1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: This is straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. What is up? 2 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Straight fire? 3 00:00:12,480 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 2: Fam, It's me Jason McIntyre. Straight Fire for Monday, June 4 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 2: the second, the weekend is in the books, a new 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 2: month afoot and sadly my Knicks are not going to 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 2: be in the NBA Finals. We'll do a Big Knicks 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 2: post mortem, a lot of discussion. 8 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 3: Do you blow it up, you fire the coach, do 9 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 3: you run it back? 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 2: Get into all that fun stuff. I did wanna give 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 2: a quick shout out to the Dodgers. I was able 12 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: to go to Dodgers Yankees Friday Night. 13 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 3: Unbelievable game. 14 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,959 Speaker 2: Judge Homer's Otani hits two. The huge Dodgers come back, 15 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 2: and you could tell Friday as the Yankees are going 16 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: into the bullpen, treating it like a World Series game, 17 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 2: honestly making switches all the time, and none of them worked. 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 2: I think they use five pitchers Friday Night, and it's. 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 3: Like, whoa, this is a three game series. 20 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 2: Yanks are in trouble, and then they get smoked eighteen 21 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 2: to two on Saturday. But we're gonna make this about 22 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 2: the NBA because my Knicks go down. I don't want 23 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: to say without a fight you know, listen Saturday night. 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:16,680 Speaker 2: It was close in the first half, Nick's only down 25 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 2: by four, and then you know, whacky stuff happens. 26 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,559 Speaker 3: Miles Turner gets his fourth foul. Yes, great news. 27 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,880 Speaker 2: Thomas Bryant comes in and bangs three threes. Who had 28 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 2: that one? Like Thomas Bryant seldom used. Thomas Bryant comes 29 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: in his three threes and was like a factor, had 30 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 2: a block, fired up the crowd, obi. 31 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 3: Top and pops in eighteen. 32 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 2: It's just one of those games where you're like, man, 33 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: you know, Nicks did not play poorly. 34 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:44,559 Speaker 3: I thought they shot free throws poorly. 35 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 2: Karl anthonk towns oh for four from three miss four 36 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: free throws. 37 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 3: We'll get into it, but ultimately I just want. 38 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: To say this was a very enjoyable Knicks team. I think, 39 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: without question, Brunson has been the catalyst for the most 40 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: interesting Knicks team we've seen in this century. Sorry Jeremy Lynn, 41 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: Sorry Carmelo Anthony, but this is a fun, great team, 42 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: and they had a great run of the conference finals. 43 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: You don't want to like play it back in your head, 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 2: but my gosh, if Aaron Nesmith doesn't erupt for six 45 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: threes in the fourth quarter in one of the wackiest 46 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: comebacks in NBA playoff history. What happens in the series? 47 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 2: I don't know, because then the Knicks are up won nothing. 48 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: You know, do the Pacers get Game two? Are the 49 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 2: Pacers deflated? 50 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 3: Damn? 51 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: We got blown out and they were getting blow out. 52 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: They were down fourteen with like six minutes left. 53 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 3: What happens? 54 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: I mean, I will maintain and this should set things 55 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: up for where I'm gonna go on this pod that 56 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: the Knicks are not that far off. 57 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 3: They are very close. And as evidence, I would like 58 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: to remind guys what happened last year. 59 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 2: In the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Indiana Pacers beat the 60 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: Knicks in seven. Of course, Og got hurt and Brunson 61 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,919 Speaker 2: got hurt. But what's really interesting is the Pacers went 62 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: on to get smoked in the conference finals by Boston. 63 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 3: I think it was a sweep. 64 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: Let me quickly check, but the Eastern Cars finals was 65 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 2: a beatdown Boston. 66 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 3: Yes, Boston with the four game sweep. 67 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 2: The games were close, they won by five, they won 68 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 2: by three, they won by three, but they swept the Pacers. 69 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 2: Do you remember the reaction after the Pacers got swept Oh, well, 70 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 2: this team, we're just not there. We got to make changes. 71 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: I don't think Siakam's the Dudeaam had a s say, not. 72 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 3: Great series. 73 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 2: Shooting against the Celtics. He had shot twenty percent on threes. 74 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: Tyrese Haliburton kind of injured and didn't play great. But 75 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 2: it was just like, we're not there, we need to 76 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: make changes. I don't think Carlow's the right coach. And 77 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: you know what, the Indiana Pacers said, we're in good shape, 78 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 2: we just need some things to break our way. And 79 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: they made like no changes. I'm looking at their top 80 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: eight guys from last year. All of them returned pretty 81 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 2: much in the same role. Everybody was just a little better. 82 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: The continuity was a little better. Turnovers were way down 83 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 2: thanks to the continuity. Thanks to Haliburton blowing up like 84 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 2: this idea that the Pacers needed to make wholesale changes. 85 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: They didn't, and they got back to the conference finals. 86 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: And now they're going to the NBA Finals for the 87 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: first time since they faced the Lakers back in the day. 88 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 3: And it's like, oh, well, now, let me look at 89 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 3: the Knicks. 90 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,039 Speaker 2: So the Knicks knock off the Celtics and obviously Tatum 91 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 2: got hurt, but he got hurt in the final game. 92 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 3: The Knicks. 93 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: You know, they did trail by twenty a lot in 94 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 2: that series, but they did still come out on top 95 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 2: and they lose this one in six, And you could argue, hey, 96 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 2: that game one historic collapse. Does that change the entire 97 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 2: tenor of the series. And you could look at the 98 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 2: Knicks roster and say, well, why do we need to 99 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: make wholesale changes? But then you open the Atlantic and 100 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 2: you read this article which essentially is throwing a lot 101 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 2: of shade at two players in particular, and number one's 102 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: carl Anton Towns, and he is the big flash point here. 103 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: He just got to the team last I believe it 104 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 2: was August or September. Okay, it takes time to build chemistry, guys, 105 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: chemistry is not built overnight. 106 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 3: They had a season. Do you run it back? 107 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: Remember in the preseason, the thought was, oh, my gosh, 108 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 2: who's stopping the Brunson cat pick and pop game? Like 109 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 2: Carlinton Town's a really good three point shooter. He claims 110 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 2: he's the best three point shooter ever. And you got Brunson, 111 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 2: who gets to the mid range, gets to the tim 112 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 2: gets to the foul line. That's gonna be deadly. The 113 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 2: Knicks barely tried that. This was one of the craziest 114 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:46,919 Speaker 2: SATs I saw in the Eastern Conference finals. Brunson assisted 115 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 2: on five Carl Anthony Towns baskets five in six games. 116 00:05:52,960 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 3: Your two best players. What what? That's crazy? That's utterly insane. 117 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: And then you start drilling down a little further and 118 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 2: you start reading in this Atlantic piece about oh, well, 119 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: you know a lot of individuality on this team, and 120 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 2: karl ant Towns had to get his and Og would 121 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 2: have flashes of great games and then vanish, and we 122 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 2: know Brunson's gonna get his, And it kind of sort 123 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 2: of became, hey, what happened to that Villanova unselfish mentality? 124 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 2: Oh well, one of those guys is not from Villanova, 125 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: and that's karl Anthony Towns, who played a Kentucky and 126 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: is like a star and a star in his head. 127 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 2: You know, I do wonder can Towns change his stripes 128 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: and become a slightly different player for the betterment of 129 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: the team. We saw he had moments where he stepped 130 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 2: up defensively. It's just not consistent. It's like Luca, right, 131 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: Luca can play defense. He's not gonna be a great defender, 132 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: but he can be good enough and we saw that 133 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 2: from Towns. So Bridges is the other flashpoint in this article. 134 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 2: It's like he didn't really get his role. Like if 135 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 2: mckail bridges is your fourth best player, you should be 136 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 2: in the finals. I mean mckel bridges is borderline all star, 137 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 2: probably a three on most teams. I mean, he's not 138 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 2: the creator Austin Reeves's, but he's a better defender, although 139 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: you wouldn't know it guarding Haliburt in this series. And 140 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: just weirdly, he didn't want to like attack the rim. 141 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 2: It was like he didn't totally know his role. And 142 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 2: how much of this can you chalk up to Hey man, 143 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,320 Speaker 2: it was your one a lot, I mean, two new 144 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 2: starters in Bridges and Towns. That's not going to get 145 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 2: fixed in one season, you know. I think it's almost 146 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 2: as if they have too many really good players and 147 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 2: not enough role players. 148 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 3: And if you look at you guys, know I like 149 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: to go to hoops Hype. They have all the salaries. 150 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: It's kind of interesting that the guys who are up 151 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 2: their contracts, they just happen to be a lot of 152 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 2: the Knicks bench players. 153 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: So is there a world. 154 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: Where the Knicks could tinker around the edges and all 155 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 2: of a sudden you get role players you need, Like 156 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 2: how the thunder have a deep bench, the Pacers have 157 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: a deep bench. I saw stat that the Knicks starters 158 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:14,040 Speaker 2: averaged ninety four points per game in the regular season, 159 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 2: which is an astronomical number, trailing one team. And that 160 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 2: one team is Denver, who had no bench, didn't trust 161 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: their bench and wore down. So like, do you move 162 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 2: on from Precious to Chua Campaign? 163 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 3: Delon Wright? 164 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 2: These are guys who all played well. Campaign kind of 165 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 2: got bench there. Landry Shammitt, can you get off PJ. 166 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 2: Tucker's short contract? Can you make moves around the edges 167 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 2: or do you need to make a big move now? 168 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: I don't want to be reactionary as a Knicks fan. 169 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 2: This is obviously disappointing. A lot of people are gonna 170 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 2: want to run Carl Anthony Towns out of the building. 171 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 2: So Rob, I'll start here. I want to take a 172 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:54,960 Speaker 2: deep breath, do a full on analysis, and I will 173 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 2: just say there needs to be some sort of team meeting. 174 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: And I also read in that in that article by 175 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 2: the athletic that there was an abnormally large number of 176 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 2: I don't know if emergency team meetings is the right word, 177 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 2: but the team would like they didn't understand why they 178 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 2: kept falling behind by twenty all the time, the lack 179 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 2: of consistency, and they kept calling these team meetings. Not 180 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: everybody was on the same page. I don't want to 181 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,439 Speaker 2: be alarmist, but who's the leader of this team? Is 182 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: it Brunson because he's not a very vocal guy. Is 183 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: it Cat he's been there a minute and he's kind. 184 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: Of a space cadet. Could it be Bridges? Could it 185 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 3: be Annobie? 186 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 2: I don't know, And you know, Josh Hart is kind 187 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 2: of maybe the heartbeat of the team. He took some 188 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:45,719 Speaker 2: jabs at Tibbs this season, So a lot of questions, 189 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 2: not a lot of answers in the wake of the loss. 190 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: But Rob, is it okay to take a deep breath 191 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 2: and be like, Hey, I don't want to run TIBs 192 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 2: out of town. That might happen, but I need to 193 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 2: take a deep breath and be like, how did this happen? 194 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best YES sports talk lineup 195 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,239 Speaker 1: in the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports 196 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 1: Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR 197 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:09,679 Speaker 1: to listen live. 198 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I don't think that that's wrong at all. But 199 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 4: the important thing is to note that you do have 200 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 4: to look at yourself in the mirror when things go 201 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 4: the way they did. To your point, if you want 202 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 4: to look at the glass half full, yes, this is 203 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 4: the greatest Knicks team in twenty five years. You know, 204 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 4: they make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, they roll 205 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 4: through the defending champion Boston Celtics. Obviously there's a masteris 206 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 4: there with Jason Tatum. But you can say that, right, 207 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,319 Speaker 4: you can say, as you mentioned, Karl Anthony Towns arrives 208 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 4: a week before training camp starts and you're kind of 209 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 4: thrown together. That's the positive outlook of it. The negative 210 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 4: is from January one until the end of the season, 211 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 4: the Nick starters, which they are a very top heavy team, 212 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 4: were outscored by one point four points per one hundred possessions. 213 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 4: In the postseason. That group was a minus thirty three 214 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 4: overall heading into Game six, where obviously they got blown 215 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 4: out again in Game six. And the issue that they're 216 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 4: running into is something I think you pointed out. They 217 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 4: have too many guys who are too good for their roles. 218 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 4: Mcal Bridges is too good to be a fourth option. 219 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 4: Og Ananobi is too good to be a third or 220 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 4: fourth option. They are both more than capable of having 221 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 4: things run through them, as we saw when Jalen Brunson 222 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 4: got hurt towards the end of the season. When Brunson 223 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 4: went down, it allowed town to step up. It allowed 224 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 4: macal to get back to doing some of the things 225 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 4: that he did in Brooklyn. I know Brooklyn wasn't very good, 226 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 4: but it shows that he's capable of doing more. When 227 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:48,679 Speaker 4: you are in a situation where your best players, in 228 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 4: which case the there's four of them on discount Josh Hart, 229 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 4: are all asked save for Jalen Brunson to take a 230 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:57,960 Speaker 4: step back with the way they operate for the team 231 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 4: to succeed, that can get really tricky, really quickly. All right, 232 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 4: And case in point when you look at the Towns 233 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 4: Brunson pairing in the playoffs, Okay, when Jalen Brunson is 234 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 4: on and Carlon Towns is off, they're plus four point four. 235 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 4: When Towns is on and Brunson is off, they're plus eleven. 236 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 3: That didn't make sense. 237 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 4: And I'm not saying that Jalen Brunson is not a 238 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 4: good player. I'm not going full baking Ham and it's 239 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 4: saying you can't win with him as your best player. 240 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 4: What I am saying, though, is he needs to adjust 241 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 4: the way he plays, especially in the playoffs, if this 242 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 4: team is going to take the next step. If you 243 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 4: look at the usage rate for this playoffs, Jalen Brunson 244 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 4: was thirty two and a half. The next closest guy 245 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 4: was Carl Towns at twenty five. Mccal bridges was nineteen, 246 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 4: Og was eighteen. To put into context that usage rate 247 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 4: situation amongst active players, here's what we're looking at Luca, 248 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 4: which is that thirty six in his career in the playoff, 249 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 4: which is crazy. And I think we've talked about this. 250 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 4: As good as he is, he's gonna have to make 251 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 4: some adjustment if he's gonna end up winning a championship. 252 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 4: Donovan Mitchell has never made it past a second round. 253 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 4: Russell Westbrook's a historical playoff flame out. Yannis at thirty two, 254 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 4: so right there where Brunson is. But Yannis, I think 255 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 4: we can all agree as a much better player. Guys 256 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 4: with lower usage rates than Brunson thirty two, Lebron James 257 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:33,319 Speaker 4: thirty one, Kevin Durant thirty, Devin Booker thirty, Nikola Jokic thirty. 258 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 4: So Jalen Brunson and I like Jalen Brunson short Kings unite, 259 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 4: I love Jalen Brunson. The fact is, if you are 260 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 4: gonna be that ball dominant, the chances of you winning 261 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 4: are very slim, unless you are a seven foot freak 262 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 4: like Giannis or arguably the greatest all time in Lebron James. 263 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 2: Well, the counter would be, hey, you know, Luca was 264 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 2: a great point guard, struggled to get out of the 265 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: first round largely, and then Dallas got him two rim 266 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 2: running bigs lively in Gafford, and wouldn't you know it, 267 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 2: they're catching lobs left and right, and defensively they're making 268 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 2: up for Luca. However, with the Knicks, when Brunson's your 269 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 2: point guard and cats on the court, you don't have 270 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: a rim protector. Cat ain't no rim protector. That's just 271 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 2: not happening. So they tried the Mitchell Robinson thing. Mitchell 272 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 2: Robinson great, but you know what, Hey, we don't need 273 00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 2: to really defend him at all, and we'll just foul 274 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: him since you can't make any free throws. And then 275 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 2: the Knicks were scared to play Mitchell Robinson. Remember he 276 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 2: would like literally cross half court and they would just 277 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 2: folllo him and be like, all. 278 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 3: Right, we'll put you on the line. And you know, 279 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 3: the one name that's interesting here rob is Josh Hart 280 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 3: and I like him a lot. He does so many 281 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 3: good things. 282 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: But when you can't shoot, they can then hide your 283 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 2: their worst defender, sometimes a center on you, or you 284 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 2: just keep your center kind of near the paint and 285 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: he's your room protector. 286 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 3: We saw Chet Holmgren do that against against the Wolves. 287 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: They would just basically put Chet Holmgren on Mike Conley 288 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 2: and it's like, well, Mike Conley's not gonna kill us 289 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 2: from deep. 290 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 3: We'll just have Chet hang. 291 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 2: Around the rim and when O when Anthony Edwards drives, hello, 292 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 2: so you got by the first wave and here's Chet 293 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 2: and it's like, you know, the Knicks kind of sort 294 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 2: of struggled. I mean, the Pacers shot like fifty I 295 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 2: think it was fifty four percent on twos in the series, 296 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,320 Speaker 2: and then they erupt from threes in a couple of 297 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 2: games and I think you can win a title with 298 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 2: Brunston as your best player. 299 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: Dude. 300 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 2: They just won fifty games last year, second round, this year, 301 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 2: conference finals, like they're right there, and let's remember ye. 302 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 4: I think they need more role players if that's if 303 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 4: that's what we're gonna do. 304 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 3: So okay, so do you Josh Hart's a role player right? 305 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 3: If he could shoot threes, he would be a slightly 306 00:15:59,560 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 3: better rule. 307 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely, But like you saw the Pacers, they basically rant 308 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: it all back. Their role players can shoot. Nie Smith 309 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: Nemhar didn't have a good series. The kid Ben Shephard, 310 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 2: he could shoot coming off. I mean a guy Turner 311 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 2: can shoot. But Thomas Bryant can shoot. And the Pacers 312 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: lit it up from three. Now, ok C is the 313 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 2: other one because their role players are really really good defenders. 314 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: I do think, and we'll get to previewing the finals 315 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 2: later in the week. I do think the Thunders are 316 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 2: gonna have some problems here because Indiana shoots the. 317 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 3: Three way better than Minnesota did. It's not even close. 318 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: And you know, you give all those wide open threes 319 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 2: to McDaniel's Randall Conley. Now it's going to the Pacers 320 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 2: and their guys bombs away. So I think that's gonna 321 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 2: be a good series, but it's so much easier said 322 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 2: than done. Rob, Hey, let me look at the free 323 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 2: agents and let's just pluck the best three and D guys, 324 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 2: which is what you want. But I guess if you're 325 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 2: asking me who would I rank moving off of listen 326 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 2: if you can get Yannis for Kat and Heart and 327 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: whatever picks, sure, I just don't think that's a I 328 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 2: don't think that. 329 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, I don't think it's either. 330 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 2: So if you're gonna move off towns, what do you like? Honestly, 331 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 2: Myles Turner would be freaking great now. He commits a 332 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 2: lot of fact he was in foul trouble all series, 333 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 2: but he's a really good three point shooter. Rim protector 334 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 2: like the Celtics, they don't they don't have one, right 335 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 2: Horford and perzinkis well, they're not blocking anything. Okay, See 336 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 2: does have Chett Hartenstein left to a lesser extent. Minnesota's 337 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 2: rim protector, Rudy Gobert, was played off the floor largely 338 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,240 Speaker 2: against Oka See and then they had no room protector, 339 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 2: So like, who does have a room protector who shoots threes? 340 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 2: Like those guys are almost unicorns and roster construction is 341 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 2: just gonna be so pivotal this summer. It feels like 342 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: the audience is getting smarter when it comes to this 343 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:48,720 Speaker 2: stuff because it's not as easy as boy the Knicks 344 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: could use Rudy Gobert, Like that wouldn't work, Rudy and Cat. 345 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: We already saw those two together, you know, like Evan 346 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,200 Speaker 2: Mobley and Jared Allen were a great tandem in the 347 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 2: regular season, and then in the playoffs they missed their 348 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:01,520 Speaker 2: threes and that team was zero to defend. So it's like, 349 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:07,159 Speaker 2: I don't know, man, I I I if you're asking 350 00:18:07,160 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 2: me today June second, Jay, what do you what's your move? 351 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 3: I would get. I would go Michael Malone over Tibbs. 352 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 2: Keep the starting five six, you know, top six guys 353 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,439 Speaker 2: stay and then around the edges, make some moves and 354 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 2: get role players who are going to contribute, come come playoffs. 355 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in 356 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,840 Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio 357 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to 358 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: listen live. 359 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:39,159 Speaker 4: Well, I think ultimately they're gonna run it back. And 360 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 4: even in the athletic piece that you referenced to open 361 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 4: up the pod. Later on in there, they kind of 362 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 4: bury that. You know, TIBs is unlikely to get fired, 363 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 4: you know, because he has a good relationship with Leon Rose. 364 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,919 Speaker 4: You know, obviously the dole In factor always has to 365 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 4: be considered, but the expectation is that that Tis will 366 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 4: be back. And to your point, I think they have 367 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 4: a great There's a reason why before the season you 368 00:18:59,840 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 4: and I both picked the Knicks to make the finals 369 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 4: and to win the championship because we like their five. 370 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 4: We like that theoretically how they all fit together. I 371 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 4: think what it ultimately comes down to is, if you 372 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 4: are going to roll with these five, you need to 373 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 4: have Brunson take a little bit of a step back 374 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 4: so the other guys can step up. Because there's no 375 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:27,879 Speaker 4: good reason why you should be paying og Ananobi. What 376 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 4: is this entering next season forty million dollars to have 377 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 4: a usage rate of eighteen. Mccal bridges is going to 378 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 4: get an extension, assuming they don't trade him this upcoming offseason. 379 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 4: He's going to be paid in the we'll say thirty 380 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 4: five to four. So you can't have those two guys 381 00:19:43,119 --> 00:19:46,600 Speaker 4: making it combine seventy five eighty million dollars to be 382 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 4: glorified role players, they have to be more involved in 383 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 4: the offense moving forward. And if that's not what you 384 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 4: want to do, if you say, you know what, Jalen 385 00:19:57,119 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 4: Brunson is the heartbeat of our team. He's our he's 386 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 4: our captain. He has brought us back to relevance in 387 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 4: a way that we haven't seen since Patrick Ewing. If 388 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 4: that's what you're going to do, then then the logical 389 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 4: step is to try to flip Towns, try to fip Ananobi. 390 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 4: You're probably not gonna get the back which you gave 391 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 4: up to get Bridges the five first round picks, but 392 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 4: you need guys who are then gonna fill those roles 393 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,120 Speaker 4: as nothing but three and D. That's all you're gonna 394 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 4: do because Brun's is gonna orchestrate the offense and macal 395 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 4: Bridges defense. Taking a step back. Og Ananobi is a 396 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 4: very good player, but I wouldn't call him a specialist 397 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 4: in either one of those categories. Yeah, so did you 398 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 4: say that OG's making forty He's making thirty nine, so 399 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 4: he's their third best player, right? Yes? 400 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 2: Okay, Miles Turner, Andrew Nemhard and Obi Toppin are combined 401 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 2: to make thirty five. Ben Matherin, who's the Facer's third 402 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 2: best player, Haliburton and Siakam clearly are top two. If 403 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 2: it's Turner, you know he's a free agent. But like 404 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 2: Obi Toppins at twelve point nine, Nie Smith eleven million. 405 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,880 Speaker 2: I mean Nie Smith is like, that's what you want, right, 406 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 2: a starter who can play defense, bang threes and is 407 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:12,360 Speaker 2: making eleven million a year. 408 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 3: Do you how hard those are to find? 409 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,679 Speaker 2: The Celtic's head these yeh, by the way, and like 410 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 2: TJ McConnell is at nine million, he is so valuable 411 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 2: off the bench. He's better than any Knicks player coming 412 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 2: off the bench. Ben Matherin, first round pick seven million. 413 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 2: I mean it's they're just bizarre, Like it feels just unicornish. 414 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 3: How they're built. 415 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 2: But then you look at the Thunder and you're like, damn, 416 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 2: they've got a lot of good players who are not 417 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 2: making a lot of money. So maybe now that you 418 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 2: drill down like that and mentioned OG's at forty can 419 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 2: you win a title when your third best player is 420 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 2: making forty mil? 421 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 3: I mean Austin Reeves is making what like fifteen. 422 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 4: Well, see, I think you can, but you have to 423 00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 4: use him like a forty million dollar player. That's the prob. 424 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 4: Like again, it's like a Chicken or the egg type thing, 425 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:59,400 Speaker 4: because I absolutely think og and Andobi is good enough 426 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 4: to warrant the contract, you know, especially with the way 427 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 4: things are getting paid now, like he's he's making you 428 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 4: know what, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram money, Michael Porter Junior money. 429 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 4: So he can absolutely be that guy. The problem though, 430 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 4: is if you're only gonna use him in a three 431 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 4: and D role, would you rather have og Andob at 432 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 4: forty or would rather have Rio Hachimoor at seventeen? You 433 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 4: know what I mean? Would you rather have Ognob at 434 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 4: forty or would you rather have Calden Johnson at nineteen? 435 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 4: You know? Would you rather have Karris LeVert at sixteen? 436 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 4: Like they're obviously OG's a better player than all of 437 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 4: those guys, But if they're only gonna use him in 438 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 4: that limited way, then I'm rather play at limited salary. 439 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 2: So you said, Brunston, take a step back, and how 440 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:52,919 Speaker 2: do you how would you quantify that just less usage? 441 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,439 Speaker 2: Because he was brilliant in Game five. Now you could argue, hey, 442 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 2: the pacers. 443 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 3: Were going on the road. They weren't gonna He was 444 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 3: heavily balled up. Even in Games three and four, he 445 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 3: went to the line ten times, twelve times in Game five, 446 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 3: I'm sorry. Game six, two free throw attempts, Rob, that's it. 447 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: Og and Arnobi took as many shots as Brunson cat 448 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 2: took nineteen. I mean that sounds like Brunson may have 449 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:21,360 Speaker 2: taken a step back or he just got that ball 450 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 2: out of his hands a lot because the prent Pazers 451 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 2: were pressuring the hell out of him. But like, I 452 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 2: don't That's where it gets difficult with Brunson, like Steve Nash, 453 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 2: did he need to take a step back or was 454 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 2: he like such a great distributor that he didn't. 455 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 4: But the thing is, I don't know what those Suns 456 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 4: team for example, those Suns teams, they didn't have anybody 457 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 4: else you could create. The difference is New York has 458 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 4: guys who can. Like mccal did it in Brooklyn, they 459 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,719 Speaker 4: just weren't any good. Og did it in Toronto. They 460 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 4: just weren't any good. But I'm not asking you to 461 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 4: lead the team in that regard. I'm saying, hey, for 462 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 4: ten to fifteen minutes to night. Can we run seven 463 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 4: minutes through mcal Can we run six minutes through og? 464 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 4: Can we run shit through Towns? Say hey cat, We're 465 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 4: gonna run the offense through you, either on the low 466 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 4: block or the high post and just kind of see 467 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 4: what happens. And they just don't do that. And I 468 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 4: know usage rate is not the bell end all, but 469 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 4: to put it in a context, Tyrese Halliburton averages double 470 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,679 Speaker 4: digit assists with the usage rate of twenty two because 471 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,239 Speaker 4: he makes quick decisions. He gets the ball, either he 472 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 4: does something with it or he moves it on quickly. 473 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 4: Jalen Bruns is gonna dribble the hall out of that thing, 474 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 4: and he's gonna pick and roll and pick and roll 475 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 4: and wait to get somebody off him. And you know, 476 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 4: see what he can do to attack. And it's a 477 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 4: very effective way of playing. The problem is, is it 478 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 4: mutes kind of everybody else around you? 479 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: Yea? 480 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 2: So I wonder if this becomes a Brunson issue. I 481 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 2: think Towns is gonna be the guy I personally don't think. 482 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,160 Speaker 2: I mean, we got to see my guess is rob 483 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:51,040 Speaker 2: This week we hear a lot of Milwaukee Bucks Gianni's 484 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,959 Speaker 2: talk because you know, no disrespect to the Pacers or Thunder, 485 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 2: but where Giannis could land is infinitely more interesting than this. 486 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:01,560 Speaker 3: I will just preface it. 487 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:05,239 Speaker 2: I'm wanted some NBA text change with Buddies, and I 488 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 2: do believe that the Pacers are live to win this series. 489 00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:10,040 Speaker 2: I know you said, you gave me a stat like 490 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 2: they're the fifth highest favorite since like nineteen seventy or something. 491 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 4: Nineteen sixty eight, fifth hides, fifth high sides. 492 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 2: We'll get into it, but I'm just some of the 493 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 2: notes that I jotted down while watching Rob. 494 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 3: The Uh. Of course, my kids said that, Okay, here 495 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 3: we go. 496 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,840 Speaker 2: So, Okayse wants to run. Well, SODA's Indiana, right, so 497 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,640 Speaker 2: that's not gonna be an issue. Minnesota did not want 498 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 2: to run. Okse is a good three point shooting team. 499 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 2: Indiana has been great in the playoffs. I keep winning 500 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 2: for a fall off. 501 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 3: They're not. 502 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 2: They're so this whole like, ay, well, just keep Haliburton 503 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 2: out of the paint. That's not going to work against Indiana. 504 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 2: They have too many good three point shooters. 505 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 3: Usually. 506 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 2: Okase's depth, we know it killed Denver and Minnesota didn't 507 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 2: have depth either. The Pacers I think deepest team in 508 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 2: the East. You could argue deepest team in the league. 509 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 2: So again, not an edge for OKC. And the other 510 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:09,440 Speaker 2: thing is Okaysee kept turning over Minnesota. Minnesota sloppy with 511 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 2: the ball. Fifteen to twenty turnovers, there's just no room 512 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 2: for error. Tyrese Haliburton, I believe had. 513 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 3: Let me see if he had any turnovers. 514 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 2: Oh, he had four turnovers in game six. Wow, he 515 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,880 Speaker 2: had five turnovers through the first five games. Indiana does 516 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,679 Speaker 2: not turn the ball over. So it's like if okac's 517 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 2: defense thrives on turnovers and Indy's not turning it over, 518 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,400 Speaker 2: I mean something's got to give. Either Okaysee's defense takes 519 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 2: a step back or Indie turns the ball over. I 520 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: don't know, Rob, We'll take our time. Do you have 521 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:41,120 Speaker 2: any give Indiana any shot here? 522 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 4: Absolutely? I mean when you have the number two ranked 523 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 4: offense period in the season and the way they've been playing. 524 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 4: Fun fact, they've actually lost less games in these playoffs 525 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 4: than Okase has or I think it's the same. And 526 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:02,920 Speaker 4: it's four for for OKAC and it's three. No, it's 527 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 4: four for Indiana. They lost one, one and two, and 528 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 4: you would never think that, by the way, the conversation 529 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 4: is around these two teams. Now, I will say, you know, 530 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 4: historically it is a different sport. But the last time 531 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 4: we saw the best offense and the best defense play 532 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:19,959 Speaker 4: each other for all the marbles, I believe it was 533 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 4: the Seahawks and the Broncos in the Super Bowl and 534 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 4: that did not go very well for Denver. So you know, 535 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 4: the defense usually wins down those situations. But no, I mean, 536 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 4: if the ratings are going to be terrible but the 537 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 4: basketball is gonna be great, I feel. 538 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 3: Like it would be good. 539 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. 540 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, So we'll see. 541 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 2: All right, we are back tomorrow, some NBA we'll get. Obviously, 542 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 2: OTAs are ramping up in the NFL. We're on Caitlin 543 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 2: Clark watch. There's chatter she may return this week, and 544 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 2: nobody's talked about the fever since she went down. Obviously, 545 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:57,200 Speaker 2: we're around graduation time, whether it's college, high school, eighth grade. 546 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 3: Although I'm told eighth grade is called promotion out here 547 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 3: in Californa. Now who's unaware of that term? But uh, 548 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 3: you know, summer is upon us. Should be a great summer. 549 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 3: I think this is a good NBA draft. It's gonna 550 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 3: be it's gonna be a good one back tomorrow.