Knicks In 4: Philly Folded | The 2:00am Crew | Ep. 46

The New York Knicks just sent a message to the entire NBA… and the Philadelphia 76ers were the victims.

On this episode of “The 2:00AM Crew,” Rick Hierro and Jason Enrique break down the Knicks’ dominant first-round SWEEP over the 76ers and explain why this team feels different. From Jalen Brunson taking over the playoffs to OG Anunoby locking everything down defensively, the guys discuss how Tom Thibodeau has this team playing with toughness, confidence, and championship energy.
Rick and Jason also dive into:

Joel Embiid and the future of the 76ers

The rise of the Knicks as real Eastern Conference contenders

The biggest surprises of the NBA Playoffs
Which teams are legit title threats
Wild predictions for the next round
The pressure mounting on stars around the league


The NBA Playoffs are officially heating up, and the vibes in New York are at an all-time high.
Knicks fans… this is your moment.
🎙️ Hosted by Rick Hierro & Jason Enrique
📍 New episodes of “The 2:00AM Crew” streaming on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch & Kick.

🎙️ New to streaming or looking to level up? Check out StreamYard and get $10 discount! 😍 https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6128697229312000

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:45

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the two AM crew. I'm your host, Rick H, and I'm joined by my lovely co-host. Jason Enrique, ladies and gentlemen. Yes, indeed. How are you? The greatest hair in podcasting is here. Um the best beard in podcasting.

SPEAKER_05 1:06

That beard is just yelling. That beard is just yelling to me, Kellok.

SPEAKER_04 1:10

I'm trying. I'm trying to have the best beard in podcasting. Um, because you have the best hair in podcasting. So now I gotta, I gotta, I gotta get my own shtick. So, how have you been?

SPEAKER_05 1:23

I'm actually doing really good, man. Uh, besides the everything that's going on in the sports world, um, life has actually been leveling up for me recently. You know, we won't get too much into that, but you know a little bit about behind the scenes and stuff like that, and it seems like things are trending in a in a poor trajectory, and hopefully it stays that way.

SPEAKER_04 1:42

Well, um, I just want to say uh really quickly here. Yeah, happy 40th to Jason, which we didn't uh you know, yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_05 2:01

I forgot. This is the first time I'm appearing on the show as a 40-year-old. Um last time you saw me, it was a different decade.

SPEAKER_04 2:10

So, um, how does it feel to be 40? Is it anything different? Uh, did you reflect? What'd you do? I wasn't able to attend. My apologies, but uh it's okay. We had our conversation. Um, and you know I'm always here for you. So uh let me know. I I saw the pictures, a lot of people went. Um yeah, people that mattered went. Right. Um, how was it? Did you enjoy yourself?

SPEAKER_05 2:44

I did enjoy myself from what I do, what I remember, uh, because I have uh some friends, um, particularly one, shout out to Dre that I've known for 34 years. And uh we celebrated his 40th back in January and wanted to make sure that he developed amnesia by the end of the night, and he wanted to pay back the favor to me, and that's what happened. So it's funny that uh we celebrated the day before my birthday, technically, but the day of was my recovery day. You know, you know, I just spent I was just drinking a lot of electrolytes and a lot of greasy, fatty foods to make to absorb everything that was in this uh 40-year-old body. So, but it was a great time. I want to thank everybody for the birthday wishes. Thank you, everybody to the that attended it. Shout out to Alana, shout out to Roman, uh Ramon, uh Dre, Karen, everybody that came out, really enjoyed it. Thank you, everybody that wished me through calls, text messages on birthday uh wishes and and prayers and all that stuff. So it's really, really appreciative. And um, just as a little bit of a um a tongue-in-cheek thing, um, I wanted I actually went back to the Rick H show. There's a little shameless plug here, but this is the truth at the same time, where I went to the episode of when you talked about your 40th 40 birthday. Um and I thought that it was a really poignant uh episode. Uh you were in a different headspace, but you were but it just goes to show how much growth that you've done since then. And uh for anybody that's uh afraid of like getting older or they feel like time is running out, or whatever the case may be, or they want to have some affirmation how life just you're not getting older, you're just getting better. I recommend checking out that episode. This is 40. The episode of the Rick H show, go check it out. You will not be disappointed. I really, really enjoyed that one.

SPEAKER_04 4:24

Yeah, it's a it's a big number, you know. Turning 30 was exciting because uh 30 is a a good decade, but um 40 that means you pass your 20s, you pass your 30s, and um if you if you're someone that thinks a by this time I need to be here, or B by this time I need to be here, it's like a freak out moment for you. If you're someone that uh takes things day by day, and um I'm I'm the type of person that when I turned 30, shout out to Josh, he joined us on uh IG Live. We're live on YouTube. So, Josh, uh when I turned 40, um, it was I reflected on everything I've achieved and accomplished and where I was in my life. Um, and I was more grateful than anything else. Um, yeah, because I looked back when I was turning 20, I didn't know if I would be where I was at when I was 40. So um life is about uh I say this with goals, right? Your goals have to scare the hell out of you, right? They have to be insanely unattainable from first glance, right? Yeah, but the way you meet those goals and you achieve those goals is if you take the ladder, so small victories, small things become big things. Um, and I think it just enjoy the grind, enjoy the process. So uh it was amazing. So it was our 45th episode of this podcast, and you turned 40. So it was just a good week for us.

SPEAKER_05 6:05

Yeah, and before we get into sports, uh, I just want to say really quick. Um, last week, uh the family unfortunately suffered a tragedy. Uh my Theo Guido from Chicago.

SPEAKER_04 6:14

My condolences. I I saw the video, yes.

SPEAKER_05 6:17

Yes, thank you. Yeah, so um I want to share this little sentiment that I shared on my IG life stories a couple days ago. So, really quick, my uncle Guido was the oldest of five children, and my father was the youngest. And my uncle outlived all of his siblings. Uh, unfortunately, he had three uh aunts that passed away, one from cancer, one from complexous diabetes, and the other one from a um um from a surgery table, unfortunately, and then my father died of a heart attack. And my uncle died of natural causes. Um, and the reason I bring that up is because my father always told me that my uncle was the least stressed individual he had ever met in his life, always was positive, always was smiling. Uh, you know, this is a guy that lost a finger in an accident and then he went back to work the next day because he figured, hey, God gave me 10 fingers, now I have nine, now I have to work with the best what I have with what I have. And that's how he just continued living his life, and he was very blessed with a great family and so on and so forth. And then he was able to be uh rejoined with his siblings and his family in the most peaceful way. So I say all that to say that I learned a lesson in that where I need to stop stressing some of the I'm I'm human, you know. We we we do things, you know, we stress the small things every now and then. But if you at least try to live a life how my uncle did, trust me, you're gonna live a lot better and longer, literally and figuratively. So rest in peace, my Theogle. Shout out to my whole family in Chicago. I just wanted to share that with everybody that may be going through it right now. And uh, once again, thank you for taking the time for checking us out and supporting us and for the birthday wishes and all of that. And uh, we love you very much. So thank you very much.

SPEAKER_04 7:53

I mean, that I I think it's great that we started the show off this way. Um there's always death is a funny thing, and I'm not trying to be uh facetious, but you you like turning 40 is a moment of reflection. When someone passes away, you tend to uh take something away from that, or like there's always a message from that. Um, several deaths in my life have impacted me, you know. The the the passing of my uncle Raymond, the passing of one of the greatest human beings I've ever known. My brother's best friend, he was a really close friend of mine, art, you know, and then when my grandmother passed in 2023. So um and every time someone passes, I kind of like reflect and enjoy the memories, and then something I always get a message. I don't know if that's the universe telling me something, but I always walk away with a message, and um, each one of those um open my eyes every every every time it happened, so yeah. Um, but now it it was it was I feel like it was uh a very positive week overall, positive two weeks. Um where were you on Mother's Day and did you watch the game?

SPEAKER_05 9:29

So I was actually home for most of the uh day uh because I wanted to relax and rest for prepare for a certain new chapter in my life. I won't get too much into that right now, but I started a new chapter uh basically basically the same uh the day after. So and also my mother who uh she lives in Florida, so it was in like I was in Florida, so I could spend the time with her, but you know, well wish well wished her and also my uh the the mother of my newborn nephew. So I uh you know gave them you know happy mother's day and all that stuff. But yeah, I was home, I I watched the game, and uh it was um I'm just in awe with what I'm seeing. I as all as all of you know, that's watching the show and a little bit of my Knicks fandom, you know. I I grew up watching the Knicks with my dad with Ewing and Starks and Oakley and Riley and all that stuff, and I never thought that I would see anything better than that as far as like my Knicks fandom based on the last 25, 26 years that we've gone through. But this path stretch that the New York Knicks are on right now, uh the seven-game winning streak, uh what they look like, they have they seem to have found a different identity, they unlock something. It seems like I gotta give credit to Mike Brown. But the point that I'm getting at is I don't think I've ever seen a Knicks team that I have enjoyed so much in watching and just like be in awe and just be so in the moment. I haven't felt like this since I was six or seven years old. And I'm glad to be go going through it right now. Um, yeah, I'm I'm really excited as a Knicks fan. I love the I love what I'm seeing from the team, I love the energy that we're seeing from the city. You know, uh I actually on Friday I was judging a um I was in the city because I was judging a comedy show. Shout out to Bragg and Wrights. And then as soon as that was over, I pivoted over to Madison Square Garden and I got to see a little bit of more celebration, and it was a it was a fun time.

SPEAKER_04 11:15

Uh I mean it was um wow, Mother's Day. So I I did this the first playoff game I didn't watch. Um, obviously, I was spending time with my wife. Um, and when I was at the diner, happy Mother's Day to her, bro, too, by the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Uh, I was at the you text me actually. You were like, what a way to start, and I was like, Are we losing? You were like, You were like, No, quite the opposite. Then I looked at the score and I was like, Oh, there's no need for me to rush home and watch this game. Let me just enjoy Mother's Day. So um the the boys are handling their business. It was I have I haven't been nervous. I mean, those two games with Atlanta, they were they were different. But since I don't know what happened or what they unlocked or what's going on, but I have not been nervous since game three, game four against the Hawks. Right. And there was a poll online. Who do you want? Do you want the Cavs? Do you want Detroit? Um, and I see people like, oh my god, we want the Cavs, Detroit. I'm to the point where I really it could be whoever it is. I'm confident in the team, I'm confident in the players, just the way they're gelling together, the way they're playing. Um, even when Kat gets in foul trouble, they still figure it out. They um something has happened to Mikkel Bridges, somebody made a comparison that he's the New York Knicks Giancarlo Stanton, and I will take that any day of the week. So, for those of you who do not know, Giancarlo Stanton is a stud in the playoffs. Um he has some injury issues during the season for the Yankees, but come playoff time, he's ready. And he's always, I mean, he didn't have a good uh playoff last year, but he's all he always performs. Uh, I don't know what's going on with Mikkel, but I'm very impressed by his play, his level of defense. The fact the way that we played the last two games without OG, and and he stepped up. Landry Shaman did a terrific job. The bench has contributed very well. Uhvarado looks uh Golig. I I always uh when we got GTA, I I felt like that was a piece, it it was very similar to getting Josh Hart. Like you got a dog to come off the bench and give you some energy and give you some minutes. Um Koalig's played well. Uh, even the guy that we got from uh showing that we got from the Spurs. I I I I cannot I can't complain, you know. I I mean I want to enjoy. So to all you Knicks fans, right? Take each game one game at a time, right? The the the celebration outside Madison Square Garden that's cool, and you know, I know how long we have suffered. Yeah, and even in Philly, it was like Madison Square Garden in Philly, too. Yeah, it was. I mean, oh my god. And um the Philly GM and president of operations was fired today. So Daryl Morey. We'll get into that. Um the fans, Knicks fans deserve this, they deserve this, right? I've been a Knicks fan since 1990. In the 90s, we were a very competitive, tough team. We were always there at the cusp, but there was the greatest player to ever play the game that played against the Knicks in that time, and he did block a lot of great, all-time greats from getting a ring. Um and then we we we trade Ewing away, which I I felt like that was if there's a bambino curse on the Red Sox, trading Patrick Ewing to the n was was the beginning of the end of those good years, you know. And then we got mellow, and mellow had a couple good years, and things looked like they were on the up and up. Phil Jackson fucked that whole thing up. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 15:47

Um words of Joe Boningo, what a disaster.

SPEAKER_04 15:50

Yeah, you know, Donnie Walsh was a great hire. I think he was a great best uh president of baseball of basketball operations. I'm sorry. Um, yeah, he got Amari. He couldn't get LeBron as much as he tried in 2010. He got Amari, um, and he assembled a lot of good similar to this team, a lot of good pieces. That's how we made the mellow trade. Uh, but we had to gut that team. Walsh walked, and then we got Phil Jackson. So we have suffered a lot. And yes, Brunson has a major piece to do with it, but the front office has done some moves that I've questioned at times, but it it's it it seems like this was a plan in place, and this has been the plan all along. And if you ask me now, I'm I am I interested in getting Giannis at this point. Um, I'm okay. I I like my I like my team as currently constructed because to tell you the truth, if we get to the finals and and we don't win the chip, I want this core to run it back. Yeah, with some agreement changes.

SPEAKER_05 17:13

Yeah, and I have to also, and I've been critical of Mike Brown, but I gotta give him credit this stretch because I feel like he, especially when it looked like it uh history was repeating itself with Atlanta after game two or game three, and it just seemed like uh oh my god, here we go again. And especially with the the the the the questionable, to put it nicely, coaching that Mike Brown has done. He went and turned it around, he did it on the fly, and I I don't know what happened. I mean, I don't know if this would have happened under Tom Thibodeau. And uh, I just I have to give credit to Mike Brown to really turn this whole thing around and change the narrative in a split second, it seems like, you know, because we were already down and out, we were already screaming for him to be fired, we were already screaming for Giannis to be traded to us already, and this on the third, and then afterwards, in a matter of a day or two, the narrative changes dramatically. And by the way, um, since you mentioned Phil Jackson, I want to point this out real quick, and I want to shout out to the real Knicks fans that have been through something like this. Anyone remember Aaron Falo, Lou Amundsen, Carmelo Anthony, Jose Calderon, Claire Anthony Early, Langston Galloway, Robin Lopez, Christopher Zingas, Sasha Vucic, Lance Thomas.

SPEAKER_04 18:28

I mean, wow. Lance Thomas was the last Knicks captain before uh yeah, they named uh Brunson captain. Kyle O'Quinn. Do you guys remember him? Oh wow, some of those players, like I grew fond of. Like, I thought Langston Galloway gave his best when he was on the floor. I've always been fond of Nate, I've always been fond of Derek Lee. There's there's some guys that I felt like just you know, Jamal Crawford. There were some years where I felt like we had some great talent, we just needed a great coach uh to put the thing together. But yeah, it it had to happen this way, and and you're mentioning Mike Brown. I also want to say on game three, there's a moment between Rick Brunson and Jaden Brunson. Now, no one knows what was said, but they were screaming at each other, and you kind of get the sense that it was a coach, coach's and players uh adjustment that was made for game four. Um you kind of got the sense of they were like, hey Jalen, we want you to close these games. We want Kat to be the facilitator in the first few quarters, and and we want him to get everybody involved. And I there was a stat that was thrown out about Brunson. We're live on YouTube, uh, if if you want to catch the show, um, about Brunson playing 26% less off the ball now. And if you look at the minutes that he's playing, it's not a lot of minutes with with Tibbs, they were all being run down. Um, but the minutes are being distributed correctly. Everyone's involved in the offense. You look at Bridges, Bridges is getting his shots and his points. Arguably, OG has been the MVP so far, although he didn't play those last two games. Um, and give credit to Kat, man. Everybody wanted, he is the piece that would have got us Giannis, right? And I don't remember when he said this. I know it was like four or five years ago. He was still in Minnesota. Cat said he wanted to go down as the best scoring big man of all time. Um, and he's got the skill set. And this is the team he wants to play on. His mother was a Knicks fan, he got emotional on Mother's Day, and last year on Mother's Day, remember Kat dropped 20 in the fourth quarter.

SPEAKER_05 21:14

Yes, he did.

SPEAKER_04 21:15

Um look at where we are now, and it's just it just happened so quickly. And then we had that masterful game against Atlanta to close them out, and now they just produced another masterful. I I saw the fourth quarter, and there were guys playing that probably would have never seen minutes in this entire playoffs. And your starters, yeah, you know, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, still efficient. Some of the numbers are clear.

SPEAKER_05 21:46

Let me ask you a quote. Right now, let me ask you a question. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer or you know, try to play uh double's advocate facetiously here, but one of the things that has been going on on New York sports radio or just even sports radio in general when it comes to the next. Is it seems like all right? So they swept the Sixers, they got some time to rest. It's either going to be Detroit or Cleveland. And right now, it's tie two, too. And some of them are even saying that this looks like a series that can go all the way to game seven. And we got a lot of time to rest. Now, do you feel because they went on an amazing run against the Hawks and the Sixers, now that they have some time to you know get OG healthy and rest and plan and so on and so forth, do you feel that there's a chance that the momentum could be affected if it goes on a little too late for uh Cleveland and Detroit, if it does go to a game seven?

SPEAKER_04 22:41

I I don't think so. And it's it's it's because of Brunson and his mindset. Um, he was asked about his tenure here as a Knicks and how much they've won and times it've been in the playoffs and the playoff victories. I think he's got 28 compared to Melo Seven. Uh, he said that's a good question. I want you to ask me that question when I'm retired, and I'm able to reflect and give you a proper answer. But right now, we're still writing our story. And and that kind of reminded me when Kobe said job's not done. And I you could tell he also said it in there that this this team, this organization means a lot to me. So I think he'll keep the guys ready and motivated. I think these these couple days off. Um, there's a couple guys that are nicked up, right? Uh, this is definitely gonna benefit OG. Um, if I'm Mike Brown, this is a a situation you got to manage. You got to keep your guys loose, you got to keep them ready, fluid, and and and ready to go. How many days off? How many practices do you run? Like, uh, how do you monitor your players' uh injuries? Um, do you listen to the player or do you listen to the medical staff? Yes, all that comes into play, but I I think the fact that they made some sort of switch. And and I'm telling you, it was Brown and it was the coaches, and I think they had a collective conversation with the players. And this is something that a couple people have told me this is not an offense they did overnight. This is probably something they had in practice where they would put Kat to facilitate the ball, and they were like, hey, let's let's run this now. So this is something that was probably drawn up during the season. We're just getting to see it now because they wanted to switch the way they play. Um, and and how do you guard a 6'9, 6'10 guy that could shoot threes? And the defensive effort that Brunson and Kat have been giving has been a lot better than what we've been used to. Um, so I don't think the rest is gonna hamper.

SPEAKER_05 25:08

It's not gonna have an effect on them.

SPEAKER_04 25:09

No, I think that the first moment you see them look, if game one, whatever team they're playing, they go down in that first quarter. I guarantee you, Jalen and the coaching staff are gonna be the first ones saying, Hey, we we need to turn it up, we need to turn that switch. Because all season long, you heard, uh, you know, Thibodeaux not here, but these guys are gonna breeze through the season, they got a good team, they can win 50 games, they'll breeze through the season, and you'll see the switch in the playoffs. We started to panic in game two when they lost by one point, game three, they lost by one point. You were like, hey, they can't flip that switch, there's something wrong. They have flipped the switch, and I am not worried at all. Okay, usually when I'm watching the Knicks, heart palpitations, sweating, like, oh my god, what's going on? Watching them the the last three games against Atlanta and this whole series against the Sixers. I was like, I don't got nothing to worry about. And the Sixers gave us their best shot in game two, and they lost.

SPEAKER_05 26:22

Yeah, yeah. Uh OT was out for that game, I think. And uh, and also like one of the things that I was worried about was uh, you know, obviously Embiid would would he be able to stay healthy, and he was out for game two. But we I was also wondering like what happened with Tyrese Maxi. I thought my like Tyrese Maxi was almost a non-factor in the series, and uh, I think that really uh affected them. And um, I don't know. I I'm I'm I'm happy with the win, I'm happy with the momentum that we're going, but like from the uh from the outside looking in, as far as like a Philly fan, I would be concerned about what's going on with uh with with Maxi. Like, because this this is our star, this is one of our star players, you know. He's he he's the cat to the RMB. And uh, I don't know, he just became a non-factor. And I th I thought before the series that he was gonna give us trouble like he did uh last sea uh last year, even though we took care of business even back then.

SPEAKER_04 27:15

So I'm gonna explain to you what happened. The Sixers have money invested in Embiid, right? I think this guy Embiid is completely destroyed. His body is last few games he couldn't even move, couldn't even you can see it, he's completely destroyed. The one game where he did not play, which was game two, they moved to a different type of offense because I said in game one, Paul George is deadly from three, and the Knicks were not guarding him correctly. Um, they were using George, they were using Maxie, but Maxie played 48 49 minutes in game two. Um, and and VJ, uh, what's the key the rookie's name? Very impressed by his place. No, no, VJ. Uh the Philly rookie. Forgot his name.

SPEAKER_05 28:09

I thought it was VJ Max.

SPEAKER_04 28:11

No, no, that you're thinking it was a store, TJ Maxx. Edgecomb, edgecomb. VJ Edgecomb. Edgecomb, there you go. Yeah, Edgecomb. So uh, I think the future of Philadelphia is Maxie and Edgecomb. Um Beat is gone. They're gonna have to search for a big guy. Or, you know, drumming. Ubre too. Ubre, let's not forget Ubre. Ubre is a good guy off the bench, he can hit some shots. Uh, but you need A, you need a point guard to back up Maxie, give Maxie some rest. B, you need a big uh guy, like a like a Mitch type, um, when MB's not on the floor, and you you gotta switch your philosophy of your team. The team's gotta now be Maxie's team. Um, and you gotta use Paul George, man. There was times where people are talking about Paul George airballing a three, but yeah, you gotta understand the guy didn't touch the ball for a full quarter. And he was he was roasting us, he was putting in work on the Knicks, and and he him and Maxie had me a little nervous. I'm not gonna lie. And when I saw that Nick Um Nick Nurse made the transition to have the offense flow through them, I was like, he's kind of on to something now, but he's gotta figure out who's that third option gonna be, and he's gotta balance the offense some way, somehow.

SPEAKER_05 29:44

So yeah, yeah. And uh, I also want to give um uh I was listening to Don Hahn Rosenberg earlier today, and um, they were talking about how you know this the regular season in the NBA is much different than the playoffs. And matter of fact, it's like that for most of the sports. The only the only sport it seems to carry over where the regular season carries over to the playoffs is football. But when it comes to hockey, when it comes to baseball, when it comes to basketball, it's a different beast, it's a different vibe, it's a different type of energy. And it made me feel a lot better about how you know Detroit swept the Knicks in the regular season, but I think that if Detroit ultimately ends up winning the uh their their series against Cleveland, then I know that they've been gunning for the Knicks, I know they've been waiting for the Knicks, they've been chomping at the bit, but uh I think that they're not gonna face the same old ones that they faced in the in the regular season. This is a completely different Knicks team.

SPEAKER_04 30:41

Right, completely different. Game three against the Hawks, game four against the Hawks. Two different squads played those games. Uh, one was Brunson on the ball, a lot of dribbling, a lot of ISO guys standing around. The other one was a lot of guys moving around, cutting the ball movement, it didn't stop. That was a knock on Carmelo. Carmelo was a lot a lot, I mean, he could score from anywhere. Yeah, but when Mello played the four and he was the power forward, he gave matchup nightmares for most teams. And if Mello can have someone to knock down shots consistently, and a he always did well with a great point guard, he would have won a championship. And I felt like if if mellow was playing the role of cat, he will excel at it because he can pass the ball. He's very good, he's got great court vision, and teams double team him constantly. Um, he just didn't have someone he could facilitate to. The year he had Novak, he felt comfortable throwing the ball out there. Uh, and the year Jason Kid was his point guard, you know, they won a couple series in the playoffs with uh with Woodson. So it it's uh I kind of that's why I feel like guys like that get a bad rep, but you could still utilize them, you know. A lot of isolation. I could score, I could shoot, I could post up, I could shoot a three, I could drive the ball, I could dunk it, I could back to the basket. Those guys are still you could still use those type of guys because guess what? Those are the guys you're gonna need to close out the game.

SPEAKER_05 32:26

Yeah, so and shout out to uh shout out to that bench. I mean, we mentioned it earlier, but this bench has really impressed me, and it also makes me wonder is this what we had all along last year, but they weren't being used by Thibodeau.

SPEAKER_04 32:40

No, I mean there's there's guys there that weren't there, like Clarkson wasn't there, and and we used them a lot. So Grimes is a Philly now. I I mean, but Grimes, I don't think he would have Clarkson, GTA, Deuce is always there, and they use they utilized him a lot. Uh goalik was on the team, they didn't utilize him. Um, right, it's just uh different philosophy and a different way of of coach, and you can see Mike Brown. I'm gonna, and I was very critical of him, but where I'm gonna give him credit is he he was a he's a fantastic assistant coach, absolutely and he we we mentioned this one on the show. He knows some assistant coaches are very good, and you should listen to so he listens to his coaching staff, and I don't think he's the egotistical type of head coach, and and I think that this is why this is working that coaching room is right, and those players are right, so that's why I feel comfortable.

SPEAKER_05 33:46

Yeah, yeah, no, and uh listen, I'm enjoying it. Uh I kind of it's it's weird. I'm in a weird place right now where like I'm looking forward to Cleveland and Detroit doing a game seven so that we have plenty of rest and we get OG back, but at the same time, I'm like end the series already because I want to see more Knicks basketball, you know. Come on.

SPEAKER_04 34:04

Uh yeah, the the earliest we can see a nick game is Sunday. The uh latest is gonna be Tuesday, so I kind of want that series to be extended a little bit, but I don't want to wait till Tuesday to see my Knicks again.

SPEAKER_05 34:19

Um, yeah, but it's it's a weird place to be right now, especially since the Knicks are the only uh team that's playing right now that's actually enjoyable.

SPEAKER_04 34:29

Yeah, I mean, I mean besides Wemby, I've been very interested to see how Wemby plays in the playoffs and how his growth is is is is going. Um, I'm glad LeBron's completely out and he's swept for the fourth time in his career. Uh, I'm just very concerned about how refs treat Oklahoma City Thunder. Um the officiating when it comes to the Thunder has been atrocious. So not only is the team very good, but they're also exceptional because they have the refs on their side. Um, but we'll see. I would love to see a Spurs Thunder Western Conference uh final.

SPEAKER_05 35:18

Yeah, that'd be interesting. Yeah, because um that that'd be that as uh Stephen A. Smith would say, that'd be box office.

SPEAKER_04 35:27

But yeah, would you uh also who'd you want to see come out the west? What is your so let's do some predictions, right? Okay, all right. What's your matchup that you want to see in the east and the west for the eastern conference finals, western uh conference finals?

SPEAKER_05 35:47

Uh I mean, I don't want to sound like that guy, but for the Eastern Conference Finals, I would love to see the Knicks obviously against the Cavaliers. Uh, just because I think I think not only would it be an easier road to the finals, but I feel like this is the break that the New York Knicks and their fans deserve after being heartbroken so many times with so much things like like it would be something like it's more like catching a break, you know. And that's not to say that we would win the finals, but it would just be a nice way to just get there. And I do like Kenny Atkinson and I do like Donovan Mitchell, and um, I don't care about James Harden that much, but I I I don't know. I just seem like I just seem like it would be an uh I would rather see that now. If I want to see like actual like Rocky against Apollo up against the ropes and everything, it'll be Detroit. But ultimately, uh yeah, I I I'm gonna I'm gonna not only predict it, but I'm also gonna just put it out there.

SPEAKER_04 36:42

Yeah. Make it make a pick.

SPEAKER_05 36:44

All right. Uh since I want to be that conspiracy theorist, and we all know that the NBA loves stories, I think the Eastern Conference Finals are ultimately gonna be the New York Knicks against the Detroit Pistons.

SPEAKER_04 36:57

I I I not only think it's gonna be Detroit, I want Detroit.

SPEAKER_05 37:02

Okay. All right, fair enough. Uh I want my Western Conference Finals. Um, as much as uh Minnesota is intriguing, I honestly see just just uh as a pure basketball fan, you know, just watching from afar, I think it would be a better series seeing OKC versus San Antonio, and that's gonna be my prediction.

SPEAKER_04 37:23

So I agree with you in the West, and I would love to see not because OKC's the champions, but I would love to see San Antonio make the finals, as well as my New York Knicks. Um, and there's a specific reason why I want Detroit, I want the I want the Knicks to know that they are that team. And I feel like if we put Detroit away in a good fashion, they'll head into the finals even more confident than they already are. I like it. I'm in. And you mentioned you mentioned stories, right? When was the last time the Knicks were in the NBA finals? 1999 and it was against the San Antonio Spurs, and they were swept. Since then, that's when they fell into that abyss of irrelevancy.

SPEAKER_05 38:26

And this is like a weird comp, but it's almost like when uh when Geno Smith was the quarterback of the Jets, that's when we started a trajectory to really sucking, and now he's our quarterback again, and hopefully that that circle could be just come full around, and then afterwards we could move on to the next thing.

SPEAKER_04 38:43

Well, I wanted for different reasons, right? We just beat them in the NBA Cup, right? Yes, I wanted to be the Spurs, and I would love to see the Knicks win a championship against the Spurs. Now it will not be a sweep, but that would turn the page on all those years of misery, and it would be a perfect story, yes, for Knicks fans.

SPEAKER_05 39:16

Yeah, beautifully said. I'm in, I'm in for it. And it's funny because um uh a former guest of the show, Carlos Martinez. Shout out to Carlos, who is a diehard OKC fan, is supremely confident that we're gonna get a OKC Knicks finals. And already he's talking his ish, where he wants he's he even discussed uh whoever wins, the other guy has to get the other team's tattoo logo.

SPEAKER_04 39:45

Really?

SPEAKER_05 39:46

I did not agree to it. I'm not, yeah. I'm not I'm not. I didn't agree to that. I I'll agree to a bet, but I'm not getting any ink on me. I don't have any ink on me right now, and I don't see myself getting any ink anytime soon. I mean if the Knicks do I'm down, but I'm down for a little bit of a bet.

SPEAKER_04 40:02

I I plan on getting something if the Knicks win a championship. It it's my first love, my first passion. The team that I've I've I've uh so when they ask me, oh, when do the Knicks play? I say we play on this day. And it's we because I'm not in uniform, I'm not on the court, but I will be cheering my ass off, I will be there, I will be giving them my all, I will be rooting for them. Uh that's why it's we. Yes, I'm on the floor, I'm there, I'm I'm doing my thing for them. So uh, but I mean I gotta bet already. I gotta bet with someone if if if if who is a pistons fan, um, and they they uh they would like for me to wear a Cade Cunningham uh jersey or shirt uh on the on the stream or one day. Uh but if my next win, that person will be wearing a Jalen Brunson shirt or jersey. So okay, all right, that's fair. And if they don't make it, and we do, that person still loses because they never even got to face us.

SPEAKER_05 41:18

So yeah, now let me ask you a question. Have you ever watched the show in practical jokers?

SPEAKER_04 41:25

Yeah, I've been called um uh not Sal. Is this Sal?

SPEAKER_05 41:30

Me too. I've been called Sal. I've been called the Sal with my crew, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 41:33

So I guess I've been stopped by work. Uh like, oh my god, you guys are filming around here, and I was like, uh, what are you talking about? Yourself or impractical jokers.

SPEAKER_05 41:47

You know, it's it's funny because I remember there was this girl that I told I was talking to, and I said, uh, yeah, some guys consider me the Sal of the crew, and she was like, Oh, well, that's cool because I have a crush on Sal. So that was like her lit her way of you know shooting her shot. But um, the the point that I'm getting at is that if the New York Knicks would win the finals, would you pull a salvocano and get a tattoo of Jalen Brunson on your thigh?

SPEAKER_04 42:13

Like he has of Jaden Smith. Um, no, I don't think so. I don't think it would be a player per se. I think it I have to be something about the team, you know.

SPEAKER_05 42:26

I would I would do the the trophy. I would do the the NBA next trophy.

SPEAKER_04 42:31

Nah, it would be the team, it wouldn't be anything to do with the league or anything like that, it would be the team, something with the team to commemorate this. Uh it's been it's been 1990. What is that? Like 30. I've been a Knicks fan for 36 years. And I have photos of me in 1990 wearing Knicks, you know. Uh I had Knicks hat 91, 92, I'm wearing a John Starks jersey, I had an Anthony Mason jersey, I had a Patrick Ewing jersey. I still my sister has that Patrick Ewing jersey still to this day. Um Knicks fancy. Which is in the photo. Uh so if the Knicks were to I I just want to see him play. Uh, that's it. I'm dying for whoever wins this series to win already, like you said. Yeah, I mean, I got nothing else to watch. What am I gonna watch? The Mets, who are currently winning 8-2. What am I gonna watch?

SPEAKER_05 43:41

Yeah, well, you know, it's not like the Yankees are doing any better either. I mean, four straight losses. Did they win or lose two? And they just called up and they just called up Anthony Volpe. They called up Anthony Volpe. They called up Anthony Volpe, which meet which means that's not looking good for Caballero.

SPEAKER_04 44:00

Wait, but um they just called up Spencer Jones, and I was like, Oh my god, they're doing the right thing, they're calling up the right guys there. So Volpe's on the roster now.

SPEAKER_05 44:09

Volpe's been activated. Oh, and I think the only person in the New York Yankees that is happy about this is Anthony Volpe.

SPEAKER_04 44:19

This is so good. You just made my day. I'm so happy they did that.

SPEAKER_05 44:26

Why? Because Ewing got called up and not the Ewing that we really that really matters in New York.

SPEAKER_04 44:31

Well, he just had a triple, he's playing decent. I like that. Mike, I like I like Carson Bench. He's been playing great. I like my young guys. But Volpe is going to be the disaster that starts to fall of the Yankees. He will be known for the opposite of what Derek Jeter is known for. Why did they call him up? Caballero's playing so good.

SPEAKER_05 45:00

I I I think it's an injury that Caballero has, and the fact that they called him up probably means that Caballero is not coming back anytime soon. They didn't call Volpe up.

SPEAKER_04 45:10

I think you gotta be lying to me.

SPEAKER_05 45:13

Oh my god. Let me look this up. Yeah, Caballero is on a 10-day injury list with a fractured finger. Um Aaron Boone confirmed Volpe will take over as an everyday shortstop. Volpe returning from shoulder surgery, rehab, gets a fresh opportunity to reclaim the spot after being optioned just last week. As reported by the New York.

SPEAKER_04 45:33

They won tonight. The Yankees won tonight, 6-2 against Oriol. Yeah. Um Volpe is getting called up. Are you serious? Is that like we're we're I want to look, I need to look this up now.

SPEAKER_05 45:46

Uh check it out on New York's New York Post Sports. It's on there.

SPEAKER_04 45:50

Anthony Volpe, the greatest Yankee of all time.

SPEAKER_05 45:54

Shut the fuck up.

SPEAKER_04 45:57

Anthony Volpe. The greatest thing since slice bread, according to Brian Cashman. Brian Cashman. There's no way they're calling this kid out. He's not ready.

SPEAKER_05 46:18

No.

SPEAKER_04 46:19

Yep. Yankees recall. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 46:24

Yeah, because uh Caballero's out with um with a with a fractured finger. He's on the 10-day IL and they don't know when he's gonna come back. How do I share this story to all Yankee fans?

SPEAKER_06 46:36

I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 46:39

Here comes disaster. Wow. I feel so bad for you Yankee fans.

SPEAKER_05 46:46

Not nearly as fan, not nearly as bad as uh being a fan of the team that has the worst record in the league.

SPEAKER_04 46:52

I mean, yeah, what are you what team are you talking about? Like, is it the Mets? The Mets gotta win 16 games for me to talk about them. They're winning right now, 8-2 against Detroit, which is respectable, but give me 15 more of these, and we could have another conversation or or do some changes. How did you not know about this? Won't be news. I didn't, and I'm so happy you took you just made my night right now. Don't say I never gave you nothing. This is the greatest thing ever since sliced bread. I just text a group chat of Yankee fans.

SPEAKER_05 47:37

They're gonna be really shame on them for not breaking the news to you sooner.

SPEAKER_04 47:42

Well, they didn't want to because they didn't want to hear me talk shit. Oh, you're one of those. But um, no, and you know what? There's some Yankee fans that keep receipts, man. Yeah, my team sucks. Yeah, whatever. Blah blah blah blah. All right, cool, man. Make sure you guys stay good all season long. Then you play some good teams, you started losing. You guys got quiet again. Quiet again. What's going on? I feel bad for Mendoza, man. He's winning this game eight to two, and he looks nervous like he's about to be fired tomorrow.

SPEAKER_05 48:18

He probably knows something that the rest of the world doesn't know of yet. Well, I wouldn't I would not be surprised if Carlos, I would not be surprised if Carlos Bellantran is actually packing his bags right now.

SPEAKER_04 48:35

So Yankee fan rights back, don't even care. So locked into the Knicks. I'll worry about the Yankees in July and August.

SPEAKER_05 48:44

Yeah. Well, he's got a he's got a salient point. That's that's that's what I'm saying right now. So yeah, you know what, and that's a great point because listen, there's so much great energy with the Knicks, they're the one team that unifies the entire city. Because Brooklyn is nothing. I mean, they got hosed in the in the lottery again. Wow. Uh yeah, it's just really all about the New York Knicks.

SPEAKER_04 49:08

They should go back to Jersey. I felt like they had better luck when they were in New Jersey.

SPEAKER_05 49:14

Either that or go to St. Louis or something. I don't know. Go to Seattle, be the Seattle Supersonics again.

SPEAKER_04 49:22

Well, be the Seattle Raincoats. With that being said, I want to bring this to a close. Thank you for joining us tonight. I know we didn't have a guest, but we're on a nice coasting ride right now, and we want to continue that. So we will see you guys next Tuesday at nine o'clock. Hopefully, that's either game one or game two of that next series. Um so thank you for joining us, Jason. You have any parting words?

SPEAKER_05 49:59

Uh, first and foremost, I just want to say shout out to Brees Hall for getting his bag. Let's go. Brees Lightning. Well deserved, man. Well deserved. And I love what Moji is doing. I like Brees Hall, and I like Darrell Daryl Moji. I think he's a hell of a DM. Yeah. He said, uh, I don't know if you saw his tweet, uh, but he said that this is the first time that he cries since he tore his ACL in his rookie year. You deserve it, man. You've been the the the the you've been the beacon of light in this horrible New York stretch, uh New York Jets stretch that we've been having so far. You're one of the very few bright spots, and I'm so happy you got your bag. And shout out to Mooji and the organization for doing the right thing and keeping a key piece of this offense intact. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 50:45

Thank you. He's gonna have a great season next year, so because they're gonna run the ball first. So we'll see. Uh, do you guys want to real quickly uh I could call the Giants front office and send Joe Shane over there, and you can give us that emoji if you want. We'll throw in a bag of peanuts.

SPEAKER_05 51:04

Yeah, well, while you're at it, we'll throw Anthony Volpe in there as well. I'm interested.

SPEAKER_04 51:15

Next week, same time, same channel.