Nightcap Hour 1: Knicks LOOKING to SWEEP + Western Conference Finals INJURY UPDATE

Summary

Nightcap Hour 1: Knicks LOOKING to SWEEP + Western Conference Finals INJURY UPDATE

Podcast: Nightcap
Hosts: Shannon Sharpe (Unk), Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, Joe Johnson
Guest: Bobby Portis (BP)
Date: May 22, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the NBA Playoffs, focusing on:

• The New York Knicks’ commanding 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals
• Breakdown of Game 2: Knicks’ dominance, key player performances, and Cavaliers adjustments
• Analysis of Western Conference Finals injury updates (San Antonio Spurs and OKC Thunder)
• Broader conversations about role players, the importance of opportunity in the NBA, and aging in professional sports

The hosts are joined by NBA Champion Bobby Portis to provide insider perspective and unfiltered basketball analysis.

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Knicks vs. Cavaliers: Game 2 Breakdown

Knicks Take 2-0 Lead

• Knicks defeat Cavs 109-93 to go up 2-0 in the series (05:01)
• "All they did was hold serve at home. Jalen Brunson, he didn't have the greatest night scoring, but he facilitated 19 points, 14 assists—the most assists in a playoff game by a Knick since 1998." – Host (05:14)
• Josh Hart’s breakout: 26 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists (05:20)
• OG Anunoby: 14 points on 5-8 shooting
• Karl-Anthony Towns (CAT): Another double-double, 18 points, 13 rebounds
• Mikal Bridges: 19 points

Cleveland’s Defensive Adjustments

• Joe Johnson credits Cleveland for trying new defensive coverages:
  "They let Brunson play in isolation, and he killed them down the stretch. Tonight, he seen more bodies, more doubles. You right, Unc. We're gonna have to shake Josh Hart's hand after the game. He went 5 of 11 from the 3, bro. Hey, good game." – Joe Johnson (07:39)
• Knicks controlled the pace early and responded to every Cavs run (08:20)
• Cavalier's key mistake: Inability to capitalize on game one, leading to demoralization in game two

The Impact of Jalen Brunson

• Bobby Portis disagrees that Brunson had a weak game: "Him hitting the pocket, when the double team come, guys slipping to the pocket, being able to hit the pocket...14 assists, that's tough." – BP (08:37) "Playing with Dame...real star guards...they corral a lot of help and attention. Guys start trapping. So in practice, you drill guys lifting out of the corners, hit the pocket, play backside. I still think he had a good game." – BP (08:37)
• Emphasis on how Brunson’s playmaking sets up the rest of the team to thrive

"Pick Your Poison" Philosophy

• Hosts agree the Cavs essentially dared Josh Hart to beat them, which he did
• Scouting report: If Hart or a role player goes off, that’s a loss you can live with, rather than letting Brunson beat you
  "If Josh Hart gonna beat us, y’all do know this is a career high for him in the playoffs, right?...If I’m Cleveland, I’m kinda living with these results." – Unk (13:30) "I remember in 2022, we picked Grant Williams to beat us, man. Hit nine trays. Took 20 of them." – BP (15:33)

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Cavaliers’ Dilemma and What’s Next

Two Games, Two Failed Approaches

• Cavs tried single coverage (Game 1) and blitzing Brunson (Game 2)—lost both
• "Even though it's going to be played at home. What do you do next?" – Host (14:34)
• BP: "Sometimes in the playoffs, you gotta pick somebody to beat you. But when you’re at home, sometimes it’s easier for role guys to step up, but on the road—it’s tough." (15:18)

Cavaliers’ Star Power and Role Player Issues

• Cavs need more from their supporting cast: "What am I supposed to do with 18 and two assists?" – Host on James Harden’s stat line (17:15) "Sometimes guys get in the mode of trying to will the game with scoring, but...he was making the right passes, they just couldn’t hit no shots…It was a little tight." – BP on Harden (20:59)
• Max Strus and other role guys not producing on the road
• BP: "I just think the Cavs got a bad matchup, man. This ain’t the right team for them to play…they just got their number." (23:51)

Need for Defensive Stoppers

• BP points out Cavs lack “real” one-on-one defenders: "They ain’t got no Case and Wallace. They ain’t got no Dillon Harper. They ain’t got no Luguentz Dort…That’s the difference on championship teams—those 6’5” to 6’9” agile, mobile [guys] can switch and get a stop." – BP (25:30)

Stars Must Align

• "James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, they need to show up. And the supporting cast need to do some supporting." – Host (29:40)
• Emphasis on needing Evan Mobley to play bigger and more aggressively (30:16)
• Idea: "They gotta get off to a good start in game three…If not, it can get real tricky real fast." – BP (31:36)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Game one was so demoralizing, fellas, I ain't gonna lie." – Unk (10:21)
• "Ain't no cards being played on the plane. Ain't none of that home cooking. Ain't no Boo Ray being played. Ain't nothing going on." – BP on losing playoff road trips (16:45)
• "Everybody don't never find [the right team/coach]. So they find theyself on the team just, you know what I'm saying, still working, still grinding, still, you know I'm saying, winning the day, putting that time in and just staying ready." – BP, on NBA opportunity (42:50)
• "When they call your name, you better be ready. Cause hey—they may not call you no more." – Unk (44:49)
• "When I realized [Brunson] was good—when Luka got hurt and they gave him the ball, and he cooked." – Host (47:49)
• "He got a tailor-made team to his game..." – BP, on Brunson with the Knicks (49:51)
• "I gotta give a lot of credit to his pops, Rick Brunson." – Unk, on Jalen Brunson’s support (50:35)

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Jalen Brunson: Rise to Knicks Franchise Player (47:19–51:46)

• Third all-time in Knicks postseason scoring—only behind Patrick Ewing and Walt Frazier (47:19)
• Hosts reflect on how a change of scenery and the right roster unlocked Brunson’s potential as a lead star
• "Sometimes BP, you know, a guy just needs his own team…He can't be what you think he can be if he played with Luka." – Host (48:29)
• "He kinda got like the perfect tailor-made team to how he play." – BP (48:43)
• Consensus: Brunson’s move to NYK was a superb investment (50:04–50:28)

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Western Conference Finals Injury Update (53:32–57:01)

San Antonio Spurs vs. OKC Thunder

• Spurs’ stars De’Aaron Fox (ankle) and Dillon Harper (abductor) are questionable for Game 3 (53:32)
• OKC’s Jalen Williams continues to struggle with recurring hamstring injuries.
  • Williams: “…fourth time he's injured that hamstring this season. …when you have an injury you start to compensate…Guess what? Tweak the other one." (54:31–54:46)
• Concern: If both Fox and Harper sit, OKC could steal a game—or more—in San Antonio (56:18)
  • "Them abductors...when you go to try to move laterally…them things’ll give out on you, boy." – Unk (56:36)
• BP highlights the ball-handling and composure gap when Fox sits, stressing how much it raises Castle’s turnover risk and pressure (57:01)

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Role Players & “Next Man Up” in the NBA (41:22–46:56)

• Extended conversation on the importance of bench players being ready
• "If you get an opportunity, go to a game and watch the guy that never gets in…and watch how he shoots the ball. That joker out there making 10, 12, 13 straight shots." – Host (42:12)
• "In the league, you just gotta wait your opportunity and your time…when they call your name, you better be ready." – BP & Unk (44:49–45:46)
• Multiple anecdotes about players stepping up in big moments (Jeff Teague, Minnesota’s Shannon kid, Grant Williams)

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Aging, Longevity, and Performance (37:06–39:15)

• Discussion about older stars (Harden, Sharpe, Ocho) and adapting as the body ages
  • "As you start to age, you just can't sum it up as well as you could when you were younger. You can't have those games back to back to back...When you were in your 20s…you could come to the game eating a honey bun. When you're 35, 36, 37…Ticket, press and broccoli." – Host & Unk exchange (37:32–38:13)
• "A wise man once told me, the older you get, the lighter you have to be." – Unk, quoting Pat Riley (38:41)

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Eastern Conference Finals Outlook

• Panel agrees the series is “done” unless Cleveland has a dramatic turnaround at home
  • "I think it's over with, man." – BP (10:15)
  • "Based on the matchup, based on the teams and understanding what the Cavs have...we said before the series even started, the Cavs might win one game, and we were right." – Host (28:21)
• Joe Johnson predicts Knicks in five in the Finals (53:13)
• Discussion of the potential Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals, including the narrative symmetry of both teams meeting in the in-season tournament final

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:01] – Knicks Game 2 Recap & Player Stats
• [08:37] – Bobby Portis on Brunson’s Impact
• [13:30] – Cavs Defensive Dilemma: “Let Hart Beat Us?”
• [20:59] – Harden, Role Players Analysis
• [25:30] – BP: Cavs lack elite wing defenders
• [29:40] – Star Responsibility in Playoff Series
• [42:50] – BP & Unk: Importance of Opportunity for Bench Players
• [47:19] – Jalen Brunson’s Franchise Impact
• [53:32] – Western Conference Finals Injury Updates

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Conclusion

This Nightcap episode blends sharp on-court analysis with locker-room storytelling, boiling down the Knicks’ path to the finals and the Cavaliers’ existential problems. The injury report out West is ominous for both the Spurs and Thunder. Across all discussions, the central lesson: from stars to bench, opportunity and execution define playoff greatness.

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Transcript

[Unk]

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[BP (Bobby Portis)]

What's up y'?

[Host]

All?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Y' all good man? What's the word?

[Unk]

Y' all good?

[Host]

We all good.

[Unk]

Come on.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I love y' all show by the way too man.

[Host]

Thank you for joining us man. Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button and go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from. Thank you guys. Thank you for your eyes, ears and your word of mouth. Thank you for all the support that you've given us over the last three years because none of this is possible without you. All the wars that we've been able to see, receive, all the praise and adulation that been bestowed upon us is all because of you, because of your eyes, your ears, and your word of mouth. And the Nightcap family cannot thank you enough. So again, thank you for your support and your continued support. Those looking to purchase a bottle of Shea by La Portier Head over to la portierconac.com to purchase you a bottle if it's currently unavailable in a state or city near you. It is a vsop, the smoothest, best tasting VSOP Cognac on the market. But it drinks more like an xo. Please drink responsibly and stay safe. We've been nominated for four hashtag awards. Best Brand Partnership for Nightcap Outside in Row, Best Podcast, Best Athletes Podcast, Best Use of Live Video. That link is pinned in the chat, so make sure you go vote. You can get an opportunity to vote as many times as you like. As we mentioned before, we're joined by NBA champion Bobby Portis. The Knicks beat the Cavaliers 109 to 93. They take a 20 lead. All they did was whole serve at home. Jalen Brunson, uh, he didn't have the greatest night scoring, but he facilitated 19 points, 14 assists. The most assists in a playoff game by Nick since 1998. They got 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting from OG Karl Anthony Towns with another double double, 18 points, 13 rebounds. Josh Hart was the guy tonight. He had 26 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists. Mikhail Bridges had 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists. Joe, we're going to turn it over to you, let you and Bobby have this first crack at it. But it seems to me early on the the objective of the Cavs was to make Josh Hart beat him. Yeah, because he found himself open a lot on three point shots and uncontested shots and he ultimately made him pay. And they got off to the start because even though Jalen didn't have the greatest game. And so now you got me wondering like damn, if Jalen didn't play as good as that. We know he can play and they beat you by 16. Things ain't really looking good. Joe, what did you, what did you like about how the Knicks approached this Game. Cause it was. It wasn't what we thought it was going to be.

[Unk]

Right.

[Host]

It was very, very slow. Very slow pace, but. And ultimately, they get the job done.

[Unk]

Yeah. I mean, I want to give Cleveland a little credit here, you know, for switching it up, you know, not. Not giving the same coverage, obviously, we seen in Game one. You know, they never switched up their coverages. They let Brunson play in isolation, and he killed them down the stretch tonight. He's seen a little more. He's seen more bodies, more doubles, and. You right, huh? Hey, look, we're gonna have to shake Josh Hart hand after the game. Hey, if you gonna go 5 foot 11 from the 3, bro. Hey, hey, good game. But I. I think Cleveland. Cleveland had a great remedy tonight, but the Knicks was. Were in control of the game the whole entirety until, like, later in the game. But when. When the Cavs made their run, I still didn't think they would. They would come back.

[Host]

I didn't either.

[Unk]

You know, I thought they would make the game look respectable, but for the most part, man, I feel like the Knicks are in command of this series, even going to Cleveland. I'm gonna be honest with y', all, man. I don't. I. I think Cleveland may. They may get one game. Bp what you got for me, man?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

To be honest, man, I gotta disagree with Unk. Unk say that Bronson didn't have a good game just because of scoring. I think that, you know, him hitting the pocket, you know what I'm saying? When the double team come, guys slipping to the pocket, being able to hit the pocket, guys playing backside, getting them. Getting them midd floaters in the middle, and that was getting the team off, getting the guys in the rhythm early on, even though he wasn't making his baskets and being able to get off, you know, offensively, scoring wise, I feel like he was still hitting the pockets. Playing with Dame Dollar the last couple years, just really, like, kind of put it into perspective playing with, you know, real star guards that got that. That. That kind of, you know, scoring ability, you know, they corral a lot of. A lot of help and attention. You know, guys start trapping. So obviously in practice, you know, it's something you drill. Guys. Guys lift the corners, pull up out the corners, give me an outlet, hit the pocket, play backside, two on one, you know, and things like that. So I still think he had a good game, you know what I'm saying? 14 assists, that's tough. But I gotta agree with Joe, too, though, man. You know what I'm saying? I think it's over for the Cavs. Them using game one was demoralized. They have 20 points. They up 20 points. Yeah, they up 20 points with eight minutes left. You know, that's the game where you gotta call timeout, tell everybody in the huddle, hey, come on, let's go. Let's. You know what I'm saying? Let's get something. Let's get a stop, and then, you know what I'm saying, let's win this game. Because even if we lose game two, we going into game three, one. One with home court advantage now with our home inside, so.

[Unk]

Right. Right.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I think it's over with, man.

[Unk]

Hey, look, look.

[Host]

Go ahead, Joe. You wanna say something? My bad.

[Unk]

One more thing, bp. You know this, bro. Even down the stretch in Game one, all we need. All they needed to get was one or two stops. Like BP Said, you in the huddle. Hey, man, we just need one stop, bro. Two stops to get us over the hump. Game one was so demoralizing, fellas, I ain't gonna lie.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

That kills you. That kills you, bro. That kills you. Gotta think about it, especially in the. In a. In a tough playoff setting, Eastern Conference finals, we didn't have two game sevens, you know what I'm saying? We had two game sevens. We coming into a hostile environment. You know what I'm saying? Spike Lee here, Fat Joe here, everybody here.

[Unk]

You know what I'm saying?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Like, yeah, this the game to win right now, man.

[Unk]

Come on, man.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

We lose this one, we go back to the hotel. You know what I'm saying? We feeling away, we gotta sit on it the next day. You know what I'm saying? Like, when you come today, it's just a different field. And if they would have won, man, I think it's old with. Man, I'm. I'm gonna keep saying that, man. It's over.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah, I agree. Look, when I say Brunson, I'm looking at shooting and considering how well he's played, because he's been phenomenal.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah.

[Host]

He's been able to score the basketball. He's been able to facilitate, and they made him more of a facilitator today than he normally is. But like you said, bp, you and Joe, is that what he was able to do? You watch. You look how Mikhail Bridges was diving in the pocket. You look at Josh Hart. You look how he was kicking the ball to the corners. He says, okay, I ain't got no problem. Y' all don't want me to score. Y' all gonna Trap me, get the ball out of my hands. I'm gonna trust my teammates to do what I have teammates for, and that is the knock down shots. And eventually y' all get tired of them knocking down shots because Josh Hart started hitting the three. He started leaving it up there, posing with it.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

Started doing what he was doing. And so I think the thing is, if he might have not had the greatest shooting day, but if you look at the totality of the game and how they tried to take him from scoring out of the game, I thought he had a phenomenal game. And the other guys picked up. Look at OG. OG was 5 of 8, 2 or 4 from the 3. Cat, 7 of 12, 3 or 5 from the 3. Mikhail Bridges, 9 of 12, 1 of 1 from the 3. So, okay, maybe I didn't shoot the ball well, but everybody. I was throwing the damn ball, too. Shot. Shot the COVID off.

[Unk]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Host]

I can live with that.

[Unk]

Absolutely.

[Host]

What you got for us?

[Joe Johnson]

I mean, listen, the Cavs came out with a good game plan, obviously, defensively, based on what happened in the first game, you know, being down, being. Being down 22 with six minutes ago. And allowed them boys to come back. Coming, coming back. This game was some different defensively, obviously wanting to stop Brunson having success doing that.

[Unk]

He did.

[Joe Johnson]

He still was able to score, but obviously he facilitated a lot better having 14. 14 damn assists. And what I like about the Knicks is each night, if it's not Brunson, it's somebody else. Tonight it happened to be Josh Hart's night. Sometimes if it's not Josh House, it's OG it's called. It's cat. Yeah. Or og. So I think it's happening by committee. If teams decide, hey, we gonna come out tonight, we gonna stop Brunson no matter what. We're gonna trap him, we're gonna make him get the ball out of his hands, and we gonna let Hart, whoever it is, they gonna have to beat us. If Josh Hart has a night like he had tonight, so be it. We could live with that. And hell, that's what.

[Unk]

Well, check this out. If Josh Hart gonna beat us, y' all do know this is a career high for him in the playoffs, right? Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, if I'm Cleveland, I'm kind of living with these results. But at the same time, it's hard to trap Brunson because these are veteran guys who.

[Host]

Who. Who.

[Unk]

Who have great chemistry and they know how to play well with one another. There aren't many teams who trap Brunson and Make him get a ball up, you know what I mean? And I just felt with OG Hart and Bridges. Bridges has been playing great, I mean, since the first round against the Hawks them last couple games, he caught fire. He been hot ever since, you know, he was hot in that Philly, in the Philly series when OG didn't play. So they got guys who are capable, bro, and putting up big numbers and scoring the basketball and not only just scoring, but just making the right play, making the right plays. And tonight that's pretty much what happened. You pretty much take that, you take they bench out of it. And you know, you look at the Knicks starting five, they're all pluses, bro. They. They're all pluses. So they lean heavy on them, on their star, on their starters, and they doing a great job.

[Joe Johnson]

But this, this is the problem. And BP and Joe, if you look at how game one, how game one went, you did everything you can. Then you come back, game two, you change the game plan and trying to stop one of the elite scores in the NBA and you still lose the game. Hell, not going into game three, even though it's going to be played at home. What do you do next?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

What you do next? What you do next is just do the same thing as you did tonight. You got to think about it. You got to think about it, like, real though, like, sometimes for some people, bro, like, it'd be easier playing at the crib, shooting them wide open trays, you know what I'm saying? With your mama there, with, you know what I'm saying, your kids, you know I'm saying, your grandma there, you know what I'm saying? For the go home tonight, you just talk about the game a little bit.

[Host]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

But when you take your ass on that road and you open and somebody yelling at you or something, you know what I'm saying? Just the effects. I gotta try one more time, you know what I'm saying? That's always been the NBA, like. Yeah, that's always been the thing. Like in the playoffs, you got to pick somebody to beat you.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I remember in 2022, we picked Grant Williams to beat us, man. Hit nine trades, man. Took 20 of them, man.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

So like, you gotta pick somebody to beat you out there, bro. Like you gotta pick somebody to beat you.

[Host]

Yeah, I agree with you, BP because guess what? He had. Joe, you said he had a career high. I' ma see if it have another career. Yeah. Come back again because I know Brunson. Yeah, brother had 19. I know Brunson can go get me 30. I know he can get me 40 in a playoff game. Yeah, I'm not fooling with him. I'm trapping him. I'm taking the ball out of his hands. I'm gonna see if Josh Hart can do again what he did in game two. Yeah, I am. I just got to. I got no choice sometimes. Ocho, we say this all the time. If that guy throw the ball for 300 plus yard from the pocket and I don't let him get outside and beat him with his leg, I walk to the middle of field, I shake his hand, say, man, that's a good. Hey, good game. Stay healthy. I'll see you next time around. But I am not gonna let Brunson play one on one. Never. They made that mistake in game one, especially down the stretch. And he goes for 11 straight. He gets for 17 in the. In the fourth quarter, fourth quarter in overtime. And now you looking like, well, damn, we down 02, when at worst case scenario, we probably should have been one one. And now you like, well, damn, what do we do?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Ain't no cars being played on the plane. Ain't none of that home cooking.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Ain't no Boo Ray being played. Hey, ain't nothing going on.

[Host]

We.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

We chilling right now. We think about it.

[Host]

See, that's how I think about, see, to see when you lose. What? What? What? We.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

What.

[Host]

What's the Kiki key about? Why we playing cards?

[Unk]

Right?

[Host]

Right. What are we joking about?

[Unk]

Right?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Ain't nothing going on. You quiet right now. Quiet as a mouth. Just think about game three. No. No. Knowing that you should be one one, but you down zero two.

[Unk]

Yeah, that's.

[Host]

That's minus this postseason. Jalen Brunson plus 195, cap plus 166, OG plus 155. They're cruising. Max Cruz has six turnovers, three buckets. And again, look, they got James didn't have any turnovers tonight. But Joe, bp, what I'm gonna do with two assists? What am I gonna do with that? If he's not gonna give me 40 and two with two assists, what am I gonna do with 18 and two assists? What am I supposed to do with that BP, man?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I don't know, man. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes, bro, like for real, bro. Like that moment, bruh.

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[Host]

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People never believe me when I say I. I take out the trash, do dishes, and I struggle with moderate obstructive sleep apnea or osa and a lot of adults with obesity also struggle with moderate to severe osa. You know those scary breathing interruptions during sleep, the loud snoring, choking and daytime fatigue. I knew I had to talk to my doctor. Don't sleep on the symptoms. Learn more at don'tsleeponosa.com this information is

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provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

[Unk]

Amazon Health AI presents Painful Thoughts I

[Amazon Health AI Voice]

I can't stop scratching my yeah, but I'm not itching to go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm here to talk about my downtown. Some things you'd rather type than say out loud.

[Commercial Narrator]

There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI. Chat your symptoms and get virtual care 24. 7 Health care just got less painful.

[Sponsor Voice]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] disclosures hear that?

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[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Just be the moment sometimes, bro, you know what I'm saying? Like, when you get in it in that mode and you know I'm saying you're trying to get a basket and you're trying to wheel your team to a win with the scoring, you know what I'm saying? It's like sometimes guys get in the molds where like, they don't, like, you know what I'm saying? Make the right play or whatever it is. But to me, in my. In my honest opinion, he was making the right play tomorrow. And them, like, they just couldn't hit no shots for real. Like it ain't more so about him like not having an assist or not. He was hitting them, you know what I'm saying? Merle went like over 0 for 8, 0 for 9, 1 for 8 from Tracy or something like that today.

[Host]

Like, Mer.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

If Mero hit a couple of them, couple them threes to stop the bleeding and stuff, the. The game could be a lot different, though. Like, they had a lot of great open looks that didn't go down, you know what I'm saying? Sometimes, you know what I'm saying? Scores like, they get in that mode of trying to wheel the game with scoring, but you know, you know, he could. He's still making the right passes there, but this one, they weren't knocking him down tonight, bro. It was. It was a little tight.

[Host]

He helped them out in the Detroit series. Remember, he caught fire.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

STR caught fire in game five.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah. And he got game seven seven.

[Host]

And so they like, wait, hey, we go try to ride this wave again. Come on, bro. Hey, I ain't got. That's all I had. I'm done. Don't come back over here.

[Unk]

Listen, don't do it like that when, when the Cavs get home, you know, I expect stress and Merrill to play a lot better when I say better, meaning making shots. But hey, bp, I understand what you're saying about Harden making the right play, but, you know, we so used to him scoring, bro, at will and at ease and just to me, from my eyes, it just seems a lot harder for him to get by his man and to be able to get to the rack and Shoot his floater or get all the way to the bucket. Yeah, we get it from time to time, but for the most part, it's kind of challenging for him. So he passing up, I think for me, he passing up a lot of. A lot of attempts or times to be aggressive, just to make the right play. And sometimes, bro, as a score, I mean, one of the best scores ever played a game, sometimes you kind of got to force the situation a little bit. It just depends on the situation. I appreciate him for not having no damn turnovers. I know he was still a -22, but hell, when the last time he have a turnover, Fellas?

[Host]

Oh, goodness.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

That's a stat right there. That's a stat, man.

[Host]

Because if you look, I just don't know how many games they're gonna win if they shoot less than 40 from the floor, less than 27 from the three, and less than 70% from the three point. I mean, the free throw line, they was 22 or 32 from the free throw line. And when you shoot, when James Harden, he shot 6 of 15. Donovan shot 8 of 18. I just don't know. And I understand based on what screws

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

did in game, it's a bad matchup for him, man.

[Host]

Seven. Yeah, I'm not. I can't rely on that.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

It's a bad match.

[Host]

My guys have still got to be able to be my guys.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Now sometimes, man, you know what I'm saying, Just get them bad matchups, bro. Like sometimes you get the. Like you get the wrong matchup. Like, the team that was gonna beat the Knicks was Detroit. They had like a great chance of regular season dominating them. Things like that gave New York trouble all year. I was really rooting for Detroit to, you know, saying, make it to the conference finals, man. I was. I was rooting for him like a mug, you know what I'm saying? Kate. Kate made me a fandom this postseason, bro. A dog for real. But, yeah, I wish they would have made it. But sometimes, you know, I just think the Cavs got a bad matchup, man. Like, this ain't the right team for them to play. Like, the just got their number, bro, you know?

[Unk]

Hey, hey, hey, hold up. You don't think this is a good matchup for him? Look, think about this. When you got Jared Allen, you got Evan Mobley, you got two bigs who can offset Cat, and they both mobile, you know what I'm saying? They. Yeah, but like, like, they ain't like Detroit big. Like during pretty much the only guy they had, you had you had Reed coming off the bench giving you high energy. But I, I felt.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah, but like, what are defenders? Like, what are the. Ain't no. Like, like. You know what I'm saying, Joe? Like on the, on the team trying to win a chip. Like, you gotta have, you gotta have your bucket getters. You gotta have your, your big man that's versatile, that can defend the realm switch a little bit. And you got to have three and D guys that can really play defense for real and play and go out one on one like they ain't really got. I don't know nobody that could check Brunson one on one. That's why they traveling at half court, doubling him and stuff. Like. Yeah. Now they get in the pocket like they ain't got nobody. They can like, check, check one on one. Like that's real. Like respected defenders that ain't getting them ticky fouls. Like, you know what I'm saying? It's different. Like.

[Unk]

Yeah, and I guess that's kind of.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

They ain't got no Case and Wallace. They ain't got no Dylan Harper. They ain't got no Luke Door, you know what I'm saying? And they ain't got, they ain't got none of them. Like, that's, that's the difference on championship teams. Them, them, them six, five to six, nine, that's agile and mobile and switch on down the stretch and get you a stop. You know what I'm saying? Like, like we, like, like we said earlier in the show. Like, just get one. Like, hey, that, that what you need. You need 16 out there. That's. Hey, I gotta get.

[Host]

They can't get 1, 2, 3 or 4.

[Unk]

Nah, come on.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Hey, I don't like it.

[Host]

Look, just make. How about this? Let's just make them, let's run. Make them run the shot clock down and take a heave. They get what they want early in the shot clock, late in the shot clock. It doesn't matter. And the difference is, if you go back and study. Look at these last games. What caused Detroit. Joe turnovers.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

Antonio, last night. Joe turnovers.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

What's called. What's costing the turnover? You turn the ball. If you're going home, turn the ball of your turkey. Because now I don't get a chance to sit my defense beat B. They scored on my offense. Cause we tried to hustle back and get in position and we ain't get a chance to set up anything. It's like what we talked about last night is that you turn the Ball over on offense. Well, your offense is not made to play defense. Your defense is made to play defense.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

And so you do that, it's just like you're gonna need. In order for them to win this series, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are going to be, need to be special. And the question is, can they be special over the next five games if needed?

[Unk]

I, I, I think so. I think, I think, you know, these, these guys going back home, like BP say they getting at home cooking. Hopefully, you know, they understand the moment and what's at State. First off, hell, you don't want to make it to the conference finals and get swept. I, I, I, I know you, I know they don't want to do that. I think these other guys Struth, Merle Schroeder, I think these guys will play better at home. But at the same time, fellas, I agree, I agree with y' all saying about the perimeter defense. You know, Detroit got plenty of perimeter defense. It's just hard, man, when you, when you can't, when you can't leave a guy on the island be like, hey, bro, you by yourself? We, we got to get a stop, though. You know what I mean? If we got to draw so much damn attention to Brunson, and we know these guys around them shooting a cover off, shooting the blood out the ball. Damn, man, how we gonna win then? Now, you know, it's me versus you, B.P. you know, in the playoffs, we know all y' all plays, y' all gonna run. Y' all know all our damn plays. Now it's about who wants it more, bro. That's it. Like, we ain't, we ain't doing nothing different. Yeah, we might switch up a coverage or two on how we play the pick and roll or how we guard a man, but for the most part, bro, it's Will versus Will.

[Joe Johnson]

Well, hell, based on everything we saw so far from the Cavs, I mean, defense, defensively, you already know what it's gonna be, the chance of them even winning at home, being comfortable. Like BP say in front of your grandma, in front of your girl, you know, I mean, I'm just. It's all about the eye test, huh? And then, obviously, Joe, it's all about matchups. Like, BP say this is just a bad matchup for them in general. And we all said it before the series even started. There is the Cavs might win one game, and we were right. Based on the matchup, based on the teams and understanding what the Cavs have and then the unsurety of what James Harden, we're going to get from night to night. We know what Donovan Mitchell can do. Outside of that, who else? Mobley and who else?

[Host]

Inconsistent. And the thing is, it's not like the Cavs turned the ball. They only had eight turnovers. I can live with that. You was plus 14 at the free throw line, but at some point in time, you got to put the ball in the hoop. You got your stars. Your stars. At some point in time, BP and guys, they gotta align. It's really that simple. If you think you're gonna win a series with just role players. Yes. Everybody doesn't have a bench like San Antonio. Everybody doesn't have a bench like okc. We get it. But when their stars need to shine, they shine.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

Wimby showed up in game one. Castle showed up in game one. Guys showed up. Shade. Look at what Shay did last night. Shay showed up. He had to. Yeah, they got production off the bench, but Shay needed to be. Shay. Shay couldn't have. He couldn't play like he had been playing against the Lakers, that they'd have been. They'd have gotten blown out. So he needed to show up. James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, they need to show up. And the supporting cast need to do some supporting. But hell, it looked like they tried to get the supporting cast to do. To have it lifted.

[Unk]

Hey, hey. They need Evan Mobley to play a lot bigger. Listen, he can't take eight shots, fellas. I'm sorry. You know that hot ass start he got off to? He got off to a hot start. Hell, he's taking 18.

[Host]

He hit like, what? First four possessions he had two threes.

[Unk]

Yeah. So I'm like, oh, I'm cooking.

[Host]

Oh, I'm cooking.

[Unk]

Yeah, you play 36 minutes with 14 points. We need more than that. I'm sorry, man, we got to have this one. You know what I mean? We squandered a real game. I think James played well enough for you to win. Donovan played well enough to. For you to win. They had one turnover between both of them. You need somebody else if them others can't step up. Cause I look at Evan Mobley as like the third star, fellas. Like if he. You look at, if you look in this post season, you look at the games where he's been effective and he's played great. Even in the Toronto series, like when he had one of them big games, 24, 25 points, 12, 14 rebounds. If he can have those type of games, that's the only way I feel like they can really prevail because outside Donovan and James Harden giving you every damn thing they got. I just think you need somebody else to come along. Whether it's truth, Merle, but at home, bro, if you can find a way to win game three and continue that momentum and make it go back to New York tied up, I think momentum can carry him in game five. And that's just wishful thinking.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

They gotta get off to a good start, though, bro. They gotta get off to a good start going into game three. Like, if I'm them, like, I'm drawing up my first play for. For Mobley, getting them going early. Like you said. Drop my first play up for more winter till. Draw the first player, get him an early one, easy one, get the crowd involved, and you know what I'm saying, try to. Try to get out to a good start. One thing you don't want to do in game three, especially at home, get off to a bad start and then you fought. You know what I'm saying? Fighting from behind, crowd out of it, you know, so you still want to keep that playoff atmosphere. So they got to get out to a good starting game three. If not, it can get. It can get real tricky real fast.

[Host]

Did you guys notice? Because the broadcast said look like Mitchell was dragging his leg and said he didn't look explosive tonight.

[Unk]

He dealing with some, huh, Dealing with a little injury or something.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Everybody is, man. Everybody got a little something around this time. You know how that go. Everybody got a little. A little bouncing bruises. Look. Little twisted ankle or something. Everybody hiding a little something, man. It's. It's. It's made, man. Everybody trying to get, to get to June, man. It's tough. Everybody bodies beat up, so. Yeah, I feel it. I feel it. But he gonna be out there. He gonna be out there on, on Saturday for sure. He ain't ducking no smoke.

[Host]

And plus, we talk about Harden today. You got to realize when Harden was at his apex, Harden was 27. Yeah, he was just entering into his prime. Harden, 36, he ain't getting by people with the ease that he once did. That just happened. That's just. That's called. That's called age. Yeah, you can still be a great player and, and as. While you age, but you don't have the same level of explosiveness. And because what is he. It's not like he was an elevator. So now he starts to slow down. That dribble, the people sitting on that thing with two dribbles. James Harden was at the rim in the lane, guys.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Oh, man. Man, with two dribbles. With two dribbles on, he was stepping back to California. I mean, all the way back there somewhere, man. All the way. Step back all the way, California boy. Yeah.

[Host]

And that's where, you know, he was

[Unk]

cooking when he get that little yeah, yeah.

[Host]

Oh, you, you cooking.

[Unk]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host]

Hey, and did he fake you up? He faked like he gonna shoot it. You go up and down. Did he drill? Keep the dribble alive here. The lane with the flow game. You're like, oh my goodness, that guy everybody knows, Shaq.

[Sponsor Voice]

But off camera, he's just a regular guy.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

People never believe me when I say I'm just like them. I take out the trash, do dishes, and I struggle with moderate obstructive sleep apnea, or osa. And a lot of adults with obesity also struggle with moderate to severe osa. You know those scary breathing interruptions during sleep, the loud snoring, choking and daytime fatigue. I knew I had to talk to my doctor. Don't sleep on the symptoms. Learn more at don't sleep on osa.com

[Sponsor Voice]

this information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

[Unk]

Amazon Health AI presents Painful Thoughts I

[Amazon Health AI Voice]

I can't stop scratching my downtown. Mm, yeah, but I'm not itching to go downtown and tell a receptionist I'm here to talk about my downtown. Some things you'd rather type than say out loud.

[Commercial Narrator]

There's no question too embarrassing for Amazon Health AI. Chat your symptoms and get virtual care 247 health care just got less painful.

[Sponsor Voice]

Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI, it all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis Tool output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment, recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] disclosures hear that?

[Commercial Voice]

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[Host]

But you know this, guys. Bp. You played this game a long time, Joe, you know you played this game. Ocho, you and I played the game of football. As you start to age, you just can't sum it up as well as you could when you were younger. You can't have those games back to back to back to back to back to back to back. When you were young, you were your 20s. You know, we was in our 20s. We all, you know, get up free. We go back to back.

[Unk]

Yeah, come on back on here,

[Commercial Narrator]

man.

[Host]

Look here. Hey, guys, as we start to age, I ain't got nothing but a spade hand. I got two of the possible, but it's spread out over 24 hours. Ain't no back to backs.

[Unk]

Hey, you're right, you're right, you're right. It's hard as you age, as you get older, and you want to continue to play this game at a high level, bro. A wise man once told me, the older you get, the lighter you have to be. This is Pat Riley, you know, telling me, you know, as you age. Because it's a young man's game, bro. It's a young man's game. And think about it, Ocho, BP, hell, in your 20s, you can come to the game eating a honey bun. Hell, when you get up, you 35, 36, 37 years old.

[Host]

Ticket, press and broccoli.

[Unk]

You got to work hard as hell Just to be. Hey, hey. Just. Just to prepare yourself for the game. You got to do all kind of. Oh, man, I gotta get in the hot tub. Yeah. I gotta get some heating packs.

[Host]

I gotta.

[Unk]

Yeah, I have everything hooked up to you. It's a lot different, man.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Straight up, though. Straight up.

[Host]

That's what I told Ocho as I started to age, hey, all of a sudden, I started coming a year a pound lighter.

[Unk]

A pound lighter? Yeah, a pound lighter. A pound lighter.

[Host]

Because first of all, the weight gets harder to get off as you get older.

[Unk]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host]

So you either got to work out harder or eat less. And sometimes you got to do both. And I was like, well, damn, I'm already eating ketchup with a knit needle.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I only want to have an old talk. I only want to have no old talk, man. I ain't there yet. Like, y' all put me over here, like I'm about to retire.

[Host]

So, man, we're talking about Harden. When you look at. When you look at Harden, he's not 27 anymore. He's 36, with a lot of usage rate on that body. You got to realize Harden, though, what's wrong with him, huh?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

He still get to it, man?

[Host]

No, he can. But what Joe and I said, he

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

doing what he can right now. He doing what he can. Doing what he can, y'.

[Host]

All.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

What else y' all want him to do?

[Host]

But when he was 27, 28, what was he doing?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah, that's a different version, though. Like, that's a different. That's a whole nother. Well, that's a whole nother version.

[Host]

That's the version that's gonna get him to the finals. This version.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

You ain't gonna get that.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, Bobby. Bobby P. Hey, Harden gotta give us maybe just one night, just one time in this series to give us that 2015.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He gonna tap dance. He gonna tap dance. Yeah, yeah, he. He got to.

[Joe Johnson]

Because they don't have anybody that's consistent outside of Donovan Mitchell. You know what he gonna do.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Evan Mobley, he gonna role play better at home, man. We gotta see our game three go first, though, man. You know what I'm saying? Max Truth, Max Cruise or. Or Samura gonna have one of them games. They should go in there, you know what I'm saying? Hit them 3, 4 threes. Hit some timely shots, whatever it is. Oh, no, I'm just. I'm optimistic. I'm optimistic a little bit about. About the role players having, you know what I'm saying? Just better games at the crib, right?

[Joe Johnson]

So, Bibi, who you got? So you saying game three. You probably got the cab.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Y' all probably like the cows.

[Joe Johnson]

Okay, I'm saying. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. You want to put us.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I can't do that, Ocho. I love my job.

[Joe Johnson]

Why? Oh, okay. My bad, my bad.

[Host]

I'm tripping.

[Joe Johnson]

My bad, my bad.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I love my job.

[Host]

You got to catch me off the air. I ain't been advertised that.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

I love my job. I love my job.

[Host]

Donovan Mitchell was asked after the game about Josh. Hot score. Josh Hart scoring a career high playoff in 26 points. He said, with Caruso, they're guarding him kind of the same way. Sometimes that's what happens. And it is. Yeah, that's what happens.

[Unk]

Yeah, you. Hey, you. You play. You play off a man, and you thinking you can play that free safety role to where you can roll. We'll close out to him late. We'll contest late.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Unk]

Hey, hey. That's why they say, man, this league, if a guy get hot, you think it. Because he. Because these dudes sit on the bench and they. They don't score like that. Hell, at once upon a time, he was a man somewhere. Like, he was a man somewhere at once.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

For real, though.

[Unk]

Yeah. And look, all you need is one game.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Like.

[Unk]

Like he won you a game. Like, I think that. I think a lot of people take for granted that these professional. These professional athletes. Just because you ain't like, the star on the team, that you can't put up these damn numbers, you know, you look at it. Even look at. Look at BP in the situation, anytime they put his ass in the starting lineup, hell, he gonna give you 20 and 10. See what I'm talking about? So it's. It's. It's just. It's the difference, bro. You give a guy an opportunity, or you let him see a couple of them damn shots go down, well, your ass in for a long night.

[Host]

BP you know what I tell people? I said, if you get an opportunity, go to a game and watch the guy that never gets in the game and watch how he shoots the ball. Man, that joke out there, making 10, 12, 13 straight shots.

[Unk]

Hold on.

[Host]

Wait a minute. Why your ass ain't in the damn game? You shoot the ball. I'm telling you, I watched Chad Holgren shoot 19 threes and make 16 of them. He made like 16 in a row. Missed one, hit another two.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

Did he move to another spot? You watch the game. Guys that are like, the 8th through 12th guy on the bench and you watch him shoot the ball and you sit there like, why you not playing, bro?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah, Nah, man. It'd be crazy though, in the league, though, but you just gotta wait your opportunity in your time, you know what I'm saying? Like, especially certain, certain situations different from people, bro. So you know what I'm saying? When you're on that, on that path, on that journey, you just gotta find the right team that believe in you, bro. Sometimes it's hard finding that as a, As a pro, bro. Like, as a pro, like, it's hard finding a, a coach, a system or a team that, that fits you and believe in you, bro. So you know, so everybody don't. Everybody don't never find that. So they find they stuff on the team just, you know what I'm saying? Still working, still grinding, still, you know I'm saying winning the day, putting that time in and just staying ready. That's all the, bro. That's all the game is, bro. It's staying ready.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

You know what I'm saying? Ready, man. Win.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

You know what it is, though, guys? Oo we talk about that. We used to talk about this all the time early in the nightcap. Sometimes, if they all they see you as is that. That's all they'll see you as. Sometimes they only see you as an undrafted free agent or they see you have a sixth, seventh round draft pick and they don't really give you. We draft. If he was that good, we would take him in the draft. We. He wouldn't been undrafted free agent or he wouldn't have bounced around teams. Teams. So they don't give you the opportunities because somebody else they've invested a little bit more in and they want to. They want to do everything they can to exhaust every opportunity for him. And so you get to go to the back burner even though you cooking them in practice.

[Unk]

Yeah, I'm like, hold on, man.

[Host]

Y', all, man, y' all see me on scout team. I was cooking this week, but good

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

come to good, man. I believe in that gym, bro. Like standing that lap, just staying with it, putting that time in, putting that pain in, putting them days in and then the start to add up and then, you know what I'm saying? Before you know it, you got you five minutes. You can turn five minutes to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, you know what I'm saying? Before you know it, you whatever, bro. But I believe in that gym, bro. That gym don't lie. Just stand aloud, bro.

[Unk]

Oh, yeah. Hey, look, One thing we all know, that's part of being a professional, bro. When you come into this league, everybody ain't gonna get to play right away. You may have to wait your turn. You may have to pay your damn dues. But guess what? When they call your damn name, yeah, it better be ready, be ready. Yeah, it's better be ready, be ready. Cause hey, hey, they may not call you no more now, but if they call you and you step to the plate like you ready to do something about two something, huh?

[Host]

You'll be back up.

[Unk]

But you get up there playing, they'll sit your ass down, boy, you won't get back in. So always stay prepared for that opportunity. So I like what BP said, regardless of the status or if you're a starter or bench player, bro, you have to prepare as though you gonna play. Even if, even if you know in your damn. I ain't even gonna get no burn tonight. I ain't played the past five damn nights. Hell, but guess what? That seventh night when they throw your ass in there. Cause it's a back to back. We didn't play four games in five nights. And you get out there BSing, they

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

never put your ass back even in the playoffs. You know how I go in the playoff. Ain't played in five games in the playoff. Coaching them, going to coaches meeting. And all of a sudden they got this crazy idea of, hey, we're gonna go such and such of the game, you know what I'm saying? We're gonna throw you out there. You threw him out there. Hey, it's on you. Hey, it's on you now. Yeah, you can say it at home to your mama.

[Host]

Hey, hey, coach, don't play me. Don't do all this, you know what I'm saying?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Here you go. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, I better be ready, boy.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Unk]

Hey, listen, hold on.

[Host]

You know that is, that's how it is, Joe. Hey, hey, coach. Messing over me, man.

[Unk]

Listen, one more thing. Cause that happened to Jeff Teague his rookie year when he was playing here for the Hawks. You know, he wasn't getting no burn throughout that whole season playing behind Bibby and all that. So he really wasn't getting a lot of clock. But D. Rose, we played the Bulls the second round and D. Rose won mvp. And Kirk Harris got hurt. That's who he's playing behind too. Shit, Jeff had to start, start against D. Rose, bruh. Like you know what I'm saying? He held his own. But you know, sometimes, man, you can sit over that thing like, damn, I ain't gonna never play. It's just one little injury away. Next thing you know, boom, you in rotation. Look at the Shannon kid. Look at the Shannon kid from Minnesota, man. Took advantage of his opportunity.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

That's what I'm saying. We're right to it.

[Host]

Oh, you got. Hey, you gotta walk to the plate. You go up to the plate. Damn, I forgot my bat. Let me go get my bat. Hey, I'm not. Nah, don't worry about it. Come on over here, son. Come on. Come on back over here. You were ready to play, and that's it. When they call your name. I don't know when they're gonna call your name, but they're gonna call your name. Be ready to make them play.

[Unk]

There you go.

[Host]

Players with the most points in Nick's franchise history. Playoff history. Patrick Ewing, 2787. Walt Frazier, 1927. Jalen Brunson is in third place. 1607 points is already top three. And that's that. He's been unbelievable. He's been better. Look, I remember him at Villanova, but I. I was like, okay. And I watched him. I watched him in Dallas, and I'm like, damn. When I realized he was good. When Luka got hurt.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

And they gave him the ball.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

And he cooked. I said, hold on, wait a minute. You mean to tell me you could do this?

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

Well, you know, when you go on a team with Luca, how much time? How often you gonna have the ball in your hand?

[Unk]

Not me.

[Host]

Luka gonna have the ball. Luka gonna always be top three in usage. Yeah, but they gave him the. Luka got hurt. And oh, my goodness, this man showed out in the regular season, in the postseason, and now you see it. So I'm not surprised this, because I saw once he got an opportunity to have his own team, and Joe, this is what we was talking about. Sometimes bp, you know, a guy just needs his own team.

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Host]

He can't be what you think he can be if he played with Luca.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

But also though. Also though. To that. To like, support that, though, bro. Like, he kind of got like the perfect tailor made team to how he.

[Host]

Yes.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

For real, like, you know what I'm saying? He got the right intangibles. He got two of his guys from college, you know what I'm saying? They used to be in the dorm rooms together. Hey, these my guys, you know what I'm saying? They riding for me, you know what I'm saying? Then we add OG Anunoby to the crew, you know? What I'm saying, switchable guy that can get downhill. That's really not ball dominant. You know what I'm saying? You add. Add one, you know what I'm saying? Spacer out there, Cat, you know what I'm saying? Four or five minutes, face the floor, throw it down to him on the block. But when you look at my playstyle and isolations in. In isolating people, I'm the only one on. On the team that do that, you know what I'm saying? So that's why everybody else around me kind of feel the holes for me, you know what I'm saying? That's what I need.

[Host]

I don't need. I don't need another me out here.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

No, I don't need to deal with Iverson.

[Host]

Yeah, they surrounded with. So, hey, I don't need another me. No. I need somebody. Hey, I need. Got what he got. OG can defend, Mikhail Bridges can defend, Josh Hart can defend. You mentioned cat space. We got another bigger rebound that can fit. Give us second chance points in Mitchell Robinson. So this is a perfect situation.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

He got a tailor made team to his game, but he had to show

[Host]

that he had the ability to carry the load offensively, and that's what he did because that team was set up for Luca. So it didn't. They didn't have to change anything.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Hey, man, in hindsight, for real, though, like, when you really think about that Jalen Bronson situation in New York, bro, that kind of crazy how they was talking about him going to the Knicks at first, though. Like when you, like, see, like when you think about it now, in hindsight, everybody was crazy, like, Damn, he getting 100 and something paid for that. But like now in hindsight, you're like, damn, that was a great investment. Yeah, that was a great investment right there. For real.

[Unk]

It was a hell of a. I think he even took less so they can bring on.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah, that was a hell of a value add to the. To the program, man.

[Unk]

Yeah. Yeah. Hey, man, I give a lot of credit to his pops, Rick Brunson. You know, I played against his pops in the league, and I think for Jalen to have his pops sitting over there as an assistant coach, bro, y' all can't tell me that. Don't do that. Don't do something to him. Like when I say as far as confidence and just, you know, you playing well, like, I couldn't imagine, bro, like my dad sitting over here coaching me, I want to make him look as good as I possibly can, you feel what I'm Saying. And I think he doing a hell of a job in that. I just don't think, you know, they. Obviously, they don't give Rick Brunson a lot of credit, but, hell, as a guy who's played in this league and your son come up and you coaching him, I mean, look at the work that he put in. That he put in him when he was younger, bro. Like, I think all that weighs in to what that young man.

[Host]

Let me be a bp. Let me be an NBA superstar. But my daddy could be a roofer. He gonna be on the bench coaching. I don't give a damn what y' all say. Let me be. Let me be Bronson, LeBron Luca. A superstar.

[Unk]

Yeah, man.

[Host]

My daddy plumber. Hey, he coach now.

[Unk]

Yeah, I enjoy it. Cause look.

[Host]

Hey, Kawhi. Uncle.

[Unk]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, That's.

[Host]

That's. How about. That's how my old man would've been.

[Unk]

Yeah, yeah. Because I enjoy seeing former professional NBA players and their sons playing in the game. Like, I think that's always cool to me. And let alone, you know, you look at Braun playing with Brun. I mean, oh, my God. And now, you know, Brunson, who's been coaching his son, I just think it's. It's a great match. It's a great look, if you ask me. And, man, the Knicks make it to the finals, fellas. Oh, my God.

[Joe Johnson]

If. Joe, that ain't no if. You know, the Knicks are going to the finals.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

We.

[Joe Johnson]

We'll get. We'll get a one game because the NBA got to pay, Ocho.

[Unk]

It's gonna be great for basketball, though. I ain't gonna lie to y'. All. If the Knicks make it to the final, it's gonna be great if.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

If Wimby there with him. Oh, my God.

[Host]

Oh, my goodness.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Do you know? Hey, hey, hey, Wimby. Hey, what's crazy is, too, like, these two teams played an in season cup championship, too. So I don't know. Like, that'll be the first time both team in season cup championship play in the finals, too.

[Unk]

Oh, hold on. The Knicks beat the spurs in. In the.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Yeah, like, they be in season cup finals, too. So, like, they gotta run that one back.

[Unk]

Damn.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Like, that'll be the first time. Like, that's. That's tough. You know what I'm saying?

[Unk]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, hey, hey. I'm gonna tell y' all ahead of time now. And I ain't been wrong yet all playoff long. Nixon. Nixon.

[Unk]

Five in the finals. Are you talking about. Are you talking about this series I

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

see you got the Knicks colors on.

[Joe Johnson]

So you got the new colors on this. Not this. This soccer. Bp. This soccer is a Barcelona jersey. Hey, Nixon, five in the finals. I'm telling you now ahead of time.

[Unk]

I gotta get out. They gotta get out this series first. I tell you, it's.

[Joe Johnson]

Boy, this series over. Joe, come on now.

[Host]

Don't do that.

[Joe Johnson]

Come on, Joe.

[Host]

We got a couple of injury reports. The update from the Western Conference finals. San Antonio spurs star dear and Fox ankle Dylan Harper abductor soreness are questionable for game three of the Western Conference finals. And okc, which is going to be in San Antonio, but versus OKC and Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams will be evaluated day to day. Game to game with the left hamstring injury. Sources tell ESPN he'll undergo treatment and return based on how he feels recovering from the second injury to the same hamstring. For Jalen Williams, the injured hamstring marks the fourth time he's injured that hamstring this season. A hamstring. So he's been dealing with both of them. Injury one, he suffered a right hamstring strain in January forcing him to miss 10 games. He re injured the same right leg shortly, causing him to send out another 16 games and then sustained a Grade 1 hamstring. Game 2 versus Phoenix, which sidelined him nearly a month, and then strained the left hamstring again.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

What are you doing? What are you doing?

[Unk]

Damn, he's raining.

[Host]

What are you doing? So he's. So the first half, it was the right. And you know what happens when you have an injury? You start to compensate.

[Unk]

Yep.

[Host]

Guess what?

[Joe Johnson]

Now the other one.

[Host]

Tweak the other one.

[Joe Johnson]

Jesus.

[Unk]

Hey. That damn. That damn. Over them two. Over two overtime. That first game got him when he first started.

[Host]

You know, they had him on a minute restriction, Joe. Bp, you know you coming back for an injury, they say. Okay, BP, you got 20 minutes tonight. Damn. This game closed. Hey, BP,

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

you good boy? How you feel?

[Host]

How you feel? You good? You good boy?

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

All right, time out. Come. Hey. Hey. How you feel? Hey. Hey. But you still good? I'm good. I'm good.

[Host]

Adrenaline pumping.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Ain't nothing hurt right now.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey.

[Unk]

And that's why they have to protect us from ourselves. Because we ain't taking our damn self out together. The momentum. The momentum at an all time high. You going off that. Man, please. You ain't coming out the game. You like that? It's just getting good.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Unk]

What you think I'm gonna sit over here too? Damn overtimes and watch these Boys go out, man. I'm gonna. We were. We worry about this leg later.

[Host]

That's exactly what he was thinking too.

[Unk]

But I think.

[Host]

Interesting. They didn't mention anything about Jay Mitchell, so I guess he seems to be okay. But at the time that he did it, he didn't look okay. He looking at like, damn. Yeah, I don't really messed up my leg, man.

[Unk]

Yeah. Yeah.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

But I guess now, bro probably was cramping or something, bro.

[Host]

Okay.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

He had to be cramping or something, bro. But.

[Unk]

But think about this. For San Antonio, if they. If they just so happen have to play this game three without Fox and without Harper.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Unk]

I think. I think it's gonna be hard for them to win again. I'm gonna be honest with y'.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

All.

[Unk]

I think OKC going there still game, if not two, without both of them.

[Host]

Oh, yeah, because they got the ball head.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Look, it was Harper injury. What's harbor injury?

[Host]

Abductor.

[Unk]

Damn. You know them. Hey, them abductors. When you go to try to move laterally. Laterally. Hey, them things to give out on you, boy. It's that young man balling too, man.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Man, he was doing his thing, man. Almost. I'm a fan of him, man.

[Host]

And the thing is, is that the turnovers bp, the turnovers killing San Antonio.

[BP (Bobby Portis)]

Mainly that's because Fox ain't out there to just calm it down, you know what I'm saying? Slow it down, get to the bump. Midi don't throw a wimby alive. Skip it opposite corner like, you know what I'm saying? Fox out there can get. Can get Castle a break from dribbling the ball a lot, you know what I'm saying? San Antonio, like we look at their roster of if Castle. I mean, if. If Harper and Fox not playing, then you gotta. You said being McCarland off the. Off the bench. And then like you ain't got no. Really no ball handling this for real to bring it up and set the offense up and be settled. You know what I'm saying? So Castle had to take on a lot of the. It's the ball handling and things like that. So obviously his turnout was been high the last couple games, but that's just probably out of character because he got the ball damn near the whole game for real. Crazy plays coming off the pick and roll. He been making the right reads too. You see him, he driving slot line, hitting opposite corner. They knocking down the trade like he making some hell of a passes and stuff. He just got the ball. He the one that's got to make the decision more so now.

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[Host]

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[BP (Bobby Portis)]

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[Host]

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[Unk]

anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying.

[Host]

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[BP (Bobby Portis)]

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[Unk]

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[Host]

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[Unk]

Com.