The New York Knicks And The Most Epic NBA Comeback EVER | Local Hour

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz

Episode: The New York Knicks And The Most Epic NBA Comeback EVER | Local Hour

Date: May 20, 2026
Location: The Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami

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Episode Overview

This "Local Hour" dives deep into the stunning, historic New York Knicks comeback victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, dissecting both the result and its emotional impact. Dan Le Batard, Stugotz (in spirit—he’s absent but ever-present in the discussion), and the crew wrestle with complex feelings around the Knicks, NBA narratives, sports fandom, and the unique pain and joy of supporting long-suffering teams. The conversation is passionate, conflicted, and laced with the show’s trademark irreverence, as the group debates the cultural significance of the night at Madison Square Garden.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dan’s Emotional Whiplash Watching the Knicks (00:30–04:09)

• Dan confesses he experienced “a really confusing experience” (01:04) as a lifelong Knicks hater, unexpectedly swept up in their triumph.
• The group reflects on the unique misery of Knicks fans and Heat-Knicks rivalry.
• Zaslow provokes with: “The best story for the NBA is the Knicks winning it all" (02:17), stirring debate over NBA narratives.

Notable Quote:

“The Knicks have to be the lovable underdog. That’s crazy. They’ve never been that.” – Dan Le Batard, (02:27)

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2. The Cultural Weight of the Knicks’ Comeback (04:53–09:58)

• Dan marvels at MSG’s rare electricity, comparing the feeling to Larry Johnson’s legendary "four-point play."
• The hosts debate whether Knicks fans finally got a transcendent moment after 30 years of “laughingstock” status.
• The team jokes about heavy breathing into the mic—Le Batard Show-style.

Notable Quote:

“The fans in that building who know what it is to be a laughingstock for 30 years felt the full force of New York falling on Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.” – Dan Le Batard, (05:24)
“More than anything from last year, I think that was the best feeling Madison Square Garden has had since Larry Johnson...” – Dan, (06:03)

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3. On James Harden, Mitchell, and the Cavs Collapse (09:06–11:58)

• The show discusses the cruelty of the Knicks targeting James Harden defensively and his failure in the clutch.
• Greg and the crew question the Cavs’ coaching decisions, especially defensive choices and timeout usage as their lead evaporates.
• Mike points out the tactical switches—doubling Brunson late—and how New York continued to exploit weaknesses.

Notable Quote:

“They were bullying him. Brunson is taking this game from [Harden]. He was signed for this moment. … Their stars need to be strong enough to rise up and do something to MSG, and they both cave.” – Dan Le Batard, (09:07)

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4. Celebrating (and Questioning) the Moment (12:16–17:01)

• The contrast between those who see the night as Knicks glory and others who see Cavs failure.
• Dan admits to unexpected happiness for Stugotz and Knicks fans:

“I found myself rooting for the New York Knicks … I was so happy for Stugatz.” (16:35)

• Discussion about how much a playoff win can mean to a starved fan base.

Notable Quote:

“I found myself realizing that the New York Knicks are a lovable underdog. And here’s the feeling that is so surprising to me, that totally snuck up on me. … I was so happy for Stugatz.” – Dan Le Batard, (16:46)

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5. Debating the ‘Lovable Underdog’ Narrative (22:13–26:42)

• Tony pushes back on the “underdog” idea, arguing the Knicks are now favorites and not as scrappy as the narrative suggests.
• Contrast between being an ‘underdog’ in the conference vs. national title favorites.
• Dan and others explain the Knicks’ deep connection to the city and why making the Finals would still be an underdog story.

Notable Quotes:

“They are not this scrappy underdog. They were favorites last year… they are a top dog here.” – Tony, (25:07)
“They are in a position they haven’t been in in 27 years. That’s the point.” – Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host), (26:12)

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6. Basketball as Theatre: The Magic and the Choke (29:31–39:19)

• The group discusses how rare the Knicks’ comeback was (teams were 1–594 in similar situations).
• The significance of Madison Square Garden’s energy as a palpable force in sports.
• The line between celebrating New York and focusing on Cleveland’s choke job.
• Dan confesses jealousy and admiration for how “the force of that particular momentum” can overwhelm even great players.

Notable Quote:

“What that building was experiencing last night would have swallowed all but the very best players who have ever played this game.” – Dan Le Batard, (36:30)

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7. Sports Fandom: Envy, Joy, Renewal (37:38–41:29)

• Dan and the crew reflect on fandom, joy, and the rare purity of a night like this for Knicks fans.
• Dan jokingly says, “I fell in love with sports again last night” (37:51), paralleling it to renewing wedding vows.
• The segment ends with playful banter on celebrating, hating, and the absurdities of sports loyalty.

Notable Quote:

“I renewed my vows last night with sports.” – Dan Le Batard, (38:00)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dan Le Batard on MSG’s magic:
  “The whole city fell on their heads and they shit themselves. That place did that to them.” (05:35)

• Tony on Knicks narrative:
  “Jalen Brunson is already an all-time Knick. … It didn’t happen overnight. It’s been happening. … This is the new norm.” (22:57)

• Chris on basketball history:
  “Teams were 0 and 643 … when trailing by 20+ points with seven minutes to go. … Now … what a relief. What a moment...” (32:20)

• Dan on jealousy:
  “It hurts me to see them feel that. … Like, it hurt all—they get that. … I'm jealous.” (37:38)

• Dan on falling for the story:
  “I found myself realizing that the New York Knicks are a lovable underdog.” (16:46)

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Key Timestamps for Highlights

• 00:30–04:09 – Dan’s emotional turmoil as a Knicks hater swept up in the moment
• 05:24–06:27 – MSG’s “force” crushing visiting teams; rare high for Knicks fans
• 09:06–09:58 – The cruelty to Harden and collapse of Cavs’ defense dissected
• 12:19–13:57 – Recap of the Knicks’ game-changing run and what it means
• 16:35–17:01 – Dan unexpectedly “so happy for Stugatz”
• 22:13–26:42 – The “lovable underdog” debate and Knicks’ place in NBA hierarchy
• 29:31–31:29 – The rarity of a comeback: 1–594 historical precedent
• 36:30–38:00 – The overwhelming MSG energy and Dan’s “vow renewal” with sports

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The Episode’s Tone

• Irreverent, self-aware, and occasionally sentimental.
• The hosts oscillate between cynicism about narratives and genuine awe for sports magic.
• Playful jabs and banter (heavy breathing, cuck jokes) intermingle with real emotion.

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For Listeners: Why This Episode Stands Out

If you missed this episode, you missed a group of jaded sports lifers—many with their own deep-seated biases—momentarily exposing just how much one game can make them feel. It’s part therapy, part celebration, and all classic Le Batard Show: a messy, real, funny, poignant exploration of why sports still matter when the stakes are highest and the city’s heart is on the line.

Transcript

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[Dan Le Batard]

An Inside the Park Grand Slam home run. That's what everyone's talking about today, right?

[Chris]

Oh, Dan, it was amazing.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't think that I have ever felt as the combination of feelings that I had watching everything that I saw last night from the New York Knicks. I cannot wait honestly to tell you about the roiling conundrum that was my evening as somebody who is a loud and avowed New York Knicks hatering.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Considering what you just said, I think you and I are in the same spot.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, but I've got an extra layer of feelings that I don't think the I don't think I was ready for. In fact, I know I wasn't ready for that. I'm eager to share with the audience because it was a really confusing experience for me last night as the guy who, I don't know, five games ago, really delighted in the way they lost to the Hawks, like really enjoyed a sporting event that was basically only about a team's misery and a fan base's misery.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

And it was misery last night. There's a fan base that is dealing with a lot of misery.

[Zaslow]

I have to speak the unspeakable in South Florida. Everybody knows Heat fans hate the Knicks probably. Probably more than any of our other teams hate their rivals. You disagree?

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

For me, it's been the Celtics for a little while.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, but he's saying more. He, but he's saying. He's saying, yeah, me, Me and you are in the same boat on Knicks because it's an older series. Yeah, Zaz, Mike and an assortment of others. Go six or, I'm sorry, go Knicks. Because the Knicks have. The Knicks have not been relevant. The Celtics have been.

[Zaslow]

Yes. And in my mind, the unspeakable is that the best story for the NBA is the Knicks winning at all. Okay, not the two west powers, but the team that hasn't won.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, it's more than that. The Knicks have to be lovable underdog. That's crazy. They've never been that. They have never, ever been that. Those teams have been Unlikable. Even if the Knicks fan likes the Knicks, those teams have been unlikable. This one's not. And no one thinks they have an actual chance.

[Zaslow]

Right? Yeah. They're the underdog. And it's a great story for the NBA. It really is. You know, the franchise in the biggest city winning for the first time in more than a half a century. It's great. Adam Silver give him truth serum. He's got to be the biggest Knicks fan right now. He wants the Knicks to win, Pablo. And so should us all, by the way.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm not ready to say that I'm ready with that.

[Mike]

I actually love the take, Greg. It's the only team that can save us. Well, maybe OKC if they win tonight and throughout the series. But they're the only team that can save us from intergalactic fascism of Wemby.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, this.

[Mike]

Oh, they're the only team that can do it. From the east at least.

[Zaslow]

Look, I like Wemby, I like SGA and okc. But the better story, I'm thinking like a journalist now, the better story is the New York Knicks winning the NBA title. And I think that's pretty unequivocal outside of San Antonio and Oklahoma.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I. I don't agree with that at all.

[Zaslow]

Okay.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I don't. I. The Knicks, it continuing to be a story every year. Is this the year that the Knicks finally win? Is by far the best story I know.

[Zaslow]

But that's been going on so long. There has to be a punctuation. There can't just be a continual series of ellipses in a sentence. There has to be a punctuation eventually. And if this is the year for that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, no. They're suffering. Being eternal is also fun.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah, that's the best. This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast.

[Dan Le Batard]

Play it again. Wfat. What are you laughing about? Dazzling wfat.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I'm not laughing at anything. I don't wanna make Chris feel bad. I'm not laughing at anything.

[Dan Le Batard]

Cause he didn't play it at the right time. Right. It got clipped. And the first sounds on the show didn't make any sense to at least this room. It may have ye way to say

[Greg]

something that no one heard in the audience.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yep, he was laughing at it.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I abstained from saying anything.

[Chris]

Overruled.

[Dan Le Batard]

The thing that was amazing last night from Knicks Cavs because I really do want to celebrate the rarity of what Knicks fans got last night. 30 years of Nick's frustration in what Madison Square Garden fans always like to call the mecca of basketball. But very few lifetimes have ever experienced that being the mecca of basketball. The fans in that building who know what it is to be a laughingstock for 30 years felt the full force of 30 years of new York falling on the chest of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. And they immortals could do nothing about it. The whole city fell on their heads and they shit themselves. That place did that to them. Their shot goes out. Ping pongs around and goes out. Their shot, Cleveland shot at the end goes out. And that was their last chance. The Knicks got the bounces because Knicks fans feel today like the building willed it. And I think more than divincenzo hitting a shot in the first round, more than anything that happened last year in the Pacers series, I think that was the best feeling Madison Square Garden has had since Larry Johnson had a four point play against Reggie Miller's Indiana Pacers when that city thought they had a champion in the New York Knicks.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I have to tell you, Dan, to start the show today, it's hall of Fame level breathing into the mic by Greg. Hall of Fame level.

[Greg]

Good job. Seriously, first ballot.

[Zaslow]

You did it right?

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Like just like a Hall of Fame

[Tony]

blue jacket or something.

[Zaslow]

Thank you.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

What a performance.

[Zaslow]

Is there a category for that hall of Fame? It should be a Pulitzer category. Heavy breathing.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's your giant nostrils, right? Is the problem.

[Zaslow]

Well, here's the thing. If we're going to get serious about it, okay, first of all, they complain when I'm not close enough to the mic and then when I'm close enough to the mic to be heard. When not talking, it's because that's a problem.

[Greg]

It's because you only get close to the mic to breathe.

[Zaslow]

No, not really. But I happen to be congested. Not to bring you into my health issues. I happen to be congested today. That kind of thing. I don't complain about it. Wouldn't even have mentioned it. But you know, I'll. I'll make an effort to go like this when brief.

[Dan Le Batard]

Greg. No, Nobody else. Nobody else in the history of media has this problem.

[Zaslow]

I disagree with that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, no, but, no, but, no. Nobody else in the history of media has the problem of the microphones here. And I'm often when I'm speaking, not near it and often too close to it when I shouldn't be heard.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I agree.

[Greg]

We could play the game Heavy breathers in broadcasting history.

[Dan Le Batard]

No one else.

[Zaslow]

Howard Cosell was a heavy breather.

[Dan Le Batard]

History of media, I said. I didn't say history of government and

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

health

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm serious though, Greg. The issue that we're addressing, which is consistently your son telling you get near the microphone when speaking, when you're the professional broadcaster, that's one issue I believe no media member in history has ever had. But then the secondary issue is that you are near the mic when your giant nostrils are breathing too heavily. That's another problem I've never heard in the history of media. To find both of them in the same place is, I think, fairly amazing.

[Zaslow]

Thank you.

[Greg]

That's why you're a Hall of Famer.

[Zaslow]

Thank you.

[Tony]

How does this Knicks thing still feel like a novelty? Because like it's become like kind of like Dan LeBatard show bingo every series where like that's the best they felt since Larry Johnson's four point play. They've been in the conversation in the NBA about as long as OKC has been. Right. This is like the third straight year with a. What feels like a momentous Knicks run. Is that just because they've been so abysmal?

[Dan Le Batard]

That's part of it. It's also because they're so self important and it's also because they're getting better and playing more meaningful games. And for four straight years they've gotten better. So the stakes have gotten higher. And then when Brunson does that to James Harden. Do you have any idea how rare it is for me to feel that what's happening to a Hall of Famer on a basketball court is cruel? That they were picking on James Harden?

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

It was humiliating.

[Dan Le Batard]

They. That. That I never feel. That I never feel for a Hall of Famer. They're bullying him. Brunson. Brunson is taking this game from him. He was signed for this moment, for this game. It's game one. He's mastered being clutch at choking game seven. I expect him to disappear Game one. I don't appear. I don't expect the Knicks to be cruel to the guy they traded for to get them over the hump as Mobley misses all the threes, all the wide open threes at the end of the game.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Allen misses all the free throws.

[Mike]

Everybody missed everything, right? They went like 1 for 12 in the last.

[Dan Le Batard]

That building fell on them. And you will not find a better moment since Larry Jones, since Larry Johnson's four point play that Madison Square Garden has felt that's as good as the Knicks have felt in 25 bleeping years.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I got to be honest. Obviously Harden was awful. It was a humil. Humiliating fourth quarter and overtime for James Harden both ends of the Floor. He was your typical horrific offensive player with the game on the line in such a huge spot. But I got to tell you something. Do the Cavaliers have a coach? Is there someone who is on the sidelines who can maybe help the players when things aren't going well?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, no, no. I know people are going to be talking about timeouts, timeouts. That building fell on the heads of those players. Mitchell and Harden at the end of the game. Mitchell and Harden, who's going to take the. Who's going to take the shot Team? We talked about this for how many years in Miami. Who's going to take the shot at the end? Is it going to be Wade? Is it going to be LeBron? End of the game, Mitchell defers to Harden and what happens? Neither one of them is shooting. Neither one of them is shooting the ball. Your stars need to take out Madison Square Garden there. Not your role player, not somebody on the side. Your stars need to be strong enough to rise up and do something to Madison Square Garden. And they both cave.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

It's not even about the timeouts, which, which I did think was weird. Like when the knicks cut the 22 point lead to 10. I remember the. The Knicks had the ball. It was a 12 point game. And I was saying, like, I looked at the screen, all right, they have two timeouts left. If the Knicks score here, make a 10, it's automatic timeout. Cleveland, they didn't call timeout. I thought it was weird. I'm not even talking about that. What I'm talking about is why are. Why is the Knicks offense allowed to do whatever they want to the Cavs defense? Every time down the floor, they're switching Wade Dean Wade off of Brunson so that Harden comes over and it's like the Cavs just have to eat it. All right, this is the matchup you want. I guess we'll have to play along. Like, what? Why is that the case? Why. Why aren't they throwing a double at Brunson, making him get rid of the ball? Why. Why isn't they. Why aren't they fighting through the screen? Why do we have to switch everything? Why are the Knicks dictating everything that the Cavs defense is doing? Is there a coach?

[Mike]

Well, they did start doubling towards the end of the game. And then all, you know, Brunson did was get it to the timeline, pass it over, and then OG was able to do whatever he wanted, pass it to Landry in the corner, drive in and get fouled or get a layup or something. Like they did start doing that. The adjustment was, let's blitz him at the point of attack. And then they just completely unraveled defensively after that.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

It's just weird how we want Harden guarding him. Okay, I guess that's okay.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, let's play the sound of Mike Brown just telling you afterward what was obvious to all. Just like we have to try to figure out different ways to guard Harden and Mitchell, they got to figure out different ways to guard Jalen. But we were. It was no secret we were attacking Harden. The numbers toward the end of the game, It's a Knicks 30 to 8 run. And I think it was like 44 to 11 as well as a run. And timeouts weren't going to prevent that. Now, you may think some sort of strategic change would have changed that, but in the NBA, toward the end of important games, your best player against my best players, we can make it about a bunch of other things. Coaches, timeouts, Mobley, missing threes. Make it about whatever you want. The team that was at home got the home field advantage from 30 years of how it is. Those fans have been frustrated. That fell on the head of Mitchell. Don't make it fall on the head of Atkinson. It fell on the head of Hardin and Mitchell. And when the Knicks were doing the historic thing with all of that building's energy behind it, they folded their hand like that. You knew as soon as soon as the three rims in and out and Mike Brown is trying to get that time out as we make the coaches so damn important with their timeouts, you knew as soon as that came out, this game belongs to the Knicks. The Cavs are done here. They don't have any. You say, yeah, but no.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Once we got to overtime, yeah, but no but.

[Dan Le Batard]

You say, yeah, but great players, no. The answer is no there on great players shut Madison Square Garden up. The reason it gets the reputation it does is because Michael Jordan preferred to win there. Kobe preferred to make New York quiet. They preferred that to home games.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I feel like you're focused on that end of the floor. When Cleveland has the ball. Mitchell, Harden, what are you going to do? To shut up the crowd here. And I'm more focused on the other side of the floor where why are they allowing Harden to switch nine times in the fourth quarter, which equaled 1.9 points per possession.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're concentrating, though, on how to let him score the 44. And what I'm telling you is in this league, in the playoffs, if you have Mitchell and Harden, it's because they got to get you, more than the 11. Like, you guys now are concentrating on what's wrong with the defense because of the cruelty to Harden. But your stars need to win that game on either side of the court. Choose a side, but your stars have to be able to withstand what New York hits you in the face with there.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

It's a weird thing that I find about the NBA now, Greg, where. Okay, we're in the middle of a huge run like that last night, and Cleveland's offense is totally stalled. Why don't they have like a go to play, a settle down play, you know, where. Hey, we're gonna. They're on a 10 nothing run. We're gonna dump the ball down to Shaq. We're gonna dump the ball down to Duncan. We're gonna give the ball to Morning because we know this is a bread and butter play where we get a high percentage shot. Except every time, it's just, all right, we're gonna drive, we're gonna kick, and somebody's gonna shoot a three pointer. Hopefully that ends the run.

[Dan Le Batard]

Their. Their play to settle everything down is. Hey, Donovan. Hey, James. Can you get us a couple of free throws, please? Because you're unstoppable, because you're supposed to be what Brunson is doing in this fourth quarter, the way that played out for the Knicks, the way all of it played out, hopeless for three quarters. You're seeing the difference on. How is it that Cleveland's front line is able to do this when Mitchell Robinson's out of the game to Karl Anthony Towns? How is it that Harden and Mitchell can just go to the rim with easy layups when those haven't been available all playoffs? And then the game gets tight late, and then everything gets complicated. And two players of the stature of Mitchell and Harden, like, these are not nobodies. These are both hall of Famers. They had nothing. They. It wasn't tired. It wasn't about tired. You were so good through three quarters. And so the feelings I had last night that were complicated. I am a notorious Knicks hater. I found myself rooting for the New York Knicks because of the energy in that building. I found myself realizing that the New York Knicks are a lovable underdog. And here's the feeling that is so surprising to me, that totally snuck up on me. Just totally snuck up on me. I was so happy for Stugatz.

[Tony]

Tony, you know that moment at a party or at a tailgate where everything just sort of clicks?

[Zaslow]

I know it well.

[Chris]

It's usually when I.

[Mike]

Everybody goes crazy.

[Tony]

Yeah, you Usually take all the credit for it, but it's because Tony usually walks in with Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Walk in like this.

[Tony]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuervo is a thing that turns hanging out into this is the night.

[Mike]

It has that effect on people.

[Dan Le Batard]

It does.

[Tony]

You usually take the credit for it, but again, it's the Cuervo effect. It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing up, hootin and hollering, keep it Cuervo.

[Zaslow]

Keep it Cuervo, baby.

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[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

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[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Don LeBatard I'm just here to say one thing.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Knicks back Stugats. Tyree Salibran six points. Fraud. Everybody was like, yo, he's better than Jalen Brunson. He's better than Janik. Should attracted him.

[Mike]

Fraud.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Dan Le Batard]

I urge you all to find Stugats Co. In record numbers today so that Stu Gotts does the show he's always been wanting to do about the New York Knicks and hasn't been able to do ever in. He's never been able to do the show. And I found myself not just happy for Stugat, but missing him because what our show would have been today if Stugatz had been here would have been the very happiest and best Stugatz. And I would have really enjoyed celebrating that with him because he's been denied that experience the entirety of his Knicks fandom.

[Zaslow]

But I think Stu Gotz is probably too afraid to be too excited. And that's the reason why I love the seven game series.

[Tony]

Or since last year or since they knocked out the Celtics that Dan was saying was going to win the title the entire season.

[Zaslow]

But sure, I mean the seven game series is a beautiful thing because the whole narrative changes after every game. Right. Like if Cleveland wins game two, whole different story. If San Antonio wins game two, the champs are back and the narrative naturally changes. You know, you're speaking as if the Knicks have won this series. Nobody thinks. I don't think that.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, they won the night. They won the sports night. They won the entirety of it. And they get to feel good and safe and the feel good of safe that the sports fan gets when they take the lead in a series and they're totally scared.

[Zaslow]

Yeah, but. But are Stu Gotts and other diehard Knicks fans feeling it today or are they thinking, geez, this is just another chance to be let down?

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

No, I think they think they're going to win the whole thing.

[Zaslow]

Yeah, yeah. Over Wimpy.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

They're not, but I think that's how they feel.

[Zaslow]

All right, Good for them. See that? If I don't have a horse in the race if my. If my team is not in the playoffs. I root for the best story. I root for the fans who need a win more, and that's Knicks.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Knicks are not just the best story. And Mike can keep making fun of this if he likes. The feeling has been swelling in New York. They love Brunson more than they've ever loved Brunson. And they already loved him more than they've loved any other player because he's the tiny guy who's scoring all in the fourth quarter, who's being cruel to a Hall of Famer. I'm feeling bad for James Harden because he's being picked on. Their favorite player is making two hall of Famers helpless with the strength of New York behind him. Mike, you can make fun of it all. You like what New York felt last night in that game. A not unprecedented comeback, but pretty damn close to unprecedented comeback.

[Tony]

It's just the latest unprecedented comeback. I'm not making fun of it. I'm making fun of us. I'm speaking for the audience because we've had this imaging for three years. I mean, Jalen Brunson is already an all time Nick. If you're doing the roster, he's the point guard. It didn't happen overnight. It's been happening. And last year they had an Eastern Conference final for all time. Halliburton had all time moments. It's. This is the new norm.

[Dan Le Batard]

They lost.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah, but they were on the wrong side.

[Dan Le Batard]

They got that moment last night.

[Tony]

Right, but they could lose this one. They lost at 16 after beating a heavy favorite in the second round, after eliminating Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Like, this is. This is who the Knicks are.

[Dan Le Batard]

How do you not see the difference between. Last year at this time, they lost on the Halliburton shot. This year at this time, they get the shot that bounced.

[Tony]

They get this one. Yes. And after they lost game one to Indiana and that series went.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Who had the home field, the home court in that series last year?

[Tony]

The New York Knicks.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

It was the Knicks.

[Tony]

Yeah, because Halliburton did that.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's what they got. Game one of the Eastern Conference finals last year. Now compare to this and what I'm telling you about what the Knicks allegiance is to this long suffering fan base. And it's fair to say the love grows when they're the one suffering. When you're. It's not just the players that have to suffer, you suffer with them. And so when that shot goes in and you get the bounce out at the end, I'M not making it up when I tell you that New York can't be happier than that when it comes to almost anything sports. Because of how the basketball team matters, because of how that arena matters in the center of that city, and because of how bad that team has been denying them that kind of moment with irrelevant basketball and a terrible owner for a quarter of a century.

[Tony]

Right. I think I'm just like, positioning myself to speak for a large part of the nation that says, what are we talking about? Lovable underdog. They're the favorite. They are a big time favorite. This is who they are. I think that we have to stop. I think it's kind of patronizing. What are we doing? Just because Brunson is short like, they, they are not.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Tony]

They are not this scrappy underdog. They were favorites last year in the Eastern Conference finals. Indiana was a scrappy underdog. They are favorites again here. They, they won an in season tournament. They've been in the conversation for three years. They fired their coach. And it was a huge story over the off season. It's paid off so far. They traded five first rounders for a rotational player who's, who's playing a role for them. Like they are a top dog here.

[Zaslow]

Okay. If the Knicks get to the finals, they are an underdog.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's the big one. That's the point. The big one, like all of a sudden now, Mike, saying second place is okay when the Heat have been failing. The New York Knicks are not the favorite to win the title. They simply aren't. Everyone thinks that the title is being decided out west. And then you're going to have Brunson trying to take shots against Wembanyama the way that Curry tried to take shots against him in the Olympic Games.

[Tony]

Not disagreeing then. We can have that conversation.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, we can have it now.

[Tony]

All right.

[Greg]

I think we're, I feel like what we're saying is you're acting like that just happened against the Spurs. Like if that happens in game one

[Tony]

against the spurs against a punchline and James Harden.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

No, but I, I think, I, I don't think it's that. It's that this Knicks team is in a position overall whether you, you want to say they're underdog against Cleveland or whatever. They are now up 1 nothing in the east finals. They're in a position that they have not been in in 27 years. That's the point.

[Greg]

Not how last year they were in the Eastern conference finals at 1:1. So like in a game from now, it could Just be right back to where they were last game.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

But this Knicks team is better than they were last year.

[Zaslow]

They are, they are. But my point, my larger point is that whatever last night was, the magic of the Mecca in sports, that's not necessarily transferable. It's not easily transferable. Who's. Who's going to be surprised if Cleveland wins game two? Anybody?

[Dan Le Batard]

Guys, I'm not saying that the Knicks are going to win the title because they won last night. I'm saying, holy shit, last night was amazing. Like, stop doing that.

[Tony]

No, I'm not doing anything other than saying that it's one game. And I don't think that they're a lovable underdog. I think last night was awesome. It was an incredible game.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

There was. There was a moment last night after Brunson hit one of the shots and they panned to Patrick. Patrick Ewing. All right, they pan to Patrick Ewing and he's. He's clapping, like, furiously. He's so into it. It's like, that is so. I hate the Knicks. Everybody knows it's f. The Knicks in the Zaslo Mansion. But, like, that's so cool.

[Zaslow]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Patrick Ewing is so into it, and he's so happy and he's cheering so hard for this Knicks team.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the part, though. This is. This is the part I'm talking about when I talk about the rare few that have 30 years of this experience and see Ewing in the crowd and. No, they don't. There are so many people watching last night who are seeing Ewing a generation removed from that, and they're just saying, oh, that's nice. Royalties in the building. And then there's a whole nother allegiance of people who have been there suffering since he missed the finger roll. And the last time they expected to be this kind of good. And the last player they loved as much as they love Jalen Brunson. Like, in terms of beloved wherever you go, Bernard King and Clyde Frazier and Melo. I guess Patrick Ewing got them to where Brunson has gotten them, but he did it as the Giant. And the size does matter.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Who was the number one overall pick who had this expectation from day one,

[Dan Le Batard]

the size does matter. When a fan base can claim, oh, our guy's the smallest, but he's got the biggest balls. He's the one in the fourth quarter. He's the best first quarter player in the league. Not named Doncic. And he's the best fourth quarter player in the league, period.

[Tony]

Right. I just kind of feel like I'm being yelled at. For maybe saying, like, oh, you know, they're. They did what they were supposed to do. In fact, that was kind of like a concerning game. Like, I don't. I get it. It's New York, but they were favored in the Eastern Conference finals last year, too. And I just think it was a good game. It looks like it might be a good series. I'm not ready to count out Cleveland. I thought there was a lot of things that happened in that game that could be exploited later on in the series.

[Zaslow]

We'll.

[Tony]

We'll see what happens. But I. I'm not here for narrative building after one game when the narrative is they were supposed to win game one and they almost blew that.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

You say they were supposed to win Game one and obviously by, you know, for wagering, you know, perspective. Yes.

[Tony]

Not just that. Remember the path that they took there where they were just blowing teams out.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

But we wouldn't be having this conversation if they weren't down 22 with eight minutes left. It was like they. They came. It was an historic comeback.

[Tony]

No, that's a story.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

All of it's all encompassing.

[Tony]

Right. But that might be more a Cleveland story than even is a New York story.

[Mike]

I think the other thing we're missing, too, is we saw with okc, it's a slow start. They hadn't played in a week. Like, it was a slow start.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

The.

[Mike]

Cleveland's been playing basically almost every other day. So that first quarter was like, oh, wow, the Knicks are a little bit rusty. And then the tired legs caught up. And at the end of the day, we saw what happened. But I feel like the Knicks broke the Cavs over their knee yesterday. I think this series is over.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, And. And maybe and we can get to whatever it is you guys think is going to happen and whatever it is you guys think the narrative is going to be. And also, you can accentuate if you like, the Knicks were supposed to win that game. When I see a situation that teams entering Tuesday were 1 and 594in was the record, I'm not going to simply skip past that game and say, okay, do it again in game two and then do it again in game three, I'm going to stop for a minute and enjoy that. For one night, New York got the magical feeling that Heat fans envy right now. New York got to matter in a way they haven't gotten to matter. No matter how good you think they felt the last three years, it's all been building to this, and I don't want to just skip back past it. By doing what a lot of people are going to do today. They're going to say that the Cavs choked. Like the conversation today is going to be about the Cavs choking. But the feeling in that building is we did that to them. With 30 years of our frustration and Patrick Ewing in the building, we made them choke. And that's the best when you're the fan base that gets to claim that.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Don lebatard, the judge. Coach. Sweetie Stugats. I should go say hello. This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats.

[Chris]

I'm not sure that they did do that because yes, it was a great adjustment by Mike Brown to just say, oh, right, James Harden's on the other team, so let's just isolate him and go one on one. If we think the Cavs are going to do that next game, there's no way that that's going to happen over and over again. And if I'm the Knicks, I'm a little concerned that my, my primary offense that's been working all postseason wasn't working. But to Dan's point, the history of this moment, forget New York, forget whether it's them or anybody else, teams were, oh and 643. That's worse than Dan when trailing by 20 plus points with seven minutes to go. And so in this situation, when you are the Knicks and when you apply the context of, oh my God, we almost blew game one as the favorite, now you're looking at it and going, what a relief. What a moment in front of the stars. And you can take a second to appreciate the same way we did with Wemby in game one.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Do you think that once James Harden picked up his fifth foul that Mike Brown told his team, make sure you

[Dan Le Batard]

don't draw sixth, keep him in the game. Make sure that he does not leave the game. One of the things that makes an appearance from last night that you do not get very often is just like I keep saying, Larry Johnson's four point play from 25 years ago. Landry Shammit is now associated with something with a generation of people that shots forever. That shot last night, no matter what happens in the series, and I'm not kidding you, it's better if they win the series and everything else. But no matter what happens in that series, a guy's name is now attached to a certain feeling that was caused. That is a forever feeling. We've been complaining about the entire playoffs. None of these games are closed. The last two have been magic. The last two basketball games have been magical.

[Zaslow]

But let me ask you this. It's 20 years ago. You're the lead columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Aren't you allowed to question how in hell do you lose a 22 point lead? In other words, from that perspective, Cleveland choked. And it's not the New York feel good story that we're talking about. It's Cleveland giving that win away on the road. You would agree with that, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

That's local, though. Yes, of course. The local fan base is gonna be hurt. I'm saying that the national conversation today is gonna be about ripping Cleveland instead of celebrating New York. And that's going to make New York feel like, oh, it's us against the world again. Nobody believes in us. It's always about somebody else failing. It's not about what we did as a success. It's not that we did something unprecedented. It's that you want to blame James Harden for collapsing when Brunson did that to him.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I. You don't want to talk about Kenny Atkinson and not using the timeouts. You know, Phil Jackson used to let the Bulls play through it. They're not the Bulls. They don't Michael Jordan at some point and we talk about the crowd and 30 years raining down upon them. At some point you got to break up the rhythm a little bit. Like, let's call time out. Let's, let's every calm laugh down here. I think it's a little something to it.

[Tony]

Either way, the NBA post season has been super refreshing. Almost as refreshing as finally here in a big time show. Give New York the attention it deserves. I mean, there has been a huge golf and Knicks coverage across the entire sports landscape. And I'm happy we're there.

[Dan Le Batard]

So I sense some of the sarcasm and I'm going to just allege that you guys are haters who are just embedded in hating and do not and will not celebrating, celebrate anything that comes out of New York.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

No, no. I like. I thoroughly enjoy watching that crowd. Crowd at Madison Square Garden. I always enjoy watching that crowd. And it's part of. I feel I'm conflicted. I'm very conflicted.

[Dan Le Batard]

Look at Mike Ryan. He's boycotting the whole thing. He doesn't want to be a part of any part of it because he's now recusing himself from the situation because many, many years ago the Knicks and the Heat mattered and they played brutal playoff series. And you've seen Mike Ryan feud with Paul Pierce because of how he hates the boss Celtics. He's now recused himself from the premises because he will not be a part of celebrating what was simply a magically positive night. That can also result in. Yes, the Cleveland Plain Dealer is going to kill the local team.

[Zaslow]

So is a lot of the country. A lot of the country is going. Cleveland choked. Wow. Did they choke?

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

They did choke.

[Zaslow]

Yeah, of course. But that's. Half of. That's the legitimate other half of us adulating for the next.

[Dan Le Batard]

But what. What I'm arguing, and I don't think you guys agree with this, but this is what I'm arguing. Okay? And it's hard for me to argue it. It hurts me to argue it. What that building was experiencing last night would have swallowed all but the very best players who have ever played this game. All but. But the players who are a great deal better than Mitchell and Harden. It swallows everyone else because the force of that particular momentum made it so that Cleveland did something you're not used to seeing. And I think it happened to them. I think that was taken from them. And I think very few champions would have had the resiliency to withstand what fell on their chest in that fourth quarter. Because it's Brunson. And he brought hell with him. Like he brought all of New York with him. And that's what I'm telling you. I think that's worth celebrating. And I'm telling you it as someone who has difficulty making that admission because it hurts me to see them feel that.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Like it hurt all. They get that. Like, it's hard for me to see that inside myself and be. I'm jealous.

[Greg]

That's. I think that's what we're pushing back on.

[Zaslow]

I don't think we're.

[Greg]

I think you might be happy about this. That's what we're saying.

[Chris]

I think you might be a secret Knicks fan the same way you look.

[Dan Le Batard]

I fell in love sports again last night.

[Zaslow]

Wow.

[Greg]

See, I did it two nights ago. Spurs stuff.

[Dan Le Batard]

Oh, I'm loving that.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

When it's Knicks. I know you'll be a lot of in love again tonight.

[Dan Le Batard]

I renewed my vows last night with sports.

[Chris]

I think that's part of it, though, that. That Chris brings up, which is, I think because in game one, we watched Wemby and the spurs just go take it.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Right.

[Chris]

Oklahoma City did not choke at all. They played great, too. And back and forth.

[Greg]

Wasn't great in that game.

[Chris]

He wasn't great. But at the end of the game, he's making big shots and so is Victor Wembanyama. And they're champions and they're all there. And here we're watching a combination of the two, which is Jalen Brunson and the Knicks and the crowd and all of it going crazy. But also James Harden. James Harden in particular. If it was just Donovan Mitchell alongside Bam or Giannis or somebody else who doesn't have the same history of choking, but James Harden in this game, like Zaz mentioned, he's isolated eight times in the fourth quarter, nine times, if you include overtime. They're getting two points per possession. They're scoring on every possession. You're watching that team choke. You're watching James Harden for the sixth time this postseason, have more turnovers than made shots. The guy is a historic choker, and he took double the shots in fourth quarter that Donovan Mitchell did it. It's him. And it's part of the reason we can't have the proper perspective on how amazing it was just for the Knicks.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, but we can, though, because while I understand what ZSAS is doing to Kenny Atkinson, I just want you guys to hear my frustration when I tell you. Okay, so I'm renewing my vow with sports because of how my. I'm renewing my vows with sports because of how exciting that game is. And again, you guys are going to make it about the guy on the sideline who didn't do the thing.

[Mike]

You gotta call time out there.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay, I'm not even disagreeing with that part. What I'm saying is the timeouts wouldn't have worked like you. You would have had to talk about

[Greg]

saying, don't renew yet. It's a long series.

[Tony]

No, no.

[Mike]

Renew. Renew the NBA playoffs again. Everybody's been talking about how bad they were. All of a sudden, now everybody loves you.

[Chris]

No, it's a good thing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Experience.

[Chris]

Joy, we want you to do that.

[Zaslow]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

You don't.

[Zaslow]

How do you renew your vows? How does that work? Is that a private ceremony? Is Val involved? Is there, like, she's reading something? Well, Val's not involved.

[Greg]

This was Dan with sports.

[Zaslow]

I know, but she's, you know, in the other room going, do I come in now? And. And she doesn't have anything to do with this.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, she doesn't have it. The way that Zaslow.

[Greg]

She's not cucking you in sports.

[Chris]

Well, it's the other way. She's getting cucked by sports.

[Zaslow]

Hmm. Ooh.

[Greg]

You like where this ended up?

[Dan Le Batard]

This is my fault.

[Zaslow]

Yeah, well, you're gonna blame.

[Dan Le Batard]

You're gonna look in my face, and you're going to blame me for where it ended up.

[Zaslow]

Yeah. You wouldn't reveal what your Vows entail.

[Dan Le Batard]

I was interrupted by your son who decided to make a cuck joke. I was talking.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

I was.

[Dan Le Batard]

I was about to reveal it. But your son wanted to make. He very badly wanted to make a cuck joke. And so I wasn't allowed to reveal what I was going to reveal because he wanted to make the cuck joke. And then what happens to the court jester in the corner? Jeremy dances in with bells on his hat. Yeah, a cuck joke. And then where am I not answering your question?

[Chris]

I'm here to provide facts. Daniel. And he just had it wrong.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

How great though the last couple of nights between Spurs, Knicks and Canadiens. Mixing a little bit of hockey there, Greg.

[Zaslow]

That's another team America should be rooting for. The Memorial Canadiens.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Oh my God.

[Zaslow]

You are. My opinion.

[Greg]

So the Knicks and the Canadians.

[Zaslow]

And the Canadians. America should be rooting for. Yes. 100.

[Dan Le Batard]

Why don't you raise a finger up there and say it as if you were 100% making some sort of good point when you were not making any kind of.

[Zaslow]

I was making a good point. And this is a self righteous finger. When I raise an index finger, I mean to be heard. What do you think of that?

[Greg]

When you middle finger, do you couch it with side fingers? You just go straight up.

[Zaslow]

I don't bird it. I don't bird anymore. Really? Yeah. I go like this. I don't bird. I think a bird.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

Tell you the last time I threw a bird at someone.

[Dan Le Batard]

When did you. I don't think you throw a bird. Do you throw a bird at somebody? When did you retire your bird?

[Zaslow]

I just. I think it's inflammatory. Like I am prone to raid road. Road rage. And if you are involved in a potential road rage situation, the last thing you want to do is flip a bird because that brings the gun out from the other guy. I don't own a gun.

[Dan Le Batard (alternate or co-host)]

This is a new and unimproved Dan Levatar show with the stugats gamble on by DraftKings.