahn]

Nothing. Don't order anything. Be careful. Everything is in.

[Caller or Guest]

They need to taste test every service.

[Ian Eagle]

No room service. No, no, no. No room service. Matter of fact, you know what you need to do? You need to get somebody that's not recognizable to go out and buy their food. They should have brought their own food, Paul.

[Alan Hahn]

Wild chef. They'll sell food. They really. They do have their own chef. I would have brought them in. You're making everything right here. Going to have a ballroom set up. We're going to have frying pans and all the different. What, what are those solo stove things? We're going to do all that. We're going to cook it all right here.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Nobody's even touching this. No, we're. You know what? We're going to bring a cow. We're going to kill the cow. We're going to take the meat right off the cow.

[Ian Eagle]

Like a ritual.

[Alan Hahn]

So nobody can touch any of this stuff. The chicken. We got him, too. I'm maniacal, Don. Maniacal.

[Ian Eagle]

Honestly, you hear horror stories all the time. Like, I would not take any. Any chances whatsoever, any of this. Eli is in Newark. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Eli?

[Eli (Caller)]

How are we doing, guys? How we doing? I'm sitting here. I want to ask you guys a question. Okay.

[Ian Eagle]

Yes.

[Eli (Caller)]

I'm sitting here on the eve of the biggest Knicks game in 27 years. And I like to think to myself is, what did we do to deserve Jalen Brunson? If Brunson wins this, if the Knicks win this and Brunson wins Finals mvp, he now has national Player of the Year in college.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Eli (Caller)]

A college championship.

[Alan Hahn]

Actually, two of them. Two of them.

[Eli (Caller)]

NBA Championship and NBA Finals mvp. What other players in the history have done that?

[Alan Hahn]

Well, there's been a few, but not many. But I will say Magic, right, Magic

[Ian Eagle]

won the national championship.

[Alan Hahn]

Johnson has national championship as well. But I will say this, though. It's a great point to make because what I said this morning on get up with everything that you just said there, Eli, is I said, if they finish the job here and get four more wins, Jalen Brunson is a first ballot lock hall of Famer. Done. Done. But it. Remember, it's not the NBA hall of Fame, it's the Basketball hall of Fame. Include your college career. What Eli just read off was a resume that very few players can have. And to me, that makes him a lock. First ballot hall of Famer, Lock two National Championship Player of the Year in college you get an NBA title where you are the main player and you most likely would get the finals MVP. He's already got the conference final MVP. You've got that all on your mantle. And he's 28. Yeah. Come on. Lock. Done. He could retire and he'd be a Hall of Famer. First bout, first ballot. Don't even, don't even. Don't even collect 200. Just pass. Go. You're right in.

[Ian Eagle]

So just the quick. AI. Magic Johnson.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Ian Eagle]

Michael Jordan. Isaiah Thomas.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Jordan one with North Carolina. The famous Georgetown game in 84. Isaiah. Right. 1980. And that's it.

[Ian Eagle]

80, 81 national championship, two NBA titles in 89. 90. And the 90 MVP award for the Pistons.

[Alan Hahn]

Kareem.

[Ian Eagle]

I think that's it.

[Alan Hahn]

Not Kareem.

[Caller or Guest]

I see Bill Russell, Christian Laitner. Kareem and Michael Jordan.

[Ian Eagle]

Where did Leitner win? No, no. Latener. Leitner didn't win an NBA title or MVP in the NBA Finals.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah. Laitner never won an mvp.

[Ian Eagle]

It's got to be NCAA division championship, NBA championship, NBA Finals mvp. Now, obviously Brunson hasn't done the last two.

[Alan Hahn]

No, no. But. But I'm going further back. So Bill Russell. Yeah, but what about. I did this. I thought. Didn't Walton do it too?

[Ian Eagle]

Oh, look, this is what lesson AI is not perfect.

[Alan Hahn]

No. As you know, we're just throwing names out there at this point.

[Ian Eagle]

All right, so let me see here. I found another website. We'll update you when we come back.

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[Don Hahn]

by thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Ian Eagle]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Ian Eagle]

Because he rattled off three guys and he was right on all three. Bill Russell did it. Won his national championship twice, actually, with San Francisco and then all those titles with the Celtics. You know he was an mvp. MVP of the finals. Yeah, you were also right about Bill Walton, too. Yeah, it was the. He was the NBA finals MVP in

[Alan Hahn]

77 with the Portland Trailblazers, your favorite team. And he also won three national titles in UCLA and then he also won with the Celtics in 86.

[Ian Eagle]

And clearly Kareem was correct as well.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh my God. Kareem dominated.

[Ian Eagle]

And all those guys have something in common. They're all in the hall of Fame. So you're right. If he wins a title in New

[Alan Hahn]

York and he's part of. Right, like, that's, that's what makes you a winner. And we've got to stop, we've got to get away from this whole small player thing. Like, like, honestly get away from this. Because the game's changing. This game is still. Yeah, of course length and athleticism is still a part of it. Wings and all that stuff is important. But the game at its brass ax is still about talent and footwork and shot making ability and clutch ability. And that doesn't matter what size you are. Jalen Brunson right now is the patron saint of small guards trying to win a championship. And everybody from John Stockton to the other Isaiah Thomas, the one who didn't win a championship, of course, the one that has his name spelled differently from the hall of Famer and other small guards who were lead guards who couldn't win a title, they all got to be rooting for him to just break that stigma because, like, it's insane to say in today's NBA he can't do it because of his size. This game is not played in the post anymore. It's not a post up game anymore. And it's also not just a perimeter game. Anymore. And it's not a game played hanging in the air anymore. It's a game played with your mind. It's a game played with your clutch ability or toughness, mental toughness. And it's a game played with your feet, your footwork, and your ability to get people off balance and get your shot off. He's all that. So to me, this championship is not just about New York. We're living in it right now. But for all the small guards out there who told you too small to lead your team, he's a guy that's going to change the narrative, which is why all of them should be rooting for him, whether you like the Knicks or not.

[Ian Eagle]

And as far as whatever was stated or what, people can't do this, can't do that, everybody. He's surprising the world. And let's be honest, he's also surprising Nick fans because when they acquired Brunson

[Alan Hahn]

from the day he got.

[Ian Eagle]

I didn't notice any Nick fans like securing, you know, tickets to the finals or talk. I heard a lot of complaining that. So he shocked the world, including Nick fans, no question.

[Alan Hahn]

So he was the guy you didn't know you needed. And it's. It's. Again, it's like, you know, some of the people you expect nothing from do the most that you don't expect. And that's what he's. That's what he's represented. Which is why it goes back to all the star chasing that this franchise has done. I used to always say Knick fans are always down with opp. It's always about other people's players. Can we get that guy? The minute someone gets good, I. I'll never forget, even as a beat writer. But also early days with msg, you'd always get interactions and fans and the minute there was the next star coming to the, hey, how do we get him? Can we trade for him? When's he become a free agent? It's like, damn.

[Ian Eagle]

Yeah. It's not like it's always trying to

[Alan Hahn]

get someone else's player. And this time it's a guy that you didn't know you needed. He. You didn't think he was Mr. Right, but, man, he's Mr. Right Now.

[Ian Eagle]

And you know, it's not always acquiring the best player. It's acquiring the right player. Yeah, it looks like he got the right player.

[Alan Hahn]

Couple updates on Mitchell Robinson for those wondering, because they did have a practice that was open to the media, as I mentioned earlier, not a big bandage on that pinky that he'd had a procedure on that apparently had broken in one of the off days after winning the Eastern Conference finals. He was seen with a very little bit of a bandage on his hand. He went out onto the practice floor catching a basketball, shooting the basketball, dribbling the basketball. And then there was some video as well taken by some media there of him walking up to various coaches with firm right hand handshakes. Now, Don, if you broke your pinky and it hurt like hell, are you shaking my hand with that hand?

[Ian Eagle]

No.

[Alan Hahn]

No. So he's firm handshaking. So look, I don't know. I'm there in San Antonio, I'm here. So I don't have any intel whatsoever. But if there is any type of soreness, pain or anything, you know, they've got stuff that can take that pain away temporarily for sure.

[Ian Eagle]

No question.

[Alan Hahn]

And I just feel like when you're in the NBA Finals, you know, Willis Reed took, you know, 40cc's of carbocane and walked out on a basketball court. I think a pinky's not going to stop you from playing.

[Ian Eagle]

Ronnie Locke cut part of his pinky off to play in the super.

[Alan Hahn]

That was extreme.

[Ian Eagle]

That was extreme. But, you know, he did set a standard for how important it all is. Let's go to Steve in California. You're on. Don Hanna, Rosenberg.

[Steve (Caller)]

Hey, guys, how are you?

[Eli (Caller)]

Good.

[Steve (Caller)]

Such a great opportunity to be able to talk to you again, especially with this going on. So I'm 72 years old. I remember being. I was at Yankee Stadium the day Roger maris hit his 61st home run.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, my mother was the birth of the Mets.

[Steve (Caller)]

Oh, cool. Yeah, yeah, I was there. My dad was a building super and we used to get seats right at the edge of a third baseline, right there at third base in those field boxes. Nothing in front of us. But what I want to talk about now is the way the Knicks are playing ball. And I believe the Knicks are going to win. I don't know how many games, but in seven they can throw, they can play the ball anyway. They can't. They play great defense. Now, everybody used to talk about how weak Tat was or how much of a anchor having Brunson on the floor was. They figured out how to play defense and everybody on that team passes. Now they're getting like 40 assists a game. Everybody says that the big guards are going to stop Brunson. I think he are going to run them. If they can get rebounds and start passing the ball. And they're getting 40 plus assists a game. They're going to hire out Wembiama. They're going to run those guys who have played two seven game series in a row now.

[Eli (Caller)]

So

[Steve (Caller)]

just curious to know what you have to think.

[Ian Eagle]

No, there's a lot, there's a lot going their way for sure. Steve.

[Alan Hahn]

It's a good point that Steve's making. Transition scoring, not just fast break but transition scoring has been on a major uptick in the playoffs for the Knicks. It's part of their change in what they do offensively. A lot of teams a lot of times will send a double or send help, whatever is and sometimes also shooters when they try to draw fouls, will try to fall. Whenever that happens, whoever that guy is leaks out. The Knicks have been doing this with several players in the playoffs where they just leak out. And so you make, you might score on me, but I know the guy leaking out. And we're doing, you know, we're doing Montana, you know, down the field to Jerry Rice like they're doing that and scoring the minute you score to take away your momentum. And so the running, the idea of getting out in transition, running and scoring and running, that is definitely part of the game plan. It is something that the Thunder have shown. When they had success against the spurs, that was some of the things that they were doing. So that's definitely something I would watch is get, get that up tempo going, get down the court as fast as you can and try to get quick strike scores before when Benyama gets down and sets up defensively.

[Ian Eagle]

Well, we'll break it all down for the next hour. We've got ENN coming up next. And don't forget we'll be at stout tomorrow at 3 o'.

[Alan Hahn]

Clock.

[Ian Eagle]

Even though the game's in San Antonio, we're still going to be out and about. So definitely swing by 35th and 7th for that. Should be a lot of fun.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Jalen Brunson]

I don't want to know how the

[Alan Hahn]

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 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app and your smart speakers.

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