Hour 3: Why Can't Knicks Fans Be Happy?

Summary

Don, Hahn & Rosenberg Podcast – Hour 3: Why Can't Knicks Fans Be Happy?

Date: May 1, 2026
Podcast Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
Theme: Exploring the fervor of Knicks fandom after a historic playoff win, and the recurring criticism of how (and how much) New York fans celebrate success.

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Episode Overview

Hour 3 zeroes in on the exuberant mood rippling through Knicks fandom following an emphatic series-clinching win over the Atlanta Hawks. The hosts dissect why Knicks fans—and New York fans more broadly—are so often told to "tone it down" when celebrating. With listener calls, friendly jabs at media personalities, and a celebration of team milestones, the show is a lively defense of sports culture in New York.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Too Happy" Knicks Fan Discourse

• The hosts respond at length to comments made by Evan Cohen (ESPN's "Unsportsmanlike") about Knicks fans getting "a little too happy" after the playoff win.
  • Peter Rosenberg [04:23]: "Why can't you give them just a day? ...You didn't even give them 12 hours to just be happy that the team, for the fourth straight year, won a playoff round, which we haven't seen a run like this since the 90s."
  • Alan Hahn [05:38]: "Evan. They held him to 15 points in the first quarter. They held him under 100 points for three straight games. What are you talking about with defense?"
• The crew takes a stand for allowing authentic fan joy:
  • Peter Rosenberg [05:48]: "This is called passion. This is a real basketball market where they love their team, and so every little thing they do, they celebrate."

2. Why New York Fan Joy Bothers Some People

• The hosts theorize it's about jealousy and the cultural weight of New York sports.
  • Alan Hahn [07:38]: "There's almost like this jealousy factor... Success is better in New York than anywhere else. So when you see it, you're almost like, a little jealous."
  • Peter Rosenberg [07:40]: "Your happy is offending me. That's what Evan Cohen just said."

3. Generational Fandom & Social Media

• New York playoff celebrations aren’t just old-fashioned fandom but are amplified and sometimes altered by social media.
  • Don Allen [34:10]: "Generationally, yes, social media... it's gonna add people to the fringe who would normally not really be there or care, but overall, this fan base is intense."
  • Peter Rosenberg [31:05]: "Act like you've been there before... a lot of these kids have never been here before. They've never seen this."

4. Knicks Fans’ Reputation for Traveling

• Callers and hosts note how Knicks fans consistently show up in opposing arenas, sometimes taking over entire sections:
  • Caller - Jay in Atlanta [15:38]: "Hundreds of Knicks fans just shut down the surrounding area... We're the only fan base that could do that outside of where our team plays."
  • Alan Hahn [19:20]: "There's no way it's at the level that it's been since Jalen Brunson's era."

5. Why It Matters: Culture vs. Championships

• Despite having only two NBA titles, the Knicks fandom is compared to the fervor more typical of dynasties.
  • Peter Rosenberg [20:30]: "The noise is as loud as a franchise that would have 27 championships... maybe that's what annoys people."
  • Don Allen [21:02]: "But the Knicks is what makes it impressive... what makes the Knicks traveling so good is they don't have the titles to back [it]. It's just the fan base."

6. Historical Significance of the Victory

• The Knicks’ statistical dominance in the clinching game is hailed as historic:
  • Alan Hahn [28:14]: "The plus minus numbers... you just don't ever see in real life."
  • Peter Rosenberg [29:26]: "A road team to get to 100 before the home team gets to 50 in a playoff game has never happened like that."

7. Callers Reflect on the Experience

• Fans call in from all over, sharing personal anecdotes about what the win meant:
  • Claude in Queens [09:01]: "It felt like New Year's Eve. I saw guys that I haven't seen in like 10 years because everyone was coming out of the woodworks."
  • Caller - Gene [37:51]: "It seems like every game that we go into or every series that we go into, we're an underdog by our own people... I feel like that's why Knick fans are so passionate."

8. Evaluation of Next Opponent

• Discussion about whether the Knicks would rather face Philadelphia (with home court) or Boston, and what recent Celtics struggles might mean.
  • Alan Hahn [12:54]: "It's about keeping whatever, mentally, whatever that mental switch... that clicked is. It's staying right there. It does not matter."
  • Peter Rosenberg & Alan Hahn [24:12–26:56]: Analyze Celtics' and Sixers' performances and speculate on matchups.

9. Celebrating Team and Player Performances

• Special praise for OG Anunoby, the Knicks' bench, and the team’s unselfish style.
  • Peter Rosenberg [27:12]: "I want to talk about OG Anunoby because this guy has some kind of strength, man... it amazes me how easy he makes it look."
  • Don Allen [30:18]: "Everybody's going to earn that ring if we get this chip. You know what I'm saying?"

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"You know what you've become, Evan Cohen... you've become that person that when anybody else is happy, you're miserable. Stop laughing so loud. It's bothering me. Stop having so much fun in my presence."
– Peter Rosenberg [04:30]

"Why is it that everyone, nationally, the minute a Knicks fan or Knicks fans go out and celebrate something, right away we've got to start dumping water on them?"
– Peter Rosenberg [05:48]

"We do things big in New York. That’s just who we are… We're not going to change, man. Blue and orange forever. That's just what it is."
– Jay (Caller, Atlanta) [16:28]

"The noise is as loud as a franchise that would have 27 championships... right, like, maybe that's what annoys people."
– Peter Rosenberg [20:30]

"A road team to get to 100 before the home team gets to 50 in a playoff game has never happened like that."
– Alan Hahn [29:30]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:21–03:10 — Discussion of Atlanta Hawks PA announcer Big Tigger (fun sports/hip hop New York connection)
• 03:35–05:48 — Reacting to Evan Cohen’s "Knicks fans are too happy" soundbite
• 07:28–08:14 — Why the national reaction is annoyance (jealousy and uniqueness of NY fan culture)
• 09:01–10:19 — Claude in Queens shares the surreal communal joy of Knicks' win
• 15:38–17:19 — Jay in Atlanta describes the prolific NY fan presence on the road
• 19:08–21:02 — The evolution and travel power of Knicks fans compared to traditional powerhouses
• 24:12–26:58 — Celtics’ (potential next opponent) struggles, with deep statistical breakdown
• 27:12–28:08 — Detailed praise for OG Anunoby and Knicks starters (+ benches getting minutes)
• 29:26–29:34 — Knicks' record-breaking dominance: 100 points before Hawks hit 50, playoff history
• 31:05–35:06 — Why New York fans celebrate differently (generational, social media, adversity)
• 37:51–39:33 — Gene in New Jersey on why underdog status makes NY fandom more passionate

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Tone & Style

The episode is fast-paced, irreverent, and celebratory, brimming with the hosts' trademark New York humor, sincerity, and banter. Callers are woven in as equal participants in the cultural moment, reinforcing the sense of shared pride and mild defiance.

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Summary Takeaway

This episode is a spirited rebuttal to any attempt to police New York Knicks fans’ happiness. With caller stories, stats, generational contrasts, and even a mini-exposé of a “fraudulent” media rival, the hosts showcase not just their city’s passion, but its resilience and right to revel—loudly, everywhere, and especially after a win that feels as rare as it is sweet.

Key message:
Let Knicks fans enjoy their happiness—because for them, celebration is survival and culture, not just sports.

Transcript

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[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

This is the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That sounds like heaven to me.

[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

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

[Don Allen]

That young jock. It's going down that it's such a funny. Like, if you're, like, into Nick's core and like you live in that Nick's world, that is gonna be a video that lives on for a moment.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's just gonna be between that and the.

[Alan Hahn]

And again, the. The PA Guy just screaming four, three.

[Don Allen]

Oh, by the way, someone reminded me of who the PA Guy is.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Allen]

The PA Guy at Atlanta Hawks games is not your average PA Guy. It's. It's my mentor and dare I say hip hop legend Big Tigger.

[Alan Hahn]

Your mentor?

[Don Allen]

Yeah, my first. My. I interned for him. My first. My first mentor in commercial radio.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Allen]

Former host of Rap City the Basement. Big Tigger who does mornings in Atlanta on V103. I believe he's the. He's also the PA guy.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow. God bless him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You should reach, by the way.

[Don Allen]

He's from the Bronx, just so you know.

[Alan Hahn]

I mean, isn't everybody?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Honestly, like, I give him all the credit in the world because it's literally. It's a 61 point game and he's screaming, and then they do the bird thing. They do the screeching hawk. And I. You got to imagine that somebody in

[Alan Hahn]

the building is going, all right, we can.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We can stop that now. No one's in. No one's excited about these baskets that we're making. This is embarrassing.

[Don Allen]

I just texted him, what is the

[Peter Rosenberg]

right thing to do?

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

We could get.

[Don Allen]

If we could get him on the show. I want to ask him about doing that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It could be funny.

[Don Allen]

That could be very funny. Like, how do you even try?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I wouldn't hate having him on to discuss this. Can we do it.

[Don Allen]

I'm gonna see if he responds. I mean, he's also really is like. Look him up, Alan. You'll recognize him when you see him.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, I mean, he's a little.

[Don Allen]

His era of Rap City is younger than your. Like, when he was hosting Rap City, you were, like, already an adult on the beat, like, living your life and.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, so then I wouldn't know that

[Don Allen]

Jake, he's like your childhood rhapsody.

[Commercial Announcer]

Jake stepped away momentarily.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Understandable.

[Don Allen]

Jake, I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Atlanta's got him.

[Alan Hahn]

He's busy. Yeah, they came for him.

[Don Allen]

All right, do you have. Before we get back to the calls, if you want to get in now, guys, we have a line open. You want to celebrate your Knicks one, 800-9193776. You can get in now. But before we get to you, let's hear this. Evan Cohen Audio. Evan Cohen, who does unsportsmanlike with my dear friend Michelle Smallman and our friend Chris Canty. He was on the morning show today and had some words about the old Knick fans.

[Evan Cohen]

Knicks fans may be a little bit too happy, like they should be happy today, and I think that they should. Think they're going to the finals. Absolutely think they're going to the finals, and they're the best team in the eaves, but there's a part of this

[Don Allen]

that I wonder if they're a little too happy.

[Evan Cohen]

Look around the studio. Cece's off.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Evan Cohen]

Okay. Normally someone else sits over there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Rob Lorenzo.

[Evan Cohen]

Where is he?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know.

[Evan Cohen]

You know where he is?

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

Where?

[Evan Cohen]

He just texted me because he's late today. Why is he late? I can't make this up. My train is delayed because a Nick fan had to get escorted off from being too drunk.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Absolutely.

[Evan Cohen]

Dead hammered. Calm drunk, but just falling asleep on people from going out last night. This game was in Atlanta, so. Meaning this guy was not at Madison Square Garden or anything like that, but Knicks fans. See, we have to throw a little cold water on this.

[Alan Hahn]

No, you don't. No, you don't.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Why? I texted Evan while I was on. I was on get up, but I saw the clip online, and they're a

[Alan Hahn]

few floors up from our studios, and

[Peter Rosenberg]

I was texting him, like, why can you give them just a day? Let him have a. You didn't even give him 12 hours. To just be happy that the team, for the fourth straight year, won a playoff round, which we haven't seen a run like this since the 90s. So there's a whole. These kids that are out that the guy falling Asleep, drunk. That's his dad's era. Like he never got to enjoy those that kind of successful to enjoy year after year, the team winning and you've got to already wet blanket the whole damn thing. Now, now it's. Knicks fans are enjoying this too much. It bothers you. You know what you've become, Evan Cohen, and you know I love you, but what you've become is that person that when anybody else is happy, you're miserable. Stop laughing so loud. It's bothering me. Stop having so much fun in my presence. Like, stop. And then he says this to me, by the way, I'm sorry. I'm a Pat Riley guy.

[Alan Hahn]

I like defense. Evan. They held him to 15 points in the first quarter. They held him under 100 points for three straight games. What are you talking about? With defense.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe that's what happened in Miami. The culture is so long gone, you forgot what real defense looks like. But my God, can you just. Why is it that everyone, nationally, the minute a Knicks fan or Knicks fans go out and celebrate something, right away we've got to start dumping water on them and telling them to, like, you're, You're. You're too happy. You're celebrating too much. You're enjoying this playoff winning too much. They'll tell people how to enjoy themselves. This is called passion. This is a real basketball market where they love their team, and so every little thing they do, they celebrate. Yeah, we're the annoying parent that when our kid gets one hit in the game, we go nuts.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Okay?

[Peter Rosenberg]

We're doing the wave. We've got signs. You hate that. But that's how we are here in this city.

[Don Allen]

But. Sorry, but it's Evan. Is Evan originally from Florida? Originally from New York, went to Florida and came back?

[Alan Hahn]

I think so, yes.

[Don Allen]

You think from here went to Florida?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I don't know his exact lineage, to be honest with you, but I do know there is. There's all kinds of connections, but New York is certainly part of it.

[Don Allen]

Story that he told was such a nothing burger. So one guy was too drunk on the train, which happens all the time, by the way. That could happen after game 38. Okay? It's. Let people listen. Yesterday was not even your average closeout game. Yesterday was a closeout in which they dominated for the third consecutive game, a feat they have never had as a playoff team, as the. In the NBA playoffs. The Knicks have never done what they've done over three consecutive playoffs.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what? I appreciate you trying to bring logic and reason, but that's not what that. That's not how you handle these people. What these people are doing is all. There's that they don't like seeing New

[Alan Hahn]

York teams win because New York fans

[Peter Rosenberg]

get loud and they enjoy it too much. And there's almost like this jealousy factor of. We all know when. When good things happen in New York. It's way better than anywhere else. They know that. It's way better. Success is better in New York than anywhere else. So when you see it, you're almost like, a little jealous. So then it's like, can you turn down your happiness? You know, it's bothering me. It's offending me. Your happy is offending me. That's what that is. That's what Evan Cohen just said. You're happy is offending me.

[Don Allen]

Are you. Are you attempting to give.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Don't be that guy.

[Don Allen]

We do that guy Thursday, on Friday.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, but that's.

[Don Allen]

But this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Come on, man. Like, why are you saying that? It wasn't even 12 hours.

[Alan Hahn]

I think Nick fans are enjoying this too much. Okay, well, I didn't know you were the arbiter of how fans are supposed

[Peter Rosenberg]

to appreciate winning, especially when it's a historic. Literally a historic clinching game win.

[Don Allen]

Now, speaking of which. So historic, in fact, that Claude in Queens says, last night was surreal.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

What's up, fellas?

[Caller - Claude]

Last night was surreal. Surreal. I was cooking dinner. I turned this thing off, and I walked to my local, and it was 44 to something.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

And it was. It just.

[Caller - Claude]

I didn't know what to do. I was too afraid to cheer.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But it just.

[Caller - Claude]

It felt like New Year's Eve. I saw guys that I haven't seen in, like, 10 years because everyone was coming out of the woodworks. I was like, what are you doing here?

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

They're like, yeah.

[Caller - Claude]

I was so happy. I had to go out and celebrate and find people to celebrate with and.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, no, Claude, no, no, no, Claude, Claude. You can't enjoy it.

[Alan Hahn]

You're not allowed to be happy. You're not allowed to enjoy it that much, Claude. No.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You're supposed to just sit and just watch it.

[Caller - Claude]

The locals, because they needed to be around Nick. To fans, you know, it's just a little happiness thing. It's kind of sappy that it's the first round, you know, act like we've been here. But my true gripe last night was with number 17 from the Hogs, who came up behind Mitch Robinson, and he grabbed him violently. Like, even the guy Mitch Robinson had beef with wasn't that serious. But it looked like he was Waiting for his teammate to. To suck a punch. Robinson, I've seen that move a million times, you know.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, that would have been.

[Caller - Claude]

So he. He had the most offensive action in that whole thing there. Mitch Robinson, he was. Looked like a dumb kid. A big dumb kid who was just poking the bear, but whatever.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Hey, next.

[Caller - Claude]

All the way.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Peace.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you.

[Don Allen]

Thanks, Claude. Let's keep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You know what he said though, right? Like, I had to go see other people. I had to go run out and find other fans and see other fans. Like, you just wanted that kind of connection.

[Don Allen]

I get it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And let them have it, man. Like, let them enjoy it. It's the one team that unifies the city.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to Merv in Queens. What's up?

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

Merv Rosenberg got a shout him out first.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Before I get in trouble.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

Don Allen. Are people joking? Go off the. Go ask the Nuggets. No, nothing's guaranteed.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Absolutely.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

We're going to celebrate. Why the hell not? You understand?

[Alan Hahn]

I agree.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

Yeah, guys, I can't complain. Also the win. Everything looks right. Bridges attacked the rim, was taking contact. Alvarado, the coaching number one. What we always stress throughout the whole year. We're healthy, man, and that's something to be happy about. And I love it. And I can't wait. And I just wanted to get a feel and ask you guys, Revenge in the Celtics or Philly having home court? I think I'd rather have Philly in home court, man. And another cool thing I want to throw in there, I have a cousin's wedding tomorrow, so I'm really happy it

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

didn't go to game seven.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

I was absolutely not going.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, yeah, you. That. That would make you crazy. Make everybody crazy if there was a game seven to have to deal with. Because if I'm not mistaken, that game would have been what, 3:30, right?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Did I say right?

[Alan Hahn]

That would have been like a 3:30. That would have been a midday or 4 o', clock, something like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But no, now you get the weekend off and you get back and let everybody else go through the anxiety of

[Alan Hahn]

game Sevens, which we'll have.

[Don Allen]

Thank you.

[Alan Hahn]

Saturday and Sunday. I mean, that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's interesting, right? Would you rather have.

[Alan Hahn]

Would you.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Would you rather see Philly win so you could have home court advantage, or would you rather have the Celtics win

[Alan Hahn]

knowing we got to go on the road again?

[Peter Rosenberg]

But this team is beat. Really, to beat the Celtics more than they are, to beat the Sixers, I mean, is better. I personally think that you would rather see Boston with all the flaws that are being Exposed by the Sixers right now that they're showing you. I think I might rather go there

[Alan Hahn]

because I think you might have better

[Peter Rosenberg]

success seeing what Boston has. I mean, seeing what the Sixers have exposed in Boston.

[Don Allen]

I hate being this generic, but I really am of the mindset that at

[Alan Hahn]

this point you don't think it matters.

[Don Allen]

No. It's about keeping whatever, mentally whatever that mental switch.

[Alan Hahn]

Yep.

[Don Allen]

That clicked is. It's staying right there. It does not matter. They just. Because they are moving. This is the most basic stuff. When you watch this Knicks team right now over the last few games, we can talk like Allen could talk circles around me with the X's and O's of it all, but with my just fan eye, I literally see this team doing what every coach has encouraged every team ever coach to do. Continue to move without the ball, get a rebound and go. They're literally constantly on the move, constantly moving the ball, keeping everyone involved. And then as you pointed out, they found this key that when they do run the offense, running it through. Cat has changed this team. It just makes them a different. A different club. Let's talk to you. Let's go. Oh, Eric in Westchester has a. Has. Wants to tell us something about Evan Cohen. Now, this is big. Eric, go ahead.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey.

[Caller - Eric]

Hey, fellas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

How you doing?

[Caller - Eric]

Good afternoon. Apologies. I live up in the sticks now, so service might be whatever, but I grew up next to Evan. This guy's a fraud, man.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He grew up in New York.

[Caller - Eric]

He must be, you know, must be tougher as that.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

He grew up down the block.

[Caller - Eric]

For me, he's a group of the Knick fans. And for him to say this about Nick fan celebrating after a crazy win like that is ridiculous.

[Caller - Derek]

He became.

[Caller - Eric]

He became a Miami fan when you moved down there after college.

[Don Allen]

Oh, boy.

[Alan Hahn]

Wait a minute.

[Caller - Derek]

Oh, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Now we have to have. We got to bring him to the court next Friday when Don.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

The honorable Don't.

[Caller - Claude]

He's got two of this.

[Caller - Eric]

He's got two of the nicest parents who are at my bar mitzvah. They must be dying. They love him. They love the grandkids. I'm sure they're happy for him, but they're New Yorkers. He's 100% New Yorker.

[Don Allen]

This is upsetting.

[Alan Hahn]

Eric brought some very interesting evidence that we're going to have to submit to the court.

[Don Allen]

Yeah. This is. This is some upsetting stuff to hear. And we'll have to take all of this under advisement.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

Wow.

[Don Allen]

As we move on in our lives. Thank you. Thank You a Knicks fan who moved to my. Oh, by the way, the timing of it all. Timeline.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Timeline wise, how Grew up a Nick fan or from a family of Nick fans, and then you end up in

[Don Allen]

Miami where you're a Heat Allen, Wendy end up in Miami.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, I'm sure it was when LeBron was there.

[Don Allen]

Oh, D. Wade, LBJ.

[Alan Hahn]

That's not a good look.

[Don Allen]

Big Ray.

[Alan Hahn]

Ray, I got to say, that's not a good look. What do you think?

[Don Allen]

It's.

[Alan Hahn]

It's not boding well for him. I mean, we're talking about. There's some serious. I mean.

[Don Allen]

Also, I believe I'm supposed to go on. On sportsmanlike next week.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Are you?

[Don Allen]

So I may be. I. If that happens, which I believe I

[Alan Hahn]

am, should bring it up.

[Don Allen]

I will be bringing this to the table 100%. Let's go to Jay, who's in Atlanta. Jay, you were in the building.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Fellas, it was beautiful last night. Hundreds. Hundreds of Nick fans just shut down in the surrounding area. The surrounding area was member blue and orange chance. It was. It was amazing. And we're the only fan base that could do that outside of where our team plays. The only one. I've been to North Carolina and seen it happen in North Carolina. It's just a beautiful thing. So it is a bit of jealousy. We do things big in New York. That's just who we are. There's nothing but dudes out here. I've seen at least 15, 20 nick hats out here today. Oh, yeah, it's just a beautiful thing, man. And it's all in good spirits. You know, we don't. We don't go out there and be ignorant, but we love our team and we represent, man, and we had a big, historic win. We didn't think Katt was going to turn into magic. We didn't know. So we were excited, you know, and, and, you know, and, and to the credit of the folks down here, and this is not a big basketball town like New York, but, you know, it's, it's. It's never Heat, you know, I never get any. Anything coming at me in an ignorant way. But, yo, we show out and the Knicks are doing their thing. I mean, the Yankees, where you said, I'm winning all the other teams in New York, nothing is like when the Knicks do something special, man, and it just carries on wherever you go. I've been in Atlanta for three years. My job takes me all over the place. I meet Nick fans all over the country, man, and yesterday it was beautiful. It was beautiful. But it was classy. You know, we weren't out there acting crazy, but it was amazing, man. And, yo, you live these, man. I spent a lot of money going to that game, and I wanted. You know, I want to enjoy it. So who. Whoever has a problem with that, man, I don't know what to tell you, man. We're not going to change, man. Blue and orange forever. That's just what it is.

[Don Allen]

I love it, Jay.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I love it, Jay.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. Again, it's anybody that's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Anybody nationally that is talking about the way fans are celebrating in New York.

[Alan Hahn]

You're being a wet blanket. You're being that guy. Never, ever tell people how to fan.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That just means that you're offended by

[Alan Hahn]

their joy, and that's pathetic.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to Rob, who has a Georgia song recommendation.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

Hey, guys.

[Don Allen]

How are you?

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

Good, man.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

I have a dedication to Dyson Daniels. Keep your hands to yourself in the Georgia Satellites.

[Alan Hahn]

Don't have no lines. And keep your hands to yourself. I know. I know what you mean.

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

I was up in Boston super bowl weekend, you know, for the Nick game. And I got to tell you, it was loud and proud and crazy in there. And the truth is, you don't want people screaming in your building. Don't sell your tickets.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That simple.

[Alan Hahn]

Well, that's. You know how that always works. And it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's worked.

[Alan Hahn]

You know, again, jets fans know this when MetLife turns into, you know, a stadium filled with Dolphins fans or Patriots fans or anybody else that they sell their tickets to. So it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

We. We see it in our own way here. But I was at that game, too. I called that game.

[Alan Hahn]

And I remember that. That feeling.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And Marquess just saying, I've never heard

[Alan Hahn]

this building with the opposing fans cheering louder than the Boston fans. You never experienced that, but he did that day.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it was because their Patriots win the super bowl and a lot of Celtics fans probably wanted to sell their tickets.

[Don Allen]

There's no. There's no denying the. The how well New York teams travel. It's just in all sports, but particularly this Knicks team. I mean, the Knicks.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I think this is new, though, Peter.

[Don Allen]

It's been upgraded.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah, I don't remember it at this level because I've covered this team for 25 years. I don't remember it even in the

[Alan Hahn]

years where I was a beat writer following around now, they weren't very good

[Peter Rosenberg]

back then, but there's no way it's

[Alan Hahn]

at the level that it's been since Jalen Brunson's era.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Something or something Something has turned, and I don't know if it's just the availability of tickets, the ability to travel quicker, easier. I don't know what it is, but to see all the way up and down the east coast, from Miami to Orlando to Atlanta to Charlotte to Washington to Philadelphia and then obviously up to

[Alan Hahn]

see it in Boston really blew my mind.

[Don Allen]

And I'll tell you the most impressive part about it. So I root for a couple of teams that are like, you know, as, you know, like kind of perennial good teams. The Celtics and the Penguins. The Celtics and the Penguins have always. They always have fans everywhere because they have a lot of titles. What makes the Knicks traveling so good is they don't have the titles to back. It's just the fan base.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And maybe that's why everybody from the

[Alan Hahn]

outside gets so annoyed.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's because the noise out of New York is of a franchise that, like, is. The Yankees has 27 world.

[Alan Hahn]

You know what I mean?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like. Like the. The Celtics or Lakers that have, you know, 18 banners instead, it's like, no, there's two, and they've got a lot of dust on them. But it's still. The noise is as loud as a franchise that would have 27 championships. Right. Like, maybe that's what annoys people, but that's.

[Don Allen]

That's it.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, you talk like a big corporation and you really. You're a mom and pop.

[Don Allen]

But that's, to me, the opposite. Like, you know, Lakers fans are always there. Celtics fans are always there.

[Alan Hahn]

But.

[Don Allen]

But the Knicks is what makes it impressive. And you know what?

[Alan Hahn]

So you think it's impressive?

[Peter Rosenberg]

I would think others would feel it's annoying because you're loud and yet, what

[Alan Hahn]

do you really have to be proud?

[Don Allen]

No, because those are real fans.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's what I say.

[Don Allen]

When. That says a lot when you go to Wizards games and Lakers fans are all over the building.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Yeah.

[Don Allen]

I'm sure maybe some of them are left over from when they were bandwagon fans in 1985. Yes. So maybe now they've become real fans after 40 years. But a lot of them came on board with Kobe, then some came on board with LeBron. So it's just not legit. When you're the Knicks, your. Your family's either from New York or you're from New York or, like, no one jumped on board because, like, oh, Carmelo went to the Knicks and now they're the hottest team that never happened. So, no, I. I respect it.

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[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Allen]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

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

[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh man.

[Don Allen]

As you can tell the vibes we are celebrating a big Nick victory over the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn't so great for my Celtics. I just like felt like the vibes would be like oh, knicks are up 50. Let me check in on the Celtics. Oh, down six. Yeah, yeah, they never got right the

[Alan Hahn]

three ball for them. Like that's the thing I would watch tomorrow, their three point shot because that's been their strength. And you know the two wins they had after losing game two, they hit like 20 and 23 in each game from downtown. Then the next two, you know they struggle. They're at 28%. Missed 50 something threes in two games. Like you know that always seems to be the thing with them. They are defiant about the threes. They always going to take them. They believe they're going to eventually start hitting them and if they don't hit them again, if they have a third straight game of poor three point shooting, they're going to lose this series.

[Don Allen]

Well, here's, here's your starters for the Celtics last night. Tatum was two for six from three.

[Alan Hahn]

Not good.

[Don Allen]

Sam Houser was one for five. K didn't take any. Derrick White was three for six. They're there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Which is good for him even though

[Alan Hahn]

he's been bad in the series. So he.

[Don Allen]

That's what you're looking for. I mean, right.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Allen]

Someone, if a couple guys can give you 50%. Well, the problem is that didn't really happen because yeah. Jalen Brown was 2 for 6. Vucevich missed both of his Pritchard. Here's the real dagger.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Don Allen]

Pritchard was one for eight from three.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And that's not typical of him.

[Don Allen]

29% overall as a team, 42% from the floor. And you know, it's not like the Sixers were great. Dude, The Sixers were 33% from 3, 44% from the floor. They were only a nudge better in both categories.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But what's the final score?

[Don Allen]

106. 93.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah, there you go.

[Don Allen]

The Celtics were just, you know, as you said, their liver die and really die.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But that also shows you that since

[Alan Hahn]

Embiid was moved into the offense and is running a lot of offense through him as a passer, not as much dominating with. With scoring. The Celtics have had a hard time with it. And so it tells you. Are, are the Sixers showing you that the Town's offense that the Knicks are running could actually really work well against

[Peter Rosenberg]

the Celtics defense because they're not very big. They have guys, they have their bigs.

[Alan Hahn]

Like again Kata, you mentioned Vucevich, you mentioned they have Garza.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They're big, but they're not dynamic.

[Alan Hahn]

Big, big centers. Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So it's another series where you think

[Alan Hahn]

maybe with Embiid playing well, Towns could play really well in a series against the Celtics too. So it's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

They might have shown you something, which is why you, you hope. Can the Sixers, can the Celtics get

[Alan Hahn]

one, steal one or win at home seven, which they should.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then set you up for a series where you look at them a

[Alan Hahn]

different way than maybe you used to look at Boston.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Maybe there is something about them that is like there's an Achilles heel there

[Alan Hahn]

that you can exploit.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to Mark in New Jersey. What's up, Mark?

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

How you doing, guys?

[Alan Hahn]

What's up, Mark?

[Don Allen]

Good, man. How are you?

[Caller - Merv or Rob]

We are psyched.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, I want to make.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

First of all, I want to talk

[Peter Rosenberg]

about OG Anunoby, because this guy has some kind of strength, man.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah.

[Peter Rosenberg]

To be under the basket, have two or three defenders around him and just go right up and dunk the ball. I think about Charles Smith and the end of that one playoff game many years ago, and I just. It amazes me how easy he makes it look.

[Alan Hahn]

It's.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It's easy when you're getting the pass

[Alan Hahn]

in the right place at the right time.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He's changed. I think he's really had success because

[Alan Hahn]

of Towns looking for him and on his cuts.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And that has changed.

[Alan Hahn]

But Peter, he's shooting in that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

In that series, in the six games, he shot almost 57% from three.

[Alan Hahn]

That's unheard of.

[Don Allen]

Crazy.

[Peter Rosenberg]

He was plus 84 on the court, dude.

[Alan Hahn]

Average 20 a game. 21 a game.

[Don Allen]

For. If you're just turning, tuning into the show and you weren't with us at the beginning, we went over some really fun numbers.

[Alan Hahn]

Oh, yeah.

[Don Allen]

My favorites, though, were these the plus minus numbers that you just don't ever see in real life. The Knicks starters, OG was plus 42. Cat was plus 35. Hart was plus 35. Bridges plus 40. Jalen Brunson plus 42, 41. And somehow Mitchell Robinson in nine minutes was plus 29.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game just again, the Hawks went on a 9.

[Alan Hahn]

0 run early in the game to take a nine six or nine. Five. Lee. I can't remember exactly what it was. The Knicks answered it with a 31 to 4 run.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, you don't see. Like, they went on a 90 run and like the crowd was into it. They were kind of like. You saw some confidence in them.

[Don Allen]

And.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it was. And it wasn't anything dynamic. They did. They just made a couple of baskets. Then they couldn't make a shot for the rest of the quarter because the Knick defense just clamped down. You blink your eye and all of a sudden you're like, wait, it's 40 to 15. Is that a real score? You know, the knicks got to 100 before the Hawks got to 50.

[Don Allen]

That's it. That's another insane one.

[Peter Rosenberg]

A road team to get to 100 before the home team gets to 50

[Alan Hahn]

in a playoff game has never happened like that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

That's how. As much as you know, you looked at it and you said, like, that was Just an amazing game and amazing things that, like, you'll never see something

[Alan Hahn]

like that again for probably another, you know, 10, 15 years.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But because it happened, it just. It was just an amazing thing to

[Alan Hahn]

watch from a Nick perspective. Amazing.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to NAS in Pine Brook, who wants to pay. Pay homage to the Knicks bench.

[Alan Hahn]

Sure.

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

Yes. I'm not talking McBride and Robinson and Alvarado and Clarkson. I'm talking Shoshan, Kolik, Gaddier. In that fourth quarter when the sub bench came out and held it down. I mean, everybody's going to earn that ring if we get this chip. You know what I'm saying?

[Don Allen]

Agree.

[Peter Rosenberg]

There was a great opportunity for those guys to get in and play, actually, real playoff minutes. Almost an entire fourth quarter.

[Alan Hahn]

Right.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to Matthew in Westchester to add a little context to this great day.

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

What's going on, boys? It's Matt Welling. How you guys doing?

[Alan Hahn]

Hey, bud. How are you?

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

How you guys doing?

[Alan Hahn]

Very good today.

[Caller - Matthew or NAS]

I finally got through. I just. I didn't really want to bring it up because I know it's made a bad mood, but that Evan guy, a lot of these, a lot of the fans that I know, at least because I'm 20, we're under the age of 25, which was the last time the team made the final. So we don't really know how to act to begin with. So let us run. Let us. Let us do what we got to do.

[Alan Hahn]

I completely agree.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, again, the problem is, is, like, act like you've been there before. And I laugh and I'm like, you know, a lot of these kids have never been here before. They've never seen this. And there's a different way now. I'm sorry. In 1994, when I was just out

[Alan Hahn]

of college and the Knicks had their run and the Rangers had their own, my good buddy Ben and I would go, and it was every other night

[Peter Rosenberg]

because he was a huge Rangers fan.

[Alan Hahn]

And we. We couldn't get in the building. We couldn't afford to.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So we were outside the building, whether it was sneaking into Charlie O's and just sitting in a booth and hoping they wouldn't kick us out because we already ordered something for, like, 10 bucks

[Alan Hahn]

and made it and made it, and

[Peter Rosenberg]

they ate it as slow as possible so we could stay as long as

[Alan Hahn]

we could while the game was on

[Peter Rosenberg]

the TV or just waiting outside the building till the games ended, going to the bars, like, that's. That's what we did. But we didn't. It wasn't in us back then to shut down 7th Avenue. 33rd street was still a street back then. You couldn't do what they're doing on 33rd street right now. But it's still. Were you outside the building? Was there celebrating? Did you have a great time in

[Alan Hahn]

Penn Station when it was, by the way, not the best place to be hanging out?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, that was what we did in those days. What they have today is obviously a little more excited and a lot more

[Alan Hahn]

cameras around, and some of it is performative.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I agree with Don. There are some people that go there strictly because for the gram. Might not be fans, but they want

[Alan Hahn]

fans to come to them. Sure.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So they can video them, so they even hold up signs with their ATS on them. I understand.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, this is a new world we live in with social media stuff, but

[Peter Rosenberg]

it still doesn't mean that there are fans that are just so euphoric about, hey, this team that I lived through some of the worst years, seeing some of the worst basketball and having some of the most frustrating endings. Amari getting hurt, Billup's getting hurt in the playoffs. Shumpert blowing out his knee. Baron Davis blowing out his knee. All the things that happened in those years when Melo was there, they couldn't

[Alan Hahn]

get over the hump.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And then having it go back into the lottery for years to go through all that and to now be on a team where every year, you know, we're getting out of the first round for sure. We have a chance to be an elite team. And this year, you're in the conversation as a contender, and then you start showing stuff like you've shown the last couple of games. Yeah. For this fan base, this is new to a lot of them. And you. The whole idea of a fan is to enjoy this experience. You go through a whole season just to get to this point where the winds mean so much. And if you have the ability, because this.

[Alan Hahn]

The.

[Peter Rosenberg]

The arena is in downtown, and there's millions of people around, and it's the city that never sleeps. And you want to celebrate outside the building, you want to celebrate in the streets, go for it. Just because they don't do that in other cities doesn't mean it ain't right.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

That.

[Don Allen]

That's the thing. And I always felt like. Like when Don would get super passionate about it, I think there's just a disconnect. Generationally. Yes. Social media, they're gonna. It's gonna add people to the fringe who would normally not really be there, care, but, like, overall, it's. Dude, this. This fan base is intense. This. I mean the Yankee fan base and the Knick fan base, they stand out like above the crowd. Respectfully, I mean, obviously to be a passionate Mets fan. We know what that means. We know how many there are. Rangers certainly have a huge base. Every team here does. The jets and Giants certainly, but the Knicks and the Yankees.

[Alan Hahn]

It hits different.

[Don Allen]

It just does. I mean I am literally an objective observer who moved here. The Knicks and Yankee fan bases hit different. It's just how it's always been.

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[Peter Rosenberg]

Oh, oh, oh. O'Reilly Auto Parts.

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[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Don Allen]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

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

[Don Allen]

Your New York Knickerbockers win the series 4, 2. They will go on to face the winner of Boston and Philadelphia game seven tomorrow night at TD Garden in Boston. Celtics are seven and a half point favorites. However, they have not been looking like a favorite the last several days. Let's get to calls Allen for the next seven minutes. Before we get to Ennis, let's go to Gene in New Jersey. What's up, Gene?

[Peter Rosenberg]

Hey, what's up fellas?

[Don Allen]

What's up man?

[Caller]

Hey.

[Caller - Gene]

So I was calling him because I woke up after a led as a historic win by the Knicks. And the first thing I see when I wake up are Knicks fans a little too happy about the victory. And I think that's why, at least me as a young fan, I feel like that's why I cheer for my team so passionately. Because it seems like every game that we go into or every series that we go into, we're an underdog by our own people. There are people that are saying we can't beat the Hawks, we can't beat the Celtics, we're not equal up to okc. So I feel like that's why Knick fans are so passionate. Even if it is a first round series. There were people that said we weren't

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

going to be able to beat the

[Caller - Gene]

Hawks and we dominated them in three

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

games in a row.

[Alan Hahn]

It's very true, Gene. I mean there were people that were telling me I was crazy to say that this is exactly what the Knicks need is you need to play a team like the Hawks who are going

[Peter Rosenberg]

to challenge you that you like if you play Toronto. Now Toronto's had a good series against the Cavs, but the Knicks just match

[Alan Hahn]

up really well with Toronto and they,

[Peter Rosenberg]

they beat him five times this year. So you would think if the Knicks had an easy first round series. We've seen the Knicks when they get comfortable, that's not really right. Like they need to lock in and get to another level. And the fact that the Hawks push them to a place down to one where reality was setting in, of, hey, if you guys blow this, a lot of bad things didn't happen and some of you might not be here next season. I think that got their attention. And you heard Mike Brown, Peter Mike Brown said it after the game. He said the Hawks, their coaching staff, their players that we like, they made us better. And that was what I was saying when I said the whole iron sharpens iron thing about how I wanted that

[Don Allen]

matchup let's hear that cut, by the way. We have that.

[Mike Brown (Knicks Coach)]

I like the style firstly, you know, just. Just recognizing Atlanta Hawks. It's a good series. Quinn and his staff, you know, I've said this before.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

They.

[Mike Brown (Knicks Coach)]

They helped us get better, and I think they would say the same about us. Quinn pushed a lot of right buttons. Their team did. Did too. And it made us, you know, have to try to keep figuring out how we can help our guys be better. So, you know, appreciate that.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Like, what do you think of that? Like, it's literally what I said.

[Alan Hahn]

Like, they needed this. And Mike kind of admitted it there. Like, hey, you know what?

[Peter Rosenberg]

We needed this because it got us to where we had to figure out how we had to play, and we found it. Is that so crazy to say that a tougher first round matchup was actually the better thing for this team? Could we, like, if they go on a run, we'll look back and say that. That maybe this doesn't happen if they

[Alan Hahn]

play an easier opponent in the first round.

[Don Allen]

Let's go to Jeff in Trenton. What's up, Jeff?

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

What's up, gentlemen?

[Alan Hahn]

Jeff.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Happy Friday.

[Caller]

You know, listen, I'm, I'm, as Peter would say, Philly at Jace. I'm right across the river. I was in the building last year when we were chanting MVP for Brunson took over. I can't wait for the Sixers to finish Boston so I can be in that building for one, maybe two games and I will call back and let you know what it's like. But I just. I just want to tell you guys, big difference between the tickets that I have in June for going to see the Mets play at Philly and anticipating getting Tiggas to seed the Knicks playing Philly.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

Let's go next up and let you guys go.

[Alan Hahn]

Thank you, Jeff. Yeah, I imagine that he wants the Sixers to win because he'd want to go to some of those games down there in Philly.

[Don Allen]

Yeah.

[Alan Hahn]

Like I said, it's always the matchups that make you. That make you wonder which is the better matchup right now for the Knicks.

[Don Allen]

And that's why you can't go too far down the path of, well, if we want, you can't really spend a lot of time who you want because you just don't know what's going to happen.

[Alan Hahn]

Yeah. And that's another thing people pointed out. Atlanta, kind of the way they set themselves up was so that they could play the Knicks because they thought they could beat him.

[Don Allen]

You know what he's been on hold all day. Let's. Let's go to Big Dick in Manhattan. Hey Richard. Eddie's gone.

[Alan Hahn]

Wow, that was quick.

[Don Allen]

Oh my God. Everyone's just disappeared. Something. Something happened, folks.

[Alan Hahn]

That was Derek's there.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I hit Richard. I hit Dan at the same time and then they killed the boat.

[Don Allen]

Richard held on for three hours just now. Let's see, let's see if that's Richard calling back. Let's go to Derek in Harlem. In the meantime, Derek,

[Caller - Derek]

I want everybody's apologies be loud as they disrespect because everybody was talking a lot of cash stuff about the Knicks and Atlanta was the better team. But they real quiet today. I want everybody to know from now on the New York Knicks are known as Joe Jackson to the Atlanta Hawks. All right. And they are Jackie Jackson because we put belts to B U T T. And I want to do the same to Boston because they said it was last year was a flute. So we doing again.

[Don Allen]

Derek, I appreciate the attitude. I love this approach. You also sound Jake, didn't he sound oddly like Pat Pooh on the phone? Just like. Just a tad.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Yeah. Pat wasn't rapping. That's how he was down.

[Don Allen]

Yeah. Really good. All right. Big Dick in Manhattan. Hey, Richard.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

Hi, Peter. Alan, listen, the NCAA tournament has nothing on the NBA playoffs. We got it now. NBA is great. Allen, do you remember after Edge Comb had opening game set the rookie record first play to score. I called you about six weeks later and I said to you, Allen, you know Philadelphia may have the best big four in the NBA and you mentioned

[Alan Hahn]

that they're always hurt but they play four games together. That was the thing is it was

[Peter Rosenberg]

always going to be.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

But I brought it up, you know, as far as the stain, LeBron James, don't forget Mariano and Derekida both have that stain of being three up on the Red Sox that we have that now. Alan, out of all the stats you read about yesterday, here's the one that'll be like Cy Young's 511 wins. I think it's the greatest. The 105 point differential in a playoff series that will never ever, ever, ever be accomplished. That is unbelievable. 105. And let's give Mike Brown the credit. This is done by him. After losing two close games like that and coming back and winning three games by over 100 points cumulatively, it's unbelievable. This guy gets all the credit in. And I agree with Mike Breen. I brought this up to Dan Grasser the other day. I say I'd rather see a game seven and be tense like this. He said he'd rather see a Game 7 than do the game that he did yesterday. Let's face it, yesterday, last night's game was worse than an NBA all star game and probably just as bad as a nick preseason game. So, you know, it had no juice. I mean, I'm happy they won, but you know, you gotta look at every side of it, fellas.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I will pushback if you're okay.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

But it's one way of looking at it.

[Alan Hahn]

It is.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

I did say he'd rather do a

[Peter Rosenberg]

Game seven and he says it as a broadcaster. You want something that you can call that's going to have great energy and, and great drama and down to the end.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

Let me, let me just interrupt.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I didn't get.

[Caller - Jay or Jeff]

People gamble.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

People gamble because they need juice on the game. They need the adrenaline rush.

[Peter Rosenberg]

I know.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

Is that correct? Well, when I watch the game, me, I want to watch the game for the outcome also, but mainly storylines and so I can wrap my brain around it. There was not much to wrap around yesterday.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It was over in the first quarter. It's why I said the series was

[Alan Hahn]

five and a quarter.

[Peter Rosenberg]

It wasn't a six game series.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

Right.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And I'm saying that, that yes, when you are broadcasting a game or you're somebody that doesn't have a die hard rooting interest in it and you just want to see like tonight I want to see good games. I want to see good games. Tonight I want to see a good, good game seven.

[Caller or Guest - Possibly Mark or Richard]

But Denver, Minnesota game last night. What about the Philly Boston game? Those were great games. They were intriguing. I couldn't believe what I was watching. The NBA has surpassed the ncaa.

[Peter Rosenberg]

You don't have a dog in the fight. It's so much better to watch. Which is why the tournament is fun. Because for so many people you don't have a dog in the fight. But in these, in the playoffs, the majority of the people watching have a team. And it is far more relaxing every now and then. Yes, of course there's a euphoria to, you know, putting a team away late. There's something to that that you love. I mean, Jalen Brunson won last year's first round on a step back three for the ages. And while that whole game had a lot of drama and concern in it, that shot was like, in the end I needed a cigarette. I said that after that, after that game, I need a cigarette because that's, that was experience.

[Don Allen]

All of it. Yep.

[Peter Rosenberg]

But this game is like every now and then In a playoff run, you need one where I can just sit back and chill. There's no anxiety, there's no tense.

[Don Allen]

This but by the way, fun to

[Peter Rosenberg]

watch my team play at a level like that. That was impressive. Alan.

[Don Allen]

Alan. The game where you got to sit back and chill, that was game five. Game six was something else. That, that was. Then I hold my beer like that was beyond chilling. That's, that's. Hey, light one up.

[Peter Rosenberg]

Let's have a party like you, you. And again, if it's the, if it's the Thunder, like there were people that said the warriors during their run with kd. It just got ridiculous. They were just so good. It was boring. You know what I mean? And that that could be true. But what I'm trying to say is because you've. This Nick team had such a roller coaster mercurial type of personality. You were always waiting to see just how good could this team be. And then they locked in and you

[Alan Hahn]

just went, oh wow, like I've never seen anything like this.

[Peter Rosenberg]

And it was a spectacle for a minute and then you got to the third quarter.

[Alan Hahn]

Okay, it's 61 points now. I think we've seen enough.

[Peter Rosenberg]

So there is still a joy to it for a die hard fan. But of course the best games, the

[Alan Hahn]

most compelling ones are the ones that end on the final possessions.

[Podcast Host - Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Peter Rosenberg]

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

[Podcast Host - 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.