WEBVTT
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Your blood runs orange and orange and blood and blood for you.
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For you, you're listening to orange and blue blood.
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And after 26 years, Destiny finally awaits the New York Knicks.
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What's up?
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This is EJ Stewart.
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You are listening and watching Orange and Blue Bloods, a New York Knicks podcast that has now become an NBA Finals podcast because the Knicks are in the NBA Finals, and this is a very special show because this is going to be our NBA Finals preview.
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And we are going to break everything down of how the Knicks can attack this San Antonio Spurs team, the team that came out of the West, the Western Conference champions after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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And I'm excited to do this show because we got plenty to discuss, man.
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We're going to talk everything in terms of what the Spurs did to get to this point, the strengths of this team, the challenges that they caused, all teams, including the Knicks.
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We'll also break down a little bit of what we saw in the three matchups these teams faced off against each other in the regular season, which I think is always very important when you're trying to glean what to expect from an NBA playoff matchup, especially an NBA finals matchup.
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And of course, we'll get you the keys to a Knicks win.
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Because of course that's what you want to hear, right?
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Is how can the Knicks pull this off?
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And I'll give you my official prediction of how I think this series will go.
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I'm very excited to do this episode.
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Again, 26 years in the making.
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In many ways, this will feel very nostalgic for Knicks fans and Spurs fans.
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And a lot of NBA fans.
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Because you will have not just an NBA Cup final rematch, first time ever that's happening in NBA history, though, of course, it's only been three years, right, of the NBA Cup.
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But you're also having a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, of course, during the lockout shortened season when the Spurs knocked off the eighth-seeded Knicks to win the franchise's first NBA title.
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So this in many ways is as good a matchup as you can get in the NBA Finals, regardless of whether you're a Knicks fan or first fan, just as an NBA fan.
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You got a mega star in Wimbenyama, an exciting young team out west.
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You have a starred fan base in the Eastern Conference, a group of players in the Knicks that have now become very household names because they've been in these playoffs for a long time.
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And an amazing story, right?
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Is can the Knicks break this now?
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We're looking at 53-year drought that they've had in terms of winning an NBA championship.
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All the pressure, all the narratives, all the discourse, everything's been open in terms of how people wanted to talk about this series.
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And I think this series will, in many ways, live up to the hype.
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I cannot wait to see these games start up, which again will begin on Wednesday night with game one, starting in San Antonio.
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Nick's traveling to San Antonio.
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Actually, already there now if you're recording this episode.
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Uh if you're listening to this episode when I recorded it, they have arrived in San Antonio already and they're getting ready uh for game one.
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So this is going to be an awesome series.
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Again, I think this is gonna be an awesome episode of Orange and Blue Bloods, so I hope you guys are gonna enjoy it.
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Of course, if you enjoy these episodes of Orange and Blue Bloods, there's multiple ways to support your boy.
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Um, if you're listening or watching, regardless of whether you're listening or watching.
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Number one way is of course uh subscribe to the uh podcast.
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So search uh Orange and Blue Bloods wherever you get your podcast, and be sure to hit that subscribe button, also hit the auto download feature, and if you can give us a five-star review, even a written review also uh would help us.
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All those things are important, and we greatly appreciate it.
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If you enjoy watching the show, if you enjoy seeing your boy uh talk about the Knicks in this fly Knicks shirt with a bunch of graphics up on the screen, then be sure to check out our YouTube channel.
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New generation media is where all the episodes of Orange and Blue Bloods live from a video standpoint.
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And while you're there, subscribe to the new channel new uh the channel, New Generation Media on YouTube, and you generation media on YouTube, and be sure to, of course, uh make sure you like this video, give me a comment in the comment section, let me know what you think about this series, let me know what your prediction is for this series.
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I would love to hear it, and I will be responding to those who give me predictions.
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So, definitely want to hear what you guys say about this NBA Finals matchup between the Spurs and the Knicks, which again will kick off and take place Wednesday night, 8 30 p.m.
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Eastern time.
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And this is in many ways a matchup that is surprising to some, maybe just because of the Spurs Youth and expectations coming into the season, and the fact that despite all the conversations about inexperience and them not being here, they were able to knock off the defending NBA champions to get here.
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So the Spurs, this is now them advancing to their first finals appearance since 2014.
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Uh, they did so by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game seven.
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Phenomenal season for San Antonio so far.
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They won 62 games in the regular season.
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They are led by a 7-4 alienslash phenom and Victor Wembenyama, who won defensive player of the year.
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He finished third in MVP voting.
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So, in many ways, when you talk about the Spurs and what they do well and what the challenges that face the Knicks coming up in the series, every conversation starts and ends with Wimbenyama.
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Um, he is legit.
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He is him, he isn't the generational player that was promised when he was coming up through the uh the European ranks and then eventually drafted number one overall in the NBA draft.
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He's a matchup nightmare.
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He is 7'4 with a legit shot with pretty much unlimited range.
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His size allows him to shoot over pretty much anybody, and he has a great handle.
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So he has these guard skills of shooting and ball handling and passing.
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Then you combine that with all the natural traits you would expect from a guy who's 7-4.
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So you want to talk about the rim-running threat, you want to talk about the lob threat he is offensively, all those things are things he does in an elite level.
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So he's great in pick and roll, he's great as a run runner, he's um, again, uh an absolute terror to deal with offensively.
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Defensively, again, predictably as a 7-4 guy, he's also a terror.
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He's the best rim protector in the NBA.
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He makes blocks that no other guy can make, he alters shots that no other guys can alter.
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He's also great on switches, so he's not like an immobile big.
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He's very athletic, he's very good on his feet, um, he's very versatile.
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And the Spurs, as a team, in terms of how they how they play defensively, they do a really good job of funneling everything towards him.
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So you could feel like, hey, we'll keep him out of actions, and that'll be our way to have an advantage against the Spurs, but many ways they're almost Jedi mind trick you into finding a way to find Victor in actions where he can make impacts defensively.
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So he's legit, he's a great player, and he's going to be obviously one of the major, major focus points of this series.
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But I think when you talk about the Knicks and what they have coming up in this series, I think equally important to stopping Victor Weminyama is going to be containing the Spurs guards.
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They have a three-headed monster at the guard spot, you have the Aaron Fox, multiple-time All-Star, Stefan Castle, former number three pick in the draft, and then you got uh Dylan Harper, who was the number two pick in this previous NBA draft just last year.
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And combined, they create an elite downhill attack.
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Any one of those guards can go off for big games and cause major damage given the situation.
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So you may feel in a situation where you're like, oh, well, we got Fox contained.
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All right, we're all good.
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Well, as we've seen Oklahoma C Oklahoma City learn the hard way, that doesn't mean that Dylan Harper or Stefan Castle can't hurt you.
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Or you can say, alright, you know, Harper's been killing teams off the bench.
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We found a way to kind of limit him in this game.
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Well, again, that doesn't mean that Darren Fox or Castle can't have big games.
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Um they're uh a legit, tough handle, and I think what also makes them difficult is their size.
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Fox is 6'3, which is very good, the point guard position, but then you got elite size with the other two guys.
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Stefan Castle stands at 6'6, Dylan Harper stands at 6'5.
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Um, so both I think do a great job of using their size and strength to their advantage.
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And when you're looking at all three, they each have varying degrees of lightning quickness and uh great finishing ability.
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So as great as Victor Wemmy is the three-headed monster they have at guard also very key to their attack.
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Also key to their attack, obviously, like any NBA team pretty much, is the three-point shot.
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And while this is basically a league average shooting team, if you think about like how many makes they have per game, their percentages, they're around between 12 and like 14.
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So they're like average to above average as a three-point shooting team overall.
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But I think what's important to note about the Spurs in terms of their three-point attack is they generate great looks because of A, the attention that Wenbin Yama demands, oftentimes requiring double teams, and B, again, the downhill ability of their guards able to get into the paint, which allows them to spray it out for uh really great looks for a guy like Julian Champagne, who had a great season.
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Um he was awesome in game seven after kind of being a little bit of a shooting slump for a lot of that series.
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He was really hot and cold.
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But in game seven, he made uh six threes.
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Some of them were huge in the second half that allowed the Spurs to win that game on the road in OKC.
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And for Knicks fans, he'll be very notable for those that paid attention during the regular season because he actually set an NBA record in the NBA season match in the regular season matchup with the Knicks that happened on New Year's Eve.
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He did 11 threes against the Knicks, which was the most uh points scored, which was 36 by any player to not make a two-point field goal.
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He was 11 for 17, I believe it was, from three.
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He is somebody that when he gets going, he absolutely can get hot and he can get rattled a bunch off in a row.
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He is a legitimately very, very good three-point shooter.
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And again, he hurt the Knicks this season.
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He's hurt the Knicks in in previous matchups uh throughout his career.
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And then Devin Vassell is also a knockdown shooter.
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He's hitting 38% from three on high volume.
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So, again, not like they have the most sophisticated three-point attack.
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It's not like you're talking about Kyle Corvus out here, but they do have very capable three-point shooters and guys who typically will get very good looks from three.
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So that is something that's going to be obviously very important to the Knicks in terms of trying to both contain Wemby and the guards while also trying to guard three-point line.
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I also want to talk about Kelvin Johnson, who in many ways I think is their X Factor when I look at this team.
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He is somebody who the numbers may not jump right out at you in terms of what he's done in the regular season, but he was a sixth man of the year.
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He is a highly efficient scorer, and he is someone whose role has really shifted.
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This was a guy who was at one point the star of the team.
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He was averaging 22 points a game.
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He was playing for Team USA, and he's taking a lesser role, and he wrote a really good uh player streaming article about him accepting that role and how he didn't really like it at first, but then he's really grown to be a team guy, understanding this was the best uh route route for the team to reach its highest potential, which, as we see, at minimum is gonna make the NBA finals.
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Um he had a great, very efficient season.
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He averaged 13 points, he shot 51% from the field, averaging 13 points on nine shots is extremely highly efficient in just 23 minutes a game.
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And um now he's been very meh in the playoffs.
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Like you look at his number, I think he has about eight points, shooting about 41% or so from the field.
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In many ways, Dylan Harper has kind of taken on the mantle of the number one scorer off the bench, but I still think he is somebody that could be an X Factor in this series and maybe be a forgotten man in part because so much of the playoff conversation has been away from him.
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I think if the Spurs want to win this series, I think you need to see Kelvin Johnson have a much better series, and we'll talk about why in a little bit when we talk about the keys to the series for the Knicks.
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And I think for the Knicks, I think if they want to win this series, I don't think they want Kelvin Johnson uh, you know, turning back into the sixth man of the year or the highly efficient scorer he's been throughout much of his career.
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I think you want to keep him probably where his average has been at, which is about 8 and 40% field goal percentage.
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So Kellen Johnson, in many ways, the X-Factor for the Spurs.
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He's been their X-Factor all season.
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And finally, you know, at the end of the day, when you look at the Spurs, this is an elite team on both sides of the ball.
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They finished fourth in offensive rating this year.
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They were third in defensive rating, and it's really not surprising given the high level of two-way players they have on this team, right?
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Wemby, of course, generational on both sides of the ball.
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Castle is one of the teams and one of the league's best perimeter defenders.
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Devin Vassell is also a really good two-way player.
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Um, and they really don't possess many bad defenders.
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There isn't really a guy out there that you would say, oh, let's go hunt this guy.
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I guess if I had to pick, maybe Harrison Barnes.
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But he's not really bad.
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I just think he's old.
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No disrespect to Harrison Barnes, who's been a good defender in the NBA.
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But it really isn't a guy to really hunt.
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Um Harper is young, but again, I mentioned he's really strong, he's very athletic, he's pesky, he does a really good job putting ball pressure, um, and he can pick you up 94 feet.
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Uh, Fox and Champney, I would describe as fine defensively.
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I wouldn't consider them stoppers per se, but they're they're definitely not in any way guys who are liabilities at all.
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Um and Cornet is, of course, the backup five, former New York Knicks.
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Knicks fans be familiar because we saw a lot of him in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year against the Celtics.
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He's a rim protector.
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He may have saved the Spurs season with the block of the year when he chased down Isaiah Hartenstein and blocked the dunk at the rim, pinning them on the glass, and it it turned pretty much turned game seven for the Spurs in a major way.
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So anybody looking at this series and saying, oh, the Knicks should just like blow this team out, this is a very worthy challenger.
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This is a very good team the Knicks are playing, and they've absolutely earned their right to be here.
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So, in talking about this series, I really want to um kind of go through some of the tidbits I got to explore when I watched these regular season matchups.
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I think that you always take this stuff with a grain of salt, and you definitely have to a little bit with these two teams, particularly, because they played three very interesting games, very entertaining games, but all had weird things going on in almost all of them.
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So, they played in the NBA Cup, where you had Victor Wemyama, who was on a minutes restriction.
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The Knicks didn't have Deuce McBride or Landry Shaman playing in those games, and I think both guys will be important.
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In fact, Deuce did not play in either of the Knicks wins, both in the NBA Cup in December and in the March game.
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Also, when the Knicks only lost to the Spurs, a game in which they blew a 19-point lead in the second half, or maybe it was the first, I don't remember, but it was a 19-point lead.
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That was the highest, uh, I think it was first half, but the highest lead they had was 19 at one point in that game.
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In that game, the Knicks did not have Mitchell Robinson and did not have Josh Hart.
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So, again, you take these with a grain of salt, but I do think it's important to at least give you my takeaways from having watched those games, because I do think it's important to kind of try to glean something out of how these teams will prepare for each other when you get to now these NBA finals.
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So, I think the first big question I think everybody would have, at least I have, is who actually guards Wimby on the Knicks?
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It's actually funny.
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Shout out to my guy, uh, I hope he doesn't mind me saying this.
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Shout out to my guy Zach Gelp, the Zach Gelp show, 365 Sports, and uh now he's doing amazing things with uh local radio stations in Miami, local radio stations in in Boston, and now and of course you remember him as the the uh evening and afternoon uh hosts on Infinity Sports Network and CBS Sports Radio.
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We were kind of talking about like trying to remember everything that happened over the course of those games because they happened so long ago at this point in time, especially the NBA Cup game, which was the first game these teams played all year.
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And I actually, when I was watching these games, was like curious who who how did Nick guard Women Yam in these games?
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It's a little weird because, again, it's hard to get a straightforward answer.
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The There was a game where there was a minutes restriction, so Wemby came off the bench.
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In that game, Mitchell Robinson took him the most.
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There was also a game where Mitchell Robinson didn't play at all, obviously.
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That was the second game.
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So, so, which actually is important to note, honestly, because one of the things we haven't gotten to talk about, I didn't get to do uh I was out of town, so I didn't get to do a podcast through all the hoopla that may still exist.
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We'll learn more later today when the Knicks do, and I'm recording this Tuesday afternoon when the Knicks do their media availability.
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Mother dropped Mitchell Robinson's broken pinky that we learned about, a injury that happened in a non-basketball way.
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I they say he's gonna try to play.
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There's hope he's gonna try to play.
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They seem to be couching it, being careful, but I've not seen anything saying that like they don't think he can play.
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The only thing we're hearing from Mike Brown has been like he has to be cleared by medical in order to get out there.
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So I guess that's the last hurdle he has.
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I know he's been doing individual work, he hasn't necessarily been doing teamwork or scrimmaging in any way, so that's gonna be an important story to follow throughout this entire postseason and see how effective he is.
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But and again, in the game that they lost, uh Mitch didn't play.
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In that game, there was a lot more OG oninubi guarding Wemby than any of the other two matchups.
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OG started on him in the December loss and took him most of the way.
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Kat and Hugporty ended up getting the secondary assignments when OG sat.
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In the games that Mitch played, it was basically Mitch, whenever he was on the floor, was guarding Wimbinama.
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There it didn't matter, it was Kat, which they did do some double bigs in the two games they played, or if it was OG or anybody else out there, it was always Mitch's matchup.
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Uh they sprinkled in then OG and Kat as secondary assignments for Wimbanyama in those games.
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Wimbanyama's been playing much more minutes in the regular season than the postseason, so uh it was very easy to match Mitch's minutes, definitely obviously in the cup game, and even a little bit in the regular season because he wasn't playing up to 40 minutes, which he may play in this upcoming series.
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I think in terms of how the Knicks will approach this, I actually don't know how they I'm not like sold on how they'll do it.
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My guess is they'll start with OG on him, but they've done weird things with OG.
00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:33.440
They also have put OG, and I watched some of the games as well, or especially uh earlier in the NBA Cup game, they actually put OG on Fox.
00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:35.759
So they also could do that.
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:54.240
I think given how effective Bridges and Hart have been guarding on the perimeter, I think Mike Brown will have a little more faith in his backcourt, if you kind of count Josh Hart as part of a three-guard lineup to guard these guys on the perimeter than maybe he did in the regular season.
00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:05.839
So I think OG starts on Wemby, then they go to Mitch, and as the game possesses, uh you know, as the game progresses, and then matchups change and things happen throughout the game.
00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.279
I think you'll see Kat probably more as the game moves on.
00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:16.240
But that's gonna be key stretches when that happens, because obviously Kat can't get in foul trouble.
00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:28.720
He's extremely important in this series because for the Knicks to win, we'll talk about everything they gotta do to win, but I think important from the win, they gotta play a lot of five out, or at least have a five-out threat when we get to Josh Hart's impact in the series, which we're about to get to in a second.
00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.279
So Kat can't get out of can't get in foul trouble.
00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:35.920
He got in foul trouble in the second game they played this year, the the New Year's Eve game.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:39.119
He fouled out, despite being impactful offensively.
00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.440
So that is going to be very key.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:48.319
I thought OG, when he guarded uh Wemby at times, was able to be very physical him, was able to be very disruptive.
00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:53.839
He, of course, is the shortest of the matchups the Knicks have, so Wemby does have potential opportunities to shoot over him.
00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:56.559
I'd be very curious to see how effective he is.
00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:08.480
But um, there's a chance that the Knicks may not employ as much OG on a newbie on him as maybe other people are expecting because really it was only the game where they did not have Mitchell Robinson that OG took him a ton.
00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:20.000
And I think what will likely happen is Mitchell Robinson will play his 20 minutes tonight if he's healthy, and in all those minutes, they will try to make sure he's on the floor with Wembin Yama.
00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:24.000
And that is where you're gonna see him really kind of make his bones.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.920
That's gonna be the primary match point off the bench.
00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.319
And I think the OG cat thing, they'll probably try to trade off, to be honest, in figuring that out.
00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:36.079
Now, if Wemby's going in a certain way, or if he's really got cat in a bind, I think that's where you would certainly see OG playing him.
00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:47.519
But who guards uh Wemby, I think is gonna be an important question that I don't think, given watching the three games, I had a clear answer on only that only in that Mitchell Robinson will guard him when he's on the court.
00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.440
That's the only thing that was definitely definite.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:53.039
Everything else was a little more flexible.
00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:57.599
There were times where they put long stretches of OG on him, there were times they had long stretches of cat on him.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:03.039
So that's gonna be uh an important thing to follow in this series when I think about what happened in the regular season.
00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:18.960
Also, I think uh is Josh Hart's impact in this series, just thinking about watching these regular season games, for the Knicks, I think this series resembles the Cleveland series more than any of the other series they played so far in this postseason.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.240
Now, let me be clear.
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:27.759
The Spurs are, I cannot say this, emphasize this enough, much better defensively on the perimeter than the Cavs.
00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:28.960
Much better.
00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:35.839
You have a team that has Donovan Mitchell and James Harden on the perimeter, defensively you have a lot of problems.
00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:46.160
The Spurs do not have anybody anybody that plays on the level of Donovan Mitchell or James Harden defensively.
00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.200
Definitely not James Harden.
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:48.880
And Mitchell's not a great defender.
00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:58.480
He can give effort and be disruptive, but I I think that every you would definitely say anybody that the Spurs play in any regular way on the perimeter, they guard better than Donovan Mitchell.
00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.839
And they're all taller than him.
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.880
So let's put that aside.
00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:15.759
I still think this is very similar, or at least most similar, or most resembles the Cav series, because the strategy I think will be kind of the same, which is to make these Josh Hart games.
00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.920
They're going to put Wemby on Josh Hart.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:21.279
That was something that was consistent throughout these games when Josh Hart played.
00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:25.279
And the goal is going to be to let uh let him roam, right?
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:36.160
One of the reasons why the Spurs had so much success against the Thunder, was the Thunder really couldn't play Chet with Wemby because the Spurs were very comfortable leaving.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:46.480
Now that's a center, but still leaving Wembinama on Harenstein, who's not a shooter, which meant he was able to roam free and just double and do whatever he needed to do to be impactful defensively.
00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:54.480
And then it was equally bad when Chet, despite still not being guarded by Wemby at times, was not being aggressive and did not want to shoot.
00:22:54.799 --> 00:23:03.440
So this is going to be a very important, I think, potentially swing trait of this series is how well and how effective is Josh Hart in this series.
00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:11.519
In the Knicks game that they blew off the Spurs in March, again, they opened with Wemby guarding Josh Hart.
00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:14.079
He also guarded a lot of Mo Di Ouara in that game.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:17.359
Moe Di Owar was firmly in the rotation at that point in the season.
00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:23.920
And those games didn't get broken open really until Hart and Di Oara started making shots.
00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:29.519
And the team got off to kind of a slow start, and they didn't really get out of that slow start until they took Josh off the game.
00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:35.200
That was kind of one of these weird Josh Hart games where in the first half he was kind of killing them because he could not shoot.
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:41.200
He was having trouble with Wemby's sides when he would try to drive and try to get those floaters and those mid-range shots that he is comfortable with.
00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.039
Wemby bothers all of them.
00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:44.880
He was terrible in the first quarter.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:48.799
They brought in Landry Shamut and they brought in uh no, Deuce did not play.
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:50.319
So this was they brought in Landry Shamit.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:56.480
Shamit didn't even shoot the ball that great, but just the threat of him shooting made things easier for the Knicks offensively.
00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:05.599
And again, once Hart came back in the game, and then the Iwara came back in the game, they started making shots, it opened things up, which to me is similar to what you saw with the Cavs.
00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:17.119
Um the Cavs wanted to allow Jared Allen and Evan Mobley, their two twin towers in the back and in the in the front line, when they were playing the center, they wanted them to guard Josh Hart and allowed them to roll.
00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:25.359
Josh Hart had the infamous game too where he's already making those threes and really got hot and he kept shooting well the rest of the way, and it just gave the Cavs no chance.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:28.319
When he started making shots, they they couldn't win.
00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:39.759
And um to me, Josh or whoever gets left on Wemby will have to make a few shots to allow the Knicks offense to get some oxygen to breathe and to flow the way they want to.
00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:56.079
If Josh Hart is not making shots or not being effective with his offense in terms of being a scorer, and then they don't find someone else, whether it's a Deuce McBride, I think this could definitely be a Deuce series or a Shaman, uh Landry Shaman, and this could definitely be a Shaman series as well.
00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:09.440
That is where the Knicks could run into a lot of trouble against this Spurs defense because again, if Wimby can roam and they have these high-end perimeter defenders, that is where they could cause trouble and cause damage for the Knicks.
00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:11.200
So that's going to be very important to watch.
00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:18.480
Also, just a note from watching these games, I think it's important to remember, these were amazing games for Jordan Clarkson in the two games he played.
00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:22.160
He was out of the rotation in March, so he didn't play the March game when they blew him out.
00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:28.319
But in both the loss that they had and in the game they won in the NBA Cup, especially in the NBA Cup, he was awesome.
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:33.599
I mean, these were uh I don't know if he's he's from San Antonio playing against his hometown team.
00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:38.160
I don't know if that got him more pumped up or whatever, but he was balling in these two games.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:47.119
He had a huge again, performance, huge performance in the NBA Cup, and the Knicks haven't quite had the Jordan Clarkson offensive explosion yet in one of these games.
00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.599
That's the one thing that's pretty much been missing from the Knicks playoff storyline.
00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.359
I'm not saying they're owed that.
00:25:53.519 --> 00:26:06.640
It may just never happen, but considering the Calbour score Jordan Clarkson has been throughout his career, while I think his offensive exploits on the Knicks have been underwhelming.
00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.480
That's fair to say for the course of the season.
00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:10.720
He's now turned into defense hustle guy.
00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.519
And credit to him.
00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.880
He's doing a very good job at that.
00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.400
That is not what he was brought here to do.
00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:19.839
He's brought here to come off the bench and be a secondary score, a secondary board handler, a guy who could create his own offense.
00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:26.319
And I think a little older, step slower, he just had he just hasn't had that.
00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.000
But credit to him, he's found a role.
00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:31.839
He's been awesome on the offensive class, like he's been great with, you know, just again, hustling up to loose balls.
00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:33.839
He's been really good on the ball, being disruptive.
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:38.480
So it's not like he doesn't have a place on the team without his usual offense.
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:42.559
But I also would point out that he had his usual offense against this team.
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.000
Why, I don't know.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:45.680
This is a really good defensive team.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:52.319
They got good defensive players, so it's not like but some guys just they just see certain guys and they know they can score on them.
00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:55.440
Like it's what we see with Wimbenyama versus Chet, right?
00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:00.799
Like Chet is an all-war defender, but Wimbenyama feels a certain way about Chet and he's locked in a certain way.
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:03.279
He's very confident in those matchups and he's very aggressive.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:06.400
That's kind of what you saw from Jordan Clarkson in these matchups against the Spurs.
00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:13.200
So just something to file away is do you get one of these magnet ball gains from Jordan Clarkson?
00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:18.160
And uh, if the Knicks get that game, they will probably win, because that's not something the Spurs can afford to have.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:22.400
I think given how the Knicks are playing offensively, these other guys are already tough enough.
00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:26.559
If Jordan Clarkson is making shots and being aggressive, then they're in a lot of trouble in one of these games.
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.200
I'm not saying he's gonna have a huge series or anything like that.
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.079
I would hope so.
00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:39.119
I'm not predicting that, but given what I saw in the regular season, it makes me wonder if there isn't one or two really, really good Jordan Clarkson games uh in this series.
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:47.119
So the other thing I would say as well in terms of looking at the regular season matchups, uh, I think Yogi's a problem for them in a very good way for the Knicks, obviously.
00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:55.599
I think outside of Kat, which is kind of a it's a forced mismatch that they're welcoming, right?
00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:05.039
They're gonna, unless Kat, I think, goes crazy or something like that, or some reason he's dominating one of those smaller guys, I think they're going to live with Kat being guarded by a small.
00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:08.000
When I say a small, I mean either a wing or guard.
00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:11.359
They don't really have power forward, which is weird about the team.
00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:16.559
So they're gonna be gonna be guarded by a small, quote unquote, and that's a matchup they're gonna enjoy.
00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:25.599
In fact, in many ways, I think it's kind of fool's gold to think that Kat's being guarded by a small, let's put him on the block and post him up a ton and see if he can just score a lot.
00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:27.599
And that's as we've seen, that's been fool's gold.
00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.480
That doesn't necessarily work.
00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:30.240
Kat doesn't establish position well enough.
00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:39.519
He also draws off of the fouls a lot, and for the Spurs, it actually allows Wembyama to be very disruptive in double teams quite easily with his size and length.
00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:44.160
So that's not really the answer to the question of what they do when they put a small on cat.
00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:53.839
Um, but one of the things I felt like I saw was outside the cat mismatch, OG Ananubi seemed like also one of the bigger mismatches that they had in these matchups.
00:28:54.079 --> 00:29:00.480
It's funny because OG Ananubi's had a phenomenal NBA playoff run.
00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:07.440
In many ways, it feels like he has gone from super role player to star player in these playoffs.
00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:23.279
Watching these games was interesting, especially in the NBA Cup game, because he actually in very much, very real ways, resembled his playoff version that we've seen that we fell in love with for the last two months in at least two of these games with the Spurs, uh, than he did the rest of the regular season.
00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.480
In the NBA Cup game that they won, he had 20 points in the first half.
00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:28.160
He finished with 28 in that game.
00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:31.920
In the March blowout that they had, of course, that ended up being a runaway.
00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:35.039
I think he had 13 points, but he he was 2-5-3.
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.920
He was 5-11 from the field, and he was a plus 16 on the floor.
00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:42.319
The bench unit was a team that was a number of the guy that really racked up the high plus-minuses.
00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:45.599
I think he was the second highest plus-minus of anybody that started.
00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:53.279
So he was extremely impactful on both sides of the ball in two of the Knicks, both of their wins against the Spurs.
00:29:53.599 --> 00:30:04.640
The reality is I think the Spurs, again, because they don't really have a power forward, they don't really have Kellen Johnson's kind of a combo forward, and he is like deceptively strong.
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:09.359
Like he may not look like, you know, Lou Dort, but he's wiry strong.
00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:18.000
But they don't really lack, they only have an athlete as rangey and athletic and as strong as OG Ana Nubi, which means that it becomes a favorable matchup for him.
00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:23.119
So in the one game that lost they lost, ironically, it was his worst game, shot three for ten.
00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:26.480
It was a game that Wembayama guarded him the most.
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:29.440
Which I think is a thing to file away too.
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:44.720
Is there a point in these series where if OG does really get it going, do they abandon the let's put Wemby on Hart or some guy that we're comfortable with the Knicks letting shoot, and let's try to find a way to get Wemby on OG to just take him away?
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:46.640
I think if Wemby's guarding OG, he will.
00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:48.400
I think he will just kind of take him away.
00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:54.799
But if that's not the case, and I think they're gonna try to be disciplined with their strategy, then OG should have a great game.
00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:57.680
Remember, again, the game the Knicks lost, Hart didn't play.
00:30:57.759 --> 00:31:01.359
So they couldn't really do the hide Wemby on somebody guy.
00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:03.680
They had to put him on cat for a lot of stretches.
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:06.240
When they did hide him, they tried to put him on Modi War.
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:12.079
It was a weird thing in that game where Modi War in the second half basically only played like 53 seconds and immediately came out.
00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:16.240
Like, I don't know if you're gonna see them do that again.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:21.759
So that's a very important thing, I think, to think about when we talk about uh this uh this this matchup.
00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:32.640
I think OG, um the way he's playing so far and how dominant he's been in the regular season, I think he could be in line for a huge series offensively uh for the Knicks here.
00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:37.039
And then uh the Knicks in the offensive glass, will they be able to dominate this again?
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:49.440
This was a main story, in my opinion, in the regular season series, and I think it showed just how vulnerable the Spurs are on the offensive glass, especially given how they're trying to play the Knicks, at least how they did.
00:31:49.680 --> 00:32:03.519
So in the two games the Knicks won, they had 23 rebounds in the NBA Cup final, and 18 offensive offensive rebounds, 23 offensive rebounds, 18 offensive rebounds in the March blowout win.
00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:14.720
They only had 10 in the loss, which is not a terrible number, but that was the game that did not have Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart, and they were only minus one in offensive rebounds.
00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:29.359
So it tells you that the Spurs, who are actually um a very good defensive rebounding team, they're actually second in the NBA in rebounds, and they're the best in the NBA defensive rebounding, they had trouble against Knicks on the offensive glass.
00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:37.359
So with the Spurs looking to hide Wemby on non-shooters, I think it's gonna be important for Kat to uh really dominate the offensive glass.
00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:45.680
Of course, it's gonna be important for Mitch, who had 10 offensive rebounds by himself in the NBA Cup game, and just like I think it was just like 18 minutes or something crazy.
00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:47.279
And then, of course, OG as well.
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.400
I think OG's gonna have to be a big factor on the offensive glass against smaller matchups that he's gonna see.
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:54.640
Um, the officers of glass is also gonna be important.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:57.359
I think it's gonna be important to unlock uh cat scoring.
00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:59.519
We know cat's gonna be guarded by small.
00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:06.960
I think we'll get to some of the ways Nick's gonna attack the Spurs offensively, but I think you could see a lot of point center cat as well.
00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:21.759
It doesn't necessarily mean him shooting a ton or getting a lot of field goal cents, or offense ran through him in a scoring manner, but that doesn't mean he can't still find ways to score, and I think one of the ways he's gonna have to do that is on the glasses, which is a way he definitely hurt the Spurs in the March blowout.
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:27.599
So, key, key, key things to look at uh in terms of the Knicks and their ability to win this series.
00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:30.720
Uh, can they dominate the offensive glass again the way it did in the regular season?
00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:32.319
That's gonna be super important.
00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:38.480
And then finally, um really curious how the Spurs went up guarding uh Jalen Brunson.
00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:47.440
It may sound straightforward just given kind of how the series went during the regular season, or excuse me, how the the Spurs got here, right?
00:33:47.599 --> 00:34:01.200
Like they have an obvious pitbull kind of all-world perimeter defender in Stefan Castle, but they didn't play it that straight during the regular season.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:04.559
So, which again was surprising because they didn't have a lot of injuries.
00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:12.800
There's a lot of variables to deal with in terms of anything involving the front court in talking about these this matchup with the Spurs and Knicks.
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:19.440
I mentioned Mitch didn't play in the game, I mentioned Hart didn't play in the game, Wemby had a minutes restriction in one of the games.
00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:24.159
So there's a lot of things that I think are kind of question marks that we're gonna have to see what the answers are.
00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:28.159
The Spurs didn't have a question mark in terms of their backcourt.
00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:35.440
All their guards were available in all three games, but they didn't necessarily, again, just give Brunson one singular matchup.
00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:44.159
So Castle did get a lot of time with Brunson for sure, but so did De'Aaron Fox, which really surprised me, especially in the March game.
00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:50.719
In the March game, they tried to put Stefan Castle on Carlton Towns.
00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:54.800
And then Wemby guarded Hart, and then Fox was left on Brunson.
00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:58.719
And to be honest, it kind of worked.
00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:04.559
In terms of terms of a team defense, like the Knicks got off to a slow start, Hart was missing shots, but it's not really work on Brunson.
00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:08.320
Like Brunson scored 11 points in that first quarter, he walked into some easy trade balls.
00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:12.239
I think I think he was getting good looks or maybe making good decisions.
00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:16.159
It's just the offense wasn't operating in the way that it is right now.
00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:19.199
But he seemed fine with them doing that.
00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:24.320
Now, overall, Brunson's numbers against the Spurs have kind of been just okay.
00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:31.039
Like he didn't have uh any, like obviously he scored 60 points against them in 2020, 2024-2025 season.
00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:35.840
He didn't have one of those like vintage explosions against the Spurs this time around.
00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:41.280
So it suggests that how they've guarded him has been pretty good, even though they lost two of the three games.
00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:43.840
And again, it's been a lot of rotations, right?
00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:46.719
Like Castle certainly got time, and he will get time here.
00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:57.280
And um, I think given how badly the March game went as a whole, I don't know if they want to do the Fox matchup again straight up the way they did in that game in March.
00:35:57.519 --> 00:35:58.480
So I'll be curious.
00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:11.599
It also, again, the regular season is where you uh experiment, and the reality is the Spurs at that point in time may have been looking at the Knicks as a team that they could see in the finals, and maybe they wanted to give a look that was maybe a little unorthodox than what you would expect.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:26.159
Because again, the most conventional look that we saw in the other series in other games was Castle guarding Brunson, Harper guarding Brunson coming off the bench when Fox or Castle came out, and I I I think that's probably what you'll see more of this series.
00:36:26.239 --> 00:36:32.960
They put Castle as a primary guy on um on um on SGA.
00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:34.559
I thought he did a really good job.
00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:36.559
I thought the team as a whole did a really good job.
00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:43.360
He's an excellent, excellent defender, and I think it's gonna be uh a tough task for Brunson.
00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:45.119
I don't think it's an impossible task.
00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:47.920
Like, I don't think this is Dyson Daniels level defense.
00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:51.280
Daniels, and he he's given Brunson's giving Daniels belt too.
00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:55.679
But Dun Brunson had some problem with Daniels in that first round series that they had earlier this year.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:37:10.079
Brunson Castle is maybe a little more athletic, but he's not quite as big or as strong as uh as Stefan Castle, or rather, he's bigger and stronger than uh than Stefan Castle.
00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:22.320
So I I think Brunson will have a better chance of moving Stefan off of his spot and getting to his spots more comfortably, even though he will have to shoot over a little bit of slots, of course, because uh you got a guy who's 6'6 guarding him.
00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.199
So I don't know.
00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:33.119
I'm I'm very curious how they guard Brunson because that that was something that was a little bit more I didn't expect it to be as much of a question mark when I watched the games, but then I watched the ends on wait, Stefan Castle is not taking Brunson, that's weird.
00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:38.480
And in especially in the last game they played, which was the March game, it was the primary matchup was Fox.
00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:41.599
And I thought Brunson was very fine with that.
00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:45.039
I don't I don't think they want to try that again, but it they may, you never know.
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:46.400
We'll see what ends up happening.
00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:53.599
Uh I also wouldn't be surprised if they try as more Vassell than Fox, because the other thing about Fox's body, you gotta remember, he is battling an ankle injury.
00:37:53.679 --> 00:38:07.840
I don't know how well he's feeling now, but he heard his ankle against Minnesota, he re-injured that ankle in the series against OKC, where he missed the first two games, came back, got hurt in the series, finished the series, but really wasn't himself throughout the entire series.
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:10.719
I don't know how much they want him chasing around Jalen Brunson.
00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:15.280
So I would I would be surprised if they go back to that Fox uh matchup.
00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:28.239
The other thing about Brunson's matchup going up against this team that I think is interesting to watch, is I'm also fascinated in how Brunson looks attacking this Spurs defense with the Knicks' new offense.
00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:30.960
So this is what was kind of funny to watch.
00:38:31.199 --> 00:38:32.719
Ball movement in these games were pretty good.
00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:38.239
The Knicks were very comfortable offensively in all these games, but it's still not exactly the same in how they're playing.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:40.320
They're running a different offense right now, clearly.
00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:43.599
There was not point center cat in these games.
00:38:44.000 --> 00:39:13.119
Brunson's playing way more off the ball, and I think given the Spurs' propensity to want to apply full court pressure because they have such good perimeter defenders in Harper and in Castle, I actually think it's more advantageous to the Knicks that they're playing Brunson more off the ball, and they're gonna have to be very comfortable with doing that a lot more in this series as well, so that Brunson doesn't get worn down offensively, having to dribble through very difficult pressure 94 feet every single time down the floor.
00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:20.719
Um, I think to me, um, Mike Brown has also been a uh very willing to play two guards against the Spurs.
00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:22.559
That's one thing I saw in all three matchups.
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:31.199
That was one of the most consistent things I saw in all three matchups, regardless of the of the series or who was playing or who was hurt, was that they were playing three guards.
00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:34.880
In fact, it they actually ended up rather two guards, two point guards at the same time.
00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:39.039
In fact, they actually ended up switching the guards.
00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:43.679
The first two games, it was Tyler Koelick in the backcourt with Jalen Brunson.
00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:51.920
When they went on that big run the fourth quarter in the NBA Cup final, you'll remember it was Tyler Koelick who made big plays, made big shots, and he was crucial in that game.
00:39:52.000 --> 00:40:01.360
Yeah, that was kind of the that was outside of the Christmas game that where they came back from Cleveland, that was the Tyler Koelick game of the season, probably, was the NBA Cup final.
00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:16.079
And Jose Alvarado, when he was traded uh to New York and then entered the rotation over Tyler Koelick in the March game that the Knicks won by 20 plus points, uh he was also playing alongside Jalen Brunson.
00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.039
That was very early on.
00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:18.880
That may have been his second or third game for the Knicks.
00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:21.679
It was it was shortly after the All-Star break.
00:40:21.840 --> 00:40:30.480
So I think in this series, Alvarado playing with Brunson, I think, is going to be something that the Knicks should be looking at in this series.
00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:50.719
I also think more point forward duties for Kat and Hart, I think, are also gonna be very important in this series because if they're going to hide Wembin Yama on Hart, especially, it may be best for Hart to just orchestrate the offense as opposed to him having to be someone who is being forced to be a shooter or forced to be a scorer.
00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:57.840
Like maybe let him run the offense because Wembin Yama is not gonna apply the kind of ball pressure that the guards would normally would.
00:40:57.920 --> 00:41:00.719
So it should allow Knicks to get into their offense a little easier.
00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:04.000
And of course, Cat in the point center stuff.
00:41:04.639 --> 00:41:11.519
Very fascinating how it looks against the Spurs, notably against the Cavs.
00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:28.559
They did a much better job, I think, guarding that stuff than the Knicks, than the certainly the Hawks did, and the Sixers did, because they had an elite long off-ball guy roaming around and trying to blow off those actions than Evan Mobley.
00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:34.960
I don't need to tell you how great Victor Imriama is, and how he's even a better defender than Evan Mobley.
00:41:35.199 --> 00:41:38.320
So that will be something to watch in terms of how effective that stuff will be.
00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:56.960
But I think just given the matchup and how things are gonna go in the series, and how important it would be for Brunson not end up having the ball get sticky in his hands and him pounding the ball into oblivion, it's gonna be important for the Knicks to allow other guys to orchestrate the offense, and that's gonna include, I think at times, using other point guards to help with the series.
00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:59.760
So it's a very fascinating series to follow.
00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:01.440
There are a lot of different X factors here, man.
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:03.840
I I can't wait to see how the series shakes out.
00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:05.599
But I think it's prediction time.
00:42:06.079 --> 00:42:13.599
And when I look at this series, the Spurs are a great team.
00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:17.360
And they are again, like I said earlier, worthy challengers.
00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:27.679
But as I said all year, I said the Knicks got an opportunity to play anyone in the seven-game series outside of Oklahoma City Thunder, I would like their chances to win.
00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:31.760
That included everybody in the Western Conference outside of Oklahoma City Thunder.
00:42:32.239 --> 00:42:38.639
The road to get to the NBA playoffs was Rocky, and the road to start the NBA playoffs was Rocky.
00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:53.679
But I never wavered in the belief that, especially in the East, that the Knicks were the best team suited to win seven-game series against pretty much everybody in the NBA, given how given their potential.
00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:56.960
They easily dispatched those teams in the East.
00:42:57.280 --> 00:43:04.639
Now they have a non-Oklahoma City Thunder team in the West in the NBA Finals, which is what I said they needed to win an NBA championship.
00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:08.559
I've been burned saying this before, but I will say this again.
00:43:08.719 --> 00:43:14.960
I think this will be a more competitive series than the series the Knicks played in the previous three rounds.
00:43:15.199 --> 00:43:18.719
Now I said that against Philly, that ended up being a cakewalk.
00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:22.320
I said that against Cleveland, that ended up being a cakewalk.
00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:28.559
So maybe I'll be wrong again, but I do think this will be a more competitive series.
00:43:28.880 --> 00:43:33.199
But I think the Knicks are playing the best basketball right now, which I think is most important.
00:43:33.599 --> 00:43:39.039
Which is why I am picking the New York Knicks to win the NBA championship in six games.
00:43:39.360 --> 00:43:41.360
I think that's a round of applause.
00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:42.480
So we'll go.
00:43:46.960 --> 00:43:51.119
I'm picking the Knicks to win in six, and here are the reasons why.
00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:58.239
Number one, I think the Knicks employ more scoring threat than anyone San Antonio has faced in the playoffs so far.
00:43:58.800 --> 00:43:59.760
That includes Oakland.
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:03.679
Oklahoma City, given the version we saw of Oklahoma City.
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:11.599
Because the version we saw of Oklahoma City did not have Jalen Williams, and for a long stretch of the series, did not have AJ Mitchell.
00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:21.599
And you can effectively say they kind of didn't have Chet Homerin, who just had an all-time disappearing act in this playoff series, especially in Game 7.
00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:28.559
And then when you watch the Thunder, and this is what we talked about when I was talking about the series, uh, I don't know if I actually did it on Orange Bluebluss.
00:44:28.639 --> 00:44:34.480
I did it on 40 Days and Counting, my other uh my other podcast and my live stream show I do every Tuesday, 8 a.m.
00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:36.960
uh Tuesday, 6 p.m., Friday, 8 a.m.
00:44:37.360 --> 00:44:39.760
I said the thunder the Thunder were struggling offensively.
00:44:39.840 --> 00:44:40.559
It was very clear.
00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:48.960
Like they were winning some games, and when they got these great games from Jared McCain and ask Russo shooting out of his mind, the offense looked okay.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:51.519
But I was, I think this is like not healthy.
00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:58.079
This is this is not what's gonna get them past the Spurs, which is why I kind of flipped mid-series.
00:44:58.480 --> 00:44:59.679
I think the Spurs are actually gonna win this.
00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.960
I picked them to win game seven.
00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:03.280
And game seven kind of went exactly how I thought it would go.
00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:06.239
Shea was awesome, no one else really showed up.
00:45:06.559 --> 00:45:15.119
And the Spurs, I think, took advantage of the fact that they were really able to uh lock in on SGA and SGA only.
00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:18.559
Um the Spurs played outstanding uh defense in that series.
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:24.880
Um, but again, I I I think this will be the best offensive scene the Spurs have played so far in the postseason.
00:45:25.199 --> 00:45:30.239
Offensively, when you think about the regular season matchups, the Knicks had their way in all three games.
00:45:30.400 --> 00:45:32.559
This is a great elite defense.
00:45:32.719 --> 00:45:34.960
They do not look like a great elite defense against the Spurs.
00:45:35.199 --> 00:45:36.559
Against the Knicks, rather, I'm sorry.
00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:41.280
Uh so much so that in watching these games, I actually forgot, I look back, that the Spurs actually went to zone.
00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:53.440
Like they they got so out of their comfort zone, finding ways to get stops defensively, that they actually ended up going to a lot of zone to try to junk up the game and junk up the Knicks' offense.
00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:58.880
It definitely worked a little bit in the second game that the Knicks played against them, that they lost.
00:45:59.119 --> 00:46:02.559
When they got down in the third game the Knicks played, they went to it again.
00:46:02.719 --> 00:46:10.159
But the difference was they started getting three balls from Landry Shamit and three balls from other guys, and and uh and Duwar hit a bunch of threes.
00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:18.800
So to me, that showed me, okay, there is a problem for the Spurs in terms of this defensive matchup, that they actually had some trouble with the Knicks offense.
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:28.719
The Knicks are an elite offensive team, and all the metrics show you that, and for some reason, I think a lot of it doesn't really matter what other people think, but for some reason they don't get given that respect.
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:34.159
Maybe because for so much of the season it didn't look all that pretty.
00:46:34.239 --> 00:46:36.480
It was so much Jalen Brunson isolation.
00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:46.880
Despite that, they still were one of the elite offenses in the regular season, and they've been supercharged now that they've gone away from a lot of Jalen Brunson, Jalen Brunson isolation stuff in the postseason.
00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:53.679
So um I think that this is a good team to try to attack this Spurs defense.
00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:58.480
I also think the way the Knicks are playing is gonna provide more challenges in OKC as well.
00:46:58.639 --> 00:47:13.679
Because if you watch those games against the Thunder for the Spurs, OKC OKC seemed very resigned with allowing SGA to play one versus three plus an alien who's 7-4.
00:47:14.239 --> 00:47:16.400
They don't do a lot of off-ball actions.
00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:25.599
There were a lot of guys kind of just standing around, and it was a lot of alright, set the screen for SGA or get him in isolation, everybody just spread out and be ready to shoot.
00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:30.400
Some guys that, quite frankly, weren't reliable shooters or didn't want to shoot, like at Hombren.
00:47:30.880 --> 00:47:43.119
The Knicks, as we've seen, are running a much more complex offense and they're running a lot more uh physical sets, which is ironic because Mike Brown actually didn't want to really call plays and run so much actual offense.
00:47:43.360 --> 00:47:51.199
But it's part of that is because the Knicks have actually reached that flow state that they've been talking about trying to get to offensive where they kind of know exactly what to do in every stretch.
00:47:51.280 --> 00:47:58.800
So it may look like they're running a very regimented offense, but also because I just think that they're not uh allowing guys to stand around.
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:11.280
I mean, how many times is Mikhail Bridges, who was huge pretty much since the early mishaps he's had in this postseason, who has been huge all playoffs, how many times have you seen him being effective as a cutter?
00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:14.400
How effective have you seen OGI newbie cut into the basket?
00:48:14.559 --> 00:48:19.760
Uh Landry Shamit off the ball, moving around, get three balls like they're just not standing around.
00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:32.320
And it makes it a little harder for Wemby, it makes it a little harder for the Spurs to say, hey, let's lock in on Brunson, let's zone up and load up and be ready for when he tries to attack and to help out when other guys are not standing still.
00:48:32.559 --> 00:48:38.000
So I think that's something that's going to be an advantage for the Knicks that the Spurs really haven't seen.
00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:46.079
Because if you think about the matchups against also the Blazers, just they don't have the offensive firepower that the Knicks have.
00:48:46.320 --> 00:48:50.320
And one of the weaknesses of the T-Wolves is that they don't run great offense.
00:48:50.400 --> 00:48:53.519
That they it is a lot of Anthony Edwards standing and guys standing around.
00:48:53.599 --> 00:49:01.119
And, you know, there's a lot of Jaden McDaniels and you know, Terrence Chan is trying to get downhill one-on-one matchups or in handoffs and things like that.
00:49:01.199 --> 00:49:03.920
It wasn't they don't run a very flow free-flowing offense.
00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:06.559
It's one of the weaknesses of the T-Wolves.
00:49:06.719 --> 00:49:08.320
That's not a weakness of the Knicks.
00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:13.280
So I like this matchup for the Knicks in terms of their ability to attack the Spurs defense.
00:49:13.519 --> 00:49:17.440
I also think at a certain point, experience is gonna matter.
00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:20.079
The Spurs just beat the defending champs.
00:49:20.159 --> 00:49:28.000
I don't want to minimize that accomplishment at all or take them lightly that they did that.
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:33.920
But I do think you have to take into account just how beaten up OKC was by the end of that series.
00:49:34.239 --> 00:49:40.639
And when I looked at the games that the Spurs lost, I thought that their immaturity lost them games three and game five.
00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:52.239
And I think that is something that the Knicks will be able to do a better job exploiting because they'll just have better abled-body players than the OKC Thunder had in that series they played in the Western Conference Finals.
00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:58.719
When else I think about experience, listen, for the Spurs' sake, let's hope Stefan Castle doesn't have a play point guard.
00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:03.199
Castle is talented and he brings a lot to the table.
00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:07.760
I think his decision making and care for the ball are not two of his strengths.
00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:20.559
He was a turn on a machine in a lot of that series, and to me, it's sometimes I like to view, like try to view games from like the other, like if I was rooting for the other team to kind of give me a sense of security of what I should be looking for for the Knicks and what I can take advantage.
00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:28.239
So especially during the game seven, I'm really watching both of these teams, but in some way I was trying to watch the Spurs, especially when looking like the Spurs about to win.
00:50:28.400 --> 00:50:31.280
As a Spurs fan, how do I feel about what we're doing?
00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:33.840
And I said this on social media, he would scare me.
00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:44.559
Stefan Castle would scare the hell out of me if he had to have the ball in his hands in a series situation or for any extended amount of time, especially given the health scares they've had with De'Aaron Fox.
00:50:44.880 --> 00:50:50.400
Fox hasn't played great, but he's at least much more reliable with the ball, where he's not going to turn the ball over as much.
00:50:50.559 --> 00:50:57.519
And the Knicks have been a team that has been way more disruptive defensively in this playoff than they were in the regular season.
00:50:57.599 --> 00:51:00.079
They're not Oklahoma City defensively because no one is.
00:51:00.239 --> 00:51:17.440
But I think with Josh Hart, Carthy Towns, and Mikhail Bridges, the amount of flexions, the flexions that they're generating right now, uh, I would worry a little bit about how the Spurs find a way to keep their nerves in what is going to be a massive stage on the NBA finals.
00:51:17.679 --> 00:51:25.039
And the other thing I have to ask as well is, you know, Wemby have enough around him to lift them to a championship.
00:51:25.119 --> 00:51:26.880
With the chips all on the table.
00:51:27.119 --> 00:51:28.719
Wemby is an incredible player.
00:51:28.800 --> 00:51:30.400
He's a generational talent.
00:51:30.960 --> 00:51:35.920
Is he ready for a championship moment at just 22 years old?
00:51:36.400 --> 00:51:47.760
Because when I think about the history of this league, ironically, three of the six youngest NBA Finals MVPs in NBA history all were Spurs.
00:51:48.159 --> 00:51:49.840
Which is a great omen for the Spurs.
00:51:50.239 --> 00:51:57.280
Because you had Kawhi in 2014, you had Duncan in 99, and you had Tony Parker in uh 27.
00:51:57.519 --> 00:51:58.880
Oh, excuse me, uh 07.
00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:03.360
Kawhi was 22, Duncan was 22, Parker was 24.
00:52:03.440 --> 00:52:05.280
Again, Wemby is 22.
00:52:05.679 --> 00:52:20.480
The difference, though, with this Spurs team compared to those Spurs finals MVPs and those teams was those young stars were buoyed by other stars who were far more experienced.
00:52:21.360 --> 00:52:29.119
In 14, Kawhi had Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, each who had already won what?
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:30.239
Four titles.
00:52:30.400 --> 00:52:34.400
Or Duncan won four, Tar Parker won three, and Mono Ginobli.
00:52:35.519 --> 00:52:39.679
In 99, Duncan had, of course, David Robinson.
00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:44.800
No champions in terms of they had Mario Ellie, but no like champions in terms of the stars.
00:52:44.880 --> 00:52:50.400
But he did have David Robinson, an all-star center, still at the end of his prime, but still really good.
00:52:51.039 --> 00:52:56.800
And in 07, Parker, of course, had Tim Duncan, who at that time had already won two championships.
00:52:56.880 --> 00:52:59.840
And Parker himself had actually already won two titles.
00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:05.440
So he he wasn't an inexperienced guy coming into the NBA Finals himself, even though he was only 24 years old.
00:53:05.599 --> 00:53:08.159
This is very different than what Wimbenyama is dealing with.
00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:16.239
Wembenyama, now you could argue he may be more special and generational than all those guys, and that's saying a lot, because Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan's in that list, but that is real.
00:53:16.320 --> 00:53:17.360
That's how great he is.
00:53:17.599 --> 00:53:20.960
But it's much different than how it was for those other guys.
00:53:21.440 --> 00:53:27.679
Because who is this other experienced star that's gonna help Wimben Yama get through this thing?
00:53:27.760 --> 00:53:28.559
Is it Fox?
00:53:29.119 --> 00:53:30.639
Again, how healthy is he?
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:33.039
He's definitely never been in the NBA Final Stage before.
00:53:33.119 --> 00:53:35.119
This is the DPC's ever been in the playoffs.
00:53:35.280 --> 00:53:39.920
He's an older player, not an old player, but an older player, they're just a really young team.
00:53:40.159 --> 00:53:53.280
Uh like, is he the guy that like allows the young Buck to feel comfortable in this NBA final stage because he's got a wingman that is already ready to go and prime for this moment?
00:53:54.079 --> 00:53:56.400
Is it Harrison Barnes from the band?
00:53:56.559 --> 00:53:58.000
I mean, who they don't have that guy really.
00:53:58.079 --> 00:53:59.519
He's not not who I see.
00:53:59.679 --> 00:54:05.599
So it's gonna be a lot on Women Yama to really be special, and he he very well could be.
00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:12.480
I just think given history, guys who have won NBA Finals MVPs have had that guy.
00:54:12.639 --> 00:54:16.800
The only guy who hasn't, and he had him for six games, was Magic Johnson.
00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:24.960
Magic Johnson had Kareem for six games, then he, or five games rather, then he won Game Six by himself, more or less, obviously, and he won finals MVP.
00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:26.159
But Kareem, we forget.
00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:32.480
And those who watch Winning Time will now know because they did a really good job from dramatizing that whole series.
00:54:32.719 --> 00:54:38.960
Kareem was unstoppable, basically, for the first five games, and probably should have won finals MVP.
00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:48.000
But besides Magic, there really isn't an example of like these guys who are like, oh, I'm young, but it's okay because I uh, you know, I got this by myself.
00:54:48.159 --> 00:54:50.159
Magic also, by the way, is on that list twice.
00:54:50.239 --> 00:54:52.880
And the second time, of course, he had Kareem Idul Jabar again.
00:54:53.440 --> 00:54:55.119
So, experience is a big deal.
00:54:55.199 --> 00:55:10.719
And look, the Knicks don't have a bunch of guys who have won NBA championships, obviously, but they do have a team that's been together for a couple years now, guys who have had all various types of NBA playoff experience, and a team that has been priming itself for this moment.
00:55:11.360 --> 00:55:12.559
The Spurs were not.
00:55:12.719 --> 00:55:15.840
The Spurs are a year ahead, maybe even two years ahead.
00:55:16.079 --> 00:55:21.280
The Spurs, their goal, as they've said, I am I think I don't know who it was, I don't know if it was Darren Fox or somebody.
00:55:21.360 --> 00:55:23.440
One of them said, Yeah, man, our goal is to make the playoffs.
00:55:23.519 --> 00:55:25.679
But then we saw our group we were like, hey, why not?
00:55:25.840 --> 00:55:29.599
Like that their goal was like, oh, let's be ready for the playoffs, let's be good for the playoffs.
00:55:29.679 --> 00:55:32.159
Like this, they're not, they weren't championship robust.
00:55:32.480 --> 00:55:43.679
And maybe that helps with maybe the pressure of the moment, but now that the moment is here, that does create a different environment for the Spurs, and I think it's gonna be important to watch in this series.
00:55:43.920 --> 00:55:56.480
Um, other kind of technical things is I just think the Knicks also are an awesome road team, and not having home court advantage may actually be a little blessing in disguise, as crazy as that may be.
00:55:56.719 --> 00:56:09.119
Um, one of the hidden things about this group that I think don't get doesn't get talked about enough is and what makes me feel very confident in picking the Knicks to win this series, despite not them not having home court advantage, is just how good they are on the road.
00:56:09.280 --> 00:56:15.280
And I think they they will have their opportunity to win at least one, if not two games on the road in this series.
00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:22.639
Over the past two seasons, we've seen this group win extremely tough games on the road in extremely hostile environments.
00:56:22.800 --> 00:56:27.280
They've won in Detroit, they've won in Boston, and they've won in Indiana.
00:56:27.840 --> 00:56:57.199
We've also seen this Knicks fan contingent, that is another variable of this series that hasn't quite, or rather rather the playoffs, that hasn't quite reared its ugly head in this series yet, though I did see an interesting story about how some Spurs ticket uh holders, ticking ticket season season ticket holders are being, you know, basically removed off their roles for next year and for the future because they are selling their tickets online for exuberant numbers.
00:56:57.440 --> 00:56:59.760
Are those numbers all Knicks fans?
00:56:59.920 --> 00:57:02.000
I don't think so, but I just don't know.
00:57:02.159 --> 00:57:12.000
And like I said, uh after the Knicks uh you know won the series in Cleveland, I'm just not gonna put anything past Knicks fans in terms of how well they will travel.
00:57:12.159 --> 00:57:21.840
I think this will probably be the least New York contingent of any of the series that the Knicks have played so far this postseason, where in all three series the Knicks fans have made their presence felt.
00:57:22.079 --> 00:57:24.400
But who's to say that's not a factor in this?
00:57:24.639 --> 00:57:33.039
And even if it's not, like I said before, the Knicks, just in general, have just been a better road team during the postseason in this Jalen Brunson era than they have been a home team.
00:57:33.280 --> 00:57:36.559
And I think the team just plays with a different energy on the road.
00:57:36.800 --> 00:57:49.199
I think that in many ways, a lot of like the lights, camera action, bells and whistles and pressure and everything that comes with like the Knicks having success in the regular season and then playing games at home.
00:57:49.360 --> 00:57:54.159
I think not having that for the A to start the series is great.
00:57:54.559 --> 00:58:02.400
Because you just came off a layoff, and we saw how much they kind of struggled to get their legs under them in the Cleveland series in game one.
00:58:02.960 --> 00:58:16.239
Nothing punched you in the face in terms of you're an NBA Finals playing against a good team, and this is all from the this is for all the Marvel, so get your act together faster than a road environment, a hostile environment potentially, and a team as good as the Spurs.
00:58:16.639 --> 00:58:20.559
So I I think that them actually starting this on the road is probably better for them.
00:58:20.639 --> 00:58:23.119
They have to get on a plane, there's all this preparation.
00:58:23.360 --> 00:58:27.199
You now know there is no, oh, okay, oh, I'm in the NBA Eastern Conference Final.
00:58:27.280 --> 00:58:28.000
Oh, I gotta get going.
00:58:28.079 --> 00:58:30.800
Like, man, it took me a while to kind of get my legs under me and get going.
00:58:30.960 --> 00:58:38.800
You're not gonna have that playing in San Antonio where they're yelling, go, Parents, go, every five seconds, and there's a crazy crowd.
00:58:38.960 --> 00:58:43.599
Uh it I just I think it will be very good for this team to actually be on the road.
00:58:43.679 --> 00:58:47.519
And I think if you're a team playing the Knicks, you're like, oh, okay, we got them on the road, okay.
00:58:47.599 --> 00:58:47.920
That's good.
00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:48.800
That's we're going home.
00:58:48.880 --> 00:58:50.559
Again, that's a false sense of security.
00:58:50.639 --> 00:58:52.239
I think Philly felt that way.
00:58:52.400 --> 00:59:01.440
I think um Cleveland felt that way, and they were in for root awakenings because again, the version of Knicks that plays on the road is a just a better team than the version that plays at home.
00:59:01.599 --> 00:59:11.039
Look at the point differentials in the last two years between how they play on the road and how they play at home in the postseason, it's it's a distinct advantage for the Knicks to actually play on the road.
00:59:11.199 --> 00:59:21.920
So, um, in terms of why I think the Knicks can win this series, despite being a team that doesn't have home court advantage, them being an awesome road team in the playoffs is certainly a huge, huge factor in this.
00:59:22.079 --> 00:59:29.519
And the last thing I'll say as well, and I think it's important to talk about in any NBA finals for sure, is execution down the stretch.
00:59:29.679 --> 00:59:35.440
It kind of goes back a little bit to experience, but I'm gonna take experience away from that and just talk about the actual players.
00:59:35.920 --> 00:59:51.119
I think in the playoffs, and excuse me, I think in the playoffs, the team that has the best closer will always have a distinct advantage in the series, and especially late in games, and especially in the NBA Finals where you expect the game to be close.
00:59:51.440 --> 01:00:01.519
Brunson, of course, is Captain Clutch, and I think every Knicks fan feels extremely comfortable with the game on the line and the ball being in Jalen Brunson's hands.
01:00:01.760 --> 01:00:08.159
Now, Wemby put on a performance for the ages in game one, and he wanted to talk about crunch time performance and big shot making.
01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:12.800
He showed he can definitely do it, obviously, because of what he did in game one against OKC.
01:00:13.679 --> 01:00:19.119
But overall, and including what we saw in game seven, that was a close game that the Spurs did close out.
01:00:19.360 --> 01:00:27.199
Overall, though, that team is still, I think, and it's the nature of your best player being 7-4, is still more of a committee team down the stretch than it is the Knicks.
01:00:27.440 --> 01:00:29.360
The Knicks, we know it's Brunson time.
01:00:29.679 --> 01:00:37.119
With the Spurs, and if it's not Brunson, the only reason it won't be Brunson time is because the team is gonna send two guys at him, and therefore someone else is gonna have to make a play.
01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:40.000
But Brunson's gonna be the guy making the decisions.
01:00:40.239 --> 01:00:42.239
With the Spurs, it's kind of a mixed bag.
01:00:42.320 --> 01:00:46.800
Like it's Fox, it could be a lot of Steph and Castle, which again, that would scare me if I'm the Spurs.
01:00:47.199 --> 01:00:55.679
And Wemby, of course, will have his opportunities and stuff, but you have to find a way to get him the ball in those stretches as opposed to a guard who can just dominate the game down the stretch.
01:00:55.920 --> 01:01:02.400
At the end of the day, I trust Brunson more than any of the Spurs ball handlers, especially in an NBA final setting.
01:01:02.639 --> 01:01:21.119
And I think uh the Spurs, this means the Knicks, when we get to crunch time and trying to take away Wemben Yama, I trust their abilities to use their physicality and deny and frustrate him and not allow him to be the kind of impact player he has been in crunch time for the Spurs throughout this postseason run.
01:01:22.000 --> 01:01:30.880
This is the biggest Knicks moment, Knicks series in definitely at least almost three decades, obviously.
01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:40.400
I would argue that this is even bigger than 99 because I lived in 99 and I was a kid, but I was fully, fully locked in.
01:01:40.480 --> 01:01:50.239
I always say my there's various origin stories of when EJ really became a a huge basketball fan, but the origin the real like you want to talk about when I was really, really locked in.
01:01:50.320 --> 01:02:00.000
I always say 98 NBA All-Star games when I really was like, wow, I like this is something that I'm gonna be locked into loving forever, and so far so good.
01:02:00.400 --> 01:02:10.960
But you want to talk about okay, the one moment that really keeps you locked into this thing even as a kid and beyond, it was the 99 finals, of course, the 99 playoff run for the Knicks.
01:02:11.199 --> 01:02:12.960
Because I was too young for 94.
01:02:13.280 --> 01:02:28.159
And I was 99, I'm eight years old, but I knew, and everybody in New York knew at that time, as great as they were playing, and you hoped that they could win, you knew with no Patrick Ewing, that it was gonna be an extremely tall task to beat the Spurs, who were mauling people in the playoffs.
01:02:28.239 --> 01:02:34.000
They just swept in the Western Crowns Finals against a very good Lagers team that then went back to the Western Crowns Finals the next year.
01:02:34.239 --> 01:02:38.320
So you knew that this was gonna be a tall task for the Knicks in '99.
01:02:38.480 --> 01:02:45.199
It was gonna be basically a miracle if they found a way to beat the Twin Towers and Duncan and Robinson.
01:02:45.440 --> 01:02:50.800
So the Knicks played the finals, they kind of got their ass kicked, and you kind of knew what it was.
01:02:50.960 --> 01:02:54.639
You say, hey, listen, though, this is a great run, this is a lot of fun, and man, what a season.
01:02:55.119 --> 01:02:57.760
This just isn't that to me.
01:02:58.159 --> 01:03:02.719
That's why I say this series is bigger than 99, because 99 I think we knew what was likely gonna happen.
01:03:03.039 --> 01:03:12.800
This feels more like 94 in the sense that this feels like your absolute best shot with a nucleus that's been together for a while to win a championship.
01:03:13.360 --> 01:03:29.360
There's a big African descent center on the other side that will make this extremely difficult, and it's not gonna be easy, but the the opportunity is certainly there, the matchup is certainly there, and how the team is playing, it gives them all the opportunities to try to find a way to win this thing.
01:03:29.519 --> 01:03:31.840
Their health is pretty good outside of Mitchell Robinson.
01:03:32.000 --> 01:03:34.960
They're playing against the team they had success against in the regular season.
01:03:35.199 --> 01:03:38.480
As Aaron Boone likes to say, everything is right in front of them.
01:03:39.360 --> 01:03:41.679
I hope they live up to the moment.
01:03:42.000 --> 01:03:43.920
I firmly believe that they will.
01:03:44.159 --> 01:03:44.800
I do.
01:03:46.000 --> 01:03:51.199
I think this is again what this team has been building towards, is what they've been working towards.
01:03:51.360 --> 01:03:55.199
And they're on such a high right now, and they're playing so well.
01:03:56.079 --> 01:04:00.239
I know Vegas has the Spurs as a pretty considerable favorite.
01:04:00.800 --> 01:04:05.440
Vegas is not dummies, so I take that very seriously.
01:04:05.760 --> 01:04:10.880
It makes me kind of wonder, man, am I not seeing something about this series?
01:04:11.440 --> 01:04:20.159
Despite having watched all these three games or whatever, and and I watched all all of the Western Congress finals, and I feel like the Knicks are a better team than the Spurs.
01:04:21.840 --> 01:04:31.199
But I just I just think that with everything that they have going for them right now, I don't think that the pressure is really gonna get to them.
01:04:31.599 --> 01:04:33.679
You know, that's always that's the thing about the NBA Finals, man.
01:04:33.840 --> 01:04:36.639
There's variables you don't know, like, and we're gonna see it.
01:04:37.360 --> 01:04:43.119
Somebody that I spoke about today, there's gonna be two people, and maybe even more than two people, but at least two people.
01:04:43.760 --> 01:04:54.639
Somebody I spoke about today, that I said could play well, or has been a star or has been great for the Spurs or the Knicks, because on either side, one of them is gonna play terrible.
01:04:55.119 --> 01:04:59.519
Because the NBA finals, the pressure at its highest, and they're not gonna live up to the moment.
01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:06.400
And somebody I spoke about as well, whether I said they were gonna play well or play poorly, it doesn't matter what I said about them.
01:05:06.559 --> 01:05:08.559
Or maybe it's someone I didn't even mention, though.
01:05:08.639 --> 01:05:11.599
I think I almost got to everybody that plays in the rotation for both teams.
01:05:11.679 --> 01:05:12.960
I don't think I missed anybody.
01:05:13.039 --> 01:05:14.880
I didn't mention Carter Bryant.
01:05:15.199 --> 01:05:16.800
Maybe it's Carter Bryant, I don't know.
01:05:16.880 --> 01:05:27.760
I doubt it, but somebody is going to play out of their mind or have a massive, massive impact in the series and lead the their team to uh help lead their team to a championship.
01:05:28.159 --> 01:05:39.119
Who those people are, I gave you my guesses as to who I think they will be, but it could be anybody because it's the NBA finals, which is what makes this so compelling, which makes it so interesting.
01:05:39.760 --> 01:05:41.119
And what makes it fun?
01:05:41.280 --> 01:05:42.480
Question mark.
01:05:42.880 --> 01:05:46.000
It feels fun a little bit prior to talking about the games.
01:05:46.079 --> 01:05:59.519
It won't feel quite as fun as a fan and someone who is rooting for either team, but especially of course on this side room for the Knicks, it won't be maybe quite fun watching these games because how nerve wracking it is, and you're like, Why isn't X playing way better than we thought?
01:05:59.599 --> 01:06:00.719
He Should be playing.
01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:03.519
Why is that guy on that other side doing all this?
01:06:03.599 --> 01:06:08.079
Like, that's just it's the nature of the NBA playoffs, and it's definitely the nature of the NBA Finals.
01:06:08.559 --> 01:06:10.400
And I can't wait to see what's going to happen.
01:06:10.559 --> 01:06:20.719
But I think I feel better about more of the Knicks guys doing what they need to do and doing their job to live up to this moment than I do about the Spurs.
01:06:21.039 --> 01:06:24.880
I think the Spurs will have more guys who will be like, oh, we thought that guy's gonna play well.
01:06:25.039 --> 01:06:26.639
He ended up being terrible.
01:06:27.519 --> 01:06:28.880
That's how I feel.
01:06:29.119 --> 01:06:30.079
That's the vibe I get.
01:06:30.159 --> 01:06:33.519
And it's and then again, it's informed by also what I saw in the regular season.
01:06:33.760 --> 01:06:35.280
It felt like the Knicks.
01:06:35.519 --> 01:06:39.679
I always like to see, does my team look comfortable executing?
01:06:40.320 --> 01:06:41.840
Especially offensively.
01:06:42.159 --> 01:06:46.320
Because defensively, you can try different things, you can double, you can, you can, there's a lot of things you do defensively.
01:06:46.480 --> 01:06:50.079
Offensively, ironically, the Knicks did change their offense.
01:06:50.239 --> 01:06:52.800
But it's kind of hard to change your offense on the fly.
01:06:52.880 --> 01:06:54.159
There's only so many things you can do.
01:06:54.320 --> 01:06:55.280
Your team is your team.
01:06:55.440 --> 01:06:57.679
Or or or like bad guys make shots.
01:06:58.000 --> 01:07:00.559
They're not good shooters, or they're missing shots, they're just missing shots.
01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:06.079
I just feel like offensively, they just looked really comfortable against this team.
01:07:06.239 --> 01:07:13.199
And I like when my team and I'm picking a series, I'm looking at a series that my team looked comfortable doing what they do well.
01:07:13.519 --> 01:07:18.239
And they've already actually changed their identity to something different that the Spurs are gonna have to adjust to.
01:07:18.880 --> 01:07:20.559
I think we're gonna see something special.
01:07:20.719 --> 01:07:43.760
And if that magic, when that magic moment happens, and the confetti's coming down, whether it's in San Antonio or New York, in this case I have it finishing in New York, and the Knicks are NBA champions, I just I what this will do for the New York a New York City, what this will do for the Knicks community, which I told you got me emotional seeing their celebration at the Eastern Crowns finals.
01:07:44.239 --> 01:07:46.400
Uh it's gonna be unreal.
01:07:46.639 --> 01:07:48.239
It's gonna be unreal.
01:07:48.639 --> 01:07:54.960
It's something that a lot of Knicks fans have prayed for, a lot of Knicks fans had dreamed of, I know I've certainly dreamed for.
01:07:55.280 --> 01:07:58.719
And we're told, and maybe some of them felt themselves, would never happen.
01:07:58.800 --> 01:08:05.039
In fact, some fans, and screw them, let's say kind of jokingly, but they defected.
01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:06.880
They literally were like, This is never gonna work for me.
01:08:06.960 --> 01:08:07.599
I'm I'm leaving.
01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:11.840
I'm I'm going to join it, I'm gonna be a Nets fan or be a Lakers fan or be whatever.
01:08:12.079 --> 01:08:19.039
Like, if they can do what I think they're gonna do, just what a moment that would be.
01:08:19.680 --> 01:08:28.159
And which which is why this finals is so monumental and why it's such a huge finals, not just for the Knicks community, not just for New York City, but for the NBA.
01:08:28.319 --> 01:08:30.079
This is a monumental series.
01:08:30.319 --> 01:08:49.039
The next guy, who maybe already is the guy because we've seen what he's done through this postseason and through this regular season and we're through Women Yama, the prince that was promised, versus everything that comes with the Knicks franchise, the team they built, the history, the drought, everything.
01:08:49.359 --> 01:08:52.479
Can't ask for a better matchup than this, and I can't wait.
01:08:52.880 --> 01:08:54.319
That's a good place to leave, man.
01:08:54.399 --> 01:08:58.560
I want to thank you guys so much for checking out this edition of Orange and Blue Bloods, our NBA Finals preview.
01:08:58.640 --> 01:09:02.159
I hope you gave you guys as comprehensive a preview as I could.
01:09:02.319 --> 01:09:06.640
I really wanted to, not that I don't put I always put great effort in ultrasound, of course.
01:09:06.800 --> 01:09:28.880
But this is obviously a very important episode and an important show, and I wanted to make sure anybody listening to the show that wanted to learn about these teams, their matchups against each other, learn about the Spurs, particularly, because you may not have obviously watched 82 plus games with the Spurs this year, that you know what the Knicks are up against in a reasonable way, not in a orange and blue colored, uh rose-colored glasses way.
01:09:28.960 --> 01:09:30.239
Uh in a real way.
01:09:30.399 --> 01:09:35.760
Um, a real threat, a real great team, but one I think the Knicks will beat, and one that I think the Knicks will handle.
01:09:35.920 --> 01:09:37.600
So I hope you guys enjoyed this episode.
01:09:37.760 --> 01:09:41.600
Again, if you enjoy Orange and Blue Bloods, be sure to subscribe to the podcast.
01:09:41.760 --> 01:09:45.199
Again, search Orange and Blue Blood Revigate Podcast to find these episodes.
01:09:45.359 --> 01:09:54.640
When you get there and you find the channel, hit the subscribe button, make sure you hit the auto-download feature, and of course, be sure to um give us a five-star review.
01:09:54.800 --> 01:09:57.760
All those things are very important to the channel, all those things are very important to the show.
01:09:57.840 --> 01:09:59.760
So if you can do that, we greatly appreciate it.
01:09:59.920 --> 01:10:02.159
Also be sure to check us out on YouTube.
01:10:02.239 --> 01:10:09.760
If you want to watch these videos, all episodes of Orange Blue Bloods go up on the new generation media YouTube channel.
01:10:09.840 --> 01:10:11.680
Again, and new generation media.
01:10:11.840 --> 01:10:17.760
While you're there, do me a favor, subscribe to the channel, and like this video, and give me your prediction.
01:10:18.079 --> 01:10:22.479
Nick's, Spurs, who wins, how many games, and why.
01:10:22.640 --> 01:10:23.840
I want to know your prediction.
01:10:23.920 --> 01:10:25.279
I want to know what you guys say.
01:10:25.439 --> 01:10:26.960
Let me know what you think in the comments.
01:10:27.039 --> 01:10:28.640
I will be responding in the comments.
01:10:28.800 --> 01:10:30.399
So again, give me your pick.
01:10:30.560 --> 01:10:31.199
Who wins?
01:10:31.359 --> 01:10:32.239
Nick's Spurs.
01:10:32.399 --> 01:10:33.760
Hit me up on social media, by the way, too.
01:10:33.840 --> 01:10:36.239
If you're listening to the podcast, obviously there's not really a comment section.
01:10:36.319 --> 01:10:38.159
I think there's a comment section on Spotify.
01:10:38.239 --> 01:10:41.520
I don't really watch read those, even if they even are comments.
01:10:41.840 --> 01:10:46.800
But if you are uh if you are listening, uh you can also hit me up, obviously.
01:10:46.880 --> 01:10:48.000
You can also find me on social media.
01:10:48.079 --> 01:10:52.239
Hit me up and give me your prediction, Nick Spurs, and tell me why, who wins, and how many games.
01:10:52.479 --> 01:10:57.840
X, uh, you can find me EJ underscore Stewart, Instagram, and TikTok, action EJ.
01:10:58.159 --> 01:11:00.000
And of course, search me on Buzzer.
01:11:00.159 --> 01:11:02.000
BZZR is the app.
01:11:02.079 --> 01:11:05.600
And it's a sports only mobile content space.
01:11:05.840 --> 01:11:07.199
Be sure to find me on there.
01:11:07.359 --> 01:11:12.319
You can search my name, EJ Stewart, or search EJ205 Prep.
01:11:12.560 --> 01:11:14.000
That's gonna do it for now, man.
01:11:14.079 --> 01:11:16.880
I want to thank you guys so much for checking out Orange and Blue Bloods.
01:11:17.199 --> 01:11:23.199
Game one tips off Wednesday 8 30 p.m.
01:11:23.680 --> 01:11:25.199
Knicks at Spurs.
01:11:26.239 --> 01:11:28.319
Sounds kind of surreal to say still.
01:11:28.880 --> 01:11:37.680
Even though we've known this reality for well, obviously, the Knicks being in the finals for a while, but now we have a matchup, we know where they're going, time, everything.
01:11:37.920 --> 01:11:39.920
Still feels surreal to say, but they've earned it.
01:11:40.000 --> 01:11:43.119
And you've earned it, Nick fans, for being so loyal for so long.
01:11:43.359 --> 01:11:44.720
Enjoy the NBA finals.
01:11:44.800 --> 01:11:49.359
We'll have plenty of special episodes throughout the NBA Finals, so keep it locked here.
01:11:49.520 --> 01:11:50.880
I'm EJ Stewart.
01:11:51.119 --> 01:11:54.640
Enjoy the rest of your week, and of course, let's go, Knicks.
00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:06.320
Your blood runs orange and orange and blood and blood for you.
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For you, you're listening to orange and blue blood.
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And after 26 years, Destiny finally awaits the New York Knicks.
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What's up?
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This is EJ Stewart.
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You are listening and watching Orange and Blue Bloods, a New York Knicks podcast that has now become an NBA Finals podcast because the Knicks are in the NBA Finals, and this is a very special show because this is going to be our NBA Finals preview.
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And we are going to break everything down of how the Knicks can attack this San Antonio Spurs team, the team that came out of the West, the Western Conference champions after beating the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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And I'm excited to do this show because we got plenty to discuss, man.
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We're going to talk everything in terms of what the Spurs did to get to this point, the strengths of this team, the challenges that they caused, all teams, including the Knicks.
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We'll also break down a little bit of what we saw in the three matchups these teams faced off against each other in the regular season, which I think is always very important when you're trying to glean what to expect from an NBA playoff matchup, especially an NBA finals matchup.
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And of course, we'll get you the keys to a Knicks win.
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Because of course that's what you want to hear, right?
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Is how can the Knicks pull this off?
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And I'll give you my official prediction of how I think this series will go.
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I'm very excited to do this episode.
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Again, 26 years in the making.
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In many ways, this will feel very nostalgic for Knicks fans and Spurs fans.
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And a lot of NBA fans.
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Because you will have not just an NBA Cup final rematch, first time ever that's happening in NBA history, though, of course, it's only been three years, right, of the NBA Cup.
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But you're also having a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, of course, during the lockout shortened season when the Spurs knocked off the eighth-seeded Knicks to win the franchise's first NBA title.
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So this in many ways is as good a matchup as you can get in the NBA Finals, regardless of whether you're a Knicks fan or first fan, just as an NBA fan.
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You got a mega star in Wimbenyama, an exciting young team out west.
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You have a starred fan base in the Eastern Conference, a group of players in the Knicks that have now become very household names because they've been in these playoffs for a long time.
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And an amazing story, right?
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Is can the Knicks break this now?
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We're looking at 53-year drought that they've had in terms of winning an NBA championship.
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All the pressure, all the narratives, all the discourse, everything's been open in terms of how people wanted to talk about this series.
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And I think this series will, in many ways, live up to the hype.
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I cannot wait to see these games start up, which again will begin on Wednesday night with game one, starting in San Antonio.
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Nick's traveling to San Antonio.
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Actually, already there now if you're recording this episode.
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Uh if you're listening to this episode when I recorded it, they have arrived in San Antonio already and they're getting ready uh for game one.
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So this is going to be an awesome series.
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Again, I think this is gonna be an awesome episode of Orange and Blue Bloods, so I hope you guys are gonna enjoy it.
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Of course, if you enjoy these episodes of Orange and Blue Bloods, there's multiple ways to support your boy.
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Um, if you're listening or watching, regardless of whether you're listening or watching.
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Number one way is of course uh subscribe to the uh podcast.
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So search uh Orange and Blue Bloods wherever you get your podcast, and be sure to hit that subscribe button, also hit the auto download feature, and if you can give us a five-star review, even a written review also uh would help us.
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All those things are important, and we greatly appreciate it.
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If you enjoy watching the show, if you enjoy seeing your boy uh talk about the Knicks in this fly Knicks shirt with a bunch of graphics up on the screen, then be sure to check out our YouTube channel.
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New generation media is where all the episodes of Orange and Blue Bloods live from a video standpoint.
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And while you're there, subscribe to the new channel new uh the channel, New Generation Media on YouTube, and you generation media on YouTube, and be sure to, of course, uh make sure you like this video, give me a comment in the comment section, let me know what you think about this series, let me know what your prediction is for this series.
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I would love to hear it, and I will be responding to those who give me predictions.
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So, definitely want to hear what you guys say about this NBA Finals matchup between the Spurs and the Knicks, which again will kick off and take place Wednesday night, 8 30 p.m.
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Eastern time.
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And this is in many ways a matchup that is surprising to some, maybe just because of the Spurs Youth and expectations coming into the season, and the fact that despite all the conversations about inexperience and them not being here, they were able to knock off the defending NBA champions to get here.
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So the Spurs, this is now them advancing to their first finals appearance since 2014.
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Uh, they did so by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game seven.
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Phenomenal season for San Antonio so far.
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They won 62 games in the regular season.
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They are led by a 7-4 alienslash phenom and Victor Wembenyama, who won defensive player of the year.
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He finished third in MVP voting.
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So, in many ways, when you talk about the Spurs and what they do well and what the challenges that face the Knicks coming up in the series, every conversation starts and ends with Wimbenyama.
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Um, he is legit.
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He is him, he isn't the generational player that was promised when he was coming up through the uh the European ranks and then eventually drafted number one overall in the NBA draft.
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He's a matchup nightmare.
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He is 7'4 with a legit shot with pretty much unlimited range.
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His size allows him to shoot over pretty much anybody, and he has a great handle.
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So he has these guard skills of shooting and ball handling and passing.
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Then you combine that with all the natural traits you would expect from a guy who's 7-4.
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So you want to talk about the rim-running threat, you want to talk about the lob threat he is offensively, all those things are things he does in an elite level.
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So he's great in pick and roll, he's great as a run runner, he's um, again, uh an absolute terror to deal with offensively.
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Defensively, again, predictably as a 7-4 guy, he's also a terror.
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He's the best rim protector in the NBA.
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He makes blocks that no other guy can make, he alters shots that no other guys can alter.
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He's also great on switches, so he's not like an immobile big.
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He's very athletic, he's very good on his feet, um, he's very versatile.
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And the Spurs, as a team, in terms of how they how they play defensively, they do a really good job of funneling everything towards him.
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So you could feel like, hey, we'll keep him out of actions, and that'll be our way to have an advantage against the Spurs, but many ways they're almost Jedi mind trick you into finding a way to find Victor in actions where he can make impacts defensively.
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So he's legit, he's a great player, and he's going to be obviously one of the major, major focus points of this series.
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But I think when you talk about the Knicks and what they have coming up in this series, I think equally important to stopping Victor Weminyama is going to be containing the Spurs guards.
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They have a three-headed monster at the guard spot, you have the Aaron Fox, multiple-time All-Star, Stefan Castle, former number three pick in the draft, and then you got uh Dylan Harper, who was the number two pick in this previous NBA draft just last year.
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And combined, they create an elite downhill attack.
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Any one of those guards can go off for big games and cause major damage given the situation.
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So you may feel in a situation where you're like, oh, well, we got Fox contained.
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All right, we're all good.
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Well, as we've seen Oklahoma C Oklahoma City learn the hard way, that doesn't mean that Dylan Harper or Stefan Castle can't hurt you.
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Or you can say, alright, you know, Harper's been killing teams off the bench.
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We found a way to kind of limit him in this game.
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Well, again, that doesn't mean that Darren Fox or Castle can't have big games.
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Um they're uh a legit, tough handle, and I think what also makes them difficult is their size.
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Fox is 6'3, which is very good, the point guard position, but then you got elite size with the other two guys.
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Stefan Castle stands at 6'6, Dylan Harper stands at 6'5.
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Um, so both I think do a great job of using their size and strength to their advantage.
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And when you're looking at all three, they each have varying degrees of lightning quickness and uh great finishing ability.
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So as great as Victor Wemmy is the three-headed monster they have at guard also very key to their attack.
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Also key to their attack, obviously, like any NBA team pretty much, is the three-point shot.
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And while this is basically a league average shooting team, if you think about like how many makes they have per game, their percentages, they're around between 12 and like 14.
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So they're like average to above average as a three-point shooting team overall.
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But I think what's important to note about the Spurs in terms of their three-point attack is they generate great looks because of A, the attention that Wenbin Yama demands, oftentimes requiring double teams, and B, again, the downhill ability of their guards able to get into the paint, which allows them to spray it out for uh really great looks for a guy like Julian Champagne, who had a great season.
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Um he was awesome in game seven after kind of being a little bit of a shooting slump for a lot of that series.
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He was really hot and cold.
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But in game seven, he made uh six threes.
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Some of them were huge in the second half that allowed the Spurs to win that game on the road in OKC.
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And for Knicks fans, he'll be very notable for those that paid attention during the regular season because he actually set an NBA record in the NBA season match in the regular season matchup with the Knicks that happened on New Year's Eve.
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He did 11 threes against the Knicks, which was the most uh points scored, which was 36 by any player to not make a two-point field goal.
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He was 11 for 17, I believe it was, from three.
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He is somebody that when he gets going, he absolutely can get hot and he can get rattled a bunch off in a row.
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He is a legitimately very, very good three-point shooter.
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And again, he hurt the Knicks this season.
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He's hurt the Knicks in in previous matchups uh throughout his career.
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And then Devin Vassell is also a knockdown shooter.
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He's hitting 38% from three on high volume.
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So, again, not like they have the most sophisticated three-point attack.
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It's not like you're talking about Kyle Corvus out here, but they do have very capable three-point shooters and guys who typically will get very good looks from three.
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So that is something that's going to be obviously very important to the Knicks in terms of trying to both contain Wemby and the guards while also trying to guard three-point line.
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I also want to talk about Kelvin Johnson, who in many ways I think is their X Factor when I look at this team.
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He is somebody who the numbers may not jump right out at you in terms of what he's done in the regular season, but he was a sixth man of the year.
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He is a highly efficient scorer, and he is someone whose role has really shifted.
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This was a guy who was at one point the star of the team.
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He was averaging 22 points a game.
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He was playing for Team USA, and he's taking a lesser role, and he wrote a really good uh player streaming article about him accepting that role and how he didn't really like it at first, but then he's really grown to be a team guy, understanding this was the best uh route route for the team to reach its highest potential, which, as we see, at minimum is gonna make the NBA finals.
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Um he had a great, very efficient season.
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He averaged 13 points, he shot 51% from the field, averaging 13 points on nine shots is extremely highly efficient in just 23 minutes a game.
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And um now he's been very meh in the playoffs.
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Like you look at his number, I think he has about eight points, shooting about 41% or so from the field.
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In many ways, Dylan Harper has kind of taken on the mantle of the number one scorer off the bench, but I still think he is somebody that could be an X Factor in this series and maybe be a forgotten man in part because so much of the playoff conversation has been away from him.
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I think if the Spurs want to win this series, I think you need to see Kelvin Johnson have a much better series, and we'll talk about why in a little bit when we talk about the keys to the series for the Knicks.
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And I think for the Knicks, I think if they want to win this series, I don't think they want Kelvin Johnson uh, you know, turning back into the sixth man of the year or the highly efficient scorer he's been throughout much of his career.
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I think you want to keep him probably where his average has been at, which is about 8 and 40% field goal percentage.
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So Kellen Johnson, in many ways, the X-Factor for the Spurs.
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He's been their X-Factor all season.
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And finally, you know, at the end of the day, when you look at the Spurs, this is an elite team on both sides of the ball.
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They finished fourth in offensive rating this year.
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They were third in defensive rating, and it's really not surprising given the high level of two-way players they have on this team, right?
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Wemby, of course, generational on both sides of the ball.
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Castle is one of the teams and one of the league's best perimeter defenders.
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Devin Vassell is also a really good two-way player.
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Um, and they really don't possess many bad defenders.
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There isn't really a guy out there that you would say, oh, let's go hunt this guy.
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I guess if I had to pick, maybe Harrison Barnes.
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But he's not really bad.
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I just think he's old.
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No disrespect to Harrison Barnes, who's been a good defender in the NBA.
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But it really isn't a guy to really hunt.
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Um Harper is young, but again, I mentioned he's really strong, he's very athletic, he's pesky, he does a really good job putting ball pressure, um, and he can pick you up 94 feet.
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Uh, Fox and Champney, I would describe as fine defensively.
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I wouldn't consider them stoppers per se, but they're they're definitely not in any way guys who are liabilities at all.
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Um and Cornet is, of course, the backup five, former New York Knicks.
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Knicks fans be familiar because we saw a lot of him in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year against the Celtics.
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He's a rim protector.
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He may have saved the Spurs season with the block of the year when he chased down Isaiah Hartenstein and blocked the dunk at the rim, pinning them on the glass, and it it turned pretty much turned game seven for the Spurs in a major way.
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So anybody looking at this series and saying, oh, the Knicks should just like blow this team out, this is a very worthy challenger.
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This is a very good team the Knicks are playing, and they've absolutely earned their right to be here.
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So, in talking about this series, I really want to um kind of go through some of the tidbits I got to explore when I watched these regular season matchups.
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I think that you always take this stuff with a grain of salt, and you definitely have to a little bit with these two teams, particularly, because they played three very interesting games, very entertaining games, but all had weird things going on in almost all of them.
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So, they played in the NBA Cup, where you had Victor Wemyama, who was on a minutes restriction.
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The Knicks didn't have Deuce McBride or Landry Shaman playing in those games, and I think both guys will be important.
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In fact, Deuce did not play in either of the Knicks wins, both in the NBA Cup in December and in the March game.
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Also, when the Knicks only lost to the Spurs, a game in which they blew a 19-point lead in the second half, or maybe it was the first, I don't remember, but it was a 19-point lead.
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That was the highest, uh, I think it was first half, but the highest lead they had was 19 at one point in that game.
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In that game, the Knicks did not have Mitchell Robinson and did not have Josh Hart.
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So, again, you take these with a grain of salt, but I do think it's important to at least give you my takeaways from having watched those games, because I do think it's important to kind of try to glean something out of how these teams will prepare for each other when you get to now these NBA finals.
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So, I think the first big question I think everybody would have, at least I have, is who actually guards Wimby on the Knicks?
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It's actually funny.
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Shout out to my guy, uh, I hope he doesn't mind me saying this.
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Shout out to my guy Zach Gelp, the Zach Gelp show, 365 Sports, and uh now he's doing amazing things with uh local radio stations in Miami, local radio stations in in Boston, and now and of course you remember him as the the uh evening and afternoon uh hosts on Infinity Sports Network and CBS Sports Radio.
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We were kind of talking about like trying to remember everything that happened over the course of those games because they happened so long ago at this point in time, especially the NBA Cup game, which was the first game these teams played all year.
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And I actually, when I was watching these games, was like curious who who how did Nick guard Women Yam in these games?
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It's a little weird because, again, it's hard to get a straightforward answer.
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The There was a game where there was a minutes restriction, so Wemby came off the bench.
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In that game, Mitchell Robinson took him the most.
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There was also a game where Mitchell Robinson didn't play at all, obviously.
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That was the second game.
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So, so, which actually is important to note, honestly, because one of the things we haven't gotten to talk about, I didn't get to do uh I was out of town, so I didn't get to do a podcast through all the hoopla that may still exist.
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We'll learn more later today when the Knicks do, and I'm recording this Tuesday afternoon when the Knicks do their media availability.
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Mother dropped Mitchell Robinson's broken pinky that we learned about, a injury that happened in a non-basketball way.
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I they say he's gonna try to play.
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There's hope he's gonna try to play.
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They seem to be couching it, being careful, but I've not seen anything saying that like they don't think he can play.
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The only thing we're hearing from Mike Brown has been like he has to be cleared by medical in order to get out there.
00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.000
So I guess that's the last hurdle he has.
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I know he's been doing individual work, he hasn't necessarily been doing teamwork or scrimmaging in any way, so that's gonna be an important story to follow throughout this entire postseason and see how effective he is.
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But and again, in the game that they lost, uh Mitch didn't play.
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In that game, there was a lot more OG oninubi guarding Wemby than any of the other two matchups.
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OG started on him in the December loss and took him most of the way.
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Kat and Hugporty ended up getting the secondary assignments when OG sat.
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In the games that Mitch played, it was basically Mitch, whenever he was on the floor, was guarding Wimbinama.
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There it didn't matter, it was Kat, which they did do some double bigs in the two games they played, or if it was OG or anybody else out there, it was always Mitch's matchup.
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Uh they sprinkled in then OG and Kat as secondary assignments for Wimbanyama in those games.
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Wimbanyama's been playing much more minutes in the regular season than the postseason, so uh it was very easy to match Mitch's minutes, definitely obviously in the cup game, and even a little bit in the regular season because he wasn't playing up to 40 minutes, which he may play in this upcoming series.
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I think in terms of how the Knicks will approach this, I actually don't know how they I'm not like sold on how they'll do it.
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My guess is they'll start with OG on him, but they've done weird things with OG.
00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:33.440
They also have put OG, and I watched some of the games as well, or especially uh earlier in the NBA Cup game, they actually put OG on Fox.
00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:35.759
So they also could do that.
00:18:36.079 --> 00:18:54.240
I think given how effective Bridges and Hart have been guarding on the perimeter, I think Mike Brown will have a little more faith in his backcourt, if you kind of count Josh Hart as part of a three-guard lineup to guard these guys on the perimeter than maybe he did in the regular season.
00:18:54.480 --> 00:19:05.839
So I think OG starts on Wemby, then they go to Mitch, and as the game possesses, uh you know, as the game progresses, and then matchups change and things happen throughout the game.
00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.279
I think you'll see Kat probably more as the game moves on.
00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:16.240
But that's gonna be key stretches when that happens, because obviously Kat can't get in foul trouble.
00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:28.720
He's extremely important in this series because for the Knicks to win, we'll talk about everything they gotta do to win, but I think important from the win, they gotta play a lot of five out, or at least have a five-out threat when we get to Josh Hart's impact in the series, which we're about to get to in a second.
00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.279
So Kat can't get out of can't get in foul trouble.
00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:35.920
He got in foul trouble in the second game they played this year, the the New Year's Eve game.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:39.119
He fouled out, despite being impactful offensively.
00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.440
So that is going to be very key.
00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:48.319
I thought OG, when he guarded uh Wemby at times, was able to be very physical him, was able to be very disruptive.
00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:53.839
He, of course, is the shortest of the matchups the Knicks have, so Wemby does have potential opportunities to shoot over him.
00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:56.559
I'd be very curious to see how effective he is.
00:19:56.799 --> 00:20:08.480
But um, there's a chance that the Knicks may not employ as much OG on a newbie on him as maybe other people are expecting because really it was only the game where they did not have Mitchell Robinson that OG took him a ton.
00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:20.000
And I think what will likely happen is Mitchell Robinson will play his 20 minutes tonight if he's healthy, and in all those minutes, they will try to make sure he's on the floor with Wembin Yama.
00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:24.000
And that is where you're gonna see him really kind of make his bones.
00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:25.920
That's gonna be the primary match point off the bench.
00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.319
And I think the OG cat thing, they'll probably try to trade off, to be honest, in figuring that out.
00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:36.079
Now, if Wemby's going in a certain way, or if he's really got cat in a bind, I think that's where you would certainly see OG playing him.
00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:47.519
But who guards uh Wemby, I think is gonna be an important question that I don't think, given watching the three games, I had a clear answer on only that only in that Mitchell Robinson will guard him when he's on the court.
00:20:47.599 --> 00:20:49.440
That's the only thing that was definitely definite.
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:53.039
Everything else was a little more flexible.
00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:57.599
There were times where they put long stretches of OG on him, there were times they had long stretches of cat on him.
00:20:57.680 --> 00:21:03.039
So that's gonna be uh an important thing to follow in this series when I think about what happened in the regular season.
00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:18.960
Also, I think uh is Josh Hart's impact in this series, just thinking about watching these regular season games, for the Knicks, I think this series resembles the Cleveland series more than any of the other series they played so far in this postseason.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.240
Now, let me be clear.
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:27.759
The Spurs are, I cannot say this, emphasize this enough, much better defensively on the perimeter than the Cavs.
00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:28.960
Much better.
00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:35.839
You have a team that has Donovan Mitchell and James Harden on the perimeter, defensively you have a lot of problems.
00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:46.160
The Spurs do not have anybody anybody that plays on the level of Donovan Mitchell or James Harden defensively.
00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:47.200
Definitely not James Harden.
00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:48.880
And Mitchell's not a great defender.
00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:58.480
He can give effort and be disruptive, but I I think that every you would definitely say anybody that the Spurs play in any regular way on the perimeter, they guard better than Donovan Mitchell.
00:21:58.559 --> 00:21:59.839
And they're all taller than him.
00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.880
So let's put that aside.
00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:15.759
I still think this is very similar, or at least most similar, or most resembles the Cav series, because the strategy I think will be kind of the same, which is to make these Josh Hart games.
00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.920
They're going to put Wemby on Josh Hart.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:21.279
That was something that was consistent throughout these games when Josh Hart played.
00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:25.279
And the goal is going to be to let uh let him roam, right?
00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:36.160
One of the reasons why the Spurs had so much success against the Thunder, was the Thunder really couldn't play Chet with Wemby because the Spurs were very comfortable leaving.
00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:46.480
Now that's a center, but still leaving Wembinama on Harenstein, who's not a shooter, which meant he was able to roam free and just double and do whatever he needed to do to be impactful defensively.
00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:54.480
And then it was equally bad when Chet, despite still not being guarded by Wemby at times, was not being aggressive and did not want to shoot.
00:22:54.799 --> 00:23:03.440
So this is going to be a very important, I think, potentially swing trait of this series is how well and how effective is Josh Hart in this series.
00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:11.519
In the Knicks game that they blew off the Spurs in March, again, they opened with Wemby guarding Josh Hart.
00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:14.079
He also guarded a lot of Mo Di Ouara in that game.
00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:17.359
Moe Di Owar was firmly in the rotation at that point in the season.
00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:23.920
And those games didn't get broken open really until Hart and Di Oara started making shots.
00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:29.519
And the team got off to kind of a slow start, and they didn't really get out of that slow start until they took Josh off the game.
00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:35.200
That was kind of one of these weird Josh Hart games where in the first half he was kind of killing them because he could not shoot.
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:41.200
He was having trouble with Wemby's sides when he would try to drive and try to get those floaters and those mid-range shots that he is comfortable with.
00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.039
Wemby bothers all of them.
00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:44.880
He was terrible in the first quarter.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:48.799
They brought in Landry Shamut and they brought in uh no, Deuce did not play.
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:50.319
So this was they brought in Landry Shamit.
00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:56.480
Shamit didn't even shoot the ball that great, but just the threat of him shooting made things easier for the Knicks offensively.
00:23:56.640 --> 00:24:05.599
And again, once Hart came back in the game, and then the Iwara came back in the game, they started making shots, it opened things up, which to me is similar to what you saw with the Cavs.
00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:17.119
Um the Cavs wanted to allow Jared Allen and Evan Mobley, their two twin towers in the back and in the in the front line, when they were playing the center, they wanted them to guard Josh Hart and allowed them to roll.
00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:25.359
Josh Hart had the infamous game too where he's already making those threes and really got hot and he kept shooting well the rest of the way, and it just gave the Cavs no chance.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:28.319
When he started making shots, they they couldn't win.
00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:39.759
And um to me, Josh or whoever gets left on Wemby will have to make a few shots to allow the Knicks offense to get some oxygen to breathe and to flow the way they want to.
00:24:39.839 --> 00:24:56.079
If Josh Hart is not making shots or not being effective with his offense in terms of being a scorer, and then they don't find someone else, whether it's a Deuce McBride, I think this could definitely be a Deuce series or a Shaman, uh Landry Shaman, and this could definitely be a Shaman series as well.
00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:09.440
That is where the Knicks could run into a lot of trouble against this Spurs defense because again, if Wimby can roam and they have these high-end perimeter defenders, that is where they could cause trouble and cause damage for the Knicks.
00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:11.200
So that's going to be very important to watch.
00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:18.480
Also, just a note from watching these games, I think it's important to remember, these were amazing games for Jordan Clarkson in the two games he played.
00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:22.160
He was out of the rotation in March, so he didn't play the March game when they blew him out.
00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:28.319
But in both the loss that they had and in the game they won in the NBA Cup, especially in the NBA Cup, he was awesome.
00:25:28.480 --> 00:25:33.599
I mean, these were uh I don't know if he's he's from San Antonio playing against his hometown team.
00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:38.160
I don't know if that got him more pumped up or whatever, but he was balling in these two games.
00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:47.119
He had a huge again, performance, huge performance in the NBA Cup, and the Knicks haven't quite had the Jordan Clarkson offensive explosion yet in one of these games.
00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:51.599
That's the one thing that's pretty much been missing from the Knicks playoff storyline.
00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.359
I'm not saying they're owed that.
00:25:53.519 --> 00:26:06.640
It may just never happen, but considering the Calbour score Jordan Clarkson has been throughout his career, while I think his offensive exploits on the Knicks have been underwhelming.
00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:08.480
That's fair to say for the course of the season.
00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:10.720
He's now turned into defense hustle guy.
00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.519
And credit to him.
00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:12.880
He's doing a very good job at that.
00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.400
That is not what he was brought here to do.
00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:19.839
He's brought here to come off the bench and be a secondary score, a secondary board handler, a guy who could create his own offense.
00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:26.319
And I think a little older, step slower, he just had he just hasn't had that.
00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.000
But credit to him, he's found a role.
00:26:28.079 --> 00:26:31.839
He's been awesome on the offensive class, like he's been great with, you know, just again, hustling up to loose balls.
00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:33.839
He's been really good on the ball, being disruptive.
00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:38.480
So it's not like he doesn't have a place on the team without his usual offense.
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:42.559
But I also would point out that he had his usual offense against this team.
00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.000
Why, I don't know.
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:45.680
This is a really good defensive team.
00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:52.319
They got good defensive players, so it's not like but some guys just they just see certain guys and they know they can score on them.
00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:55.440
Like it's what we see with Wimbenyama versus Chet, right?
00:26:55.519 --> 00:27:00.799
Like Chet is an all-war defender, but Wimbenyama feels a certain way about Chet and he's locked in a certain way.
00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:03.279
He's very confident in those matchups and he's very aggressive.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:06.400
That's kind of what you saw from Jordan Clarkson in these matchups against the Spurs.
00:27:06.640 --> 00:27:13.200
So just something to file away is do you get one of these magnet ball gains from Jordan Clarkson?
00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:18.160
And uh, if the Knicks get that game, they will probably win, because that's not something the Spurs can afford to have.
00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:22.400
I think given how the Knicks are playing offensively, these other guys are already tough enough.
00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:26.559
If Jordan Clarkson is making shots and being aggressive, then they're in a lot of trouble in one of these games.
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.200
I'm not saying he's gonna have a huge series or anything like that.
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.079
I would hope so.
00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:39.119
I'm not predicting that, but given what I saw in the regular season, it makes me wonder if there isn't one or two really, really good Jordan Clarkson games uh in this series.
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:47.119
So the other thing I would say as well in terms of looking at the regular season matchups, uh, I think Yogi's a problem for them in a very good way for the Knicks, obviously.
00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:55.599
I think outside of Kat, which is kind of a it's a forced mismatch that they're welcoming, right?
00:27:55.839 --> 00:28:05.039
They're gonna, unless Kat, I think, goes crazy or something like that, or some reason he's dominating one of those smaller guys, I think they're going to live with Kat being guarded by a small.
00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:08.000
When I say a small, I mean either a wing or guard.
00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:11.359
They don't really have power forward, which is weird about the team.
00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:16.559
So they're gonna be gonna be guarded by a small, quote unquote, and that's a matchup they're gonna enjoy.
00:28:16.720 --> 00:28:25.599
In fact, in many ways, I think it's kind of fool's gold to think that Kat's being guarded by a small, let's put him on the block and post him up a ton and see if he can just score a lot.
00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:27.599
And that's as we've seen, that's been fool's gold.
00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:28.480
That doesn't necessarily work.
00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:30.240
Kat doesn't establish position well enough.
00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:39.519
He also draws off of the fouls a lot, and for the Spurs, it actually allows Wembyama to be very disruptive in double teams quite easily with his size and length.
00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:44.160
So that's not really the answer to the question of what they do when they put a small on cat.
00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:53.839
Um, but one of the things I felt like I saw was outside the cat mismatch, OG Ananubi seemed like also one of the bigger mismatches that they had in these matchups.
00:28:54.079 --> 00:29:00.480
It's funny because OG Ananubi's had a phenomenal NBA playoff run.
00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:07.440
In many ways, it feels like he has gone from super role player to star player in these playoffs.
00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:23.279
Watching these games was interesting, especially in the NBA Cup game, because he actually in very much, very real ways, resembled his playoff version that we've seen that we fell in love with for the last two months in at least two of these games with the Spurs, uh, than he did the rest of the regular season.
00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:26.480
In the NBA Cup game that they won, he had 20 points in the first half.
00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:28.160
He finished with 28 in that game.
00:29:28.319 --> 00:29:31.920
In the March blowout that they had, of course, that ended up being a runaway.
00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:35.039
I think he had 13 points, but he he was 2-5-3.
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.920
He was 5-11 from the field, and he was a plus 16 on the floor.
00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:42.319
The bench unit was a team that was a number of the guy that really racked up the high plus-minuses.
00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:45.599
I think he was the second highest plus-minus of anybody that started.
00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:53.279
So he was extremely impactful on both sides of the ball in two of the Knicks, both of their wins against the Spurs.
00:29:53.599 --> 00:30:04.640
The reality is I think the Spurs, again, because they don't really have a power forward, they don't really have Kellen Johnson's kind of a combo forward, and he is like deceptively strong.
00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:09.359
Like he may not look like, you know, Lou Dort, but he's wiry strong.
00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:18.000
But they don't really lack, they only have an athlete as rangey and athletic and as strong as OG Ana Nubi, which means that it becomes a favorable matchup for him.
00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:23.119
So in the one game that lost they lost, ironically, it was his worst game, shot three for ten.
00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:26.480
It was a game that Wembayama guarded him the most.
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:29.440
Which I think is a thing to file away too.
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:44.720
Is there a point in these series where if OG does really get it going, do they abandon the let's put Wemby on Hart or some guy that we're comfortable with the Knicks letting shoot, and let's try to find a way to get Wemby on OG to just take him away?
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:46.640
I think if Wemby's guarding OG, he will.
00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:48.400
I think he will just kind of take him away.
00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:54.799
But if that's not the case, and I think they're gonna try to be disciplined with their strategy, then OG should have a great game.
00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:57.680
Remember, again, the game the Knicks lost, Hart didn't play.
00:30:57.759 --> 00:31:01.359
So they couldn't really do the hide Wemby on somebody guy.
00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:03.680
They had to put him on cat for a lot of stretches.
00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:06.240
When they did hide him, they tried to put him on Modi War.
00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:12.079
It was a weird thing in that game where Modi War in the second half basically only played like 53 seconds and immediately came out.
00:31:12.319 --> 00:31:16.240
Like, I don't know if you're gonna see them do that again.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:21.759
So that's a very important thing, I think, to think about when we talk about uh this uh this this matchup.
00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:32.640
I think OG, um the way he's playing so far and how dominant he's been in the regular season, I think he could be in line for a huge series offensively uh for the Knicks here.
00:31:32.880 --> 00:31:37.039
And then uh the Knicks in the offensive glass, will they be able to dominate this again?
00:31:37.279 --> 00:31:49.440
This was a main story, in my opinion, in the regular season series, and I think it showed just how vulnerable the Spurs are on the offensive glass, especially given how they're trying to play the Knicks, at least how they did.
00:31:49.680 --> 00:32:03.519
So in the two games the Knicks won, they had 23 rebounds in the NBA Cup final, and 18 offensive offensive rebounds, 23 offensive rebounds, 18 offensive rebounds in the March blowout win.
00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:14.720
They only had 10 in the loss, which is not a terrible number, but that was the game that did not have Mitchell Robinson or Josh Hart, and they were only minus one in offensive rebounds.
00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:29.359
So it tells you that the Spurs, who are actually um a very good defensive rebounding team, they're actually second in the NBA in rebounds, and they're the best in the NBA defensive rebounding, they had trouble against Knicks on the offensive glass.
00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:37.359
So with the Spurs looking to hide Wemby on non-shooters, I think it's gonna be important for Kat to uh really dominate the offensive glass.
00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:45.680
Of course, it's gonna be important for Mitch, who had 10 offensive rebounds by himself in the NBA Cup game, and just like I think it was just like 18 minutes or something crazy.
00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:47.279
And then, of course, OG as well.
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.400
I think OG's gonna have to be a big factor on the offensive glass against smaller matchups that he's gonna see.
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:54.640
Um, the officers of glass is also gonna be important.
00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:57.359
I think it's gonna be important to unlock uh cat scoring.
00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:59.519
We know cat's gonna be guarded by small.
00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:06.960
I think we'll get to some of the ways Nick's gonna attack the Spurs offensively, but I think you could see a lot of point center cat as well.
00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:21.759
It doesn't necessarily mean him shooting a ton or getting a lot of field goal cents, or offense ran through him in a scoring manner, but that doesn't mean he can't still find ways to score, and I think one of the ways he's gonna have to do that is on the glasses, which is a way he definitely hurt the Spurs in the March blowout.
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:27.599
So, key, key, key things to look at uh in terms of the Knicks and their ability to win this series.
00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:30.720
Uh, can they dominate the offensive glass again the way it did in the regular season?
00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:32.319
That's gonna be super important.
00:33:32.480 --> 00:33:38.480
And then finally, um really curious how the Spurs went up guarding uh Jalen Brunson.
00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:47.440
It may sound straightforward just given kind of how the series went during the regular season, or excuse me, how the the Spurs got here, right?
00:33:47.599 --> 00:34:01.200
Like they have an obvious pitbull kind of all-world perimeter defender in Stefan Castle, but they didn't play it that straight during the regular season.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:04.559
So, which again was surprising because they didn't have a lot of injuries.
00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:12.800
There's a lot of variables to deal with in terms of anything involving the front court in talking about these this matchup with the Spurs and Knicks.
00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:19.440
I mentioned Mitch didn't play in the game, I mentioned Hart didn't play in the game, Wemby had a minutes restriction in one of the games.
00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:24.159
So there's a lot of things that I think are kind of question marks that we're gonna have to see what the answers are.
00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:28.159
The Spurs didn't have a question mark in terms of their backcourt.
00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:35.440
All their guards were available in all three games, but they didn't necessarily, again, just give Brunson one singular matchup.
00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:44.159
So Castle did get a lot of time with Brunson for sure, but so did De'Aaron Fox, which really surprised me, especially in the March game.
00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:50.719
In the March game, they tried to put Stefan Castle on Carlton Towns.
00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:54.800
And then Wemby guarded Hart, and then Fox was left on Brunson.
00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:58.719
And to be honest, it kind of worked.
00:34:58.960 --> 00:35:04.559
In terms of terms of a team defense, like the Knicks got off to a slow start, Hart was missing shots, but it's not really work on Brunson.
00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:08.320
Like Brunson scored 11 points in that first quarter, he walked into some easy trade balls.
00:35:08.559 --> 00:35:12.239
I think I think he was getting good looks or maybe making good decisions.
00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:16.159
It's just the offense wasn't operating in the way that it is right now.
00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:19.199
But he seemed fine with them doing that.
00:35:19.440 --> 00:35:24.320
Now, overall, Brunson's numbers against the Spurs have kind of been just okay.
00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:31.039
Like he didn't have uh any, like obviously he scored 60 points against them in 2020, 2024-2025 season.
00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:35.840
He didn't have one of those like vintage explosions against the Spurs this time around.
00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:41.280
So it suggests that how they've guarded him has been pretty good, even though they lost two of the three games.
00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:43.840
And again, it's been a lot of rotations, right?
00:35:43.920 --> 00:35:46.719
Like Castle certainly got time, and he will get time here.
00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:57.280
And um, I think given how badly the March game went as a whole, I don't know if they want to do the Fox matchup again straight up the way they did in that game in March.
00:35:57.519 --> 00:35:58.480
So I'll be curious.
00:35:58.559 --> 00:36:11.599
It also, again, the regular season is where you uh experiment, and the reality is the Spurs at that point in time may have been looking at the Knicks as a team that they could see in the finals, and maybe they wanted to give a look that was maybe a little unorthodox than what you would expect.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:26.159
Because again, the most conventional look that we saw in the other series in other games was Castle guarding Brunson, Harper guarding Brunson coming off the bench when Fox or Castle came out, and I I I think that's probably what you'll see more of this series.
00:36:26.239 --> 00:36:32.960
They put Castle as a primary guy on um on um on SGA.
00:36:33.360 --> 00:36:34.559
I thought he did a really good job.
00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:36.559
I thought the team as a whole did a really good job.
00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:43.360
He's an excellent, excellent defender, and I think it's gonna be uh a tough task for Brunson.
00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:45.119
I don't think it's an impossible task.
00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:47.920
Like, I don't think this is Dyson Daniels level defense.
00:36:48.159 --> 00:36:51.280
Daniels, and he he's given Brunson's giving Daniels belt too.
00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:55.679
But Dun Brunson had some problem with Daniels in that first round series that they had earlier this year.
00:36:55.920 --> 00:37:10.079
Brunson Castle is maybe a little more athletic, but he's not quite as big or as strong as uh as Stefan Castle, or rather, he's bigger and stronger than uh than Stefan Castle.
00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:22.320
So I I think Brunson will have a better chance of moving Stefan off of his spot and getting to his spots more comfortably, even though he will have to shoot over a little bit of slots, of course, because uh you got a guy who's 6'6 guarding him.
00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:23.199
So I don't know.
00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:33.119
I'm I'm very curious how they guard Brunson because that that was something that was a little bit more I didn't expect it to be as much of a question mark when I watched the games, but then I watched the ends on wait, Stefan Castle is not taking Brunson, that's weird.
00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:38.480
And in especially in the last game they played, which was the March game, it was the primary matchup was Fox.
00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:41.599
And I thought Brunson was very fine with that.
00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:45.039
I don't I don't think they want to try that again, but it they may, you never know.
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:46.400
We'll see what ends up happening.
00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:53.599
Uh I also wouldn't be surprised if they try as more Vassell than Fox, because the other thing about Fox's body, you gotta remember, he is battling an ankle injury.
00:37:53.679 --> 00:38:07.840
I don't know how well he's feeling now, but he heard his ankle against Minnesota, he re-injured that ankle in the series against OKC, where he missed the first two games, came back, got hurt in the series, finished the series, but really wasn't himself throughout the entire series.
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:10.719
I don't know how much they want him chasing around Jalen Brunson.
00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:15.280
So I would I would be surprised if they go back to that Fox uh matchup.
00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:28.239
The other thing about Brunson's matchup going up against this team that I think is interesting to watch, is I'm also fascinated in how Brunson looks attacking this Spurs defense with the Knicks' new offense.
00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:30.960
So this is what was kind of funny to watch.
00:38:31.199 --> 00:38:32.719
Ball movement in these games were pretty good.
00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:38.239
The Knicks were very comfortable offensively in all these games, but it's still not exactly the same in how they're playing.
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:40.320
They're running a different offense right now, clearly.
00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:43.599
There was not point center cat in these games.
00:38:44.000 --> 00:39:13.119
Brunson's playing way more off the ball, and I think given the Spurs' propensity to want to apply full court pressure because they have such good perimeter defenders in Harper and in Castle, I actually think it's more advantageous to the Knicks that they're playing Brunson more off the ball, and they're gonna have to be very comfortable with doing that a lot more in this series as well, so that Brunson doesn't get worn down offensively, having to dribble through very difficult pressure 94 feet every single time down the floor.
00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:20.719
Um, I think to me, um, Mike Brown has also been a uh very willing to play two guards against the Spurs.
00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:22.559
That's one thing I saw in all three matchups.
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:31.199
That was one of the most consistent things I saw in all three matchups, regardless of the of the series or who was playing or who was hurt, was that they were playing three guards.
00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:34.880
In fact, it they actually ended up rather two guards, two point guards at the same time.
00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:39.039
In fact, they actually ended up switching the guards.
00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:43.679
The first two games, it was Tyler Koelick in the backcourt with Jalen Brunson.
00:39:43.760 --> 00:39:51.920
When they went on that big run the fourth quarter in the NBA Cup final, you'll remember it was Tyler Koelick who made big plays, made big shots, and he was crucial in that game.
00:39:52.000 --> 00:40:01.360
Yeah, that was kind of the that was outside of the Christmas game that where they came back from Cleveland, that was the Tyler Koelick game of the season, probably, was the NBA Cup final.
00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:16.079
And Jose Alvarado, when he was traded uh to New York and then entered the rotation over Tyler Koelick in the March game that the Knicks won by 20 plus points, uh he was also playing alongside Jalen Brunson.
00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:17.039
That was very early on.
00:40:17.119 --> 00:40:18.880
That may have been his second or third game for the Knicks.
00:40:19.039 --> 00:40:21.679
It was it was shortly after the All-Star break.
00:40:21.840 --> 00:40:30.480
So I think in this series, Alvarado playing with Brunson, I think, is going to be something that the Knicks should be looking at in this series.
00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:50.719
I also think more point forward duties for Kat and Hart, I think, are also gonna be very important in this series because if they're going to hide Wembin Yama on Hart, especially, it may be best for Hart to just orchestrate the offense as opposed to him having to be someone who is being forced to be a shooter or forced to be a scorer.
00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:57.840
Like maybe let him run the offense because Wembin Yama is not gonna apply the kind of ball pressure that the guards would normally would.
00:40:57.920 --> 00:41:00.719
So it should allow Knicks to get into their offense a little easier.
00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:04.000
And of course, Cat in the point center stuff.
00:41:04.639 --> 00:41:11.519
Very fascinating how it looks against the Spurs, notably against the Cavs.
00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:28.559
They did a much better job, I think, guarding that stuff than the Knicks, than the certainly the Hawks did, and the Sixers did, because they had an elite long off-ball guy roaming around and trying to blow off those actions than Evan Mobley.
00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:34.960
I don't need to tell you how great Victor Imriama is, and how he's even a better defender than Evan Mobley.
00:41:35.199 --> 00:41:38.320
So that will be something to watch in terms of how effective that stuff will be.
00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:56.960
But I think just given the matchup and how things are gonna go in the series, and how important it would be for Brunson not end up having the ball get sticky in his hands and him pounding the ball into oblivion, it's gonna be important for the Knicks to allow other guys to orchestrate the offense, and that's gonna include, I think at times, using other point guards to help with the series.
00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:59.760
So it's a very fascinating series to follow.
00:41:59.840 --> 00:42:01.440
There are a lot of different X factors here, man.
00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:03.840
I I can't wait to see how the series shakes out.
00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:05.599
But I think it's prediction time.
00:42:06.079 --> 00:42:13.599
And when I look at this series, the Spurs are a great team.
00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:17.360
And they are again, like I said earlier, worthy challengers.
00:42:17.440 --> 00:42:27.679
But as I said all year, I said the Knicks got an opportunity to play anyone in the seven-game series outside of Oklahoma City Thunder, I would like their chances to win.
00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:31.760
That included everybody in the Western Conference outside of Oklahoma City Thunder.
00:42:32.239 --> 00:42:38.639
The road to get to the NBA playoffs was Rocky, and the road to start the NBA playoffs was Rocky.
00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:53.679
But I never wavered in the belief that, especially in the East, that the Knicks were the best team suited to win seven-game series against pretty much everybody in the NBA, given how given their potential.
00:42:54.480 --> 00:42:56.960
They easily dispatched those teams in the East.
00:42:57.280 --> 00:43:04.639
Now they have a non-Oklahoma City Thunder team in the West in the NBA Finals, which is what I said they needed to win an NBA championship.
00:43:05.119 --> 00:43:08.559
I've been burned saying this before, but I will say this again.
00:43:08.719 --> 00:43:14.960
I think this will be a more competitive series than the series the Knicks played in the previous three rounds.
00:43:15.199 --> 00:43:18.719
Now I said that against Philly, that ended up being a cakewalk.
00:43:18.880 --> 00:43:22.320
I said that against Cleveland, that ended up being a cakewalk.
00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:28.559
So maybe I'll be wrong again, but I do think this will be a more competitive series.
00:43:28.880 --> 00:43:33.199
But I think the Knicks are playing the best basketball right now, which I think is most important.
00:43:33.599 --> 00:43:39.039
Which is why I am picking the New York Knicks to win the NBA championship in six games.
00:43:39.360 --> 00:43:41.360
I think that's a round of applause.
00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:42.480
So we'll go.
00:43:46.960 --> 00:43:51.119
I'm picking the Knicks to win in six, and here are the reasons why.
00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:58.239
Number one, I think the Knicks employ more scoring threat than anyone San Antonio has faced in the playoffs so far.
00:43:58.800 --> 00:43:59.760
That includes Oakland.
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:03.679
Oklahoma City, given the version we saw of Oklahoma City.
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:11.599
Because the version we saw of Oklahoma City did not have Jalen Williams, and for a long stretch of the series, did not have AJ Mitchell.
00:44:11.840 --> 00:44:21.599
And you can effectively say they kind of didn't have Chet Homerin, who just had an all-time disappearing act in this playoff series, especially in Game 7.
00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:28.559
And then when you watch the Thunder, and this is what we talked about when I was talking about the series, uh, I don't know if I actually did it on Orange Bluebluss.
00:44:28.639 --> 00:44:34.480
I did it on 40 Days and Counting, my other uh my other podcast and my live stream show I do every Tuesday, 8 a.m.
00:44:34.639 --> 00:44:36.960
uh Tuesday, 6 p.m., Friday, 8 a.m.
00:44:37.360 --> 00:44:39.760
I said the thunder the Thunder were struggling offensively.
00:44:39.840 --> 00:44:40.559
It was very clear.
00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:48.960
Like they were winning some games, and when they got these great games from Jared McCain and ask Russo shooting out of his mind, the offense looked okay.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:51.519
But I was, I think this is like not healthy.
00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:58.079
This is this is not what's gonna get them past the Spurs, which is why I kind of flipped mid-series.
00:44:58.480 --> 00:44:59.679
I think the Spurs are actually gonna win this.
00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:00.960
I picked them to win game seven.
00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:03.280
And game seven kind of went exactly how I thought it would go.
00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:06.239
Shea was awesome, no one else really showed up.
00:45:06.559 --> 00:45:15.119
And the Spurs, I think, took advantage of the fact that they were really able to uh lock in on SGA and SGA only.
00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:18.559
Um the Spurs played outstanding uh defense in that series.
00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:24.880
Um, but again, I I I think this will be the best offensive scene the Spurs have played so far in the postseason.
00:45:25.199 --> 00:45:30.239
Offensively, when you think about the regular season matchups, the Knicks had their way in all three games.
00:45:30.400 --> 00:45:32.559
This is a great elite defense.
00:45:32.719 --> 00:45:34.960
They do not look like a great elite defense against the Spurs.
00:45:35.199 --> 00:45:36.559
Against the Knicks, rather, I'm sorry.
00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:41.280
Uh so much so that in watching these games, I actually forgot, I look back, that the Spurs actually went to zone.
00:45:41.519 --> 00:45:53.440
Like they they got so out of their comfort zone, finding ways to get stops defensively, that they actually ended up going to a lot of zone to try to junk up the game and junk up the Knicks' offense.
00:45:53.519 --> 00:45:58.880
It definitely worked a little bit in the second game that the Knicks played against them, that they lost.
00:45:59.119 --> 00:46:02.559
When they got down in the third game the Knicks played, they went to it again.
00:46:02.719 --> 00:46:10.159
But the difference was they started getting three balls from Landry Shamit and three balls from other guys, and and uh and Duwar hit a bunch of threes.
00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:18.800
So to me, that showed me, okay, there is a problem for the Spurs in terms of this defensive matchup, that they actually had some trouble with the Knicks offense.
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:28.719
The Knicks are an elite offensive team, and all the metrics show you that, and for some reason, I think a lot of it doesn't really matter what other people think, but for some reason they don't get given that respect.
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:34.159
Maybe because for so much of the season it didn't look all that pretty.
00:46:34.239 --> 00:46:36.480
It was so much Jalen Brunson isolation.
00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:46.880
Despite that, they still were one of the elite offenses in the regular season, and they've been supercharged now that they've gone away from a lot of Jalen Brunson, Jalen Brunson isolation stuff in the postseason.
00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:53.679
So um I think that this is a good team to try to attack this Spurs defense.
00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:58.480
I also think the way the Knicks are playing is gonna provide more challenges in OKC as well.
00:46:58.639 --> 00:47:13.679
Because if you watch those games against the Thunder for the Spurs, OKC OKC seemed very resigned with allowing SGA to play one versus three plus an alien who's 7-4.
00:47:14.239 --> 00:47:16.400
They don't do a lot of off-ball actions.
00:47:16.480 --> 00:47:25.599
There were a lot of guys kind of just standing around, and it was a lot of alright, set the screen for SGA or get him in isolation, everybody just spread out and be ready to shoot.
00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:30.400
Some guys that, quite frankly, weren't reliable shooters or didn't want to shoot, like at Hombren.
00:47:30.880 --> 00:47:43.119
The Knicks, as we've seen, are running a much more complex offense and they're running a lot more uh physical sets, which is ironic because Mike Brown actually didn't want to really call plays and run so much actual offense.
00:47:43.360 --> 00:47:51.199
But it's part of that is because the Knicks have actually reached that flow state that they've been talking about trying to get to offensive where they kind of know exactly what to do in every stretch.
00:47:51.280 --> 00:47:58.800
So it may look like they're running a very regimented offense, but also because I just think that they're not uh allowing guys to stand around.
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:11.280
I mean, how many times is Mikhail Bridges, who was huge pretty much since the early mishaps he's had in this postseason, who has been huge all playoffs, how many times have you seen him being effective as a cutter?
00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:14.400
How effective have you seen OGI newbie cut into the basket?
00:48:14.559 --> 00:48:19.760
Uh Landry Shamit off the ball, moving around, get three balls like they're just not standing around.
00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:32.320
And it makes it a little harder for Wemby, it makes it a little harder for the Spurs to say, hey, let's lock in on Brunson, let's zone up and load up and be ready for when he tries to attack and to help out when other guys are not standing still.
00:48:32.559 --> 00:48:38.000
So I think that's something that's going to be an advantage for the Knicks that the Spurs really haven't seen.
00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:46.079
Because if you think about the matchups against also the Blazers, just they don't have the offensive firepower that the Knicks have.
00:48:46.320 --> 00:48:50.320
And one of the weaknesses of the T-Wolves is that they don't run great offense.
00:48:50.400 --> 00:48:53.519
That they it is a lot of Anthony Edwards standing and guys standing around.
00:48:53.599 --> 00:49:01.119
And, you know, there's a lot of Jaden McDaniels and you know, Terrence Chan is trying to get downhill one-on-one matchups or in handoffs and things like that.
00:49:01.199 --> 00:49:03.920
It wasn't they don't run a very flow free-flowing offense.
00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:06.559
It's one of the weaknesses of the T-Wolves.
00:49:06.719 --> 00:49:08.320
That's not a weakness of the Knicks.
00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:13.280
So I like this matchup for the Knicks in terms of their ability to attack the Spurs defense.
00:49:13.519 --> 00:49:17.440
I also think at a certain point, experience is gonna matter.
00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:20.079
The Spurs just beat the defending champs.
00:49:20.159 --> 00:49:28.000
I don't want to minimize that accomplishment at all or take them lightly that they did that.
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:33.920
But I do think you have to take into account just how beaten up OKC was by the end of that series.
00:49:34.239 --> 00:49:40.639
And when I looked at the games that the Spurs lost, I thought that their immaturity lost them games three and game five.
00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:52.239
And I think that is something that the Knicks will be able to do a better job exploiting because they'll just have better abled-body players than the OKC Thunder had in that series they played in the Western Conference Finals.
00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:58.719
When else I think about experience, listen, for the Spurs' sake, let's hope Stefan Castle doesn't have a play point guard.
00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:03.199
Castle is talented and he brings a lot to the table.
00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:07.760
I think his decision making and care for the ball are not two of his strengths.
00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:20.559
He was a turn on a machine in a lot of that series, and to me, it's sometimes I like to view, like try to view games from like the other, like if I was rooting for the other team to kind of give me a sense of security of what I should be looking for for the Knicks and what I can take advantage.
00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:28.239
So especially during the game seven, I'm really watching both of these teams, but in some way I was trying to watch the Spurs, especially when looking like the Spurs about to win.
00:50:28.400 --> 00:50:31.280
As a Spurs fan, how do I feel about what we're doing?
00:50:31.519 --> 00:50:33.840
And I said this on social media, he would scare me.
00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:44.559
Stefan Castle would scare the hell out of me if he had to have the ball in his hands in a series situation or for any extended amount of time, especially given the health scares they've had with De'Aaron Fox.
00:50:44.880 --> 00:50:50.400
Fox hasn't played great, but he's at least much more reliable with the ball, where he's not going to turn the ball over as much.
00:50:50.559 --> 00:50:57.519
And the Knicks have been a team that has been way more disruptive defensively in this playoff than they were in the regular season.
00:50:57.599 --> 00:51:00.079
They're not Oklahoma City defensively because no one is.
00:51:00.239 --> 00:51:17.440
But I think with Josh Hart, Carthy Towns, and Mikhail Bridges, the amount of flexions, the flexions that they're generating right now, uh, I would worry a little bit about how the Spurs find a way to keep their nerves in what is going to be a massive stage on the NBA finals.
00:51:17.679 --> 00:51:25.039
And the other thing I have to ask as well is, you know, Wemby have enough around him to lift them to a championship.
00:51:25.119 --> 00:51:26.880
With the chips all on the table.
00:51:27.119 --> 00:51:28.719
Wemby is an incredible player.
00:51:28.800 --> 00:51:30.400
He's a generational talent.
00:51:30.960 --> 00:51:35.920
Is he ready for a championship moment at just 22 years old?
00:51:36.400 --> 00:51:47.760
Because when I think about the history of this league, ironically, three of the six youngest NBA Finals MVPs in NBA history all were Spurs.
00:51:48.159 --> 00:51:49.840
Which is a great omen for the Spurs.
00:51:50.239 --> 00:51:57.280
Because you had Kawhi in 2014, you had Duncan in 99, and you had Tony Parker in uh 27.
00:51:57.519 --> 00:51:58.880
Oh, excuse me, uh 07.
00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:03.360
Kawhi was 22, Duncan was 22, Parker was 24.
00:52:03.440 --> 00:52:05.280
Again, Wemby is 22.
00:52:05.679 --> 00:52:20.480
The difference, though, with this Spurs team compared to those Spurs finals MVPs and those teams was those young stars were buoyed by other stars who were far more experienced.
00:52:21.360 --> 00:52:29.119
In 14, Kawhi had Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, each who had already won what?
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:30.239
Four titles.
00:52:30.400 --> 00:52:34.400
Or Duncan won four, Tar Parker won three, and Mono Ginobli.
00:52:35.519 --> 00:52:39.679
In 99, Duncan had, of course, David Robinson.
00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:44.800
No champions in terms of they had Mario Ellie, but no like champions in terms of the stars.
00:52:44.880 --> 00:52:50.400
But he did have David Robinson, an all-star center, still at the end of his prime, but still really good.
00:52:51.039 --> 00:52:56.800
And in 07, Parker, of course, had Tim Duncan, who at that time had already won two championships.
00:52:56.880 --> 00:52:59.840
And Parker himself had actually already won two titles.
00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:05.440
So he he wasn't an inexperienced guy coming into the NBA Finals himself, even though he was only 24 years old.
00:53:05.599 --> 00:53:08.159
This is very different than what Wimbenyama is dealing with.
00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:16.239
Wembenyama, now you could argue he may be more special and generational than all those guys, and that's saying a lot, because Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan's in that list, but that is real.
00:53:16.320 --> 00:53:17.360
That's how great he is.
00:53:17.599 --> 00:53:20.960
But it's much different than how it was for those other guys.
00:53:21.440 --> 00:53:27.679
Because who is this other experienced star that's gonna help Wimben Yama get through this thing?
00:53:27.760 --> 00:53:28.559
Is it Fox?
00:53:29.119 --> 00:53:30.639
Again, how healthy is he?
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:33.039
He's definitely never been in the NBA Final Stage before.
00:53:33.119 --> 00:53:35.119
This is the DPC's ever been in the playoffs.
00:53:35.280 --> 00:53:39.920
He's an older player, not an old player, but an older player, they're just a really young team.
00:53:40.159 --> 00:53:53.280
Uh like, is he the guy that like allows the young Buck to feel comfortable in this NBA final stage because he's got a wingman that is already ready to go and prime for this moment?
00:53:54.079 --> 00:53:56.400
Is it Harrison Barnes from the band?
00:53:56.559 --> 00:53:58.000
I mean, who they don't have that guy really.
00:53:58.079 --> 00:53:59.519
He's not not who I see.
00:53:59.679 --> 00:54:05.599
So it's gonna be a lot on Women Yama to really be special, and he he very well could be.
00:54:05.840 --> 00:54:12.480
I just think given history, guys who have won NBA Finals MVPs have had that guy.
00:54:12.639 --> 00:54:16.800
The only guy who hasn't, and he had him for six games, was Magic Johnson.
00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:24.960
Magic Johnson had Kareem for six games, then he, or five games rather, then he won Game Six by himself, more or less, obviously, and he won finals MVP.
00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:26.159
But Kareem, we forget.
00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:32.480
And those who watch Winning Time will now know because they did a really good job from dramatizing that whole series.
00:54:32.719 --> 00:54:38.960
Kareem was unstoppable, basically, for the first five games, and probably should have won finals MVP.
00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:48.000
But besides Magic, there really isn't an example of like these guys who are like, oh, I'm young, but it's okay because I uh, you know, I got this by myself.
00:54:48.159 --> 00:54:50.159
Magic also, by the way, is on that list twice.
00:54:50.239 --> 00:54:52.880
And the second time, of course, he had Kareem Idul Jabar again.
00:54:53.440 --> 00:54:55.119
So, experience is a big deal.
00:54:55.199 --> 00:55:10.719
And look, the Knicks don't have a bunch of guys who have won NBA championships, obviously, but they do have a team that's been together for a couple years now, guys who have had all various types of NBA playoff experience, and a team that has been priming itself for this moment.
00:55:11.360 --> 00:55:12.559
The Spurs were not.
00:55:12.719 --> 00:55:15.840
The Spurs are a year ahead, maybe even two years ahead.
00:55:16.079 --> 00:55:21.280
The Spurs, their goal, as they've said, I am I think I don't know who it was, I don't know if it was Darren Fox or somebody.
00:55:21.360 --> 00:55:23.440
One of them said, Yeah, man, our goal is to make the playoffs.
00:55:23.519 --> 00:55:25.679
But then we saw our group we were like, hey, why not?
00:55:25.840 --> 00:55:29.599
Like that their goal was like, oh, let's be ready for the playoffs, let's be good for the playoffs.
00:55:29.679 --> 00:55:32.159
Like this, they're not, they weren't championship robust.
00:55:32.480 --> 00:55:43.679
And maybe that helps with maybe the pressure of the moment, but now that the moment is here, that does create a different environment for the Spurs, and I think it's gonna be important to watch in this series.
00:55:43.920 --> 00:55:56.480
Um, other kind of technical things is I just think the Knicks also are an awesome road team, and not having home court advantage may actually be a little blessing in disguise, as crazy as that may be.
00:55:56.719 --> 00:56:09.119
Um, one of the hidden things about this group that I think don't get doesn't get talked about enough is and what makes me feel very confident in picking the Knicks to win this series, despite not them not having home court advantage, is just how good they are on the road.
00:56:09.280 --> 00:56:15.280
And I think they they will have their opportunity to win at least one, if not two games on the road in this series.
00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:22.639
Over the past two seasons, we've seen this group win extremely tough games on the road in extremely hostile environments.
00:56:22.800 --> 00:56:27.280
They've won in Detroit, they've won in Boston, and they've won in Indiana.
00:56:27.840 --> 00:56:57.199
We've also seen this Knicks fan contingent, that is another variable of this series that hasn't quite, or rather rather the playoffs, that hasn't quite reared its ugly head in this series yet, though I did see an interesting story about how some Spurs ticket uh holders, ticking ticket season season ticket holders are being, you know, basically removed off their roles for next year and for the future because they are selling their tickets online for exuberant numbers.
00:56:57.440 --> 00:56:59.760
Are those numbers all Knicks fans?
00:56:59.920 --> 00:57:02.000
I don't think so, but I just don't know.
00:57:02.159 --> 00:57:12.000
And like I said, uh after the Knicks uh you know won the series in Cleveland, I'm just not gonna put anything past Knicks fans in terms of how well they will travel.
00:57:12.159 --> 00:57:21.840
I think this will probably be the least New York contingent of any of the series that the Knicks have played so far this postseason, where in all three series the Knicks fans have made their presence felt.
00:57:22.079 --> 00:57:24.400
But who's to say that's not a factor in this?
00:57:24.639 --> 00:57:33.039
And even if it's not, like I said before, the Knicks, just in general, have just been a better road team during the postseason in this Jalen Brunson era than they have been a home team.
00:57:33.280 --> 00:57:36.559
And I think the team just plays with a different energy on the road.
00:57:36.800 --> 00:57:49.199
I think that in many ways, a lot of like the lights, camera action, bells and whistles and pressure and everything that comes with like the Knicks having success in the regular season and then playing games at home.
00:57:49.360 --> 00:57:54.159
I think not having that for the A to start the series is great.
00:57:54.559 --> 00:58:02.400
Because you just came off a layoff, and we saw how much they kind of struggled to get their legs under them in the Cleveland series in game one.
00:58:02.960 --> 00:58:16.239
Nothing punched you in the face in terms of you're an NBA Finals playing against a good team, and this is all from the this is for all the Marvel, so get your act together faster than a road environment, a hostile environment potentially, and a team as good as the Spurs.
00:58:16.639 --> 00:58:20.559
So I I think that them actually starting this on the road is probably better for them.
00:58:20.639 --> 00:58:23.119
They have to get on a plane, there's all this preparation.
00:58:23.360 --> 00:58:27.199
You now know there is no, oh, okay, oh, I'm in the NBA Eastern Conference Final.
00:58:27.280 --> 00:58:28.000
Oh, I gotta get going.
00:58:28.079 --> 00:58:30.800
Like, man, it took me a while to kind of get my legs under me and get going.
00:58:30.960 --> 00:58:38.800
You're not gonna have that playing in San Antonio where they're yelling, go, Parents, go, every five seconds, and there's a crazy crowd.
00:58:38.960 --> 00:58:43.599
Uh it I just I think it will be very good for this team to actually be on the road.
00:58:43.679 --> 00:58:47.519
And I think if you're a team playing the Knicks, you're like, oh, okay, we got them on the road, okay.
00:58:47.599 --> 00:58:47.920
That's good.
00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:48.800
That's we're going home.
00:58:48.880 --> 00:58:50.559
Again, that's a false sense of security.
00:58:50.639 --> 00:58:52.239
I think Philly felt that way.
00:58:52.400 --> 00:59:01.440
I think um Cleveland felt that way, and they were in for root awakenings because again, the version of Knicks that plays on the road is a just a better team than the version that plays at home.
00:59:01.599 --> 00:59:11.039
Look at the point differentials in the last two years between how they play on the road and how they play at home in the postseason, it's it's a distinct advantage for the Knicks to actually play on the road.
00:59:11.199 --> 00:59:21.920
So, um, in terms of why I think the Knicks can win this series, despite being a team that doesn't have home court advantage, them being an awesome road team in the playoffs is certainly a huge, huge factor in this.
00:59:22.079 --> 00:59:29.519
And the last thing I'll say as well, and I think it's important to talk about in any NBA finals for sure, is execution down the stretch.
00:59:29.679 --> 00:59:35.440
It kind of goes back a little bit to experience, but I'm gonna take experience away from that and just talk about the actual players.
00:59:35.920 --> 00:59:51.119
I think in the playoffs, and excuse me, I think in the playoffs, the team that has the best closer will always have a distinct advantage in the series, and especially late in games, and especially in the NBA Finals where you expect the game to be close.
00:59:51.440 --> 01:00:01.519
Brunson, of course, is Captain Clutch, and I think every Knicks fan feels extremely comfortable with the game on the line and the ball being in Jalen Brunson's hands.
01:00:01.760 --> 01:00:08.159
Now, Wemby put on a performance for the ages in game one, and he wanted to talk about crunch time performance and big shot making.
01:00:08.400 --> 01:00:12.800
He showed he can definitely do it, obviously, because of what he did in game one against OKC.
01:00:13.679 --> 01:00:19.119
But overall, and including what we saw in game seven, that was a close game that the Spurs did close out.
01:00:19.360 --> 01:00:27.199
Overall, though, that team is still, I think, and it's the nature of your best player being 7-4, is still more of a committee team down the stretch than it is the Knicks.
01:00:27.440 --> 01:00:29.360
The Knicks, we know it's Brunson time.
01:00:29.679 --> 01:00:37.119
With the Spurs, and if it's not Brunson, the only reason it won't be Brunson time is because the team is gonna send two guys at him, and therefore someone else is gonna have to make a play.
01:00:37.360 --> 01:00:40.000
But Brunson's gonna be the guy making the decisions.
01:00:40.239 --> 01:00:42.239
With the Spurs, it's kind of a mixed bag.
01:00:42.320 --> 01:00:46.800
Like it's Fox, it could be a lot of Steph and Castle, which again, that would scare me if I'm the Spurs.
01:00:47.199 --> 01:00:55.679
And Wemby, of course, will have his opportunities and stuff, but you have to find a way to get him the ball in those stretches as opposed to a guard who can just dominate the game down the stretch.
01:00:55.920 --> 01:01:02.400
At the end of the day, I trust Brunson more than any of the Spurs ball handlers, especially in an NBA final setting.
01:01:02.639 --> 01:01:21.119
And I think uh the Spurs, this means the Knicks, when we get to crunch time and trying to take away Wemben Yama, I trust their abilities to use their physicality and deny and frustrate him and not allow him to be the kind of impact player he has been in crunch time for the Spurs throughout this postseason run.
01:01:22.000 --> 01:01:30.880
This is the biggest Knicks moment, Knicks series in definitely at least almost three decades, obviously.
01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:40.400
I would argue that this is even bigger than 99 because I lived in 99 and I was a kid, but I was fully, fully locked in.
01:01:40.480 --> 01:01:50.239
I always say my there's various origin stories of when EJ really became a a huge basketball fan, but the origin the real like you want to talk about when I was really, really locked in.
01:01:50.320 --> 01:02:00.000
I always say 98 NBA All-Star games when I really was like, wow, I like this is something that I'm gonna be locked into loving forever, and so far so good.
01:02:00.400 --> 01:02:10.960
But you want to talk about okay, the one moment that really keeps you locked into this thing even as a kid and beyond, it was the 99 finals, of course, the 99 playoff run for the Knicks.
01:02:11.199 --> 01:02:12.960
Because I was too young for 94.
01:02:13.280 --> 01:02:28.159
And I was 99, I'm eight years old, but I knew, and everybody in New York knew at that time, as great as they were playing, and you hoped that they could win, you knew with no Patrick Ewing, that it was gonna be an extremely tall task to beat the Spurs, who were mauling people in the playoffs.
01:02:28.239 --> 01:02:34.000
They just swept in the Western Crowns Finals against a very good Lagers team that then went back to the Western Crowns Finals the next year.
01:02:34.239 --> 01:02:38.320
So you knew that this was gonna be a tall task for the Knicks in '99.
01:02:38.480 --> 01:02:45.199
It was gonna be basically a miracle if they found a way to beat the Twin Towers and Duncan and Robinson.
01:02:45.440 --> 01:02:50.800
So the Knicks played the finals, they kind of got their ass kicked, and you kind of knew what it was.
01:02:50.960 --> 01:02:54.639
You say, hey, listen, though, this is a great run, this is a lot of fun, and man, what a season.
01:02:55.119 --> 01:02:57.760
This just isn't that to me.
01:02:58.159 --> 01:03:02.719
That's why I say this series is bigger than 99, because 99 I think we knew what was likely gonna happen.
01:03:03.039 --> 01:03:12.800
This feels more like 94 in the sense that this feels like your absolute best shot with a nucleus that's been together for a while to win a championship.
01:03:13.360 --> 01:03:29.360
There's a big African descent center on the other side that will make this extremely difficult, and it's not gonna be easy, but the the opportunity is certainly there, the matchup is certainly there, and how the team is playing, it gives them all the opportunities to try to find a way to win this thing.
01:03:29.519 --> 01:03:31.840
Their health is pretty good outside of Mitchell Robinson.
01:03:32.000 --> 01:03:34.960
They're playing against the team they had success against in the regular season.
01:03:35.199 --> 01:03:38.480
As Aaron Boone likes to say, everything is right in front of them.
01:03:39.360 --> 01:03:41.679
I hope they live up to the moment.
01:03:42.000 --> 01:03:43.920
I firmly believe that they will.
01:03:44.159 --> 01:03:44.800
I do.
01:03:46.000 --> 01:03:51.199
I think this is again what this team has been building towards, is what they've been working towards.
01:03:51.360 --> 01:03:55.199
And they're on such a high right now, and they're playing so well.
01:03:56.079 --> 01:04:00.239
I know Vegas has the Spurs as a pretty considerable favorite.
01:04:00.800 --> 01:04:05.440
Vegas is not dummies, so I take that very seriously.
01:04:05.760 --> 01:04:10.880
It makes me kind of wonder, man, am I not seeing something about this series?
01:04:11.440 --> 01:04:20.159
Despite having watched all these three games or whatever, and and I watched all all of the Western Congress finals, and I feel like the Knicks are a better team than the Spurs.
01:04:21.840 --> 01:04:31.199
But I just I just think that with everything that they have going for them right now, I don't think that the pressure is really gonna get to them.
01:04:31.599 --> 01:04:33.679
You know, that's always that's the thing about the NBA Finals, man.
01:04:33.840 --> 01:04:36.639
There's variables you don't know, like, and we're gonna see it.
01:04:37.360 --> 01:04:43.119
Somebody that I spoke about today, there's gonna be two people, and maybe even more than two people, but at least two people.
01:04:43.760 --> 01:04:54.639
Somebody I spoke about today, that I said could play well, or has been a star or has been great for the Spurs or the Knicks, because on either side, one of them is gonna play terrible.
01:04:55.119 --> 01:04:59.519
Because the NBA finals, the pressure at its highest, and they're not gonna live up to the moment.
01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:06.400
And somebody I spoke about as well, whether I said they were gonna play well or play poorly, it doesn't matter what I said about them.
01:05:06.559 --> 01:05:08.559
Or maybe it's someone I didn't even mention, though.
01:05:08.639 --> 01:05:11.599
I think I almost got to everybody that plays in the rotation for both teams.
01:05:11.679 --> 01:05:12.960
I don't think I missed anybody.
01:05:13.039 --> 01:05:14.880
I didn't mention Carter Bryant.
01:05:15.199 --> 01:05:16.800
Maybe it's Carter Bryant, I don't know.
01:05:16.880 --> 01:05:27.760
I doubt it, but somebody is going to play out of their mind or have a massive, massive impact in the series and lead the their team to uh help lead their team to a championship.
01:05:28.159 --> 01:05:39.119
Who those people are, I gave you my guesses as to who I think they will be, but it could be anybody because it's the NBA finals, which is what makes this so compelling, which makes it so interesting.
01:05:39.760 --> 01:05:41.119
And what makes it fun?
01:05:41.280 --> 01:05:42.480
Question mark.
01:05:42.880 --> 01:05:46.000
It feels fun a little bit prior to talking about the games.
01:05:46.079 --> 01:05:59.519
It won't feel quite as fun as a fan and someone who is rooting for either team, but especially of course on this side room for the Knicks, it won't be maybe quite fun watching these games because how nerve wracking it is, and you're like, Why isn't X playing way better than we thought?
01:05:59.599 --> 01:06:00.719
He Should be playing.
01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:03.519
Why is that guy on that other side doing all this?
01:06:03.599 --> 01:06:08.079
Like, that's just it's the nature of the NBA playoffs, and it's definitely the nature of the NBA Finals.
01:06:08.559 --> 01:06:10.400
And I can't wait to see what's going to happen.
01:06:10.559 --> 01:06:20.719
But I think I feel better about more of the Knicks guys doing what they need to do and doing their job to live up to this moment than I do about the Spurs.
01:06:21.039 --> 01:06:24.880
I think the Spurs will have more guys who will be like, oh, we thought that guy's gonna play well.
01:06:25.039 --> 01:06:26.639
He ended up being terrible.
01:06:27.519 --> 01:06:28.880
That's how I feel.
01:06:29.119 --> 01:06:30.079
That's the vibe I get.
01:06:30.159 --> 01:06:33.519
And it's and then again, it's informed by also what I saw in the regular season.
01:06:33.760 --> 01:06:35.280
It felt like the Knicks.
01:06:35.519 --> 01:06:39.679
I always like to see, does my team look comfortable executing?
01:06:40.320 --> 01:06:41.840
Especially offensively.
01:06:42.159 --> 01:06:46.320
Because defensively, you can try different things, you can double, you can, you can, there's a lot of things you do defensively.
01:06:46.480 --> 01:06:50.079
Offensively, ironically, the Knicks did change their offense.
01:06:50.239 --> 01:06:52.800
But it's kind of hard to change your offense on the fly.
01:06:52.880 --> 01:06:54.159
There's only so many things you can do.
01:06:54.320 --> 01:06:55.280
Your team is your team.
01:06:55.440 --> 01:06:57.679
Or or or like bad guys make shots.
01:06:58.000 --> 01:07:00.559
They're not good shooters, or they're missing shots, they're just missing shots.
01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:06.079
I just feel like offensively, they just looked really comfortable against this team.
01:07:06.239 --> 01:07:13.199
And I like when my team and I'm picking a series, I'm looking at a series that my team looked comfortable doing what they do well.
01:07:13.519 --> 01:07:18.239
And they've already actually changed their identity to something different that the Spurs are gonna have to adjust to.
01:07:18.880 --> 01:07:20.559
I think we're gonna see something special.
01:07:20.719 --> 01:07:43.760
And if that magic, when that magic moment happens, and the confetti's coming down, whether it's in San Antonio or New York, in this case I have it finishing in New York, and the Knicks are NBA champions, I just I what this will do for the New York a New York City, what this will do for the Knicks community, which I told you got me emotional seeing their celebration at the Eastern Crowns finals.
01:07:44.239 --> 01:07:46.400
Uh it's gonna be unreal.
01:07:46.639 --> 01:07:48.239
It's gonna be unreal.
01:07:48.639 --> 01:07:54.960
It's something that a lot of Knicks fans have prayed for, a lot of Knicks fans had dreamed of, I know I've certainly dreamed for.
01:07:55.280 --> 01:07:58.719
And we're told, and maybe some of them felt themselves, would never happen.
01:07:58.800 --> 01:08:05.039
In fact, some fans, and screw them, let's say kind of jokingly, but they defected.
01:08:05.199 --> 01:08:06.880
They literally were like, This is never gonna work for me.
01:08:06.960 --> 01:08:07.599
I'm I'm leaving.
01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:11.840
I'm I'm going to join it, I'm gonna be a Nets fan or be a Lakers fan or be whatever.
01:08:12.079 --> 01:08:19.039
Like, if they can do what I think they're gonna do, just what a moment that would be.
01:08:19.680 --> 01:08:28.159
And which which is why this finals is so monumental and why it's such a huge finals, not just for the Knicks community, not just for New York City, but for the NBA.
01:08:28.319 --> 01:08:30.079
This is a monumental series.
01:08:30.319 --> 01:08:49.039
The next guy, who maybe already is the guy because we've seen what he's done through this postseason and through this regular season and we're through Women Yama, the prince that was promised, versus everything that comes with the Knicks franchise, the team they built, the history, the drought, everything.
01:08:49.359 --> 01:08:52.479
Can't ask for a better matchup than this, and I can't wait.
01:08:52.880 --> 01:08:54.319
That's a good place to leave, man.
01:08:54.399 --> 01:08:58.560
I want to thank you guys so much for checking out this edition of Orange and Blue Bloods, our NBA Finals preview.
01:08:58.640 --> 01:09:02.159
I hope you gave you guys as comprehensive a preview as I could.
01:09:02.319 --> 01:09:06.640
I really wanted to, not that I don't put I always put great effort in ultrasound, of course.
01:09:06.800 --> 01:09:28.880
But this is obviously a very important episode and an important show, and I wanted to make sure anybody listening to the show that wanted to learn about these teams, their matchups against each other, learn about the Spurs, particularly, because you may not have obviously watched 82 plus games with the Spurs this year, that you know what the Knicks are up against in a reasonable way, not in a orange and blue colored, uh rose-colored glasses way.
01:09:28.960 --> 01:09:30.239
Uh in a real way.
01:09:30.399 --> 01:09:35.760
Um, a real threat, a real great team, but one I think the Knicks will beat, and one that I think the Knicks will handle.
01:09:35.920 --> 01:09:37.600
So I hope you guys enjoyed this episode.
01:09:37.760 --> 01:09:41.600
Again, if you enjoy Orange and Blue Bloods, be sure to subscribe to the podcast.
01:09:41.760 --> 01:09:45.199
Again, search Orange and Blue Blood Revigate Podcast to find these episodes.
01:09:45.359 --> 01:09:54.640
When you get there and you find the channel, hit the subscribe button, make sure you hit the auto-download feature, and of course, be sure to um give us a five-star review.
01:09:54.800 --> 01:09:57.760
All those things are very important to the channel, all those things are very important to the show.
01:09:57.840 --> 01:09:59.760
So if you can do that, we greatly appreciate it.
01:09:59.920 --> 01:10:02.159
Also be sure to check us out on YouTube.
01:10:02.239 --> 01:10:09.760
If you want to watch these videos, all episodes of Orange Blue Bloods go up on the new generation media YouTube channel.
01:10:09.840 --> 01:10:11.680
Again, and new generation media.
01:10:11.840 --> 01:10:17.760
While you're there, do me a favor, subscribe to the channel, and like this video, and give me your prediction.
01:10:18.079 --> 01:10:22.479
Nick's, Spurs, who wins, how many games, and why.
01:10:22.640 --> 01:10:23.840
I want to know your prediction.
01:10:23.920 --> 01:10:25.279
I want to know what you guys say.
01:10:25.439 --> 01:10:26.960
Let me know what you think in the comments.
01:10:27.039 --> 01:10:28.640
I will be responding in the comments.
01:10:28.800 --> 01:10:30.399
So again, give me your pick.
01:10:30.560 --> 01:10:31.199
Who wins?
01:10:31.359 --> 01:10:32.239
Nick's Spurs.
01:10:32.399 --> 01:10:33.760
Hit me up on social media, by the way, too.
01:10:33.840 --> 01:10:36.239
If you're listening to the podcast, obviously there's not really a comment section.
01:10:36.319 --> 01:10:38.159
I think there's a comment section on Spotify.
01:10:38.239 --> 01:10:41.520
I don't really watch read those, even if they even are comments.
01:10:41.840 --> 01:10:46.800
But if you are uh if you are listening, uh you can also hit me up, obviously.
01:10:46.880 --> 01:10:48.000
You can also find me on social media.
01:10:48.079 --> 01:10:52.239
Hit me up and give me your prediction, Nick Spurs, and tell me why, who wins, and how many games.
01:10:52.479 --> 01:10:57.840
X, uh, you can find me EJ underscore Stewart, Instagram, and TikTok, action EJ.
01:10:58.159 --> 01:11:00.000
And of course, search me on Buzzer.
01:11:00.159 --> 01:11:02.000
BZZR is the app.
01:11:02.079 --> 01:11:05.600
And it's a sports only mobile content space.
01:11:05.840 --> 01:11:07.199
Be sure to find me on there.
01:11:07.359 --> 01:11:12.319
You can search my name, EJ Stewart, or search EJ205 Prep.
01:11:12.560 --> 01:11:14.000
That's gonna do it for now, man.
01:11:14.079 --> 01:11:16.880
I want to thank you guys so much for checking out Orange and Blue Bloods.
01:11:17.199 --> 01:11:23.199
Game one tips off Wednesday 8 30 p.m.
01:11:23.680 --> 01:11:25.199
Knicks at Spurs.
01:11:26.239 --> 01:11:28.319
Sounds kind of surreal to say still.
01:11:28.880 --> 01:11:37.680
Even though we've known this reality for well, obviously, the Knicks being in the finals for a while, but now we have a matchup, we know where they're going, time, everything.
01:11:37.920 --> 01:11:39.920
Still feels surreal to say, but they've earned it.
01:11:40.000 --> 01:11:43.119
And you've earned it, Nick fans, for being so loyal for so long.
01:11:43.359 --> 01:11:44.720
Enjoy the NBA finals.
01:11:44.800 --> 01:11:49.359
We'll have plenty of special episodes throughout the NBA Finals, so keep it locked here.
01:11:49.520 --> 01:11:50.880
I'm EJ Stewart.
01:11:51.119 --> 01:11:54.640
Enjoy the rest of your week, and of course, let's go, Knicks.
