Season 3, Episode 35- Start Spreading the News

In the season three finale of "Diehlman at Halftime," Larry and Chris discuss:

NBA Finals discussion
Knicks snap 53-year title drought and defeat the Spurs
Playoff bracket review

Also, listen to the perspective of our featured guest, Aaron Hook! (Follow him on Instagram @aaronhook_).

"Theme from New York, New York" written by John Kander and Fred Ebb
Performed by Frank Sinatra
Saxophone quartet arrangement by Larry Diehlman
Saxophone quartet performance by Larry Diehlman, Johnathan Todd, Jesse Hickman, and Jon Teiper

Intro written by Larry Diehlman

Release date: Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Transcript

Introduction

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hey guys, and welcome to episode number one hundred and six of Dielman at Halftime, the NBA podcast that tops all others. I'm your host, Larry Dielman, joined by my co-host Christy Pietro. If you're joining us for the first time, it's great to have you. And if you've been a regular listener, welcome back. We have a lot to cover today and not a lot of time to do it. We'll look at a general overview of the NBA this week and then discuss some important topics across the association.

NBA Finals: Spurs vs. Knicks

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Let's get to our content for the week. And similar to last week, let's just jump right into the NBA finals. The 25-26 season has come to an end. We have our champion. They did it in five games, snapping their 53-year title drought, which has been since 1973. The Spurs held double-digit leads in every game in this series. They started off hot. They just never could keep that momentum. Jalen Bronson for the Knicks was named finals MVP. We talked about the first two games in the last episode, and now with these final three games, let's go over them too. Game three, the Spurs snapped the Knicks' 13-game winning streak behind Victor Weminyama's 32 points. That was a close one at the garden, and it continued the trend of road teams winning the games in the series. That was until Game 4 happened, and we had our first home victory where the Knicks sneaked by in a one-point victory. The Spurs had a 29-point lead and collapsed, and they only scored 30 points in the final 24 minutes of action. OG Ananobi was the key in that one. Seven of nine from three-point range. He had the dagger tip-in layup after a long miss on a Jalen Brunson triple. It was something to behold. The Spurs, they had all the momentum. They were hitting every shot in that first half. And then little by little the Knicks chipped away, and you kind of just figured near the end, yeah, this seems over. DeAaron Fox pulled a J.R. Smith and got blocked by OG Ananobi instead of holding the ball. For those of you that may not remember, or you do remember and you want to laugh again, J.R. Smith infamously in the 2018 finals. He didn't realize the Cavs and the Warriors were tied in that game one, and then he ran with the ball. He should have shot it. And then we got that infamous LeBron meme that will live forever. DeAaron Fox, all he had to do was hold the ball and get fouled. He ran on the fast break, tried to lay out the ball, and OG Ananobi had other plans for him. So he has been getting a lot of criticism on our social media friends, known as Twitter. And then in game five, it was the dagger. Jalen Brunson exploded for 45 points to claim his finals MVP. Dylan Harper, the rookie stepping up for the Spurs, but it was pretty much set in stone at that point. The Knicks had the advantage and they played the foul game at the end, and the Knicks got their trophy. Chris, there was a lot of excitement in this series. This really could have gone the Spurs' way. They could have had a 3-1 lead. I saw something on Twitter where it was like this was probably the closest five-game series ever. Like it really could have gone either way. You think of a five-game series like, ah, you know, they somebody just kicked the other team's ass. But every game really could have gone either way. The Spurs, I think their inexperience showed up at times. There was maybe some coaching issues, and I think Victor Weminyama has some adjusting to do if they want to make it back to the finals and not be a sequel to the baby thunder of the early 2010s.

SPEAKER_03 4:20

Yeah, I mean, that's exactly what I was gonna um start this discussion with earlier that I thought that this was maybe the most entertaining, close five-game series we've ever seen so deep in the playoffs. Every game was razor close and was decided by some plays that will be remembered for for a good amount of time, I think. Some probably gonna be remembered for a very long time, like the Ananobi Tipin, but even moments like um Rembenyama's infamous pass to the back of Stefan Castle, who was not looking at the um the end of game two. Like that that's a moment that's probably gonna live in Victor Rembenyama's lore for the rest of his career. Um so we just saw so many awesome moments in this series. Every game was super close, and I had a blast watching it. We kind of expected this series to be close and and really fun and interesting, and it totally delivered. OG and Anobi's tip-in. I mean, that was that's the that's the type of moment that will define his his career. And and I think it's so beautiful that that basketball and kind of sports in general gives us this outlet to kind of forever immortalize some players within the sports lore. And that will be a play that will be looked on and remembered for a very long time. It was ridiculous. He flew on that play. Like that wasn't that that wasn't your ordinary tippin'. I mean, as soon as Brunson even starts his motion, Ananobi is making a B line for the basket, which a lot of players, most players would not do. They'd probably watch that shot go up, figure it's the last shot of the game. That's that's our last hope riding on this three-pointer. Before the shot even got up out of Brunson's hands, um, Ananobi was was flying to the rim, and he took off from like just inside the free throw line, and he flew past everyone within the range of getting a rebound, and and he got a hand on it, and it just miraculously fell in. Just just an insane moment and and the crowning moment maybe of the career of OG Ananobi, it'll probably go down as a player who has had such a fascinating development. Um, he was on that 2019 Raptors team as kind of just like purely a developmental guy, didn't get to play in the playoffs, and and he has just come such a such a far way from then. And and he is now one of the premier defenders in the league, and he's really developed some real shot creation, which again, a lot of these kind of developmental wings. Uh I guess the hope is that they can kind of create their own shot eventually and kind of lead an offense. Can Ojianobi do that? Maybe maybe not, but he he's more of a connective guy, but he might be the strongest connective tissue player in the league. Um, with with his defense and his shooting, he shot with ridiculous efficiency this playoffs, and um up until game five of the finals where where he wasn't too efficient, but he was having a historic NBA finals from an efficiency standpoint. Again, uh, we we will mention it later. He he shot he was shooting 58% from the field, 56% from three, and 92% from the line through the first four games of the series, which is just unbelievable. Um, so I could talk at length about OG and Anobi and his impact. He he caught a lot of flack, um, and the Knicks caught a lot of flak when they gave him that extension. And you know, now they have a championship trophy. And OG and Anobi is is again forever immortalized within Knicks lore, within NBA lore. Um and you know, that that's kind of been a similar sent sentiment for a lot of these other Knicks players. You know, it was said that they may have overpaid for Carl Anthony Towns. Um, it was definitely said that they overpaid for Mikhail Bridges, giving up five first-round picks for a player who isn't a premier scoring option on the team. But again, they they they went all in, they made all of these uh super ambitious moves, and and you know, this is the ultimate goal to win a championship. So, you know, on paper in a vacuum, did they overpay for Mikhail Bridges? Sure, but now they have a uh a Larry O'Brien trophy. And then the Knicks just completely transformed uh after you know going down against Atlanta in round one. And you know, looking back on it at hindsight's 2020, I I mean we they they should have been the favorites in this series. I mean, they were just having their way with everyone in the east, and it's the east, and they didn't have such a tough road here, but the Spurs were coming off some grueling series, and the Knicks were playing the best basketball in the league, and it it was it was spearheaded by Jalen Brunson's play, which is kind of where I'll leave off at here for the Knicks. Um, this is one of the greatest championship runs we've ever seen from a star player, in my opinion. Jalen Brunson is maybe six foot six one, far from the most athletic guy on the court, far from the best defender, and his ability to be the engine of the Knicks offense is is almost unprecedented. It it's unbelievable seeing seeing a player of his stature do what he did in these playoffs. And maybe the biggest reason for me saying this was an all-time title run was his performance down the stretch in games. Jalen Brunson, I like I'm gonna say it, and like I really I'm not thinking twice about it. Jalen Brunson's one of the best clutch players in NBA history. It is unbelievable how calm and in control he looks down the stretch of games. It doesn't matter who he's playing, it doesn't matter what the stage is. He is so in control, more in control than he is typically. He he just cools down in the clutch. He he was built for moments like the end of game one. He was built for this NBA Finals series. And you know, it it's a it's a it's a six foot six, one player who's not so athletic going against the alien that is Victor Weminyama. And I think this is an all-time kind of David vs. Goliath-esque story. I I think this might be the closest it gets in terms of basketball, or maybe in even in terms of a sport. His performance in this series and down the stretch of games and and winning the finals MVP. I think the finals MVP race was was pretty close up until game five. Um, you know, you you definitely could have made a case for OG and Anobi. You maybe even could have made a case for Carl Anthony Towns having such a ridiculous plus-minus throughout the playoffs and throughout the finals. And I would have been happy to see OG and Anobi win it. I think it would have been awesome. But I am I'm I'm really I think it's really cool to see that Jalen Brunson left absolutely no doubt exiting that game five and winning the title that he was the final MVP. He left no reservations, he absolutely took over that game, he scored pretty much half their points. It was an unbelievable performance just taking this this Spurs defense um to the pound. It was just unbelievable. He he plays so physical and and his footwork, he is so coordinated, he is so intentional, and that's what you have to be when you're not the most athletic guy on the court. And he does it at such a extremely high level. He is truly a scoring savant. So we can't talk enough about Jalen Brunson. We can't talk enough about OG and Anobi. Carl Lanthate Towns was terrific during his playoff run. Uh these New York Knicks, I think, are some of the best champions we've seen in quite some time here. Um this is really such an incredible team, spearheaded by such an incredible player. And and just real quickly from the Spurs perspective, they will certainly be back. That they they have arguably the best group of young talent in the league, I think. Uh they have a player who's probably gonna go down as one of the greatest in history, and he's still so young. And his sidekick, Dylan Harper, as a rookie, looking absolutely fearless in the NBA Finals. I think he looked more in control offensively than Victor Wembenyama did at a lot of points uh during this series. He is just an unbelievable finishing talent. He uh, like Brunson, is just so coordinated and intentional with how he moves. There is no wasted movements from Dylan Harper. Uh and Stefan Castle as well um won the rookie of the year just a short time ago, and and he plays so physical, but is so controlled as well, and and isn't hailed as as the playmaker he really is. He is such a great playmaker, he's such a great passer, such a great point of attack defender. I think he's one of the best guard defenders in the league. They're not going anywhere. But Mitch Johnson and and those group of young guys, you you spoke on their inexperience. I did think it showed towards the end of games that they have some things to figure out for sure. I I and I think especially offensively. I I think Victor Weminyama had a lot of moments in this series where where he just felt almost clueless where to go with the ball. And you know, obviously towards the end of games, he had some really bad mistakes. He missed some crucial free throws towards the end of some of these games. And the Spurs offense really just was was the polar opposite from the Knicks offense late in games. They they kind of looked clueless towards the end of games. Um they were still playing De'Aaron Fox so much towards the end of these games, which I don't think it it would take a genius to tell you that that was a mistake. He he was he was really bad toward the end of games, um just just missed an inexcusable amount of of pull-up jump shots. And he he's been an all-star. He's been a star in this league for a long time. And um, I understand, you know, like he he's probably on paper the guy or one of the guys you'd want to turn to at the end of the games, but but continuing to play him after after the mistakes he was making and and the big shots he was missing over a player like Dylan Harper, who looked so in control and looked so comfortable in late in games, I think was a huge mistake. And I I think even just just schematically they they really had no answers down the stretch. So I totally believe in the talent. They absolutely will be back. But I think they showed um some weakness i in the in this series, which we really hadn't seen from them all playoffs. But they won't be going anywhere. But but the but the Knicks got the better of this series. They they were the they were the more driven team, they were the more in control team, absolutely the more experienced team in this series. Um and they just had all the answers when the Spurs did not, and they had the performance down the stretch of games led by Jalen Brunson that the Spurs obviously couldn't match. But this was an awesome series. This this is as good as a five-game series gets, and and um yeah, I had a ton of fun watching it. And uh shout out Jalen Brunson, one of the best title runs, maybe of all time.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

One of the best title runs, indeed, of all time. And yeah, I think really early on, like when we discovered this was the finals matchup, I think us included, in a way, everyone and their mother was like, Yep, the Spurs are going to smack the Knicks around. The Knicks had their fun in the East. It's Victor Weminyama's time, and you know, blah, blah, blah. And by the way, I was finally right on something. I had the Knicks, you had the Spurs. I had Knicks and six, though. Couldn't get it done, but uh I think a lot closer than I was. Well, Chris had Spurs in seven, but I I think that was a fair I think it was fair to say that Spurs had a chance just with their talent. But yeah, some personnel issues and late game mistakes, as we mentioned, De'Aaron Fox, the you know, the 29-point collapse by the team as a whole. You had the miscommunication in game two, just a lot of things, little things they start to add up, the snowball effect starts to get to you after a while, and the Knicks took advantage of that. Jalen Brunson. Jalen Brunson's six foot two, by the way. Close enough. Jalen Brunson's six foot two.

SPEAKER_02 15:44

Bro, he looks five foot nine out there. Yeah, six two six two is so generous. I'm sorry. There's no way, there's just no way.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Just like Kevin Durant is six nine. Yeah, like okay.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

Yeah, yeah, there's no there, there's like no shot Kevin Durant is six nine or six ten. I'm sorry, there's no shot Jalen Brunson's six's two. I'm not having it.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

No, well, everybody looks like they're like five foot next to Victor Weminyama. So I I don't know. But yeah, this is a great series, you know, closest five-game series maybe in a while or of all time, and there were a lot of great moments, and I think both teams will be back. Whether that will be next season has obviously yet to be determined. And here's another factor, too. Remember, we've been talking about all season when the Cleveland Cavaliers lost Jordan Ott, their associate head coach last year, and he became the coach of the Phoenix Suns, and how that affected them earlier this year. Sean Sweeney, the associate head coach with the Spurs, will now be taking over as the head coach of the Orlando Magic. So we'll have to see if that affects them in a way coming into the 26-27 season, if the Magic can do something, and then if the Spurs maybe take a step back. But you have the same personnel. The De'Aaron Fox contract is a big question mark with that extension kicking in, and maybe we'll see Victor Weminyama continue his meditation with the Monks, dribbling a basketball for like four and a half hours on a mountain. So a lot to a lot to kind of take in. The Knicks get their championship, and you know, for the Philadelphia area, seeing New York and Boston and the Raptors. You know, I I I said this I said this in our group chat. The entire Atlantic division is probably gonna win a championship before the 76ers get out of the second round. The Knicks, done. Celtics, done, Raptors, done. The Nets, I I wouldn't be surprised anymore if they do something.

SPEAKER_03 17:39

So Michael Porter Jr. finals run.

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Yeah, or you know, maybe if they trade up to one of the top picks or if they get another great pick in their draft. So we have the Knicks taking over the Larry O'Brien trophy in five games over the Spurs, and what a title run for Jalen Brunson and company. Since this is the end of the 2025-26 season, this is also the season three finale of Dealman at halftime. And for today's episode title, we wanted to give a quick nod to the New York area and Frank Sinatra. This episode is entitled Start Spreading the News. So, who's the nod there for us at the moment? To get more insight into our NBA Final Series with the Spurs and Knicks, we have our seventh and final guest on Dialman at Halftime season three. Let's get into it.

Aaron Hook Interview

SPEAKER_01 19:02

So for our seventh and final guest of season three on the Dealman at Halftime podcast, we welcome back Aaron Hook. Aaron is a freelance play-by-play broadcaster and sideline reporter. He currently works for organizations such as the Delaware Blue Coats, the G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, University of Pennsylvania, LaSalle University, Villanova University, and the Philadelphia Hockey Club. Aaron is a 2024 graduate of Rowan University with a bachelor's in sports communication and media. Aaron, how are we doing today?

SPEAKER_04 19:33

Larry, doing really well. Starting off the Knicks title last night. Grew up in northern New Jersey, about 20 miles from midtown Manhattan, Madison Square Garden. So it's it's been awesome. And I I appreciate you guys uh having me on to talk about it. It's been a wild ride.

SPEAKER_01 19:49

Aaron, we wanted to get your thoughts on this NBA Finals series, the 25-26 season wrapping up. The Knicks got their title in Game Five in San Antonio. So my first question for you this series honestly could have gone the Spurs' way going into game five. It could have been tied 2-2, it could have been 3-1 Spurs, but a couple costly mistakes really swung it in the Knicks' direction. We saw the monumental collapse in game four, the Wemby and Castle miscommunication in game two where Stefan Castle had his back turned on that pass. How do you think the Knicks have been able to overcome multiple slow starts and get these crucial wins?

SPEAKER_04 20:30

Yeah, it's amazing that the Knicks end up winning the series in five games, right? Because the Spurs not only had a double-digit lead at one point in every one of the five games, but they also had a lead in the fourth quarter of every single one of these five games. And the Knicks end up winning it uh in five. So it I think it's just a testament, Larry, to the difference between the two teams and kind of the paths that both teams are on at the current moment, at the current meeting in the finals. I honestly thought that the Spurs, you know, after the seven-game rock fight with OKC that they end up coming out on top on, I thought the the notion that they were too young, too inexperienced, I thought it was a little overblown, to be honest, because they were so talented. But you did see that inexperience pop up, obviously, at times, at crucial times in this series. And for the Knicks, you know, they have just been through the ringer. This group specifically, the second year were Carl Anthony Towns, it's the second full season with OG Ananobi. And Jalen Brunson is now in his fourth season. The team has been to the postseason every year with Jalen Brunson, and they've come up short outside of obviously this year. And it's just been a lot of trial and error, it's been a lot of heartbreaking losses for this team. And you know, they they asked Jalen Brunson last night, and they asked him kind of throughout the postseason, you know, when the Knicks would have one of these comebacks, whether it was the twenty two point comeback against Cleveland, whether it was You know, the comeback in game four of this series down by 29. They said, What's kind of one word you would use to encapsulate what it took? And he always has said, belief. The team just believes in each other. And you know, you point to obviously the three guys who played in college together in Hard Bridges and Brunson, but it's just a really tight-knit group. And even the coach Mike Brown, I think, has really instilled a bond in these guys that they've gotten so tight and so close with each other that in these pressure moments, in these clutch situations, they trust each other's experience, they trust each other's leadership, and they trust each other to go out and make the big play. And time and time again, they did that in the postseason. And at times it just kind of felt like a team of destiny, to be honest. I think the tip in by OG in game four is the shining example where Brunson took that shot from like 30 feet and he said, I just was trying to get it on the rim to have a chance for someone else to go made to play. That's the belief he's talking about right there. And OG ends up making one of the great plays in New York sports history. And yeah, I I think the Spurs just, you know, at the end of the day, you you can point to some things that Mitch Johnson, I think, did that were questionable. I think Dylan Harper should have played more in this series, to be honest with you. But the the Spurs are a young team and they are wise and mature beyond their years, but the Knicks, I think, just are a step above them in that regard. And some of the silly mistakes made by the Spurs in this series obviously ended up costing them in the end. But I have no doubt that they'll be back soon and be back often because they are supremely talented and they have one of the three or four best players on planet Earth right now. And Victor Webonyama, who had his ups and downs in this series, was great at times, was lackluster at times. But yeah, I think I think the players and the coaching staff will have a good learning opportunity from the outcome of this series.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

That game four like started to slip in the like the third quarter or something. I just I had a feeling I'm like, it's happening, isn't it? It it just you get to that momentum, you just kind of figured that it was it was over for the Spurs, and then the the tip in was just was just something else.

SPEAKER_04 24:12

Yeah, it it was crazy. I mean, the the Spurs, you know, they had that big lead. They were up 27 and a half, and they come out and they start hoisting three pointers, right, guys? And it's like, well, okay, I mean, if you're making them, then yeah, that's one way, that's one way to preserve the lead. But I think some of the quick rushed looks that they were getting into kind of gave the Knicks some confidence saying, okay, if we can string together three stops and a pair of scores here, just chip away, chip away, get it down to 20. It was 20 in the fourth quarter, and they still ended up winning the game. You know, I I there's a great video of Jalen Brunson in the huddle during game four in the third quarter, and he said, let's just play basketball now. Let's play smart, let's play fast, make good decisions, and let's just let's just play. Like, I mean, they they weren't thinking, okay, let's get it to 15, okay, let's get it to 10. They were just out there playing one possession at a time, and I I think that's the mantra that this Knick team has followed all postseason. I mean, some of the numbers, guys, on this Knick team are truly incredible. I mean, they end up with the best point differential in the history of the NBA playoffs. It's it's pretty nuts the the ride they went on during the postseason. And I certainly didn't see it coming during the regular season. This was a team that, yes, they won 53 games, but they had their ups and downs. Certainly, they had that two and nine stretch in January where you were like, is this really a championship group? Is Mike Brown really a championship coach? And then they were down 2-1 in the first round to Atlanta, and you were thinking, are they are they gonna get bounced here? And what does this mean for this team? Are they gonna blow it up? Is Mike Brown gonna be the coach next year? And look where we are today on June 14th. And it's it's amazing.

SPEAKER_03 25:52

You gotta trust the process, as I I know I've got a couple censored fans in here, so yeah, we know a thing or two about the process, but we don't know anything about realizing the process like this uh New York Knicks team has. It's unbelievable how much they've changed in in the last six months, just just how they I mean, uh after you know, going down two-one to Atlanta, um, seemingly just completely realized their potential. I mean, with with like a snap of a finger. It was unbelievable. And you know, you can call it recency, but I I think this is a historic finals championship run from the Knicks. I mean, 16 and 3, and two of those losses coming in the first three games of the postseason. It's pretty unbelievable. And and the Spurs definitely will be back. Um, obviously, they probably have the best player in the sport right now, arguably. And um, Dylan Harper, who is just 20 years old and might be one of the top five players you take under 25 right now in the league. Right now, I mean, I mean, he is unreal. But uh, so yeah, they'll be back and and they definitely have some things to learn. But um, unfortunately, no amount of learning will shrink that De'Aaron Fox contract. So that will be something that they will have to deal with for years to come as well. But I do want to transition here. Um, you mentioned that this this team almost felt like a team of destiny and and maybe the moment of destiny at the end of the game four after surmounting an all-time comeback, maybe one of the greatest ever, if not the greatest ever. Um, the tip in by OG Ananobi. I just want to hear your your raw reaction to that, what that feeling was like after such an unsurmountable comeback. And I also um would love to hear you speak greater as to what OG Ananobi meant to this team and um kind of I guess where he ranked in in the most important players to this playoff run. Because I mean it's gotta be really, really high. He was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_04 27:48

Yeah, so I mean the tip in is one of the I think it's the greatest sports play I've ever seen, just coming from my perspective.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

Listen, I'm not a Knicks fan, but I mean, like, that has to be up there. I mean, I mean, I my immediate reaction was like, that is an all-time finals moment.

SPEAKER_04 28:05

Yeah, no doubt. I mean, um, I you know, you're gonna see that play, you know, when when you watch the NBA finals next year, when you watch it the year after that, when you watch it in 2030, when you watch it in 2040, when they roll that opening montage, that play is gonna be there. I mean, it is it really is truly an incredible play. You know, I actually had some people ask me like ahead of game five yesterday. They were like, well, they're up 3-1. Would you rather them win it in game five in San Antonio, or would you rather them come back to New York and win it in front of the garden crowd? And I looked at them and I said, uh, yeah, you're nuts. I want them to win it in game five. Like, come on here. It's been 53 freaking years. Like, let's just get it, let's just get the thing over with. But I I think that moment for Knicks fans was kind of like the realization of, okay, this team is really the team that's gonna finally do it. After a lot of years of number one, thinking you had the team that was gonna do it and they fell short, and number two, having a team that you felt had no chance. It it was finally kind of a signal of, okay, I think the basketball gods are on our side this time. And I mean, a play like that is is certainly incredible. And I think it's such a good follow-up because, you know, OG, when he was traded to the Knicks, I think it was a pretty positive reception universally. I think RJ Barrett was well liked in New York. He was the number three pick in that draft that you thought you were getting Zion. He was kind of the like the consolation prize, but he turned out to be a pretty solid player, always always played hard. Like I think Knicks fans really liked him, and Emmanuel quickly was another fan favorite. But I think everyone kind of realized that, okay, the way that OG can change the Knicks defensively, and if he can improve a little bit offensively, if he can become a little bit better of a three-point shooter, if he can become a little bit better of a ball handler, if he can become a little bit better uh of a driver and a facilitator, you know, from the wing, like you're probably talking about one of the better three and D players in the lead here, and that's exactly what happened. Uh, he was just absolutely terrific throughout this playoff run, was kind of the stabilizing force for the Knicks when during that win-in streak, that 13-day winning streak, like they would have lowells here and there. I think back to game two of the Philly series, that was a really tight game. And then you think back to the Cleveland series when they were down in game one and they had to fend off the Cavs the rest of the series. Like, OG was always that stabilizing constant for the Knicks that you knew when you needed a big shot, and you know, you were maybe up by five with six minutes left, and the other team's on an 8-0 run. OG's gonna come through either on the defensive end of the floor with a big stop, a T stop on the team's best uh uh opposing player, or he's gonna hit a bid shot for you. Like, he was just so good throughout the playoffs. And I think in terms of importance, I mean, I think he's gotta be probably number two. I just think Jalen Brunson is just the engine of everything, so I have to have him at number one. But like, yeah, OG, you can make a case. I mean, there was a taste, guys, before last night, that he was gonna be the finals MVP, right? I mean, he was uh I think Brunson was the betting favor going into last night, but OG had a terrific case. Brunson obviously has the 45-point masterpiece, and that kind of secured it for him. But like the way that OG had played throughout the playoffs, yeah. I I mean that that trade in every aspect was was just the perfect get for the Knicks. I mean, he's just a perfect puzzle piece to to a championship roster. Uh, one of the best on-ball defenders in the league, and um from the corners, he's just a sniper, and he improved his offensive game dramatically in terms of putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim and getting downhill and that little step back mid-range he loves. Like he became a legitimate 20-point per game plus scorer in the postseason on on hyper efficiency numbers. So, yeah, it it was it was great to see him kind of reach his full potential. And I I I implore everyone to kind of look deeper into his life story as well. He lost his father when he was very young, his mother died of cancer as well, uh, when he was a teenager. He's gone through a lot in his career. Obviously, back in in 2019 with Toronto, he didn't play during that championship run, and that kind of ate at him a little bit. He's had to overcome a lot. And you know, he's become a max contract player, and you know, I I I I think Knit fans loved him before the playoff run and thought he would be a key piece, but now when you look back, I mean this guy's got a chance to probably have his jersey retired, put in the rafters of MSG after the number one, the the run he had as a whole, and then obviously the the great moment in game four that will be cemented forever.

SPEAKER_03 32:58

I think he's one of the greatest role players of all time, if you can even call him that anymore. Yeah, I I mean like if if you're gonna make a team of the of the best like non-all-stars as well in NBA history, I mean like OJ and OB has to be there. Uh it was he he had such an unbelievable run through game four, the finals, he was shooting, I believe, 58, 56, and 92 uh field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throw percentage, which is just like unfathomably good. Like he was automatic and he's developed so much as a creator, and he is a stalwart defender. He's he is the centerpiece of that Knicks defense. It's it's it's been so awesome to to watch him blossom, you know, from really just one of those like toolsy guys who like could very well be out of the league in some amount of years, um to being forever immortalized in you know, not only just in in in NBA lore, but but the the lore of one of the biggest markets, maybe the most passionate fan base in the league. So it was so awesome to see him have that moment, I think. And um yeah, I he's he's probably one of my favorite Knicks. I I I love him, and it was just um yeah, it was just unbelievable watching him in the finals in this playoff run. He was he was just as crucial for them as as maybe anyone on the team. Um maybe minus Brunson.

SPEAKER_01 34:14

He really had his moments the entire series, this whole playoffs, when you're shooting near 60% from three. I mean, there's nothing you can do about that. Every shot was just going in. I'm like, damn, when when is this guy gonna miss? And the answer was pretty much never. So, OG, what a contribution he's been this entire run, and that tip in kind of was like the cherry on top, as well as game five. So, Aaron, what are your thoughts, transitioning again from the Knicks to the Spurs? What are your thoughts on the play of San Antonio's young stars, OG Ananobi being a big part for the Knicks? But the Spurs, Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper, were really clutch in this series and these entire playoffs. They're even playing fearless on the NBA's biggest stage, barely out of college. Dylan Harper, this man was on a mission, and he just got out of Rutgers last year, and you know, there were times where he was like getting shots maybe that Wemby should have had, and he was just he had no fear, and didn't matter what the Knicks defense drew up for him, it just did not matter. So, what were you thinking when you're watching the San Antonio core?

SPEAKER_04 35:23

Yeah, uh man, and they are impressive, right? I mean, look, Victor Wemanyama, I I think he's I don't want to say he's got maturing to do, but I think this was a good first test for him. I mean, I mean, hell, he got to the freaking finals, right? I mean, in his first postseason run. But yeah, he's he's gotta learn, you know, to play uh uh a full four quarters because you look at it it's a trend that follows both his stat line and the Spurs as a team. Their shooting percentages each quarter in the series dip off, right? So uh Wemby's gotta learn, you know, that to to be a true great championship level superstar player, which I think he absolutely can be. I think he's basically that already, is that you know, it down the stretch is where it matters most, right? And I think the Knicks just had uh the better star player in those moments all series long, Jalen Brunson against against Wemby. Uh, I think Brunson obviously just outperformed him in the clutch. And you know, outside of game three where the Spurs hit those bid shots down the stretch, and you give that you know you give them a ton of credit for that. Yeah, the Knicks just performed better in the clutch. Uh and for the Spurs, I think it's a terrific opportunity to say, okay, we had leads in each of these games. We led by double digits in each of these games, so we know we're good enough to win a title, right? And it's just about cleaning up some of that stuff, you know, down the stretch, the sloppy turnovers, the rust, you know, early shot clock, not such great quality shots they were getting into, and just not being rattled. And I think that does come with experience, and that does come with age and wisdom, and just seeing more of the game, right? I mean, just being in those situations. And that's why, like, for a guy like Darren Fox, who I think has got a lot of heat, and you know, I think there's a lot of blame to go around with the Spurs, and Fox is is rightly, you know, he he he's deservingly getting some of it. I think he's getting a lot of it. And, you know, that that play in game four is a big reason why, you know, when you have a veteran guy like Darren Fox, albeit this is the furthest he's ever been in his career, you know, you expect veteran guys to make those veteran plays and kind of settle this young team down, and that didn't happen. And then Wemby just had that turnover in game two that will live in his head uh until they get back to the finals and ultimately win it, you know, with the with with the errant pass uh off of the back of Stefan Castle in game two. So I think like when you look at this series, like it it takes that turnover, it takes the incredible tip-in from OG Ananobi. Like those two plays happening in the same series, I would love to run the probability of that like ever happening in the end having those two unlikely of plays happening literally in the same series, not even in the in the same postseason, the same series to a team, right? So I think if you're the Spurs, you gotta realize that yeah, you're good enough and you have the talent. Like Wemby is just he's the greatest defensive player I think I've ever seen. So the Spurs will be able to change the geometry of the court defensively for years to come. Stefan Castle is is a terrific, hard-nosed, just just defiant, like young guard that you can just see plays with with so much passion, so much physicality. Um, if he continues to develop that outside shot, he's gonna be a future perennial all-star. And Dylan Harper, I mean, at 20 years old, to do what he did in this finals, this was his coming out party. He looks like he could be one of the better guards in the league a year from now, right? I mean, if if he gets the adequate playing time. But yeah, this is a really this is a really great core that although you know Oklahoma City had a couple guys banged up, I mean, they did beat the defending champion 60 plus win Thunder in a seven-dam series, and they won game seven on the road, right? So you you know this is a core that's good enough to get it done. You just had some some mistakes that a young team is gonna make. And and I think for Mitch Johnson, it's a huge learning experience too, in terms of timeout management, in terms of defensive adjustments throughout the series, in terms of the chess game, the chess match with the opposing coach. Uh, I think he's just gonna have a lot to learn as well. But you know, you can only learn with time. I mean, you're not gonna get a chance to replay this series, but I think the Spurs will certainly be back here, Dan and have a chance to write their runs. I think the Spurs had awesome moments in this game. The 14-0 run in game two, right? Where they're in where they nearly stole that game back from the Knicks. And then, you know, you had the late turnover. So I I think this Spurs core is is in a great place, man. I think they're gonna be right at the top of the NBA for a long, long time. I think this is just a painful early blow that they're gonna have to take on the chin and move on from it. And I think they have the guys on that roster to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

No doubt. I don't think they're going anywhere. I mean, I I think Dylan Harper was arguably the most steady player for the Spurs offensively in the series. Um, you still had Miss Johnson you know playing De'Aaron Fox late in games over him. Um, you still had Wembin Yama getting, you know, the bulk of the shots down the stretch, which honestly, I'm not sure if I agree with Wembin Yama will likely go down as one of the best players to play basketball. And I have the utmost confidence in him, but it he has a lot to learn offensively. Um I did not feel like he was in control offensively, like for for much of that series at all. And he said it himself in the post-game press conference. Yeah, he has to, you know, you know, we all we always speak he has to be more assertive and he has he has he has to be more confident and and have control over games, but that's easier said than done. And he borderline looked uncomfortable offensively for a lot of the series, whereas Dylan Harper, um, like Larry said, just I I think the perfect way to put it is just fearless. He he was just absolutely fearless um for the for the bulk of this series. And you know, similarly to Castle, man, if those two guys can get the outside shot going, um, I mean, yeah, I mean the Spurs aren't going anywhere anyway, but I mean that would be dangerous. And you know, we can't forget they just beat their defending champs in the Western Conference Finals. So yeah, they're they're not going anywhere. But um I want to take it back to the Knicks one last time before we depart. And to the captain Jalen Brunson. It was a widely debated, I think is a nice way to put it, uh, signing when when Jalen Brunson became a Knicks, uh, coming over from Dallas as kind of a I I I guess you know, he he was kind of like a spark plug in Dallas. Um, you know, a second round pick, clearly not the biggest most athletic guy, but he could get a bucket and you know the Knicks went into that free agency and and and paid him like a borderline star. And um, you know, it it was it was widely criticized, and um, you know, it almost kind of just felt like the Knicks just wanted a guy to come in and and score 20 points here and there and sell some tickets, but I mean it it just ended up becoming the complete opposite of that. And even up until the moment it the game ended last night, it it still felt like there were people doubting Jalen Brunson as a number one option, doubting Jalen Brunson as a player who could be the leader on a championship team. I mean, it it it took all of these clutch performances, it took this ridiculous playoff run. It took until that clock ran out last night to for people to see okay, Jalen Brunson is a 1A in this league. And and it's it's just crazy that we're now officially at that point, just years later, from again a signing that was widely criticized by most fans, and that absolutely nobody expected to play out in this manner. So I I I want you um, you know, being closer to the Knicks than than we are and most people to to kind of recount this tale that is the Jalen Brunson experiment for the Knicks and and and how it's obviously paid its dividends and the and the long, long way it's come from a couple years ago.

SPEAKER_04 43:26

Yeah, I mean, I I remember seeing the the news that they were signing Jalen Brunson, which I knew I mean I saw it coming for a while because kind of being in Knicks circles and just you know just larger NBA circles, honestly. It was you know, there was that whole tampering thing that was being investigated. And you know, I think I think at the time people just saw the player, and Jalen Brunson was coming off a really good playoff run with Dallas when Luca was injured. Um, he averaged over 20 a game in that postseason. So he Was a guy who was on the rise, but I think people saw the player who averaged you know 16 points a game, good efficiency, but you know, he's a guy who, like you said, I think you know, you figure okay, at his best, maybe he's a 19, 20 point per game scorer, solid point guard. Maybe he gets to the verge of a top 10 guy at some point, but he's not a guy who's gonna lead you, be the number one option on a title team. And man, like I I think what people missed was the relationship that him and his father had to Leon Rose, who was the president of basketball operations. And I think people missed, like, and and obviously we've seen it all now, all the videos of his dad coaching him in the summer when he was a kid, working him really hard and telling him to work his butt off and no quitting. Like, I I I think people just missed that, like, this guy's mentality is is is just different. Like, this guy has been an undersized guard his entire career, yet he was a five-star high school recruit, went to Villanova, won two national championships, was the college player of the year. Like, this guy had already overcome a lot in his career, and then he ends up being a second-round pick, and he has to work his way and fight his way for consistent rotation minutes, and then he signs in New York, and people were saying, okay, we can expect a little bit of a jump, but I think the the mentality of Jalen Brunson to see the people that were down in him and just worked harder to prove them wrong. I think number one encapsulates what kind of person he is and what kind of player he is, and ultimately he was rewarded with one of the great performances in NBA Finals history, and he's just been such a terrific, obviously unifying force in his four years here, honestly. I think the Knicks fans are just in love with this guy for good reason. But it also kind of like his mentality, I think, encapsulates a little bit of the last two decades of Knick basketball and New York City as a whole, to be honest. Like, I think New Yorkers like to think of themselves as kind of doubted or thought of as as less or thought of as not good enough, but they're just hard workers who want to put their head down and just see the results on the other side. And I I think Jalen Brunson perfectly encapsulated that and his style of play um and his work ethic and his relationship with the fans. Like I think it it just honestly ended up becoming the perfect signing. And to be honest with you, I mean, I didn't see it as that at the time. I thought it was I wasn't as down on it as everyone else. I'll say that. I wasn't like, oh, this is the die. Like, I I I thought he would be a good player. I did, but I didn't, I did not see this, right? And I don't really think anybody did. But if you looked at the resume and you looked at the word death, and then you looked at the die on and off the court, like I mean, this is kind of what uh and he even said last night, he would be lied if he said he saw this. But I I I I think I think this was always a possibility, man. Like he it just gets to his spots at will. He's so crafty as as an undersized guy, he loves to play down low. He's he's just an a unique player and and a unique person that ended up being the perfect guy for for the Knicks and the perfect centerpiece to an ultimate championship group. So it's awesome to look back on it now, you know, at the end of the road and say, you know, this this was their guy all along. Pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 47:25

Yeah, I mean, this this whole run by the Knicks, I mean, the last couple years, they've been getting so close. And even last year, getting to the Eastern Conference Finals and running into the at the time like nobody saw coming, the Pacers juggernaut last year, Tom Thibodeau getting shown the door, and then a new coaching staff this year, and they they finally get it done with relatively the same core. Like nobody major came in this year. It was relatively the same rotation, and you know, just seeing it unfold is truly, as Chris said, one of the better runs in the history of the league. And now the question is, can they do it again next year? There's gonna be a lot of better teams next year. We'll see if the Pacers can come out from the basement after their injuries. We'll see if the Thunder can get back to the finals or if the Spurs want a rematch with the Knicks. We'll see how this offseason plays out. But the the Knicks truly did what they were supposed to do. Jalen Brunson put all the doubters away. And I think a lot of Knicks fans might have something to say to Becky Hammond, just saying with the whole 1A, 1B thing. I I think there were a lot of people on Twitter that weren't too happy about those comments a couple years ago.

SPEAKER_04 48:31

Well, Jalen Brunson was asked, you know, hey, do you think that you're a 1A now? And he said, I didn't say anything then, I'm damn sure not going to say anything about it now. And that's again, I mean, that's a testament to the guy that he is. He doesn't like to talk smack. He doesn't, I mean, he just puts his head down and works. And I think the Knicks built the perfect core of guys who are like-minded around him. And yeah, I mean, that's why they gave him the captain honor. Because I think he's just got the right mindset. And ultimately, through all the the playoff losses over the years and all the times where we were thinking, you know, maybe you need a co-star next to him. I mean, in the end, he got it done.

SPEAKER_01 49:07

So, Aaron, thank you so much for joining us on Dealman at halftime. We hope to get you back on in the future.

SPEAKER_04 49:13

Yeah, thank you, guys. Really appreciate it. Uh, should be a fun NBA offseason for you guys, too. So uh wishing you guys best of luck. I'll be I'll be tuning in for sure.

Playoff Bracket Review

SPEAKER_01 49:33

All right, so last week we did our game of the week predictions review. Chris and I kind of did all of our tallying and see who got what right, how good or bad we did. And now it is our playoff bracket's turn. This is our playoff bracket review, and I don't think either one of us necessarily did good, but let's see what we had right and see what we had wrong. My bracket went up in flames pretty quickly. Starting in the play-in tournament, I'll just go briefly through each round and then Chris will do his as well. The play-in tournament, I got the Sixers and the Magic, respectively, as the number seven and eight seeds in the East. So I had something right there in the West, not so much. First round was my best round. I had the Pistons advancing as well as the Cavs, Knicks, Thunder, and Spurs. And I did have my one correct prediction of Knicks and six over Atlanta. Now, when the Hawks were up to one in that series, I don't think anybody was thinking, oh my gosh, the Knicks are going on this title run. But here we are, and I don't know how how the Hawks did the best out of all these teams. Going to the conference semifinals, my only correct pick was the Thunder advancing, and then it got ugly after that. Conference finals, I had zero, zero picks, whether teams or number of games in the series, and then going to the NBA finals. My only correct prediction was that it would be a five-game series. Now, this was different, as I just said a few minutes ago, with oh, I said Knicks and six for the finals, and Chris said Spurs and seven. Now that was before the finals started. These that I just read off were the playoff bracket picks that we made back in April. A little bit different. I remember too from our season premiere episode this year. I did have the Knicks in the finals. I had them on the losing side over the Thunder in six games. So I mean I had something right. Every time we make one of these, you're always changing your predictions. Takes a lot to, you know, stand on business to really say, I'm I'm, you know, really feeling this. I don't think any Knicks fans thought they were going to go on this run back in October or even back in April. So, Chris, those were my playoff bracket predictions. And just looking at my bracket in general, there were some pretty questionable picks. I did have Nuggets going seven games in both the first round and the conference semifinals. I had them in seven over Minnesota and the Spurs. Uh yeah, I know you kind of were clowning me for that one as rightfully as that was. Picking Rockets in four over the Lakers was questionable. The Western play-in was pretty bad. I did get Detroit and Cleveland in the semifinals. That was my only correct matchup post-first round. And then the only team I had right in the conference finals was the Thunder. And once they were out, that was the end of that. We both had Thunder and Pistons in the NBA finals. I had a gentleman sweep, you had six. But yeah, this year my bracket was pretty terrible.

SPEAKER_03 52:38

Well, first of all, I think both of us just believed in the wrong Eastern Conference superstar guard. We were all bought in on the Cade Cunningham show. We should have been all bought in on the Jalen Brunson show.

SPEAKER_01 52:49

Well, we were bought in on the CJ McCollum show for about three games.

SPEAKER_03 52:52

Oh, we we were. We were, yeah. Um that was um we we both shared that one, right? We both got uh Knicks and six in that series, but uh I don't want to get too far ahead of myself. Let's start with the play-in. I did have the Sixers beating the Magic to become the seventh seed, but then I had the Charlotte Hornets beating the Orlando Magic to become the eighth seed. That did not happen. They got absolutely throttled by the Orlando Magic, which I don't think anybody was expecting. Um more coming on things we didn't expect the Magic doing in a moment. And in the West, uh I did have Portland beating Phoenix, but then I believe I had the Clippers beating the Suns, and that also did not happen. So um I I got a play in team right per conference here. In the first round, I I nailed the Thunder Sun sweep. Um I had Rockets in five over the Lakers, so I was closer than you, but neither of us were particularly close whatsoever as the Lakers pull it off in six. I had Denver over Minnesota in six games, I believe. And um got their correct amount of games, but not the right winner, as the Timberwolves take down the Nuggets, who severely flopped in these playoffs and have me highly concerned for their future. And then I had a San Antonio sweep over the Portland Trailblazers, but uh shout out Tiago Splitter and and those guys over in in Portland and they put up a game on the Spurs, shout out to them, and also just shout out Tiago Splitter, new head coach of the Chicago Bulls. Um, shout out, shout out, shout out. Good for the boy. Um had to fill in for Chauncey Bills and his uh gambling last year and did a good job and got himself a full-time coaching job. So shout out Tiago Splitter.

SPEAKER_01 54:29

Shout out to the Portland Trailblazers for being so cheap that Tiago Splitter made a beeline for Chicago and now and now nobody wants to go over there.

SPEAKER_03 54:37

That's true, and they're they're too cheap for playoff t-shirts. It's pretty miserable um over there in Portland right now. But anyway, so I got the Thunder and and Spurs advancing correct, but not the Lakers nor Timberwolves. And in the east, um, I had the Pistons sweeping the Magic, which did not happen at all. In fact, the Magic were up three to one on the 1C Detroit Pistons, which um nobody was expecting. I don't even think people were expecting the Orlando Magic to be in the playoffs, but then the Pistons make a strong-willed 3-1 comeback, I believe the 13th in NBA history, followed by the 14th 3-1 comeback in NBA playoff history. The Philadelphia 76ers, Larry, our Philadelphia 76ers had had an all-time playoff moment making a 3-1 comeback against the Boston Celtics, our kryptonite. They did. Um such an awesome moment, and sure we may have been absolutely blown out of the water um by the eventual champion New York Knicks in the following round, but I just don't care, actually. I just don't care at all because you know what? That that first round series against Boston was so much fun, and I think I will revel in it till the day I die. Um, but in terms of this episode, I did have Boston in five, and uh I was very wrong about that. Our Sixers shockingly exceeded expectations, which never happens. But shout out Joel and B the boy, shout out Mike Gancy, new GM is gonna lead us to the promised land. Um but anyway, got that wrong. We both, again, like I said, nailed Knicks in six over the Hawks, um, although I don't think either of us were quite expecting the Knicks to proceed to go 12 and 1 in their in their following series. So we both nailed that one, and I also nailed the Cavs in seven over the Raptors, um, which was pretty neat. So I had the Pistons, Cavs, Knicks advancing correct in the east. Um I was wrong about the Sixers, and then I was wrong about the Lakers advancing, and I was wrong about the Timberwolves advancing in the west. Um we'll bounce back to the west here. The Thunder sweep the Lakers. I had them sweeping the Rockets, so um, right amount of games, wrong team. It's not uh too bad of a prediction there. And then I had Spurs over the Nuggets and seven um Nuggets clearly were not here in this conference semifinal round. The Timberwolves were, and they put up a pretty good fight against these Spurs. Um took them to six. Spurs and Thunder in the conference final, nailed that. And then in the East, uh I had the Pistons beating the Cavs in six games. The Cavs ended up beating the Pistons in seven uh because I got that wrong. And then I had the Knicks over the Celtics in seven, I had the Knicks advancing. So I got three of these four final teams correct. And if the Pistons had won that game seven in that conference semifinal round, I would have had all four correct. So I was just a game off imperfect conference final predictions. But then I had the I had the Thunder beating the Spurs in seven games in the conference final, um, which did not happen. The Spurs eke out an eight-point win in game seven. Um I I believe Shea Gilders Alexander would kind of have his shining moment taking down the the the alien and and the new kid on the block, Victor Weminyama. I thought it would be kind of a career-defining moment for Shea Gilgis Alexander. I said that prior to even knowing this was the matchup. I said this prior to the playoffs event starting. I was predicting this was gonna happen. And Shea Gilders Alexander did have a pretty legendary game seven. I'd say that was one of the best games of his career. So if the Thunder were just able to pull off that game, that that prediction would have been spot on. But the the the Spurs kind of holed them off late in that game and and win it in seven. Uh so got that wrong, and then as you said, uh, we both had a Thunder Pistons final. So I had the Pistons beating the Knicks in the conference final. That did not happen. The Knicks absolutely had their way against the Cleveland Cavaliers uh sweeping them. And we get an awesome uh Spurs Knicks final, which we discussed, and I had neither of these teams in the final.

SPEAKER_01 58:42

Actually, Chris, now that I think about it, then the Spurs they won the finals analytically, right?

SPEAKER_03 58:46

The Spurs did analytically win the finals, technically. If if if you look at the advanced metrics and the and the warp percentages and and and um all of the advanced data, I mean they whooped the Knicks in this series. They were they had a lead for 70% of the series, I I just found out, uh, which I think is pretty funny. And it's really a testament to how good the Knicks are down the stretch. And and and maybe also it speaks on how kind of uncoordinated the Spurs look offensively down the stretch in these games. But that's not what we're here to talk about in this segment. Um Larry, we we didn't have our best playoff predictions. No, we did not. I had three of the final four teams correct, so therefore, I think um I absolutely dominated you in this without a doubt, without a doubt. And um I also had more correct, exact series predictions. Um yeah, I absolutely um just like the the next did throughout the playoffs, I just absolutely smoked you in this. Um but on a real note, neither of us were too close and and we we were maybe a little bit too drunk on the Pistons regular season as they kind of became a different team in the playoffs, which is usually said to describe a good thing happening to a team, but the Pistons really, really cooled off in the playoffs, which which you what you do not want to see.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:02

Yeah, I think we were kind of drinking the Pistons Kool-Aid there. I mean, I mean you think about it, they really made the leap this year, and I think we were kind of just writing the recency bias.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:12

Yeah, I don't I don't blame us too much. I mean they they were they were really, really, really spanking good in the regular season.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:17

So they had the the personnel, you have Kate Cunningham, you had the beef in the post with Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, even though Jalen Durin looked like a ghost in the playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:28

Yeah, they just totally lacked the creation behind Cade Cunningham. I mean, they were turning like like besides Kate Cunningham, the guys taking big shots for them were Tobias Harris and Dana Jenkins. Like, I mean, it's it's kind of like your fate is is pretty much sealed when when that's true about your basketball team, unfortunately. And and and they they clearly need another creator heading into next season.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

And some of the other teams that were near the top of the standings. I mean, the Celtics clearly overachieved, and Jason Tatum's injury caught up to him once again. We said about the the Pistons, the Spurs had their mistakes. Teams like the Timberwolves, I think the injuries really got to them too. So there were a lot of good contenders this year, and the Knicks took them all out and got their championship. So, yeah, pretty bad predictions on our side. Had some had some right, had some wrong, and I think the winner of this playoffs, besides the Knicks, are the Atlanta Hawks.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:28

They're gonna raise the banner in October for two games off the 2026 New York Knicks.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:33

Yep. They turned a corner. I don't know how they did it, but the Knicks coming out on top here, and maybe, maybe next time we'll get the better predictions on this playoff bracket. And

Note from the Author

SPEAKER_01 1:01:53

to conclude our episode for today, with this being the season three finale, we will end with the section that we've always called No From the Author. The 2025-26 NBA season has come and gone, as has another season of Dealman at Halftime. We'd like to thank our seven guests this year, some new faces and some old acquaintances. Clemente Almanza, Eric Vincent, Chi Town Lowe, Josh Reynolds, Jeff Rasmussen, Sean Bernard, and Aaron Hook. It was great to get their insights on a variety of topics. And of course, a big thank you to our audience, whether you just found this podcast today or are a loyal listener. Without you guys, we'd be a couple of dudes talking ball to dead air. We reached an incredible accomplishment in season three by hitting the podcast's 100th episode. I cannot believe it's been that long already, but here we are. There's no doubt in my mind that this season of Dealman at Halftime was the best one so far. Not only because of the major changes we've made to the format, but because of the addition of Chris as my co-host. He was the driving force behind the changes, like rebranding the podcast and having us retire the highlight, low light, and random stats sections from seasons one and two in favor of open discussions. And I gave him free reign over the podcast's social media pages. Having someone to discuss points with as opposed to talking to myself in seasons one and two was a breath of fresh air. I can't thank him enough for his contributions, which is why it pains me to say this next part. Unfortunately, Chris will be leaving us as co-host, and I will let him explain why.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:37

Yeah, it hurts to hear. I I I want to start by just saying I am so honored to have done this with you. And you know, e Larry, even if we were just getting together once weekly to to talk basketball over dead air, I mean that that would that would mean a lot to me and that that would be so much fun. And and I just I I always enjoy hopping on this regardless of the kind of almost business-like aspect of it. I I I I've loved getting on here and just talking to you and and I love the opportunity it's given us to to meet up and and and be creative and and work on something and fulfill our passions in basketball. We're both passionate about it and and we're both um creating something out of it. And and I think that's a beautiful thing. Even if we are just talking on dead air, it w it doesn't matter to me. But I will be stepping away as co-host. I am approaching my senior year of college and I have a lot going on. It was already pretty tough to to balance this the show with um my previous semester, but I'm taking on a pretty significant role on an on my eboard of of my honors organization, and um I'm starting to get into some really kind of advanced accounting classes, and I'm taking five classes. I also work part-time on top of this. These are this is a really pivotal time in my life coming up. And you know, I I took a really hard look at how my last semester went and my time allocation. And while I was happy and I loved coming on here, knowing how much more responsibility I'm I'm gonna have moving forward in my career as a student and and preparing for my um career um as an accountant, I need all the time I can get. And I hate to do this. And I I I can't talk enough about how much fun I've had this season with Larry and and and how much fun I've had working on this thing and and and making it our project and and changing things and and and getting the social media going and you know, posting the short form clips and and and seeing the benefits from that and um seeing a lot of engagement on on TikTok and Instagram reels. And um I I I love what we've made of this thing. I I I think I think this is the best the podcast's ever been. Again, we could be talking on dead air, I wouldn't care. Like being able to hop on here once a week and and talk about something we're passionate about. Um, you know, with my cousin. It's such a privilege and and and I I had such a tremendous time doing it and working on it and um and and putting in the hours and and and I I I will I will never forget this experience and uh who knows, maybe I'll be back in the in the sports space someday and and maybe um be working with Larry. I would love to. I I had so much fun. But yeah, unfortunately, I am entering a a really critical point in my life right now where I I really need to to to go all in and put my foot on the gas on my career. And and that unfortunately has to come at the expense of some of the more creative things I'm working on. But I am I I I can't I can't tell you enough how how happy I was to do this and and how honored I was to to take the role. And I I I think we had an awesome time. We we had so many great discussions, we had we had so many laughs, we we had some really awesome guests come on, um and and we we just had we just had such a fun time, or I know I had such a fun time talking about something I'm passionate about, uh, with my cousin who shares that same passion. And I and I can't thank you enough. And and I had a I had a tremendous time with this. I I had so much fun, I'll never forget it.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:25

It has been a great time as well. So Chris will be opting out of his player option and entering free agency on this one.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:33

Unfortunately, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:34

Yeah, he has to he has to step away from that player option. But yeah, it has been an absolute pleasure to work with him. And I knew after season two, I'm not gonna lie, earlier on, I was thinking as the season went on, I'm like, I can't do this alone anymore. Like, I would really prefer to have somebody with me. And then Chris was so excited to hop on and to have him take over the social media platforms with the TikToks, which my skill sets more in written work. And yeah, short form is not really my forte, let's just put it that way. And Chris took that. We had a couple TikTok videos, like two in a row, that hit over 11,000 views each. So they really took off on there, and just having someone to talk to in a in an open discussion format, and just all the points we had. You know, a lot of these a lot of these things he did himself too. Like getting Jeff Rasmussen, he got that. All these fun sections. We did all these drafts, the ring draft, the 70-point ethical draft, the Twitter burner account draft, those were all his ideas, which I never would have done in the seasons where I was by myself. Mine was more just all right, we're gonna go highlight, low light, random stack game of the week every single week, where he's just doing this more as a let's just go down the the draft board in a serpentine style or whatever. So it has really been an honor, and I thank him for his contributions. And you know, it's always good to talk ball, whether to dead air or to people on the internet, the inter the interwebs. Well, despite this breaking development, Chris is always welcome back on the podcast as a guest as frequently as he's able or wants to, and he's always welcome back as a co-host in the future, should his schedule allow it. So you may be wondering, how will the podcast look next season with Chris's departure? I'm not exactly sure myself, but I'll update you guys either in late summer or early fall as we finalize our plans. I'm actually surprised there is no start date for the 26-27 season yet, which is weird because the first two seasons, I knew it when I did the last episode, but you know, yeah. Get ready for dealman at halftime season four, which will start sometime in mid-October. We'll kick off with our power rankings predictions and embark on a new journey. Until then, have a great summer, everyone. See you in the fall.

Conclusion

SPEAKER_01 1:10:15

Well, that's all the time we have for today. If you haven't already, make sure to follow the podcast accounts Chris and me on social media. The three podcast accounts on Instagram, TikTok, and X or Twitter are under at dealman at half. My personal ex and Instagram are at Larry Dealman. Chris's personal ex and Instagram are at Chris Dippy. All seven handles are in the description on Buzzsprout, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, although you can find Dialman at Halftime on major podcasting platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and YouTube, the main podcast website is on Buzz Sprout. The website URL is dealman at halftime.buzzsprout dot com. Feel free to send a comment by using the Send Us a Text button located in each episode's bio. With the exception of Apple Podcasts, the text option is available on Buzz Sprout and all the major platforms. Your comment could end up in the fan mail section of the Buzz Sprout website. And thank you to Aaron Hook for being our guest this week on the podcast. You can follow him on Instagram at Aaron Hook underscore. And don't forget to spread the word about Dielman at halftime. So not only do we thank Aaron for being our guest this week, and we say goodbye to Chris as our co-host. It has been a pleasure once again to have him. Hopefully, we'll get him on multiple times in season four as we finalize our plans for next season. As I said a few minutes ago, I don't know what it's going to look like, whether the sections and if we have a co-host or not, but we will get all that squared away in the summer and fall months.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:56

I just want to thank all of our listeners and and most importantly, Larry, for this opportunity once again. It it didn't matter to me whether we were doing this on a Zoom meeting for the podcast or just sharing a phone call or getting together in person to do this. I I had so much fun just just being passionate about basketball with you and and and we we made an awesome we we we took this podcast to to awesome heights, I think. And I would I would love to be back on at some point later next season and in the future. Um again, it's it's it's unfortunate that that um you know I I have to you know make some room for my career and my life and and this unfortunately had to you know cut out. I I I needed to take a different role. I had to opt out of my player option with Dilma at halftime, but that is not at all to say that I didn't love my time here. I I I had such a tremendous time. And again, I I can't I can't thank you enough, Larry, for all this. This this was so awesome. I had so much fun, and uh we we made something really cool of this thing. So thank you.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:53

And we will definitely see you next season in some capacity for sure. And to our fans, see you next season, fellow hoops fans. Have a great summer, see you in October.