Knicks Are Playing Like Champions Right Now

追加: 2026-05-30

[00:00:00]the best point differential of any 11 game span in NBA history, regular season or postseason.

[00:00:07]>> Um, also the Knicks are on an 11ame winning streak. Also, the Knicks swept in bums last night. Also, Jaylen Brunson got Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Also, New York is looking like the best team in all of basketball. Let's talk about it, fellas.

[00:00:26]Is this Is this the hottest that a team has ever been going into the finals?

[00:00:30]>> No.

[00:00:31]>> The Lakers.

[00:00:32]>> Who been hot?

[00:00:32]>> 2001.

[00:00:33]>> No. No. The Lakers were not smoking teams like this. No, they were not.

[00:00:37]>> This is like this. Wait a second. They weren't playing teams like this either. Don't Don't >> Yeah, >> that's not true at all.

[00:00:44]>> That's not true neither. Nm. So, >> all I was going to say is I feel like from an offensive perspective, like first of all, we all watch the same four games. Kenny Atinson needs to be arrested for domestic terrorism and coaching malpractice. But nonetheless, >> that's first and foremost.

[00:01:00]>> And just and just dumbassness.

[00:01:03]>> Thank you. Thank you. Not even that. Not even just that. Ox, but also insulting fans and like fans of basketball. Not just Cavs fans, not just Knicks fans, but fans of basketball. Miss me with this expected score [ __ ] [ __ ] you lost. This is bad. It's on you. You are terrible. and you're smiling through all the pain like your team isn't crumbling before your eyes. That's a problem.

[00:01:24]That's almost like Doc Rivers's delusion, but kind of worse because Kenny Atinson is just smiling through it with his arms folded as like Darvin Ham, but the Caucasian version. Anyway, nonetheless, my issue with the difference between these two teams, right? The Knicks play cohesive basketball. It's to the point where I think I think that their coach looked at them at some point in the playoffs and said, "Hey, we don't need Brunson to get 25 every night. We don't need Brunson to get 27 for us to be successful and win this game. We can win games with OG and Obi giving us 28 and 10. We can win games with Cat giving us 20 point triple doubles. We can win games with Josh Hart giving us five of setting five of seven shooting nights from three or Landry Sham coming off the bench and giving us perfect shoot." Like that's the that's the thing that's separating them. Then you look at what the Cavs had. It's not like they don't have enough talent to match. They got some decent options there. Dennis Shruder isn't bad. Keon Ellis isn't bad. Especially if you put him on the right person and give them an assignment and don't just tell them to go out there and just stand there. But my point is is like the it's not like the Cavs didn't have enough to compete.

[00:02:33]It's just the way their X's and O's were being put on the floor was nothing near as smooth and cohesive as the New York Knicks have been playing in 11 straight games. That's all I >> But you get smoked in transition like that. That's not X's and O's. That's great.

[00:02:48]>> That's nothing. That's That's great.

[00:02:49]That's You're right, Pam. You're right.

[00:02:50]>> I I can't coach that. Like what am I going to do? Call a timeout in the first quarter? Like 50 burn all my >> X's and O's is defense, too, though. Pen >> [ __ ] Ron defense, Ron. That's it. that this ain't no wrong. Get back.

[00:03:05]>> Chill. If we're getting stops though, that leads us to get out in transition.

[00:03:08]>> No, this is >> if if if you're if you're if you're turning the ball over, what do turnovers lead to?

[00:03:13]>> Transition.

[00:03:14]>> They lead to transition.

[00:03:15]>> Okay, that's that's that's the point I'm making.

[00:03:17]>> But this is wide open transition.

[00:03:20]>> You have poor balance. They run past you. They're just running past you.

[00:03:25]Right. Look, I've seen a lot of championship teams in my lifetime and they all seem to have this one thing in common. They're talking about championships in training camp, right?

[00:03:35]Everything is about sacrifice. This Knicks team sacrificed. They changed the way they're playing. They got individuals on this team that came in with big egos, right? Muel Bridges, he wants big touches. He wanted big money.

[00:03:47]OG Anobi complaint. I don't get enough.

[00:03:49]I don't get enough touches. He has to settle into being a fourth option.

[00:03:52]Carney Towns, Jaylen Brunson, these guys are these guys are used to being like the men, the man, you know, on a team.

[00:03:58]And when you get four or five guys who are used to having their own team, I want say forward. Um, who are used to being featured options willing to take ancillary roles, that's when you turn that's when you turn this into this, right?

[00:04:11]>> This these these dudes aren't big ego guys though. Like that's when you when you when you when you put a picture of these guys.

[00:04:17]>> You've been around enough hoopers to know all hoopers.

[00:04:20]>> Well, that that's just not true.

[00:04:21]Factually not true. But when you when you put when you put a picture of all these guys, Jaylen Brunson, Muel Bridges, OG Anovi, these aren't guys with this this isn't this this like I don't see that from this this Knicks team at all. You know what I'm saying?

[00:04:35]But on top of that, I just want y'all to stop being naive and just understand that that was what you were going to get anyway. The Cavaliers weren't going to come out there running down 3 0. They get a steal. The shit's over. They already got they got their flights booked. They got their you know what I'm saying? They got their villas and in in and wherever they going booked already.

[00:04:52]This shit's over. Like like like Donovan Mitchell. Donovan Mitchell had had Coco told Coco, hey, have have girl pack all that [ __ ] up. We out of here. Like don't worry. Don't worry about this. We gone.

[00:05:03]Like this was over. Y'all talking about they weren't getting back on defense.

[00:05:06]They're down 3 0 to a team that they know is far superior than them. This [ __ ] was over before it started. Nobody sprinting back, chasing Jaylen Brunson to to like it's over. And I understand that. We want we want them to want to win. We want them to try hard. We want them to believe that they can come back from a 3 0 deficit. That's what we want as basketball fans. But that is naive as [ __ ] That game was over before it started and everybody knew it. Everybody knew it. Zizzy, I don't know if you were watching it. It was so It was a random day. Pin was explaining to me about uh something per possession per 100 per 36 >> per I'm not calling you out pen. Please don't take it that way. I don't I didn't put you on the big screen.

[00:05:53]>> Oh, >> it was some it was some it was something and I I I I had an epiphany, Zizzy. I I I had an epiphany. I said, you know what?

[00:06:03]It's not about winning basketball games anymore. It's about winning the analytics. It's about winning this. It's about winning the per that. It's about It's about on paper [ __ ] >> Would you look at that?

[00:06:17]>> And and Kenny Ainson did nothing but prove that when he said that dumb [ __ ] he said about us winning analytically. I I TOLD Y'ALL. I TOLD y'all this this ain't about winning games no more.

[00:06:30]That's not That's not what the what NBA basketball is about.

[00:06:34]>> Yo, this PC Ron here.

[00:06:36]>> This is Chilltown Hoops.

[00:06:37]>> Yo, this the drench man, not the French man.

[00:06:39]>> M here. This is Swiper. Yo, this is Big Ox.

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[00:07:45][music] >> I mean, what is he supposed to say? He's supposed to come to the press conference, be like, "Oh yeah, we [ __ ] y'all down." Like, it is what it is.

[00:07:58]>> When you get into I'll tell you this.

[00:07:59]I'll tell you this, Jay. I'll tell you this, J. Like that's not that's not >> Yeah. It's not even race.

[00:08:05]>> It's not even a thing of like him. It's not even a thing of like necessarily >> like what he said. It's more so the context in which he said it. For example, like them asking them questions. The the first question that got asked or that needed to be asked after game one was, "Hey buddy, why why leave James Harden on Jaylen Brunson?"

[00:08:24]Now, there's multip that's that's kind of a different there's a lot of different ways you can look at that. Was it on the team? Did they did they not hedge it correctly? Did they just s submit to the switch? Is that just But if that's the case, then why are the other four members of the Cleveland Cavaliers leaving the 36-year-old who has never been a good defender in his 17-year career, at least one that was worth giving a [ __ ] about? Why are they just leaving him on an island? I I think back to 2015 that series against the Clippers where they were down I think they were down 3-1 and Mike Danton did something that other coaches looked at and just were like wow James Harden was playing so bad he benched him and then Cory Brewer and Trevor Ree and Eric Gordon and friends led led the Rockets back in a playoff game to win the game.

[00:09:13]Now that was literally the last thing that he could have possibly done and he did it. In Kenny Atinson's case, you have a 22-point lead with seven minutes left in the ball game. You're watching seven plus straight possessions of not to mention the fact that Jaylen Brunson was also in foul trouble just like Donovan Mitchell, just like James Harden, and just like Max Struce. So, if you wanted to counter that in any way, shape, or form, you could have attacked Brunson. You didn't do that. So, you watch seven straight possessions of your quote unquote one of your best defenders, whatever. You watch James Harden get absolutely mollywobed to the point where any point any point in time where they tried to set a screen to get Brunson onto Harden, the fans started giving you roaring sounds because they knew exactly what was about to happen.

[00:10:00]Barbecue chicken, deep fried catfish, right? You got Dennis Shruder on the bench salivating at the mouth. Keon Ellis salivating, wanting an opportunity to just show, hey, >> I'm really good at playing defense. That might be the only thing I could bring to this game, but it could help us way more than watching James Harden get deep fried every possession. That's my thing.

[00:10:19]So Kenny's response to that being, oh, he's been one of our best defenders. Is that a good thing? That's like the 2021 Lakers saying, "Hey, LeBron James is our best three-point shooter."

[00:10:31]>> What? What?

[00:10:33]>> Don't leave out Don't leave outz him benching James Harden in 2015 and that down being down 3-1. It actually worked.

[00:10:41]>> Exactly. Exactly. actually worked.

[00:10:43]>> Yeah, >> we we we we went to that and >> we actually came out with a win and he stayed over. It wasn't like he stayed over there until we got back in the game. No, keep going with what we got.

[00:10:53]Like, keep rolling with these guys until we not until we get back in the game.

[00:10:57]Keep rolling with these guys and let's see what happens. Well, it actually worked and they ended up >> James Harden was top three and MVP that year too, mind you. Top three and MVP getting benched in a pivotal closeout playoff game as the franchise player.

[00:11:08]>> Of course, because he was getting >> and it worked >> and it did work. So, I say that I I I say that to say, Ox that in theory, my rent is being paid. In reality, the eviction notice is on the door. That's what's going on. Like, they coming and they they knocking on the door telling me, "Come get your stuff cuz it's time for you to get up out of here." I said that they would put up a fight early, but I knew that they would end up choking them dudes out. I think that they were defeated after game one. Um, I think that that broke their spirit. You don't have a shooter like Max. You don't have a Stroo You don't have shooters like both Max and Sam Merrill basically just go ice cold. I think that's a mental thing. I think that they realized that we had these dudes in the choke.

[00:11:53]I'm a glass half full type of dude and I always feel I always feel like there's a plus side to something. When we got these dudes up 20 with seven minutes on the clock and we end up giving it up.

[00:12:02]I'm thinking we'll get these guys next time. We got them in the choke hole.

[00:12:07]We'll do some other things to make this better the next game. They didn't even get him in the choke hole. They just basically just rolled over. Donovan Mitchell is not scoring the basketball for a whole quarter. In addition to Donovan Mitchell not scoring the basketball for a whole quarter, the Knicks just completely looked at the Cavs like, "Don't worry about these guys. They're going to let us back in at some point. They might jump on us early, but they're going to let us back in at some point." I have to I have to acknowledge to Jay and to Ox, I did not see them smoking the Cavs. I did not see that. I did I I I I thought that the Cavs had a legit shot at beating these dudes. I did not see them running by these dudes in four games. I'm blown away by this. I I I just am.

[00:12:46]>> You need a stronger prescription glasses then.

[00:12:48]>> For real. We saw it.

[00:12:49]>> I didn't I ain't see them smoking these dudes. No, >> I I I didn't see it either.

[00:12:53]>> I mean, this is a team that went back to back and won two two game sevens. You know, showed show showed a lot of grit there, but they also showed a lot of immaturity. Chill. When you had your first job and you go to your boss and you say, "I need a raise, boss." And what does he say? He says, "My boss won't even give me a raise." It's called false consciousness. It's called taking your attention and your frustration and redirecting it to somewhere else. When we blow a 20point lead, all every all eyes are on the coach. Why don't you call a timeout? My eyes are on the superstar. Why are you not settling the game down? Right? You get a superstar so they can stabilize a game. You got two guards. You're not talking about a big where, okay, well, you know, he's relying on guards to get them the ball.

[00:13:34]No, they got the go they got the ball every single possession and they are choking it away. They're walking it up.

[00:13:40]They're messing up the offense. They're not making shots. And I'm sorry, at a point players got to coach. I'm sorry.

[00:13:47]The best teams are playerled, not coachled. So, as much as Kenny Atkinson suffers from a deplorable lack of charisma and situational awareness, I will say that, you know, coming out after game three and be like, "Oh, we should be up 2-1." Yeah, you dumb as hell for saying that for sure. You putting a red target on your back and now everyone's saying, "Fire Kenny, fire Kenny." I think Kenny's a fine coach, man. I don't think I don't think coaching was the difference in this series. I think leadership, grit, toughness, camaraderie, chemistry, um, flexibility of lineups, that's the that's the difference in this series.

[00:14:22]And frankly, I'm shocked by Donovan Mitchell. Shocked. I've never felt more led down by a player in my life.

[00:14:30]>> Agreed.

[00:14:31]>> This is one of the biggest and and you know, you look at the box score, you'd be like, "Oh, he got 27 points. He got 30 points. He did his job." Those are empty, right?

[00:14:38]>> Those are empty possessions. You can see it. is very disconnected. He's not doing enough for his team. He's not bringing dudes together. He's kind of like doing the showmanship of like, "Oh, I'm going to yell about this and that and that."

[00:14:49]But you don't go out there and do anything. You just kind of like him on an island, you know? And I've never accused Donovan Mitchell of being selfish, but he kind of reminds me of, you know, those players who kind of stand above the team instead of stand with the team. And if you contrast him to someone like Victor Webbyama or Shay Gildas Alexander or Jaylen Brunson, the leadership is the gap. That's what's getting him to the finals.

[00:15:12]>> I just want to make sure that we stick to what really is going on here, too. And that is that yo, the Knicks are [ __ ] awesome.

[00:15:21]I want to make sure that we talk. I mean, as much as I talked about the Cavs, >> I as much as I talked about the Cavs and thinking about how good their year was and thinking that they could get to the NBA championship, the way that this Nick team turned this thing around and got into the playoffs and started rolling the way that they've been rolling. I love the fact that Mike Brown made Cat the facilitator and they started running the offense through him. I didn't think Cat could read defenses that quickly in order for them to be that viable of an offense. I don't think we've talked nearly as much. I think a lot of you guys, you guys up here particularly, I think a lot of you guys gave up on MueL Bridges. I do. I think a lot of you guys up here gave up on Mikuel Bridges and stopped talking about him after after what we had seen early on in the playoffs, particularly against Atlanta when he didn't score any points when he >> was the main one. Jumped jumped on you and you and Mars was all over MueL Bridges for the past 18 months.

[00:16:14]>> Absolutely. Well, first of all, >> y'all wrote Y'all wrote my man off.

[00:16:17]>> Absolutely. talking about you talking about he can't navigate screens and I I thought that he I thought that he was in he he was great in this he was great in these playoffs I I I didn't I didn't think he was good in these play I thought he was great in these playoffs I thought that what he did not just as a screen navigator to your point I think he was a better on ball defender than I gave him credit for I think he was a better knockdown jump shooter basically relocating and getting wide open looks and enhancing their offense and even a better transition player on top of that that corner three is money that corner three is money when he's relocating. He knows exactly where to get to and exactly how to stay in rhythm. OG Anobi is the Swiss Army knife that I I I can't I can't tell you how many teams have this because there aren't many teams that have what OG Anobi has. He's the guy that whatever we're lacking, he does it. We need buckets right here. We need a big rebound, got that. We need I got that covered. Absolutely. And I heard I heard that [ __ ] you were saying about OG yesterday talking about I'm I'm overhyping OG and maybe I do.

[00:17:15]You are you do [laughter] I'm sick I'm sick of this [ __ ] >> You do. But you do. But that's the difference though. But you do overhype him. You >> honestly I think I undersell. I should hype him some more.

[00:17:26]>> There's a difference. There's a difference between a guy being a Swiss Army knife and being a really and and a really good player to what you talk about him with. Like you make this guy out to be something way more than what he is. Now, don't get me wrong, again, he's a Swiss Army knife. Everything that's necessary that the Knicks need, he does that. Absolutely, he does that.

[00:17:44]But Ox, you've you've said yourself, I tend to go too far with things. And you go too far with OG and Obi sometimes.

[00:17:50]>> I don't. Yes, you do. His level his level his level of importance is understated.

[00:17:56]>> His level his level of importance is clear to see when you watch it, chill, and you know it.

[00:18:01]>> You know it. You just don't want to give the Knicks any love. That's what it is, too. You know, you know, you know OG is for that right now.

[00:18:08]>> Yeah, you are now. You are now. I give you credit for that. [laughter] I give you credit for that. But you see, Chill, you have you have to you got to see the 40 broom beating sweep that just happened for you to for you to put it together. Chill, it's it's been apparent this whole time. You seen how he started the playoffs. You seen you seen the difference Origin made when he came to the Knicks, when he got on the basketball team. It was clear as day then. Why did you have to wait for them to get to the finals for you to say, you know what, Muel Bridges is all right?

[00:18:40]Oh, gee, you actually are that important. The reason why I felt like that, Ox, is because this this group, Male Bridges, don't forget, was an all league level defender. Male Bridges was a a 17 18 a game guy when in reality, he like a 16 to 18 a game guy. But I was holding him to that standard of what he was as an all-ague defender. I was holding him to that. I wasn't wrapped up in what he was doing in Brooklyn when he averaged 25. I was like, "No, that's not the real that's not the real Mckel Bridge. He is not that good." But I was holding this Nick team. I was holding this Nick team to what I had seen just right in front of me. You were looking into the future. I am not a fortune teller. I did not think that these guys would be this good. I didn't I did not think that these guys would be I knew that they was I wasn't looking into the future. I was reporting the news. I did not think that these guys don't let him off the hook.

[00:19:26]>> Chill does not deserve to be let off the hook because Till picked every other team available besides the Knicks in the East. Every time the Knicks had to go up against anybody, you picked you picked Atlanta, right? You picked you picked the 76ers. You picked the Cavs. And you laughed at me when I said the Knicks was going to walk to the F. That's what you said.

[00:19:43]>> I did. I 100% did. I did.

[00:19:46]>> There's no other TEAMS LEFT TO PICK, TAYLOR. It's not that you give the Knicks their FL. You [laughter] have no one else.

[00:19:50]>> That's not true. Well, wait a minute.

[00:19:52]Okay. Well, wait a minute. You still We still got the NBA championship. And I think that the Knicks can win the NBA championship. But let's rewind for a second.

[00:19:58]>> Wait a second. Did you just say the Knicks are going to win the NBA championship? I you bullshitting like you look if you look at if you look at what's going on with this group >> if you look at if you look at this group but I but but I want to but I want to rewind I said if if you're going to quote me let's make sure we get it right Jay let's make sure I said that the Atlanta Hawks could beat the Knicks that's what I said that's number one I said they and on top of them and and on top of me saying that they could beat the Knicks they were down in the series 2-1 so it wasn't ridiculous >> who did you pick did you pick the Knicks or >> No I picked the I picked the Knicks I 100% picked the Knicks yes I I did I did pick the Knicks Just like I picked the Knicks to beat Philly, I just thought that I I thought Philly would give them more of a run for their money after beating after beating the Celtics.

[00:20:40]Wrong. They ended up smoking them dudes.

[00:20:42]I didn't think that they would smoke them. I didn't realize that Mike Brown was going to make Joel Embiid Apollo Creed. Go after him, rush him, jump him.

[00:20:51]And I think that was the series right there. And then this series right here, I literally I don't have anything to say about the series to be honest.

[00:20:58]>> You know what it looked like to me too?

[00:20:59]You remember Friday when when Craig had to go out and fight Debo and he didn't really want to and Debo was ready to throw him. He he was no token. He was just ready to swing and Craig was over here trying to talk it out and he just punched him in the f. That's what it felt like to me. Like watching Debo beat the [ __ ] out of Craig.

[00:21:12]>> What was the biggest problem in your estimation? Yes. I ain't talking about yesterday.

[00:21:15]>> He's just so predictable.

[00:21:17]>> I'm I'm I'm not talking about just James Harden. What was the biggest issue with the Cavs in this series?

[00:21:23]>> Heart.

[00:21:23]>> They weren't good enough.

[00:21:25]>> The The biggest issue I I I think that I I think that's my problem. like like ox just yo they're just better. Okay, I get that point. It's >> that simple. Chill. We don't got no REASON HERE. Y'ALL ALWAYS DO THIS [ __ ] BASKETBALL IS NOT as hard as y'all want it to be. This is not rocket science.

[00:21:43]What's the problem with what's the problem with this team against this team? Well, I'll tell you this team is just better than team. Absolutely.

[00:21:51]>> Okay. But when we when we started the playoffs, first of all, when we started the playoffs, everyone was the best team in the Eastern Conference. They got bounced in the first round and they they didn't just become ass at basketball ox.

[00:22:01]Like obviously >> that's not that's a that ain't this and this ain't that. I'm we're talking about the Knicks versus the Cavs. The Knicks versus the Cavs. The Cavs were never going to win that series because they weren't good enough.

[00:22:14]>> The Celt the Celtics The Celtics went the Celtics The Celtics win. The Celtics went the but we all knew that wasn't going to happen. I No.

[00:22:22]>> No. You weren't hearing that though.

[00:22:25]>> I don't know who you was hearing it from. I don't get but I'm not I'm standing on that. I'M BUT I I NEVER DID that pin. I can't speak for these other [ __ ] I'm talking about.

[00:22:34]>> Have we not seen so let's talk about you Ox. Have we not seen teams that were better lose? That's happened before.

[00:22:40]>> Yeah. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. We have. We have. We have. But this this team had no chance.

[00:22:44]>> Okay. See that's chill. Better is more more talented isn't better though.

[00:22:50]>> Sometimes it is though, Ryan. A lot of times.

[00:22:52]>> No, sometimes it is. But once again, that ain't this AND THIS AIN'T THAT. THE THE CAVS are more talented, but they're not better.

[00:22:58]>> NO, THEY'RE NOT. NO, THEY'RE NOT.

[00:23:00]THEY'RE NOT MORE TALENTED.

[00:23:01]>> I I personally think they're more talented.

[00:23:03]>> You're personally wrong, Ron.

[00:23:05]>> I can't be wrong. I can't be wrong. Call Anthony Towns is here. Evan Moley is here.

[00:23:10]>> Jaylen Brook is here. Donovan Mitchell is here.

[00:23:13]>> I see the gap between them two isn't like that.

[00:23:16]>> Muel Bridges and Obi are here and and Max Stru and and Dean Wade are here. So what what about Jared Allen? What about like they they they legitim I'm saying I'm saying out.

[00:23:32]>> Yeah. I'm saying they legitimately have four allstars.

[00:23:35]>> Okay. I think there are >> four guys that have been >> all star.

[00:23:42]But hold on. Hold on. No. Hold on. No.

[00:23:43]Once again. Once again. No. Once again.

[00:23:45]I didn't say I said more talented. One could argue James Harden is more That's the point I'm making. I was I was I'm telling this to Chill. I'm not even talking to you. I'm telling Chill.

[00:23:56]>> Chill got to be tight right now. So, I don't know who you're talking to.

[00:24:00]>> Okay. I'm telling you. I'm talking to chill. Being more and I'm talking to the chat, too. Th those people that might not know. Just because you're more talented does not mean you're better.

[00:24:11]Just because I can tween tween better than you. Just because I can shoot better than you. Just because I have a better package of of moves doesn't mean I'm better than you. And this is a perfect case of that.

[00:24:23]>> The reason why I'm asking that, Ox, is because I I just have a I I recognize when that somebody is just better than somebody else. I I I mean, I've been watching basketball long enough to know that, yo, these dudes better than these dudes.

[00:24:34]>> You're not crazy. You're not crazy.

[00:24:37]Everybody up here is trying to tell you that the Knicks are just here and the Cavs are here.

[00:24:41]>> Let's Let's wrap this up.

[00:24:43]Let's land this please.

[00:24:45]>> The reason why I'm at the reason why I was saying that ox is because when I think about >> schemes so for example James Harden shooting the basketball or Donovan Mitchell shooting the basketball, Mike Brown recognizing that yo these guys don't get back in transition. That's coaching. That has nothing to do with we just better than you guys. The fact that Male Bridges is picking up James Harden early in the back court getting the ball out of his hands and throwing him off rhythm. That's coaching. That's not we just better than you guys. You know what I'm saying?

[00:25:13]>> Men not getting back on defense. That's not coaching.

[00:25:16]>> Okay. It's coaching. It's once again.

[00:25:19]It's coaching. It's coaching from the opposition. Recognizing that these guys don't get back on defense. We can speed the game. We can speed the game up and we could get those extra baskets as opposed to when we're in half court when it can be a little bit tough.

[00:25:32]>> Yeah. Chill. And that makes me better than you.

[00:25:34]>> Okay. Right. And and but it's not again.

[00:25:37]I got you, Ox. I got you.

[00:25:38]>> No, but you you see what I'm saying though. Chill. Like if you if you're if you're not if you're if you're the type of player that doesn't get back on defense and I'm the type of player that runs that runs down the court and then I'm better than you in transition. You know what I mean? Like if if you're if you're if [clears throat] you're the type of player that closes out soft on three-point shooters and I'm the type of player that knocks that corner three ball down, then I'm better than you right here. It it's it has it has nothing to do with with any outside forces, any divine presence. There's no there's no need to break this down and and dissect it. There's no this isn't an onion. There's no layers to it. I'm I'm good. You're bad.

[00:26:13]>> I think it would be hard for a paper model or an analytics model to predict that the Knicks would just smoke the Cavaliers. I think that would be very difficult. The reason I say that is because >> everything about the Knicks coming in everything coming into this series was like or coming into the playoffs was Jaylen Brunson and Carl Towns not good enough as defenders. They're going to get hunted. And if you think about it, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are exactly the type of guards that can destroy that. They didn't. So, what I would say is, yes, analytics matter, and I've always said that, but they're not everything. Because you know what else?

[00:26:50]You know what else matters? Your body language. Your body language when you go into the huddle. This stuff has to matter. I know Mars is like sworn for not caring about this stuff, but I watch this [ __ ] every single time. and chill.

[00:27:03]I will tell you, as much as I am with you and I respect, you know, the Cavaliers and the talent that they have assembled, their body language sucked all year, it has sucked. Like they're they have disconnected huddles where players are not even paying attention to each other. They don't got no one putting, you know, an arm around a guy who just missed a tough shot. It's just like you you just you're being held together by role players very often. And with great teams, leaders lead. And and I'm sorry, I was looking around for a leader during that, you know, 20 point blown lead and I didn't see it. And I was looking for a leader yesterday, I didn't see it.

[00:27:39]>> And that's the thing, though. And that's the thing, Pen, I felt like we had gotten to that point up until getting to the East Finals. Like a lot of the stuff that had been narrative and a lot of the stuff that been placed on the Cavs, I felt like that had been dispelled. Like these guys are soft. They proved that they weren't soft against the Detroit.

[00:27:55]Can can I can can I just briefly briefly share with you something? When they came back in that in that game, right? Do you do you know who a lot of the players on the Knicks roster credited for that?

[00:28:06]>> José Alvarado.

[00:28:07]>> Mhm.

[00:28:08]>> He said he was the guy in the huddle who just kept getting on us like, "No, it's not that it's not that big. 20 points, it's not that big. Let's get it to 15.

[00:28:15]Let's get >> He was on the starters.

[00:28:18]>> Get back on defense." Right.

[00:28:20]>> Keep playing. And during that, it's like Landry Shamid came in for Josh Hart, right?

[00:28:25]>> Sure.

[00:28:26]>> And Josh Hart got benched.

[00:28:29]There was a lot of controversy after that. Oh, Josh Hart a bum. Landry Shamid, why are they going? And then in game in game two, Josh Hart comes out, I think he was 0 for four, 0 for five. Do you know how do you know how easy it is for a team to evaporate when one of your key starters gets benched down the stretch?

[00:28:44]>> You could just lose him. Yeah, >> you could lose him. You could also and he and and when a player gets lost, they sometimes spiral by themselves. So, they're just unplayable. Sometimes they tornado through the entire team.

[00:28:55]>> So, they become a drama thing. You know, they start releasing [ __ ] through their agent, but that [ __ ] did not come through. It never came through. Josh Hart was like, "Next play."

[00:29:04]>> I'm telling you, like over and over again, this Knicks team has astounded me with their leadership. And I think right now I just want to give a really big shout out to Jaylen Brunson because that dude >> is one of the best leaders in in professional basketball I've seen in my life. Okay? Like I'm talking cross eras.

[00:29:23]And look, chill. I used to be a Knicks fan. One of my one of my biggest basketball memories 1999 finals. I love the Knicks when I get when I came to Toronto and they beat that [ __ ] out of me.

[00:29:34]>> That's why I want to make sure Ron That's >> You think You think Canadians are nice.

[00:29:38]They are not nice. They made fun of for like for 10 years and then Isaiah Thomas came in and ruined the Knicks and then it was kind of a joke to be a Knicks fan and I'm not a bandwagon kind of. It was it was a joke.

[00:29:50]>> It was absolutely a joke. It was hard.

[00:29:51]And of course it didn't.

[00:29:52]>> You couldn't stick around through the hard times.

[00:29:54]>> Stay over there.

[00:29:55]>> You weren't even there. Goofy.

[00:29:57][laughter] >> Hey, I'm here now.

[00:29:58]>> You were rooting for a team that doesn't even exist before.

[00:30:02]>> Mike Brown has absolutely been phenomenal this whole year. But but this particular the last three series and >> his ass off.

[00:30:10]>> He's been he's been awesome and just uh not just structuring the offense but on defense avoiding Jaylen Brunson getting picked on. That's not a mistake, right?

[00:30:18]James Harden and D Mitch are the exact type of guards that you want. If it's not James Harden, D Mitch, it's not going to be anybody, right? Like those are the exact type of guards that you want picking on Jaylen Brunson. But Mike Brown is structuring the defense to where you can't do that, right? He's not letting you iso Jaylen Brunson on the left side of the court and clearing out everybody. He's not letting that happen.

[00:30:33]They're going to go trap that [ __ ] right on on that left side. If if the screen is coming, they're talking on the screen. Jaylen Brunson is jumping the screen, allowing the the the the screeners man to get over that and get right back to defense. Like they are not letting Jaylen Brunson get picked on at all. And for a team last year where I was here last year, we was all talking about, damn, should they even play Jaylen Brunson and Cat together? Should they bench JB and play Cat? I was here when we was having those conversations, right? So, for that to be a complete turnaround and for that five, their their starting five to be their best defensive uh or second best defensive lineup is crazy, right? And that's all you you have to give it to Mike Brown there. Like structure, the structure starts from the top. We talk about leadership, we talk about how they're playing, it starts with Mike Brown. So, >> I I'll say that too because going into this season, I did not expect Mike Brown to be able to pick it up as well as he did with the expectation that he had. Like literally, swear to God, going into the season, I distinctively remember saying that I picked Kenny I would pick Kenny Atinson's coaching over Mike Brown's.

[00:31:32]And then throughout the course of the season, it felt at times virtually neck andneck cuz the Cavs and the Knicks were right underneath each other all year.

[00:31:40]But by the time we got to the playoffs and I'm watching the way he's making adjustments after going down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks and like Jay said, watching the way that he's not allowing Jaylen Brunson's defensive deficiencies to even remotely be a problem for them.

[00:31:57]Like that deserves a hell of a lot of respect. The biggest thing by takeaway from Mike Brown this year is the fact that I saw him do it in Sacramento where he's given the reigns to basically change up the entire culture to his fitting. What he sees is the best option. They were a top offense in basketball. That was something Sacramento ax that was when was the last time the Kings were a top offense? Uh what was it 202? Like come on now. Like [ __ ] that was that was exhilarating for you to have a coach come in there and just say hey let's breathe here. You got Sabonis, you got uh you got uh uh Kevin Herder, you got Keegan Murray, you got De'arren Fox. They were he was unlocking everything for y'all in just a shooting way. Then he ends up in New York and he has the issue of Jaylen Brunson or Carl Anthony Towns getting picked apart from other uh opposing offenses. That's not even a question anymore. Like Jay said, that's the second best defensive unit.

[00:32:51]The only issue with having Mitchell Robinson in there is potential hack situations or him ending up in just tough spots or just getting picked on himself. But when he's on, they're electric. He's offensive rebounding like crazy. Cat the same way. Now he's unlocked Cat from a playmaking perspective in a way that just completely changed the whole dynamic of the series. Jaylen Brunson. He's, like I said, he's probably told Jaylen Brunson, "Look, if they're sending traps at you, you can pass that thing, too, and go get you 13 assists easily." Macau Bridges, "Hey, if the three-point shot ain't falling, go get you some go get you some boards. Go get you some stops defensively." The one thing that pissed me off with the way that the media was treating Macau Bridges at the start of this postseason was especially Stephen A, but like he was saying stuff like, "Oh, the draft picks, the draft picks."

[00:33:40]And my thing is, last year when they beat the Celtics, who was the reason for the two wins that they had in the first place? Macau Bridg's defensive stop, Macau Bridges late game shot mid-range at the at the top of the elbow. Those were two key reasons why they beat the Celtics, a team that they were under they were uh not not favored to beat going into the series. And it was up to the guy that they spent all that draft compensation on and trade picks and all that stuff.

[00:34:06]>> That was who that was the guy that ended up being the differencemaker for him. So I said, you know, we can't really judge him until we get to the end of the season. If they get bounced out in the first round, sure. But if they're going on deep playoff runs, Macau, it's only a matter of time before Macau Bridges starts to find his rhythm. And the a player like Macau, what's good about him is that he doesn't overstep. 15 for him is enough. And it's like an it's a impactful 15. It's like spaced out when you really >> and and he doesn't do it in an extra way. like he does it in a way he knows how to like you don't see the tween tween or extracurricular nonsense with him he's looking for the he's looking to get to the elbow he's looking to get to the corner right he's looking to crack the long ball in transition cuz that's my game that's the way that that that's the way that I play but to be honest with you I'm watching a unit as the playoffs go on just getting more and more connected and when you see a unit that's more and more connected it's just trouble for everybody else because you see fewer mistakes And when you see fewer mistakes, that means that there's more there's more plus than there is minus. I've said to you guys countless times that if Cat isn't going to do anything, Cat going to get on that glass. Cat's going to be an offensive rebounder. Cat's going to stop plays as a defensive rebounder. Cat's going to get in transition. He's going to crack the long ball. And what Mike Brown has done, to your point, Ron, what Mike Brown has done as a coach in terms of digging into his bench, like we saw Tibs last year, Tibs would he would go to those guys, but let's be clear about one thing, Jay. You got a couple of minutes.

[00:35:34]Show me something. Or you are you done?

[00:35:36]That's it. Mike Brown would actually stick with those guys. Meanwhile, he got Jordan Clarkson over there chilling.

[00:35:42]This is the two-time best rotation player in the league over there just chilling like, "Whenever you ready, coach, throw me in. I I I got you, Co."

[00:35:48]And he comes in, he gives you 10, 12 quick points. He'll come off screens, knock down open shots. In addition to coming off screens and knocking down open shots, he'll actually give me a defensive possession, which I think is really which I think is really valuable for him. Then I got energy guys like Jos Alvarado who come in and change the tone of the game when we're slowed down. I think that that's coaching. I think this Nick team is really connected. And Ron, I've said this to you before. You and me have had you and me have gone back and forth with this. I'm not listening to that Eastern Conference nonsense no more, man. These dudes is for real and they can win the NBA championship. It's the panel where legend get built on cam where the check don't smoke and the ho go ham. Ain't [music] never seen hoops all hit. Every take I wait every night we drop. Yeah, it's that barers [music and singing] court side worldwide tone. Welcome to the only show that really feel like numbers jumping like the