Episode 18 Season 1 NBA Finals

Back talking finals predictions as things progress. It's been a back and forth series and it's only going to heat up. Come get your fresh hot takes here at ZBD. PIPIN HOT.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:03

Are you guys ready to rip?

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Alrighty, back for another episode ZBD Sports. Oh boy. We gotta get that light out. Yes, sir. Uh episode 18. Yeah, so we're gonna run run down this end of the season. Come probably like maybe a week, like a like just see when this finals end up panning out. But yeah, end up this season probably with about 20 episodes and then go into a season two more into the summer, focusing on MLB, NFL free agency, getting into some more stuff. 92 fucking days, baby. Yes, sir. Football season. Countdown. Yeah, no, for sure. But wrapping, I mean, yeah, it's it's a good time in the NBA though. We're um we're wrapping it up. Wait, wait, wait. Gotta give a special shout out to my boy B. Birthday this past weekend. Yes, sir. Happy birthday to the men behind the cam. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_02 1:23

And also, a little side note, news, one of the greatest Bronco quarterbacks ever, recognizing the cop. Fuck Russell Will I told him that word. He didn't even see it. He didn't even record it. He was like, Wait, who, bro? I was like Russell Will.

SPEAKER_00 1:46

He was like popular fucking dude. I honestly couldn't have even I didn't even realize that he retired. I'm not gonna lie. He's about to be an analyst. Oh, is he? Oh crap. When did that even last week? Yeah, that honestly kind of tells you how much I've been fucked. Some of that. Yeah, I've definitely been locked into NBA playoffs, fucking the start of this World Cup coming up. I mean, I've even been watching, I've even been watching a little bit of baseball recently. Um, just kind of getting into the middle of the season when there's not really as much on to watch. Sorry, bro. Um, yeah, I mean that that baseball is fun. I I like it. Um yeah, but uh recap these last few games of the finals, because I think the last time we talked was um, yeah, they hadn't played game one yet, so we got a got a few games to talk about.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Yes, sir. Not hitting. Okay. I poked a there's a little hole up top. I can't remember where it's at one of the stems poked it.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

But no, what you gotta you wanna start us off with a little, I mean, we can go, yeah, I mean, we can just kind of go like just game by game. Um so I mean you were I feel like last episode you were kind of expecting the Knicks to get off to a hot start in San Antonio, which ended up happening. Um which I I mean I I thought the I thought the Spurs were for sure gonna at least split one game to San Antonio. I didn't think they were gonna go down to nothing. Um But the Knicks, I mean, yeah, I mean, just kind of like just kind of what the Knicks had been doing, um, just been doing this whole run. They've I mean that their their offense was I mean I mean their offense was clicking for the mo like but like for a decent amount, but I feel like they were kind of um they were giving Brunson different match like they were giving him a little bit different looks in the first two games kind of than they were in this last game. Um, and that was kind of changing how the Knicks were playing offense a little bit, but we'll we'll stick on stick on game one though. Um I don't even think I I don't even think I was able to watch the I think I was able to just watch the last two games. Yeah. But um game one though, I mean the Knicks or the Spurs were up for majority of the game. Um but w like did like like were you were you watching that game at all? Or w what do you gotta say about it? Kind of I was because I mean earlier you were saying earlier you were saying that the Spurs could have won all three of these games. Like the but you said the Spurs had played better in every game offensively, but it's kind of they they played kind of the Spurs mistakes held holding them back a little bit, them being them being as young as they are, yeah. And experienced. Because they had they've been in all of these games. And they only lost that, they only lost game two by one point, and they had that last shot, and it was a good shot too. It it went it goes down 50-60% of the time from their best player. Like I think and then and then it's 2-1 going back to San Antonio.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Um staying in New York. 2-1 staying in New York. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. My bad, my bad. I know what you meant though, but uh Yeah, the first game um was uh kind of really what I expected, uh, as far as New York starting off slow. I kind of figured, you know what I'm saying, a little layoff. Um it's gonna take a couple quarters for them to get their legs underneath them. Um and everybody shot bad that game. Everybody is really shot in bad. Uh minus Kyle Anthony Towns and Ananobi on that New York side. But for the most part, everybody else, Shaman's been okay, but uh Miles Bridges has been up and down, or sorry, Mikhail Bridges has been up and down. Brunson has been not shooting the ball good. Um uh like I said, Ananobi has and talents.

SPEAKER_00 6:14

I feel like Josh Hart had like I feel like it was in game two, I think, when he had um when he had his when he had his really good game. Yeah, game one he only he only had two three points. Yeah, he didn't play that four. But he was yeah, but I mean dude, he was he had 15 rebounds, six to six, four steal. Like he was he was just he was just doing everything else. Must have been two. It must have been two. No, it was two. It was two. I was gonna say it must have been two because it wasn't it wasn't watching that was Friday.

SPEAKER_02 6:41

It wasn't last night. You know, he he didn't play he was in foul trouble and shaman had it going. Um and so they just kept him off. But game one, you know, ultimately I think what won the game was just uh you know, missing and and and and mistakes San Antonio Park and letting I mean New York getting back, and it's hard to close New York out.

SPEAKER_00 7:12

I mean, yeah, the only the only player who shot efficiently for the Spurs that that game one was Dylan Harbor. I mean Champagne, yeah, but he shot five for ten, right from three. Five, five for he shot five for ten from three, but five for eleven from China, yeah. Then Wemby six for twenty-one, castle seven for sixteen, one for five from three, and then Fox six for thirteen. So it's like your three best players, you like your your three, your three, your three highest. I mean, no, no, no. Six for thirteen ain't bad. It's like 47. No, no, he was or no, he was three for thirteen. Oh, sorry, okay. And then no, so Castle was the one that played alright at seven for sixteen, but it's not, I mean, just from your three, three leading scores so far this series, just not having efficient first games. Um, Brunson's still putting up, putting up that well, cause because he also took over in that fourth quarter, too. He put up like 15 points in the fourth, and um just just kind of went kind of when he's got it going like that late. Um he can he can he can he can close out a ballgame for you by himself, and that's what he did in game one. They ended up winning by 10. So um I mean San Antonio played a good three quarters that game. I mean, I mean like I mean, I wouldn't even wouldn't wouldn't even say they played good offensively. Their their defense was doing good enough to keep him in it. I mean, I mean what is Wemby Wemby played 38 minutes, so it's like he's he's definitely been having a like I mean his workload has been has been a lot this playoffs for sure. I feel like that's kind of been something that's also gone below the radar a little bit. Um just like I mean, like of course you expect all these players to play 35 between 35 and 40 minutes in the playoffs, but all these kids, like all these guys are like Dylan Harper, 19, Castle 21, Wemby 22, 21. Like um Vassel and Champagne being under like I want to say both of them are 26 or 25 or under. Fox, like 25, 26, or is he a little bit older? Okay, but I mean I mean just this whole team being like 20, like 20, like I mean, their their top three players, 22, 21, and 19. So it's like, and they're they're all playing heavy minutes. So I don't know. Um I mean I wouldn't even I wouldn't I wouldn't even say it's well I mean Harper. Well I was gonna say the the one of their best players. Their third best player this series has been off the bench, and and he's a 19-year-old rookie.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

That's one player though. One player ain't gonna cut it. One player is not gonna get you 30 points a game bench production. So that's why I think they're leaning so much on their starters. No, I'm not sure. I was gonna say, yeah, the York's bench hasn't been that great either. I mean, but neither team has been that great at all. I mean, they kind of have to rely on the both. Yeah, they are they both have good defense. This is what you expect to see in a finals like this, every game coming down to you know one, two possessions. So none of this, this, you know, none of this outcome honestly surprised me. You know, even though I was saying New Yorkers on win yesterday, um, I wasn't surprised that San Antonio won. Because they coming out with a different mindset than New York is. New York can afford to lose a game. San Antonio could not. So San Antonio had you. Like, if they would have came on and got blown out, then like, okay, these niggas ain't got no guts. They ain't got no balls. You know what I'm saying? Like, you get go out and get blown. I mean, you didn't gave up on the series. San Antonio did not. They came out uh like they've done every game in the series. Every game in pretty much the whole playoffs. Yeah, that's what else.

SPEAKER_00 11:10

I saw a stat earlier that they jump out the leads. But they were also the only team to win all three of the first games on the road in their series. So, I mean, what if they win, I think, game one in OKC, so and then game three in New York. They probably won their first game on the road against Minnesota. Rumors. Wait, you said they're the what? So the like just in in all the series in the playoffs, they won the first game on the road. Oh, yeah. So that so they won the or they they put it in there. Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, I'm talking about the Spurs.

SPEAKER_02 11:47

Well not not, but I was thinking of New York too, but only the only one he did was in Atlanta. Atlanta won game three. I remember now, because they're up 2-1 on New York. So yeah. Um, yeah. San Antonio, I mean San Antonio.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

So like so, I mean, like just the first time that San Antonio's had to play at uh just at the opponent's place, they've they've won every time.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

So and as good as they are San New York is just as good on the road as well. New York has won. I wanna say fucking seven or eight road games in a row. I mean, they won all of the road, two get two road games in Philadel against Philadelphia, two road games against Cleveland, and then a road game, one or yeah, no, two road games against Atlanta. So that's six. So they won six in a row on the road.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

So you got two teams that are pretty much evenly matched as far as like but then you get the team that came out of the west and beat the team that had been the best team in the league for like I mean, not not the last two years. Well, I mean, honestly, I mean it was it was yeah, it was it was this year, and they won't yeah, that's but they still beat them, but yes, but we but we knew San Antonio. They went on the road and did it two out of three times on the road, though. Like it is is what I was gonna say. I just I don't know if they didn't know New York.

SPEAKER_02 13:14

I don't know. New York's got all the it's they got all their horses. Like I said, San Antonio did what they were supposed to do. That's why I'm not to the slightest fucking worried or you know, I do understand that this is a is a big game for both teams. Um I want to say whoever wins game four is gonna win it all. I think if New York wins game four, they will win it all going up 3-1. But if San Antonio wins game four, it's tough because the fact that, you know, New York ain't gonna go out. They've won two games at San Antonio. It'll be it, it's just gonna, I don't know. It's it's it's because if you look at it, it can be one of those things where neither home team wins a game. I mean, you could go and San Antonio might fuck around and beat New York, right? 2-2. Then it goes back to San Antonio, New York wins. Then it goes back to New York, San Antonio wins. Then game seven at that point, the way the series is, it's really up to anybody. Because neither team has won, or will San Antonio break through? You know, this is all hypothetically speaking, but will San Antonio break through and win that game seven on home, or will the streak continue with the road? I mean, right now, it looked like the road team has the advantage in the playoffs right now, or not, but in the finals. Yeah. Neither team is won their home court. So, you know, that that's you always got to keep that in mind.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

And just especially like just how good the Spurs have looked on the road all playoffs and how good the Knicks have looked on the road all playoffs as well.

SPEAKER_02 14:50

And it was inevitable that these teams, you know, they're the best two teams.

SPEAKER_00 14:55

Kind of matched, yeah, kind of matched up each other.

SPEAKER_02 14:57

You know, I mean, I would love to see, I hate injuries, man. I'd have loved to see, you know, everybody healthy. You know, Tyree last year, Tyree Tyler Burden game seven. Who knows what it could have what could have happened? He was getting off early too. I still think OKC would have probably pulled it off. But we don't know. As clutch as they was last year, we don't fucking know. They could have had a stinger. Yeah, this year, J Dub would have loved to see a healthy, because I hate the excuses. I hate the I would have loved to see a healthy OKC versus a healthy San Antonio. And it went to seven without J Dub. So that's like, you know what I mean? Like, so that I would have loved this, because I know for a fact, you know, I just like if we go back, I just know that J Dub would have played somewhat decent at game seven if he was healthy. Even if Shea dropped in 30, I know Jay Doug would have given at least 20-25. Because I've seen him do it. Right? He's that caliber, if he's that good of a player. You know, if he ever leaves OKC, he's gonna get top dollar. If he can, if he can get, unless he has like injury issues, but if he can get right back.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

I mean, yeah, I mean, have any injuries before this?

SPEAKER_02 16:03

No, yeah, but a hamstring is always tough because it's it's it always kind of nags with a hamstring. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like it you can be good for a year or two.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

It lingers a little bit. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

I feel like when you got a hamstring like that, it's never, never a hundred percent because you know, yeah, it's offseason now, but training begins for NBA in two months, a month or two. You know what I'm saying? Like they back in in preseason and fucking still doing off-season stuff. Late September is when preseason starts. Mid late September. So you're getting July and August off. You know what I'm saying? That's not really a lot of time to heal your body. I mean, okay, C's been out for almost close to a month now, but not a month, but a couple weeks now, you know what I'm saying? But, you know, and we don't really know the severity of that fucking hair. If he couldn't play in a game seven, that tells you right there that it ain't good. I mean, you know what I'm saying? If you can't play in a game seven of the conference finals, then you can it's it's it's something going on there. He may need surgery, I don't know. It may be a tear. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 17:07

I'm just saying, like, you know, that's kind of it's different in a regular season or even game one, but it was it was risky too, bro, because he played, did he play two games in that in that Tony Old? I mean, no, he I mean he played.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

He played one, four, one, and then like eight, ten minutes. Yeah, that's that's but that's hamstring, so but that's what I'm saying. Like it's tough, bro.

SPEAKER_00 17:27

You know, I've I've I've I mean like I mean, dude fucking personally, I've had my I mean I I haven't had my hamstring done like like like to like a full extent. But I've like I mean I've like I've I've strained it and it's just it's it's it's that it's definitely not an end like it's definitely something that you just have to like you can't you can't do any like you really can't really you really can't run like you really can't run or do much like like run or like major cutting for like at least like like four to six weeks and then depending on how it is after that and like you just go from there. But no, it like it's definitely just something that like it's definitely just kind of one of those tender injuries that can that can fucking reoccur. Non-contact picking pick the contact.

SPEAKER_02 18:10

Non-contact ones are the worst one, those are the ones you worry about or linger, you know what I mean? The ones that linger the most is a non-contact injury, you know, with a contact when you get hit, it's like, okay, well, his body got meant this way, and that you know, but when it's a non-contact, you just run it on the court and your shit just buckled or give out on you. That's not that's a problem. But you know, I that's what I like to see. But anyways, you know, we couldn't see it. Um, and it is what it is. But you know, the best two teams, you know, in this playoffs overall consistently um made it to the finals, and you know, game two, you know, thinking about because I watched actually got a chance to watch all of game two. Um, and the thing I noticed really was, you know I mean, uh Kyle Anthony Towns. Um he played really good for them, and then you know, played good defense on Wimby, but you know, those those great players, you can play good defense while you want eventually. Uh if they're really that great, they're gonna get theirs. You know what I'm saying? You can only slow them down or stop them for a little bit. You know, eventually they're gonna drop that 30, 40 point. You know what I mean? They're gonna get off. And that's what he did in game three, but you know what I mean? They they they and and another thing that, you know, what's killing New York is these slow starts they're getting off to. Every single game, you know, you look at the end of the first quarter, San Antonio's won the first quarter every single game. Yeah, they've won them, you know what I mean. Like they've that those slow starts, after a while, they they I mean it's it's gonna catch up to you. And New York has been, you know, it's not even uh New York has not started good at all, even in the first two games they won. You know what I'm saying? That's the one thing that San Antonio has done pretty much all playoffs, is get off to a lead early. I'm looking at OKC. I've seen a lot of it in Minnesota, um, I'm seeing it in New York. I didn't really watch much of that Portland series, there's no point to. Uh but um yeah, so San Antonio is doing and I think for New York, it is absolutely essential for them to start off very, very or like hot. You know what I'm saying? I think they gotta start off hot. They gotta not even necessarily maybe not hot, but they can't let San Antonio get off to another 10, 12 point lead in the first quarter. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 20:51

Like Yeah. It might kind of well, yeah, because I mean I I just went back and looked at the went back and looked at the first quarters and in the first half of game one. I mean, it was really by like through three quarters. It was it was like like it was pretty even. And then then the Knicks just outscored him by 10 in the fourth. So that was just kind of um that was just kind of Brunson, Brunson taking taking charge in the fourth, and um, but I mean ultimately it was it was pretty even before then. Uh the Nick the Knicks had made a little bit of leeway in the um in the third quarter before that. But but then in game um game two though, um the Spurs, Spurs like so they started out hot, but then the Knicks had the second and the third quarter. Were they and then the Spurs beat the Knicks by eight in the eight eight in the fourth quarter, but um yeah, just ultimately lost the game by one point.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

That was a good game, man. I mean, New York went from, you know, being up by seventeen to four. 16 or 17 or 5, something like that. I think Shaman hit a three or something. Either Shaman or maybe Bridges, because Bridges couldn't miss. Like that game, I think he's like, you know, 1.5 for 5 or 5 for 6 from 3 or some shit like that. Or from if like Bridges couldn't, like he could not miss that game. He played good. And Noby played good. Towns played good. The only one who didn't play good when I started lineup in was Hart and Brunson.

unknown 22:31

Yeah. Brunson didn't play, he shot bad again.

SPEAKER_00 22:33

Yeah. 7 for 25. Yeah. 28%. Yeah. Cat, I mean, Cap being eight for twelve. Yeah, Bridges eight for thirteen, four for six, sham was three for seven, too. I bet those some timely shots. Ananobi was five for ten, two for five and three. So he wasn't he wasn't bad. I mean, he was 50% and 40%. That's not bad. But um, yeah, no, I mean that was those like the rest of those starters and Shaman getting off for San Antonio or for New York is ultimately the reason that they ultimately the reason they ultimately the reason they won that because I think the only um I mean pretty much every game went like Wemby's gone for 25 plus or 20, I think 25 was the lowest he went for, but then game two, twenty-nine. I think yesterday, third, like did he get like 32? Or I can't. Well, game two, he shot 8.

SPEAKER_02 23:36

I watched like he shot bad again the first. He didn't shoot the ball good. If you look at what he's doing, he was line a fair share, too.

SPEAKER_00 23:43

I mean, he's still he's 11 for 21. He shot 52%. 52? Yeah. Two for six from three, five for eight from the free throw line. Four blocks. So, I mean, dude, he was. Well, he has a four minutes. That's my bad.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

Going entering the fourth quarter, he wasn't shooting good, but he did play good in that stretch.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

He played good in that fourth quarter.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

And that wasn't a good play call, but it was a good shot. If that makes sense. I think that play call, that pick and roll, pick and pop that they gave for that last second of game, too, or when he missed it. It was a good shot. Dude, that bro, I think. The play call to me just wasn't.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

When he went up for that shot, man, I was I was I I thought that he was kind of naked. I mean, that's it's a good shot, it's big rage. Yeah, I I mean uh like if I think if that was the Spurs again and they had to do it, I I would go back to that same shot. Yeah, to be honest. I'll run a little bit more motion.

SPEAKER_02 24:34

Yeah, just just trying to try and get him a little bit more open. Yeah, because Fox held onto the ball a little bit too long. It took too long to set the play up. Um and yeah, they yeah, they and it looked like it was good for a second. It was and it was good defense, you know, on Mitchell Robinson's part. Because he can only do so much because you know you you you don't know if you're gonna pull up or try to make a move in the paint, especially somebody that big. So you kinda give your you gotta give yourself that cushion a little bit. So and that was enough cushion for I thought Wendy could have hit it. I mean, but he didn't, so you know, that that changed it as well, and and it's just kind of similar to, you know, game one, where you know, uh San Antonio had that lead all the way up until the fourth.

unknown 25:23

Right, it was a little bit bigger of a lead, but they had the lead up until the fourth, and New York came back on them, they couldn't hold the lead. And then game two, New York almost booed.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

And then game three, San Antonio, you know, fed off of that and came in and you know, played like how they were supposed to play. You know, they play how I expected San Antonio to play, how they played. All playoffs. Um in my heart, I never really thought it was gonna be a sweep. But you know, I'd like this, it would be crazy if like they did sweep them. But um, I still think New York is still gonna win.

unknown 26:04

But um They got this this next game tomorrow is gonna be uh a big game, hopefully another game. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 26:13

That's one thing I'm happy about, honestly, is all three games have been good.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Yeah, it's been pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

I mean, Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals, there's a lot of blowouts. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:23

You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 26:28

That was good, and then one I was gonna say, dude, I think one game in that New York was good.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

I was gonna say I think when I think when we were going over it, I think San Antonio and OKC had a seven-point game and a nine-point game, and then all the other ones were above ten, and then it was all the ones in the Eastern Cup, which were above ten. So so every there was only finally got true. So there was only two games in both of the series that were single digits, and they were both above five. So out of fucking eleven games. Two out of eleven. Yeah, the finals games have been, I mean, ten points, one point, four points. So yeah. I mean, but then yeah, I mean, that that that first game didn't feel like a ten-point game, though. That was that was just the Spurs offense just kind of getting cold at the end, just not being able to, just not being able to click in um the Knicks, yeah, the Knicks just being able to um just kind of just kind of go on a late run. Um but yeah, I mean, unf unfortunate the way that the Spurs lost that game too, though. But um, I mean, kind of, kind of like you said, they responded the way they needed to for game three. Um set themselves up for a great game four in Madison Square Garden where um pressure is pressure is on them again because I mean I mean yeah, they they can't yeah. I mean if if they lose, then yeah, they go back to back home, but they don't they don't want to they don't want to lose that third game. They they definitely want to tie it and um be the be the New York villain for sure. Um I mean I think it'd be it'd be crazy if they I mean I don't I don't know it'd be crazy if they tied it up 2-2 just because I feel like this is kind of just that that kind of would be classic New York.

SPEAKER_02 28:29

Man, yeah, can you imagine?

SPEAKER_00 28:33

It's like all replaying they state again. Just just all all all the hype. They had such a good run. So much momentum. Bronson, Bronson, Bronson, everybody was playing so good, and then all of a sudden they lose and then and then they go they go up, they go up 2-0 on the road in the finals. They're there's gonna they're gonna sweep them, and they lose the next four.

unknown 28:57

That would be great, bro.

SPEAKER_00 28:59

That would honestly be I mean I I I I don't I don't think I mean I don't think it'll happen, but just the way that New York fans are, how how cocky they are, and how I mean hungry, yeah, for sure. Yeah, it's yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 29:17

It is it's essential for San Antonio. I almost want to say uh you know, I think if New York can start off hot, I don't think San Antonio will be able to I think they'll keep the guy the the pedal or uh put on the pedal.

unknown 29:41

I think behind that crowd if they start off, you know, 10, 12, 13 point lead in the first quarter.

SPEAKER_02 29:48

Um I'm not saying it's gonna be a blow-all, but I think New York, yeah, I think they'll kinda I mean but San Antonio has shown that they cannot hold a lead. Uh because every game they started off better than New York, and New York has won two out of three and could have won um the game yesterday.

SPEAKER_00 30:08

So yeah. Yes, I mean all three of these games so far. Um Spurs have jumped out to almost a 10-point lead, I think, in every game. And Knicks have Knicks have been able to fight back in the second quarter, and it's always been pretty even where the Knicks have been up at halftime. Um I think I think the Spurs have might have only been up in like maybe one one of the games at halftime. So I think Spanish been able to fight back, but then kind of what you were saying earlier, it just comes down to ultimately the half-how was up at halftime a game, too. Um I'm pretty sure San Antonio 34-25, and then the Spurs only scored 18 to 31. So they got outscored by 13, and then they only won by eight. So yeah, the Nick and the Knicks were up by halftime in game two. And then they were up by halftime in game three yesterday, so um, I mean, I think it was really just at game one where the Knicks have been up, or the Spurs have been up like all three quarters. Yeah. And then Knicks had that fourth. But yeah, the other two games it's been a little bit more back and forth. But maybe the Knicks, I mean, the Knicks are probably gonna be coming coming out shooting this game four. Um just knowing that they didn't play like especially a great first quarter um in game three. Any of the games. Well, no, I mean, like just especially in especially in game three, opening up at Madison Square Garden, losing that first quarter by um 11, only scoring 22. They weren't didn't get off to a high start. Kind of makes it um kind of makes it hard for the crowd to get behind them the same as they would. Um so I don't know. Um that could I mean that can also give San Antonio a little bit of confidence as well going into that game forward, kind of just knowing knowing that the first first quarter, the first quarter is theirs. So they just gotta kinda gotta capitalize on that and um just kind of just kind of silence the crowd. And because I mean if they can do that, if they can keep that crowd quiet and not give the Knicks a ton of momentum, then it can be a it can be a different ball game for sure.

SPEAKER_02 32:44

But I mean Brunson's gotta have um a Brunson game, and they gotta uh keep it.

SPEAKER_00 32:55

He's gotta have an efficient game, dude. Bronson's gotta he's gotta be efficient. He's gotta be efficient next game.

SPEAKER_02 33:00

Yeah, not necessarily next game. I mean, next game, as long as he has it.

SPEAKER_00 33:05

He's got to, bro. It's it's it's a home game.

SPEAKER_02 33:09

This elimination, I'd say that. Yeah, for sure. But he has time to make up for it because he can have seven games, his game have five bad shooting games, and the last two games he shoots phenomenal. And guess what? People are gonna remember. And then if they win, they're gonna remember them last two games of him dropping whatever it is. You know what I'm saying? Like, so I think at some point in series, he has to put his imprint on it. Yes, I agree. I don't think it necessarily has to be it's gotta be a big thing. For New York, it would be good, it would be big if they do. This is a decisive game, like you were saying earlier. Not yet.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

It's not yet. It's game four, bro. It's a big game. They took the first two games in San Antonio. And they can do it. If San Antonio comes back and takes the first two or the next two in New York, though. And like I said, being in San Antonio, being in San Antonio isn't, or being having home advantage in San Antonio, I feel like, is is not the same as having home advantage in New In New York, bro. New York's gotta be able to fucking carry that on their shoulders.

SPEAKER_02 34:17

If so, let's say New York loses tomorrow. Seriously, 2-2. Guess now what her pressure shifts to. Guess now who has the most pressure on them? San Antonio. Right? Because now you came and you beat, you came and you you down to the nickname. You got the momentum now. You beat New York twice. You went through that hostile, crazy ass fucking crowd in New York and you beat them both times. Now it's even even now you gotta all you gotta do is just win your home games. You don't even gotta fucking, you know what I'm saying? You gotta go back to the code. Don't lose no more at home. That's all you got. That's in your mindset. Of course, you want to end this bitch as quick as we can, but ultimately, let's not lose it. Let's protect this fucking home court.

SPEAKER_00 35:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:05

You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 35:06

Like, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

That would be demoralizing, you know what I'm saying? Like, if they go and they do all that and New York fucks around and beats them again in San Antonio. Then we're looking at them, we're like, okay, do we really expect New York to lose again in New York, knowing that this is a chance for them to win a championship? This right here. Now, neither other games that we've been in New York wasn't a chance for us to win a championship because we lost game three. If we'd have won game three, then we'd be a different story talking about four. But now the fact that they lost game three. So that's what I'm saying. So now this is the first time in X amount of years that you have a chance to win the championship on your home court in India right here. Right the last time the Knicks? Yes, that's what I'm saying. Like, I mean, San Antonio won a championship.

SPEAKER_00 35:57

Fucking like are you 12 years ago? Are you just saying if the Knicks can win tomorrow night and then game six in New York? Right, that's what I'm saying. No, no, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

So no, what I was saying in the beginning was like the fucking pressure being shifted to San Antonio because of that, because of New York having that opportunity for the first time in how many years to end it, regardless, whatever, but on the court. Just to end it for nothing. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Like, it's one thing that ended on somebody else's court, but it's another to end this drought and fucking end it on your home court. So that's what I'm saying. Like, it seems to be every whatever team wins, the pressure mounts more on them every time they win. Now, if obviously if if New York goes on and wins tomorrow, then the pressure lies back on San Antonio. You know what I'm saying? Because now you're down 3-1. But, you know, if San Antonio goes down and wins, you know, 3-2, I still think um, and then it shifts obviously to New York. You know what I mean? And still, honestly, I and at that point I feel like it's kind of really even still more San Antonio because like, you know, game sevens can can go either way. You know what I'm saying? Like, it sometimes at that point, home court advantage don't even fucking matter. You know what I'm saying? Games, we've seen so many game sevens where a road team won. We've seen it, or elimination games. We've seen it so many of these playoffs. You know what I'm saying? So, like, at that point, it don't that home court shit, they don't give them them players don't give a fuck. It's about who performs the best. You know what I'm saying? Like the OKC in San Antonio, you know what I'm saying? Uh Cleveland, you know, it wasn't game seven, but it was an elimination game for Cleveland. They didn't show up. New York got them. They took care of business on A court. Cleveland and Detroit. You're right, yeah. Cleveland went in in Detroit.

SPEAKER_00 37:59

And uh especially after game six. Game six, fucking Detroit played one of our best games that we played that series against Cleveland and against Cleveland's. And that gave me a lot, that gave me hope going into game seven, and then we played our worst game in game seven on our home court. So it was like, yeah. If you're not if you're not ready for that moment, but the fact that San Antonio did play that game seven on the road against against the rain, like against the Rainy champs. Like they like, I mean, so if they if it comes down to a game seven in a week, they played that game seven in the Western Conference finals two weeks two and a half weeks ago. So and they and they and they won and they won it pretty handily, like I'll like I'll like I'll like it was like I mean it it was like it wasn't it wasn't it? It wasn't like it wasn't like it wasn't yeah, no, it wasn't like comfortably, but like like just by the end of the game, it was like that they they won they won by like it went by like seven or eight, I feel like. No, not usually seven points. But no, I will give it no I I will give it give OKC that J Dub wasn't J Dub wasn't healthy. Didn't have didn't have full roster, but um, yeah. Just still having still having that experience, but I think it um this game four though, um um I mean I mean dude, I think it's gonna be just another big just another big game between who plays who plays great between the fucking time to sponsor us. Like I'll eat all of them up. But no, like Mark Long, would you please? But no, like just really who play who plays great from the starters. Because I mean the like the benches in these series have um, I mean, I feel like they've they've each had like one or two players that can kind of have shifted momentum. Um with Dylan Harper and um Dylan Harper and Shaman are like the main two, and like San Antonio bringing like Cornet and New York will bring like Mitch Robinson are like like like the two, I feel like most impactful players off the bench for both teams. McBride too. Yeah, McBride and then like Alvarado sometimes comes in a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 40:27

Now that they're at home, I they played a little bit of Clarkson too. Yeah, and I think that's because they're at home. He didn't play really much of the first two games, but I did see him in a good bit in the last game because I think they're at home.

SPEAKER_00 40:43

You know, the role usually the home team like the role players play better. But I feel like I feel like some people we also haven't really mentioned is um uh Vassel and Champagne are some people that I think going back to San Antonio that we could expect to have like a a few pretty good games. Well, I mean they're gonna be like I mean like I mean all play like I mean it was it was definitely I mean that whole OKC series they were they were showing up though for sure.

SPEAKER_02 41:14

They gotta keep I mean honestly they gotta keep doing that. Um They gotta you know just need good defenders. That's really what it is. You know, shooting is gonna come and go. You know, you might have it off shooting night, but you know, that's the difference with San Antonio and really well in New York too, is you know, they just got defenders and Champagne USL, they play good defense, they can guard them near anybody.

unknown 41:42

I've seen them, I mean they they make it tough because they're long.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

They can guard like a two through four. Yeah, like like a like an under yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, Champagne's like six eight. Yeah, six seven, six eight. The sound's like six five. Yeah, okay, yeah. No, for sure. But I mean, like, I feel like just offensively though, like you just kind of taking that. Um if they can if they can kind of yeah. No, you might just come to me. Might be coming my way. I just I got the rotat, I got the rotation mixed up. I'm not sure he can. But um, no, so I mean, I was I feel like I mean, like, I mean, just even next game, um, I feel like it'll be kind of pivotal for some of those. I mean, well, because yeah, I mean, Visselle and Champigne, they're other starters, so I feel like it'll be kind of pivotal for them to stay hot a little bit on offense and just be be able to be productive, take a little bit of the pressure off Wemby and Castle. Um bro, also one of the other things that I fucking realized when I wrote down these um these stats is that Castle's turnovers haven't been as bad against um against the Knicks. Um I f I feel like I feel like that's I mean, I was gonna say it's kind of expected playing against the Knicks just because um the Thunder kinda had Thunder kinda had a little bit better matchups for him. Um just having like Caruso, Case and Wallace, Shea just kind of all hounded him a little bit. But um just I mean just him him being better with the ball I feel like has been has been good for them. I mean he's only only getting four assists, but I feel like I feel like he's just been he's just been complimentary for Wemby well. And I mean Fox Fox is playing a little bit better this series as well. Well, I mean not in not in the first two games actually. First two games he didn't play amazing. Two games game two he played good.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Yeah, like 19, almost 20.

unknown 43:55

He played good.

SPEAKER_02 43:57

But I don't think he's gonna be healthy at all. I'm mixing it up because I think it goes B to U. B to me. I'll just hit it and then give it to you, give it to B.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:11

But uh, you know, that high angle spring, I don't think he's gonna get a chance to really fully recover. So we're not gonna see the best fox ever, I don't think, in this finals, just because he's not gonna have time for it to heal. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like so.

SPEAKER_00 44:26

That's kind of that's kind of why Harper's had to play like like 25 to like just that way just those heavy points. Those heavier minutes, yeah. Yeah, he is. That's another reason why he plays he's been he's been efficient on offense, and he's and he's kind of also another one of those kind of another one of those players who can guard one through four one through three, yeah, four, because he's he's a we guard four. If you're gonna sell like solid. And I was, I mean, dude, he he gets up there, bro. He gets rebounds, man. He's averaging eight, eight, eight in the first three games. Um I mean, yeah, there's I think I mean, I feel like there was one of the games where he was um he was tied for leading the like leading like leading his team in rebounds off the bench. I want to say he had eight one game, and that was tied for the most on the team. Um, I might be wrong, I might have to check that, bro. But I want to say, like, want to say, I want I want to say one of the games he had one of the most rebounds on the team. But um, no, he's definitely just been he's been active in all the right areas that you want to, especially especially out of a rookie. Like it's like that's definitely something that you I mean you love to see as you from your organization for sure. Yeah. I think you pick that guy. He's fucking uh yeah, no, for sure. I mean, there's there's I mean, yeah, there's there's nothing bad you can say about that guy for um Yeah, I mean they draft it well like San Antonio does. Yeah. You know, they I mean it's it's it's kind of bad. It's kinda it's kind of nice they had the number one and the number two pick, but you know what they remind me of. Was was Castle the number two number one? I feel like he was I feel like he might have been four, but I don't I feel he might have been higher than that though. I I can't I can't remember for sure, but I know Harper was two and Wemby was one. Yeah. So I mean by I mean just having three of their three of their five starters being top fives, because I I know Castle was a top five. I know he was. Yeah. Maybe top three.

SPEAKER_02 46:39

San Antonio, you know, they kind of remind me of like Patriots. You know what I'm saying? Like they Patriots had a couple down years right after losing Tom Brady. And, you know, four or five years later, these motherfuckers, or five years later, these motherfuckers in the Super Bowl, you know, and then just picked up one of you know better receivers in the league, and then San Antonio, you know what I'm saying? They had some down years, and now they done picked up fucking, you know, top five best player in the league, if not the best, whatever. AJ Realm? No, I'm talking about San Antonio.

SPEAKER_00 47:18

No.

SPEAKER_02 47:18

You know, they got Wemby, you know, top five player, and then you got Stefan Castle, second year, who's a fucking dog. Then you got Harper, who's a rookie. I mean you trade in, got Champney from Philadelphia, you drafted Vasselle. Like they Dylan Harper. Yeah, you know what I mean? Like, and they you trade and got uh Dr. Fox. You know what I mean? So like they, you know, they those are franchises that and then Castle was the number four pick, that's what I thought.

unknown 47:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 47:46

And through that time, you know, the fucking Patriots had what six Super Bowls, and the same team of the Spurs had five NBA championships. You know what I mean? So like, you know, the downside. There's a franchise that just like they're down for a little bit, but they gonna be back and they gonna come back and they, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 48:07

Like, and it would I mean it was also kind of nice for that time. I mean, they both had some of the greatest coaches in their times when they had bigger than fucking pop a bitch. Yeah. Like that's yeah, that's what you think about it. That's great. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the two of them fucking were friends with each other. Fucking or or like just at least talk at least talked at some point. And we're like just like just sharing conversation, fucking like just talk, just talking about talking about ball, something. I don't know. Yeah. I think they got a lot in common as far as how they coach. Yeah, for sure. I bet I'm success. I mean, fucking Popovich is probably a bit old, yeah. Popovich is a little bit older than him. Belichick's definitely been a little bit better shape. Isn't Pop in like a wheelchair now? Well, he's walking. Is he walking? Okay. I know, I know it's looking a little shaky for a second. Yeah, you I think you got a stroke or some shit. Yeah, yeah. So like the left side of his left side of the right side now or something wrong. Really, yeah. It's tough, bro. He's getting old. But um, yeah. No, I mean kinda, I mean, kinda shit, bro. Like, or like wrapping up like game four a little bit, like just kind of just kinda like talking about like just what just what certain people really need to contribute in these next few games to um I mean just to put the put certain teams put certain teams over the top, like I mean, with uh with with Wemby, Bronson, Towns, I mean just those major players, or do you think it's gonna come down to more more like more like um more like Bridges, De Aaron, Castle, like like like I mean, like like I mean just like in these next few games, like who do you think is gonna who do you think is gonna have to step up a little bit more? Like do you think it's gonna be like a little bit more in the paint? Like a little bit more like Wemby, Towns, Hart, kinda like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 50:17

Like I don't it depends on how they defend Kat, you know, because I think uh even though Brunson is obviously, you know, their best player, but I think the offense should run through Cat. You know, I I think just pass, like and it's tough to guard him up top.

SPEAKER_00 50:39

I was gonna say, like, like just I feel like just kind of the way they were doing it in the first two games.

unknown 50:44

Yeah, is that and and not yeah, not being so Brunson heavy, you know what I'm saying? Like let it the ball run through Cat.

SPEAKER_02 50:52

You know, obviously fourth quarter, late crunch time, that's a little bit different, you know what I'm saying, but not the whole fourth quarter. Yeah like how they did, not the whole fucking, you know, 12 minutes, whatever it is in a quarter of you just going straight through Brunson and then, you know, everybody else doing what they do, and then this next thing you know, it's four seconds left on the shot clock. So um I think it's just it's it depends on like coaching is to me gonna be number one tomorrow when I'm I'm looking at what the adjustments that New York makes. Adjustments on the matchups. Right. You know, them losing, do they, you know, do they like not adjust anything? Do they just come out and be like, you know what? We take it as, you know, they won one game, whatever. We gonna stick to our guns and play how we've been playing. Or are we gonna fucking or are we gonna uh you know switch it up? I think that's that's big. I think San San Antonio's gonna play how they've been playing New York. Uh off camera shit is, you know, honestly the first three games San Antonio has all played New York. New York had that big comeback and game.

unknown 52:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 52:26

Uh on camera now though. Yeah, game two. Um when we miss a shot, could have went in. So they could easily be up 3-0. Um, so with or not. And you know, that's that's the thing for me, is like can New York actually come out and have a full New York game? You know, can can they can they play like or little something like how we seen them play for last fucking month of basketball? Because we seen a little San Antonio last game. Like we seen a little bit of what, you know, because a lot of players play good for San Antonio last game. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? We see Wendy played good, he shot good. The other players play Castle play good, like every, you know, Jim Penny. Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Like so. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 53:14

But I mean, that that's that's that's kind of this is kind of what I was thinking going into this series, man. Like, um, throughout the throughout this next run, like they've um wouldn't say they played, wouldn't say they played bad defenses, but um they haven't played have Cavs or Philly uh top ten defenses in the league. No, I wonder who they played. Philadelphia. Yeah, just or I was gonna say just or like would you say the Cavs or Philly or top ten defenses in the league? Probably not. And the the Spurs the Spurs are probably top three. If not like top two or or I mean I mean like like I mean like just probably I mean probably right now in the playoffs I I mean I'd probably I'd probably put them at one. So I mean like I mean like like especially especially what they can like the different stuff that they can do on their the different stuff they can do on their matchups. Like the Spurs definitely have had one of the best defenses in the league all year round. Um and I mean they've shown it in the playoffs, and the Knicks haven't really come up against the defense. Um I mean uh just especially with especially with the two-time two-time deep poy and just like like just like somebody who can really affect somebody who can really affect the paint. Um like just who can affect Kat getting into the game, um who can kind of kind of influence like his like his you kind of know kind of know Jalen wants to get inside the three-point line a little bit more than than outside. Like, you know, he wants to get into the mid-range, and if Wemby, if Wemby can influence that a little bit more, we've kind of seen that, just him not shooting as well. Um just kind of um I mean just putting up a lot of shots, just just having just having him be a lot more a lot more called on, and he just I mean I mean he's still still putting up good games. I mean they're still still up 2-1. So like you gotta kind of give him credit. Like he's um had had that good fourth quarter in game one. Without that, probably wouldn't have won that game. So um but he hasn't played good yet, so and yeah, yeah. When we finally had a good Wimby game, and Bronze said they only won by four, and D'Aaron had to knock down that that he had to knock down that shot with like 10 seconds left to put him up by five. Yeah or else or else they still I mean this, they were down by three, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:03

And Bronson had just hit that three before.

SPEAKER_00 56:06

Yeah, so who wouldn't who knows? But um, yeah, dude, I'm uh dude, I'm I'm hype, man. I I really want the I really want the Spurs to win this this next game just so the Knicks have something to really like something to really sh fight for, bro. Because I think if if the Spurs can if the Spurs can kind of erase what the Knicks did these next two or like this next game, and they can both just take just take the games at each other's place and just and just kind of just kind of play the best of three. If if the Knicks can if the Knicks can win this series, like like winning like winning another game on the road and winning that game at MSG, if they can win those next two, then or I mean no, or because they can or even if they lose one of them. If they j yeah, I mean if they just win that, if they just win that game seven or like it doesn't matter, bro. Yeah, if they if if they still find a way to win that series, then definitely give them their credit. They gotta win tomorrow. I don't I don't think that I don't think they have to, bro. San Antonio? No. Or no, yeah, no, yeah. San Antonio does win around.

unknown 57:24

No, yeah. San Antonio definitely does.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

It's a it's a must win for both, but more San Antonio, obviously, because of being down 3-1. Yeah. So I mean, yeah, San Antonio and AD, you gotta come out and play like how they did the last game. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 57:45

I wanna if if you're I wanna I wanna see I wanna see San Antonio get up by 15 plus in the first half. By by by half times the the 10 point game. Still wouldn't be over.

SPEAKER_02 57:58

No, it wouldn't be. No lead is safe in New York. One thing we've noticed all playoffs with them is Yeah. You know, no no lead. I don't even think they've been blown out at all. I don't think San Antonio has either. Or no, they have, yes. Okay, see my thing twice. Yeah. Um, but so yeah, I mean no lead is safe in New York, so we'll see. We'll see what how we it'll be interested to see what's saying how San Antonio will respond.

SPEAKER_00 58:27

I think I think that's being down San Antonio sometimes it's just gonna lock up, dude.

SPEAKER_02 58:32

Sometimes you got those teams that are you know used to unless playing with a lead and it's different. And then we see it's a different team when they don't ain't fire and other team starts off hot. And it's interesting to see. We see what New York would do when they when controversy or when it's I mean, you know, they need a fucking a bucket or they I mean they're getting down. Like we we've seen them respond and they've been losing. We haven't seen that with San Antonio. We've seen San Antonio get down big sometimes and stay down. I mean, like with OKC. And New York's biggest lead probably is what got them eight, ten points in this series against San Antonio. So, I mean, it'll be interesting to see if if if tables turn and New York is up, you know, 27 to 13 at the end of the first quarter. Or, I mean, like and at at Madison Square Garden. That's gonna make it real tough for San Antonio, you mean so that's you know, and you know, that's New York can't afford to go down. I mean, they can't afford to start off to start off slow again. Yeah, or to keep starting off. So the first quarter's gonna be a big indicator. Um I think as to you know what's gonna happen. We'll see.

SPEAKER_00 59:57

Yeah. That first quarter, man. But yeah, we'll probably do next episode, hopefully next Tuesday again. But yeah, uh, I think there will be two games that have been played since then. Yeah, so we'll have a little bit to recap. Yeah, and um hopefully, hopefully the series isn't done by then. But if it is, then we'll definitely have a little bit to recap. Yeah, for sure. Thanks for then in the series DVD.