The Hoops Rehab Show
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Knicks Steal Game 2-When Youth Meets A Team Of Destiny
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One late turnover can swallow an entire Finals comeback, and Game 2 gave us the clearest example. We’re coming to you right after the horn to unpack how the Knicks walk into San Antonio, absorb another double-digit deficit, and still leave up 2-0. If you’re trying to understand what actually decides playoff games, it’s all here: defensive pressure, physicality, shot quality, and the decisions that happen with 14 seconds left.
We dig into the Spurs’ best early adjustment, blitzing Jalen Brunson and making him work over size, then explain why New York still finds a way when Brunson’s jumper is not falling. From OG Anunoby’s stops to Mitchell Robinson setting a tone inside, the Knicks keep turning defense into timely offense. We also talk about the swing moments that felt like daggers, including the sequence that leads to a transition three and Mikal Bridges looking like exactly the player you pay a premium for in the postseason.
Then we zoom out to what comes next. Is losing the first two at home a series-ender for a young team, or is there still a path if San Antonio tightens late-game execution and tweaks the rotation? We throw out real Game 3 ideas, including how Dylan Harper’s minutes could change the Brunson matchup, and we cover the injury angles that could quietly decide the rest of the NBA Finals: Stephen Castle’s foot or ankle scare and De’Aaron Fox dealing with a high ankle sprain that can flare up at any moment. We also give major credit to Mike Brown’s coaching imprint and why Madison Square Garden could amplify everything.
If you enjoy smart, honest NBA analysis with an injury lens, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s locked into the Finals, and leave us a review. What was the single biggest turning point in Game 2?
Cold Open And Knicks Streak
SPEAKER_00Welcome into the hoops rehab show after game two. Eric, what the hell is that in your hands?
SPEAKER_01Oh sorry, I was my floor was a little dusty, so I was uh needing to do a little dusting before um on the show.
SPEAKER_00Damn, you get you're gonna come in like that and disrespect the alien, Eric.
SPEAKER_01Hey, hey, you know what? The alien had two key opportunities there at the end. And you know, they always say it's a make or miss league, and he had a good shot, missed it. Uh I I kind of want to go back to what you said a couple days ago, where we thought we're thinking, oh, is it just you know San Antonio's probably gonna win game two? But what'd you say? You said you want to you want the you want to see the Knicks lose before you go and um you know start picking against them, and they just they are just not losing.
SPEAKER_00They cannot lose. That is 13 in a row. This one wasn't by double digits, but damn near playing flawless basketball. Brunson having a difficult time, they're getting
What We Break Down Tonight
SPEAKER_00it done. All right, everybody. I am the game injury doc, aka Dr. Devin Jeffries. Eric B. Mack is on my right. We are gonna break down the game today, kind of look at what went right, what went wrong with the Spurs and the Knicks. We're also gonna talk about some little tiny injuries that might be something going moving forward with uh Steven Castle and also De'Aaron Fox kind of looking like he aggravated his ankle. Um as always, we will be uploading this pod. We are live now. So if you are on YouTube or on X, please hop in the chat. Tell us what you think of the finals, give us your info, and we will get to it in the show. All right, Eric, let's get this show cracking. So
Spurs Start Hot With Brunson Blitzes
SPEAKER_00first half comes out. Spurs are like they look like they're ready, they're they come out in the first quarter hot, yeah, they're playing Brunson well. They finally started blitzing Brunson, um, picking them up at the half-court line of half-court position, and just really making it difficult. And they continued throughout the game, um using Dylan Harper, using the bigger um guards on him, Steven Castle. So they did the right thing on Jalen Brunson, but the second quarter came, Eric, and those DM Knicks started playing what they do best, and that is defense. They got physical as hell with the Spurs, got physical with Wimby. Um Mitchell Robinson got a technical, just basically just pushing them, which is uh that's the worst technical I've ever seen in my life. But he was letting them know that you are not gonna get position, and Wimby was frustrated, only took four fugles. What were your thoughts on the first half, Eric?
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, man, Knicks, it's like you could throw out the X and O's, you can throw out the matchups, and uh I mean, right now they they're just a team of destiny, it seems like. And so um kind of like we figured, San Antonio came out hot. Uh, they built a double-digit lead again. Last game was in the third quarter, this time was in the second quarter, I believe. Um, and when the Knicks were up four to six or so at the in the end of the first half, you're just like, what the hell just happened? Like, seems like Spurs kind of dominated, and all of a sudden Knicks are up. And so that's when I knew, although, albeit obviously a lot of craziness happened at the end, that's when I knew, like, yeah, Knicks are definitely here to stay in terms of this game. I don't know if they're gonna win it or not, but it's not gonna be one of these runaway uh home team loses game one and then just whoop them up for game two, which we more normally see. But this is the finals. Um, I mean, I I know sometimes we have like a lackluster 82 game season. There's a lot of um, you know, guys that sit out, a lot of blowouts, but the NBA is about the damn playoffs and the finals, and we're just seeing uh, I mean, just a masterpiece right now. And so um, I'm sure um, you know, obviously first half, like we said, all Spurs to start, Nick's to finish, and and then that was kind of the story. Where um obviously in the third quarter took took on a kind of different tone of its own. But um, yeah, it's it was it was uh it was tough to see for the Spurs and their fans that they were losing uh at the end of the second quarter.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I thought one of the biggest plays came in the second quarter when OG got a block on Dylan Harper. They went in a fast break and Mikhail Bridges hit a three. It was like a dagger. Like I felt like that was just like the epitome of the Knicks' defense and also their ability to just get in transition and hit open shots. You know, it's either Shamut hitting the open three, Bridges was at one point eight for nine um with 20 points in the third. Um, so he was everything that you traded for tonight.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I was gonna say that if they go on to win this, they will gladly trade another five first round picks or whatever it was, yeah, to be a big you know, part of the nucleus uh of a maybe a potential championship team. Amazing.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean he didn't score after that, he ended up with 20 points. Yeah, I mean, but he was uh, you know that that third quarter was was something else,
Bridges Heats Up And Chaos Finish
SPEAKER_00though. Like he was on fire. He he got their lead to what I think they got up to at least 14. And then Eric, what did Wimby do? You texted me, got in the timeout, and you said him yelling is not gonna solve nothing.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but it did, I guess.
SPEAKER_00But I guess he brought him back. Dylan Harper brought him back and 14-0 run. Yeah, they went on 14-0 run, cut the game, took a lead. But man, I was talking about it last game. I talked about after game one. The youth and inexperience of San Antonio is gonna show up in this series. And we talked about how New York Knicks are basically a veteran team in their prime, right? They're not old vets, they're like these late 20s, you know, maybe a couple early 30s, but there are these vets in the prime, and they are so tough to bring down. And when Wimby got that rebound, ready to go on the break with 14 seconds left, or what I think it was about 14 seconds, yeah. Triple the damn ball up the court. He makes an air and pass to see Stefan Castle. Stefan Castle isn't even looking, hits him in the back, and then that was the end of the game right there.
SPEAKER_01So um that shot at the end, too.
SPEAKER_00I don't know what do you think of the end, just kind of how that unfolded. They still got a good shot. Wimmy still got a great shot, but you know, it's hard when you make a mistake like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, there's lots of unpack there at the end. Um, I mean, I was really close to saying because Spurs went on that 14-0 run, and I was uh if say if like Spurs would have won, I think Knicks would have still felt decent, but it would have been a tough, tough loss, knowing that you're up 14 with about four or five minutes left. Um, kind of like the Knicks in the Cleveland series, right? Where you're like that one just comeback could could haunt you. And so um, luckily for them it didn't happen, but yeah, I think Tim Lagler mentioned that so when San Antonio got the rebound, they obviously had a chance to it was tied, they had a chance to win the game. I think all players, no excuse, but all players were a little bit confused on whether they were gonna call a timeout or not, right?
SPEAKER_02And I think that's but yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Maybe as a coach, you you gotta be like, I got a young team, I gotta just freaking go out there and call timeout. Maybe that's maybe that's uh the youth of uh the head coach too. But and then and then to be honest with you, I thought at first I was like, I was like, dang, because he meant to was it to Vassal or Castle or who was it?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he passed it to Castle and Castle.
SPEAKER_01I thought Castle was the one that just kind of made an error, but then when you saw it, you're like, dude, Wemby, like he was never he was never turned around, you know. I and it, yeah, right. It just it was a big big moment mistake, right? Yeah, I mean, I don't know, it happens.
SPEAKER_00You know, the way he dribbles the ball up the court, the way he kind of controls the game. I was just shocked on the fact that he would just give it up like that. You got 14 seconds to go, you bring it up court. I think the right move is to keep going because they only had one timeout, so you go quickly and try to score. If you you know miss it, then you foul and you can get the ball back. You got timeout, move the ball up the court.
SPEAKER_01Now it was tied though at that point.
SPEAKER_00But I mean Do you have an experienced team? Yes. Could Mitch Johnson have called a timeout? Yes, you're correct. Um, but that doesn't solve anything right now, and we're gonna they're gonna have to live with that. Now,
Is The Series Already Over
SPEAKER_00the question I have for you, Eric, though, how bad of a loss is this for San Antonio? Like, is this a series ending loss where you're you've almost got the life sucked out of you because you came back, should have won the game, you didn't on your home court, you've lost two in a row on your home court, and now you go to New York. Are you are they dead in the water? Are they done?
SPEAKER_01Um, I think I I truly believe they're done in terms of the series. I I don't think they're gonna win four out of the last five. Um I mean, it it it's just tough to find series where you lose your first two at home and and and um end up winning the series. Of course, it's happened, but especially against a team like the Knicks that are, I mean, oh my god, imagine New York. Oh, geez.
SPEAKER_00I mean, like New York is not sleeping this weekend, yeah. Like they're literally gonna be on 34th, 4th, whatever street they're on.
SPEAKER_01And then to have the game's out on Sunday, you know, it's like all the way till Monday, right? And so it's gonna be like, and you could only imagine what Madison Square Garden is gonna be like. I know it's like $10 million to get in, yeah. Um, and I'm sure that's gonna double. But um, yeah, I I like I mean, I shouldn't really be saying San Antonio's gonna get one because Knicks, man, if Nick sweeped the the series and kind of sweep the playoffs, that's gonna be amazing. But yeah, something inside me tells me Spurs are gonna get one somewhere, somehow. I don't know which one it's gonna be. Um, it probably has to be game three. Um, and maybe Knicks win in six. But uh, I mean, what what are your what are your what are you sense? And I know I know I brought this out, so I must be kind of saying something, but I'm gonna give I'll give the Spurs a little little respect and maybe they'll get a game or so.
SPEAKER_00Eric bring it out? It's Vince Carter over. Bring it out, bring it out. It's it's like over. Like what this reminds me of, and I know they've been close in both games, but it reminds me of when LeBron James got to the finals the first time and they got swept by San Antonio.
SPEAKER_01When did you not?
SPEAKER_00It reminds me when Shaq got to the finals with Orlando and got swept 4-0. I I think youth and inexperiences is finally coming out tonight, and and just in general in the series, they're able to get by OKC, and and some will say it was because of injury, right? And then if OKC was completely healthy, don't think San Antonio's getting by them, right? If they're a completely healthy team, I don't think they're winning in seven. Now, I'm not saying that Wimby's not that dog and Wimby's not that alien, like he can't come back from this. He they've they've been down in series, they were down in in the 3-2 in the Thunder series, right? They're down 2-1. So theoretically, can they come back? Yes. But I don't think against a team that's this damn hot playing this well of defense. I just don't think it's gonna happen. And and you gotta remember, Brunson is not having the greatest series shooting, like they've done a tremendous job on him, like sending doubles when they need to, and they still haven't won a game. So I can't imagine him going to New York and it not going in for him, and not him not having a 30-piece or something like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, because it's there, yeah, they're definitely I I think their focus is on him and they're making it tough, and like he's having to shoot over Wemby quite a bit. And I mean, that's a tall task, literally. And um, you know, I like if you if I didn't know what was going around on, and I you kind of just looked at his two games, I would think Knicks would be in kind of a little bit of trouble, but it's really truly been um, although he did have a good end of the uh game in game one down the stretch, but um, yeah, it's just collective. I mean, team effort. I mean, we got my man Josh Hart, um, zero points today. Um, he actually didn't play that much, so you may maybe his minutes weren't weren't that that valuable. They probably needed a little bit of scoring today. Um, he only played 18 minutes.
SPEAKER_00I think he got a little foul trouble early in the period, and then they they kind of took a lead, kind of lost his you know, his momentum of actually being in there, and that happens with with Josh Hart uh throughout this playoffs, right? Where he's had a game that it was so important, and then he's had games where he's been kind of losing some time to uh Deuce McBride and also Shamit.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, I think I think he just kind of rode the uh obviously the foul trouble, he rode the hot hand. Um, and yeah, I mean it got got a little chippy there too, right? That's when I was like, okay, this is like the finals have started, right? You know, even though it's it's when the road team wins at home. So technically it started um last game, but it finally got a little chippy, you know. And uh what'd you think about that? Uh little sequence.
SPEAKER_00I know we kind of were let's break this down. Uh if anybody missed this part, Jalen Brunson gets knocked down by De'Aaron Fox, right? De'Aaron Fox goes and decides to be a tough guy, walks up to him, stares him down, does not talk. So does Brunson does not talk.
SPEAKER_01Well, you know who sort of got it looked like they were wanting to laugh. Like, I'll be honest.
SPEAKER_00Literally, could you imagine me going up to you right now? Let me look at you, Eric. I'm gonna just stare. Like the whole time just staring at each other, like grown-ass men staring at each other.
SPEAKER_01And you know, like like Brunson's like kind of silly and like Josh Hart and stuff. So I just imagine them just like cracking up or something. But uh tell me the part that was uh kind of interesting.
SPEAKER_00Rick Brunson comes running down. Like, first of all, don't you get a T if you go across across that part? I don't yeah, I mean if you're a coach, I don't think you can cross over to the other side. He comes down mouthing his mouth at at Fox saying, you know, don't do that, you're not that guy, you don't want it, blah blah blah blah blah. I I wouldn't I didn't really like that. Obviously, that's a dad, that was dad mode. Yeah, that was not assistant coaching, not needed, I don't think.
SPEAKER_01Not needed.
SPEAKER_00That was dad mode, like he went into if it was in the audience, right?
SPEAKER_01It's one thing, but he was he's an assistant coach.
SPEAKER_00Uh but yeah, that was uh that was an interesting moment, but I thought it was a pivotal moment, right? So I I think you know, one thing it shows the Spurs aren't backing down, right? But it just man, it's it's just it's tough because like they they got physical with the Spurs, New York, and and and the Spurs tried to get physical back, but they ain't physical, they're not physical like New York, and I don't think it's gonna play that way, right? They're not that type of team. Wimby can kind of get serious, and and you know, he can talk a little bit, but they just really ain't that team, not that physical.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean they got the athleticism, and that's why, and and long, and they're that's why they're making it real tough for Brunson. But in terms of like a from a physicality standpoint, rugged, bad boy, that's just not them.
SPEAKER_00I mean, they they have some players like Steven Castle, Vassell, they they do get in people's faces. I'm not saying that they don't, yeah. Um I think you up, but when I when I look at the Knicks, man, I'm like Brunson's a dog, Josh Hart is a dog, Michelle Bridges is a dog, OG's a dog, like Cat is a dog. Um, Mitchell Robson, you do not want to push around Mitchell Robinson. He looked like he's gonna push you right back onto your ass. So um I I like what I saw out of New York, and I I don't foresee it changing going into New York.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, if if we think that this is a crazy environment and we know what what's gonna be happening Monday night, I can't wait for it to be uh to be honest with you. And it's gonna I think it's gonna be a buzzall in the beginning of the game, and San Antonio is gonna just have to try to hang in there. Um, because I think it could get ugly early if if yeah, it could be a blow-up if they don't. Yeah, that type of that type of fill. But if they hang in there, you're in the third quarter, you see a tight game, you know, within a few points. I I think San Antonio will have a puncher's chance, you know? Yeah, um, and these two teams, you know, they're they're they're like pretty well matched. I mean, I think we're kind of seeing like Knicks probably should have been the favorite, as you kind of talked about coming into it. It was just a fact that San Antonio they got Wimby, they beat OKC. But I really truly think, and I know it's easy to say it now, but not that like the Thunder was like the OKC's championship, but I mean it was such a tall task, and it was just sure took a lot out of them. And and and I and we talked about it. The Knicks were chilling. They got they swept someone, uh I mean they swept someone, they swept um obviously Cleveland, and before that, Philly. So they're they're they're kind of the well-rested team right now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it was wild when they mentioned in game one that they played four games in 23 days.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and sometimes that's not good, you know.
SPEAKER_00Think about that, but they haven't let up. Yeah, and I want to get to a stat. So San Antonio had a 14-point game, a 14-point lead in game one, 12-point lead in game two. The Knicks are the first team since 1975 to come back in the first two games and win the first two games. Being down double digits, yeah, being down double digits, right? So they know how to make runs, they know how to come back, and ah man, I just don't see how you come back from this.
Game 3 Adjustments And Lineup Ideas
SPEAKER_00If you were Mitch Johnson, is there a strategy that you can, I mean, stuff you saw in the game that you liked, obviously, but what can you hold your hat on going into game three to see if you can actually turn the series around and win two on their home court?
SPEAKER_01Well, Wemby obviously hit missed a tough shot, and um, or maybe hit missed a shot he he could make and had that tough play on that turnover. Like, I literally felt like towards the end, I'm like, man, I feel like they could just either go to him on a lob or go to him down low, and he's just gonna score like every time. And so, um, but it's it started off slow for him. He obviously he ended up at a pretty good line 11 for 21, 29. Um, only wait, what were the rebounds oh nine or nine rebounds? I thought I saw four. Yeah, um, I I think it's gonna like just kind of come down to just him having a really, really just game one against OKC type of game. I'm not saying those exact numbers, but just all over the place. And that's a honestly, it's a lot to ask for for a young fella right now um in the finals after he's led his team through three uh great uh rounds. Yeah, but uh I mean I don't know. Like obviously, we were looking at De'Aaron Fox, he definitely had a bounce back game tonight. Um, he played pretty well. Um, I know you're gonna get into the injuries a little bit. Um I mean, do we need like I don't know, is there somebody off the bench that could be kind of like a it's hard on the road though, some someone that we're not expecting? Because as we see, Spurs are not not not not super deep right now. Um, but yeah, I I I think it's I mean you're already game game, you're into game three. I I think it's either wimby or bust. Uh what about you?
SPEAKER_00I I I wonder if inserting Dylan Harper into starting lineup would change anything. Yeah, I feel like his minutes have been so impactful. Um, obviously, he played more minutes tonight than he did in game one, but still had a great game. You know, played 32 minutes, had 15. Um I wonder if you just go those four, right? You go with your youth and you you maybe bring Champigny off the bench. Um, I don't, you know, I'm not gonna bench Fox unless he's injured or Cask is injured or whatnot. But if you go with those four and and you're putting Harper early on, Brunson, right, it gives them a lot of trouble, I think. Uh that size, I think, gives him a lot of issue. Then you kind of send a message early on, right? I I don't know if they make that move, but it I I think you have to start making an adjustment because you gave them two of your best shots. You had the lead in both. You can count your head on that and say, hey, yeah, we've had a lead in both games. We should be able to win game three by sticking to the same formula.
SPEAKER_01Oh, but I don't think we've seen we've seen a lot of theories of that.
SPEAKER_00I think you just have to be a little bit more like let's win this motherfucker right now, right? Let's try to do all we bet, put our best players on the court. Yeah, Champagne can hit shots, you know, but he was quiet tonight. He had eight points. Like he wasn't like he's kind of a boom or bust player. You're gonna get more out of Dylan Harper, and he might need a 20 plus game out of Dylan Harper in order to actually win a game. Um, so that would be my call. I would say maybe getting him some more minutes and maybe just inserting him in the starting lineup and said, let's roll.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, you get the extra day, right? So that I think that's gonna be big. Um, we just talked about how New York is a lot more rested, and I think an extra day could go a long way here for San Antonio. You know, um, I uh yeah, I like it. I mean, I think it would be definitely for probably definitely not I don't think Fox, unless you said, like you said, he's injured.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um, it's kind of kind of just the lineup they went through uh went with at the end there. Um that brought him brought him back. Um I I mean this is their game seven, game three, obviously. Sure. They have to win that game. Um and so like they're gonna have the extra day, they're gonna probably be like, all right, you six guys are gonna probably play like 40 plus minutes, and you know, let's see what happens. And so, I mean, we talked about how like maybe they could have won both games, but I mean we we saw like the the Lakers, I you know, Lakers get swept by Denver, and we felt like they could have won all four games, right? So sometimes that happens, yeah. And here you are all of a sudden down 0-3. So yeah, that could be a wrinkle, or at least get him in a lot quicker. And um, he obviously played more minutes in game two than one, but now you're maybe thinking like he might be kind of needed about for you know, maybe about the 40-minute uh mark or so.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so it's always hard to rely on rookie, but he's no worried error. Like he's obviously proven this whole playoffs that he is a stud, he's been playing super well. Um, I think you gotta write it. I mean, you are young, there's no doubt about it. You don't have a veteran that you can go to. You're not going to Harrison Barnes, right? You're not going to anybody else on that bench. Um, and so I think that, and then maybe, you know, Kelden Johnson hasn't been playing as much, but maybe inserting some Carter Bryant minutes, get him like some young athletic body to kind of get more movement in the game. And you know, maybe he sparks a dunk or maybe he sparks some defense and just what that looks like. I know he played three minutes tonight, but that's nothing. Um, but maybe seeing a little bit more out of him versus having Harrison Barnes in there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, Barnes, I mean, I'm sorry, I was just kind of like look at Barnes for like five minutes, right? And yeah, um, I mean, that I you know, I get it. They gotta they gotta buy some some minutes from some of these guys, but I think at the end of the day, it's just it it's just it's it's like I said, it's a tall task, but you just kind of gotta go with what got you there. And I that's what I'm kind of wondering is are they gonna settle with hey, we're gonna go with what got us here and and hope that kind of gets us over the hump? Or because this is go time, like you can't make this make adjustments when you're down 03. I mean, that's a wrap at that point. So you either make them game three or you just don't do anything at all in terms of that. Um, and so that that'll that'll be something that's probably you know discussed and and kind of thought through. Um, but yeah, it's all I gotta say, it's gonna be gonna be rocking over there, so you gotta have to do something.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. Um, so it should be interesting what they do in game three. Obviously, they get some time. So Monday is game three.
Castle Foot Scare And Fox Ankle
SPEAKER_00Now, there were a couple things that happened in that fourth quarter. Um, I'll call I want to discuss. I don't know necessarily there are any big injuries, but we did see Stephen Castle go down. Um, with kind of, I would say, based on the way he came down with his left foot, it's likely like a foot injury or slight ankle sprain. Uh, but you saw him on the bench pretty much the rest of the game until the last 30 seconds or so when he kind of came in. And so that could have been the reason why he wasn't really paying attention and he hasn't been playing, um, and obviously didn't look for the pass or anything like that. But you saw him flexing his foot the whole time when he was on the bench, he was using a band to kind of keep it warm. So that's something to kind of look um into in the next couple days. And if we hear any news, uh hear any issues with that. It didn't look too significant when I broke down the replay and kind of looked at it um where his foot kind of went. Um, but it seemed to be bothered, and he wasn't himself and he wasn't able to play um really like himself the rest of the game.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, look, this has been such a good first two games. Uh yeah, uh definitely more for the Knicks than the Spurs, obviously, and their fans. Um, but you know, last thing we let's let's just get a nice healthy series and made the best team win.
SPEAKER_02Sure.
SPEAKER_01Um and obviously, yeah, like uh it's go time. I think unless it's like super significant, you know, they're probably gonna be out there. But uh, I mean, if they're ailing, it's gonna be tough. And so yeah, he at least it was a good sign that he did come back in the uh like for the stretch run there and obviously was part of that run. Um, him and Wimby um aided each other on that obviously bad turnover. Um, but yeah, obviously the the Spurs are gonna they have a tough hill to climb anyway. So if they're not healthy, I mean you could obviously forget about it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um, so we'll look in the next day or two. I'm sure they they probably won't say much, but we'll see if there's any questionable tag or any um, you know, uh any injury destination going into game three. And then there was a point where DeM Fox, like you could tell he made a move and that ankle felt he felt that ankle, right? So that's a problem with high ankle sprains, they're just easily aggravated or felt because of where the pain location is in the shin. Um and so he seemed to limp, kind of get around, but he was able to kind of move to finish off the game. So I'm I'm hoping that was just more of a you know, turned the wrong way, kind of stomped on it wrong, and he felt the pain. And that's something that he's been dealing with this for since the Minnesota series, obviously, right? So he's had a tough time, he hasn't looked himself. He looked better tonight. That's why I'm kind of like it sucks to see him do that because he actually finally looked like he had a little bit more freedom, he had a little bit more movement, but then he did that, and like your hope is that does not set him back to looking like how De'Aaron Fox has looked recently.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, I I take it the characteristics of like kind of a injury that you really probably need to just rest uh to get over, yeah, is that some games you're probably gonna have it, maybe other games you're not, you know, just depending on like if it's if you tweak it, especially that's I kind of forgot. I didn't realize I did realize it, but that it was a high ankle injury uh sprain, which you know we know that's you know a little bit more difficult in some cases. So I'm sure they probably are like, man, we got hopefully another four or five more games, and then that'll be the season, regardless of what happens. So I'm sure they're just gonna wrap it up or whatever. But um, yeah, I mean, again, same same thing. Hopefully, he's like uh the extra day gives him just enough time. I know it's a travel day, but as well, but um hopefully just gives him enough rest to see kind of the best of of everyone that's out there, and so um if that's what we have, uh I think we'll we'll at least have another you know entertaining game or two coming up here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and you know, normally a high angle sprain, if this is a regular season, he's likely out three to six weeks.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so there you have it.
SPEAKER_00He he played on it two games in Minnesota against Minnesota, and then he obviously missed two games against OKC and then continued back on it. So he literally took like a week off, maybe a little bit over a week. Um, and that's something that you're gonna take at least three to six weeks. Um so you gotta give him credit for for getting it out, you know, to the detriment. But it it's something that you know, these players during playoffs, during the finals run, they're not gonna not want to play. If it was Kobe out there, he'd be doing the same damn thing, right? These are players that want to play and try to win their first championship, really.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
East Vs West Grind And Knicks Destiny
SPEAKER_01And I just wonder, like, man, like the we know the West is so daunting in the East, it has obviously been like always kind of, or at least as of late, um, a little bit unpredictable, and and we've had different teams making the the finals, obviously. And I just wonder, is it gonna be like this for a bit where you are so like beat up going through that gauntlet in the West, and then you play a team in the East, right? Um, I mean, look at I mean, I know the Thunder won last year.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they won seven games, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Went seven games, which really, you know, like a series that probably shouldn't have gone seven games. So just you know, kind of something that's interesting that uh that's out there, and obviously it's nothing against the east, and you still gotta go out and win games, but uh, I don't think anybody's mistaking the the Eastern Conference playoffs, you know, for the Western Conference playoffs.
SPEAKER_00So that's a good point because like we talk about how weak the East is, right? And you talk about nobody's gonna win it from the East, blah, blah, blah, blah. But then you realize that it was kind of like a cakewalk to kind of get through, and then now it's like, hey, we're in the finals, we're gonna go get it, right? It doesn't matter who we're playing, and then you got the West that are going through all this physicality and all these great teams, and they're beating each other up, right? So that is a great point, Eric. Um I I think you know sometimes that's not looked at, right? We don't talk about that as much. And yeah, Indiana pushed OKC to game seven and likely would have won that game if Halliburn was never injured in that series. Yeah, you never know what would have happened in half in game three, right? Even set him back a little bit. Um, and obviously Terranus Killys in game seven, that just kind of ruined everything. But yeah, the East is you you got some good teams out there, right? Not a bunch of great teams, but you have you know teams that can definitely win a championship, right? Yeah and the Knicks have proven that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, obviously there's Boston that just uh it was it was tough for them this year without Tatum. And then and you know, other than that, like it's it's it's pretty pretty open. And and again, I just think it's it's just the Knicks, right? 60 whatever something years, 63 years or whatever it's been. Like it was just it's kind of bound to happen, and the stars are aligning. The last time they were ahead in a in a finals was uh OJ Chase, which is crazy. Uh OJ Simpson chase in '94. The the World Cup was here at that time, and the World Cup is here.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01This year. Yeah. Um, they didn't win that one against you know Houston, but maybe this time around they they do win it.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, stars are inlighting, man. So we'll see.
SPEAKER_01Still, you know, still a long way to go. That's why they play the game. And um, if San Antonio can get one, they're probably gonna feel not great, but hey, we we get one, we got game five back at the crib, and then it comes down to like maybe that game six, right? But um Knicks are probably the opposite, where it's like, hey, um, if we could even get one, we probably feel good too. They probably want to go 3-0 though, and yeah, kind of wrap this up.
SPEAKER_00I mean, if you know, if Kenny Atkinson was coach of the San Antonio Spurs, they'd be up 2-0, baby.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, uh we haven't given any uh speak.
Mike Brown’s Impact And Closing
SPEAKER_01Well, I guess we did game one. I guess we've got to give definitely some props to to MB. Uh oh, Mike Brown.
SPEAKER_00Oh yeah. Hands down. He's doing he has completely changed that Knicks team. Um offensively. I would say like what he did with Kat and making him more of that point center, um, you know, running some through things through him has changed that team's trajectory in the playoffs. Like, probably one of the top coaching jobs I've seen in a long time. Just from like a just a just if you're looking at one playoff run, right? Like what he has done and and got them to play this defense is amazing, and it's it's gotta he's gonna get some credit that he well deserves. And and in a way, I would love to see him win. Yeah, right. Just to get that, be like, yes, Mike Brown. Let a team to a championship, a championship level coach, right? Like he'll always be able to take that with him. He's had all these jobs, he's gotten fired from multiple jobs. Don't even know. Yeah, the lake, remember the Kobe Stare? Lakers fired him. Um, but I just love that story. And and and to do it in New York, Eric, and to do it when you really didn't add anybody. Like you literally just changed coaches, and people were like, Mike Brown?
SPEAKER_01You gotta hire Mike Brown as your coach. Yeah, we probably were there with with everyone too. For sure.
SPEAKER_00For sure. So um, mad props to him. I I I kind of want to see him do it just to see. Um, uh, just to give him the his credit that he surely deserves in this league.
SPEAKER_01Yep, if they get two more, he absolutely will never have to buy a meal or a drink. And oh my god, state of narrow. Yeah, I mean, they've been they've been asking for it. So, yeah, two more though. So we'll see.
SPEAKER_00All right, so we will be back on Monday. Eric, you got anything else before we get out of here?
SPEAKER_01Nah, that's it. Let's let's get to the weekend.
SPEAKER_00All right, let's do it. All right, so game three, Monday. We'll have a live show right after that. But until then, the hoops rehab team is out. Peace out, guys.
SPEAKER_01Peace out, everyone.
