New York City Finals Atmosphere

Lominia Mal steps into McDonald's L looks left sees Pulick, looks right, se Simenez, Gives a nod to Ronaldino in the corner with a FIFA World Cup meal Ronald Dinioch sees Sun in the booth, Sun finds Beckham going for extra bigig Mac sauws. He's got Dav's at the table just behind him. Davy's going for his collectible cup.! A steal by Henry. Who pulls his own collectible cup? Collect one of nine legendary cups with a FIFA World Cup meal. P participating McDalds for un limited time law suppies last, Allights reserve twenty six McDonal's FFor Cup twenty six Chris Every week for the igger d. com is dayate too be to go Berno. Avens evening ucing an episode of Game Over to preview the NBA Fals. I will be traveling to San Antonio What? I will be in San Antonio on Wednesday evening game one of the NBA finals, and I will not be going to the game because I can't afford it. surely you can get a media pass. comeome on Rich Paul on I'm not asking for any favors or media pass. it. I like watching with the announcers. I have to like take notes and stuff. I like getting the information. You know what I mean? And if I were to get in, I would get into the cheapest price that'd be so far away. wouldn't even be fun Hold on, you're gonna be in San Antonio and not go to the game. It's like two thousand dollars to go to the game, the worst seats in the house Dave Jacobbe, come on, man You want me to call my guy You don't have a guy. G miss your Busket out of herein man. This episode of the Mismatch is presented to you by Weather Tech. Let's face it. Buying for dad is always a bit of a guessing game He's not dropping hints and quote unquote, I don't need anything is what he always says, it's not helpful But there is something he'll actually use and that is weather tech Get him a gift card. O if you know what he needs, a cargo liner, floor liners, seat protectors O the cup phone premium protection. built to last beats another Thaie or coffee mug This Father's Day, takeake an easy win Visit Weather Tech C secure your gift today. All right. So it is going to be San Antonio versus New York in the NBA finals. That happened by virtue of the spurs in fact winning a game seven on the road against Oklahoma City. What impressed you the most? about San Antonio winning game seven on the road against the reigning two time MVP and reigning NBA champions.. Just the poise. the maturity in the poise of the spurs showed it's been well documented. This is their first playoff run for everybody pretty much except for you know a couple role players in the Aar Fox And they looked like the calmer team, the better coach team, the more organized team, and they just felt like they were poised and mature in a way that I expected the Thunder to be, especially at home. That was the most impressive thing about it One of the things that I talked about leading into the playoffs, every successive round that Oklahoma City played about it for the last two years. C you not giveive up a ton of points off of turnovers And they gave up Three turnovers for seven points in the first quarter, a quarter that they won. Okay. so a quarter that they won But they gave up seven points off of turnovers in that first quarter They gave up two rest of the basketball game. shock. That is it is it's it's one of the only formulas. We know that over A fifth sometimes a fourth of the Thuunders pointo come off of live ball turnovers And how many times do we talk about when we're talking about the series What are the weaknesses? what are the weaknesses that can be exposed And you saw especially in when you were having to play a ton of half court basketball. It was Giles Alexander and then who was going to come along for the ride with him? especially in the absence of two other playmakers and he's looking around and certainly one of the guys that you expected to be able to come along for the ride with you was Totally invisible I feel horrible for Chet after listening to the discourse for the past two days Like I just I don't know what I don't know how he gets through the next three months. before the season starts. L I mean you just got to you've got to tune out That's you your only your only chance is to tune out And or I think that's the only other things do. You've got to You've got to dribble up a mountain with a basketball. You've got to train with the Navy seals underwater. D you see that one today? Yeah traraining with the Navy. I mean the only thing you can do. This has to be This has to be an origin story. That's the only way you can frame it. You have to say that was the worst moment of my life. That was the worst basketball game I could have ever played. I froze. will never happen again as long as I live. I'll go one of fifty, but I'll never going o for o the rest of after the first quarter did feel like Dunk in the first quarter was the most significant dunk possibly in Wester Conference finals history. Really Aaiming I fel I feel so bad for Chet. honestly. I mean, he just do you really? I really do. I I really do. I just like he was so clearly rattled and just he just felt like he just wanted to like go home like halfftime just like sneak out the side door or something. It was crazy and but like You know I think the next question that you have here is important and I'll ask it Because how would you react to the chet performance if you were Sam Presti? You know Time is veryy beneficial when it comes to something like this because I am one abbsolutely overreact. You know what I mean God rest his soul Jerry West used to go to a place called Ronnie Grizani's, an Italian restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee fans would regularly Either call in or email my radio show. This is when he was Genal mananager of the Grizzes And he would go to Ronnie Grizani's and he would order his wine and he would sit at the bar and there would just be a random fan next to him and the random fan would come and be like, Jerry, that was a tough one tonight. He'd go. this team's never going to win shit with Palasal. because he would get so mad, right? then Cooler heads would prevail and he'd comeal down. But he was one of those like mega competitive like, oh God, he could make a rash decision at any moment kind of guys. I'm more wired like that. I would make the rash decision. I would that I won the championship with this guy literally a year ago And I would probably be like, you know, his contracts about to kick in and that was The most gutless thing I've seen in a long, long time. I It's going to be hard for me to even look at him. I mean, And so I would overreact Sam Psty is much more measured Um You know, if you were because and this is why I say time is the benefit You take a step back to Kobbe and if I told you, hey, I've got a guy that's undernder twenty four years old or twenty four whatever he is He's been second in defensive player of the year. He's been all NBA and he's an NBA champion you would be like Whos stopped building around that? Yes, mean? Yes. Right. it's all context becausecause obviously Um I understand the other side of it, which is you're going to have to deal with that guy for a long long time. moreore than likely, that's probably who you're going to have to face in order to get to the next level And that is a very unique awful problem for him And I would dread them meeting up again I don't know why My hates him hates He like really hates him. And I just feel like it's always going to be torture. I'd almost like just rather be in the Eastern conference. He could probably have an amazing career. Yeah. You know mean his agent, I'd be like please if you're moving him, move him to the East. He could be all NBA, all everything, mister everything and then he wouldn't you wouldn't have to think about it until the finals I I would say this. I would overreact I doubt say impressed he will. I would not. And I think that If you are the Oklahoma City Thunder you know, it takes a few days to breathe There' a lot of questions to be asked and answered, but you takeakes some time to breathe. and I really think it is as simple as We were without our second best player And I think that a lot of people focus on J Dubb and AJ's Mitchells lack of offensive creation, but JW is also another defensive piece that you can use against Wimby. I'm not saying he's a Wemby stopper, but he can help. he can shade off of somebody. He's a smart quick strong defender that I think would have helped against Wimby and Mitchell has turned into this like real w in the non shame min. It's like he's kind to give the offense over to him. likeike he can really score and create for himself. I think that we talk so much about Oklahoma City's depath, but even Oklahoma City cannot survive losing their second and third creators You just cannot because then you're asking Chet to create and Chet is a finisher. He's got a turnaround, but he's not a guy that you just like tos you could kind of give to at the end of the clock and to say, Hey, man, get yourself a bucket. That's just not Chet Homgrren and especially not Ch Hgren against Wemby, especially not Chet Homgrren when he's not surrounded by shooting against a defense that's just ready for. Well, and that and thus the one Binama problem because I think it is a totally fair and reasonable Not excuse, but rather a reason as to why We've talked about this a lot push guys into because of the contracts that they sign push them in we elevate them to be able to you've got to perform and you got to win for me now. I don't care that you're not the typical age of the guys that wined the NBA. And the issue becomes when a young player, it's kind of like When a young player like Weemby comes along I fear that That becomes a bar he' wildly unfair right. They're going to be college football coaches. that lose their jobs because And AD looks around be like Kurt Signeti turned around Indiana in two years. You know what I mean? Like look at what he Well That can't be the bar, right? You know I mean? Like that that can't be what we compare you against. is my point. And the same thing goes with Wen Binyama and That's why I say like chets Though this stuff moves fast, he's still a young player. He's still a young player in the NBA. But the expectations go up greatly as soon as you put your name on that two hundred something million dollars contract and we know that that contract starts kicking in next year Now We don't we don't want we don't time likeike you we got to be able to win with you Yeah because We're the we're paying you the money now. Like we're not we're not paying you the money in three like we are paying you the money in three years, but like The checks start clearing next year. and so you got to be good enough to do it. It's when you have these high draft picks, that are inevitably tracked for that max. if they achieve the certain they hit the stations. like he is all NBA. you know he is a secondly defensive player of the year. He is a guy that is a no brainer max contract at the time. And then a game happens like game seven and you're looking at the contract and you're saying, Huh he's going to have the same max contract as like, you know, some of the MVPs, you know, some of he's going to get paid the same. It's not fair to say, but like, you know, Weby's going extend the same deal And you know, and Yokich is older, so he getsaid more andh is older. so he gets paid more, but they're still getting like a similar percentage of the cap. And then you you wonder like is our high draft picked is our guy that we love so much and we love his fit on this roster the right guy to dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars to in years and years and years of time. And I would have done it a hundred times out of a hundred at the time So I can't blame them for the decision, but you do look at it on a morning like Sunday morning, like man She doesnn't even started kicked in y All right, how about this one? Do you, if you're in the War room with Oklahoma City, and you're talking about the future of the franchise You know Are you more likely to be at the table going? Guys We did not have Jayalen Williams. We did not have AJ Mitchell If we would have had them We would have won. Yes. So we can't make any rash decisions based upon what just took place because we did not have our roster. Yes. this is roster that we put out was still outstanding. wasn in our roster and in the end, we benefited from health last year This is this is the way this goes It's the battle of attrition. Aaron Gordon got hurt. Tyes Halliburton got hurt. like that's the story of every team, you know and the pacers were there because Maybe because OGN and Oie wasn't available last year. Maybe the Nicks would have been in the finals a year ago. like, but that's the story of this stuff, but it also has to guide your decision making and sometimes teams make Uh Unwise decisions by saying by projecting, A, if we would have been healthy, we would have been just fine. or Maybe they say, you know what? patience is a virtue here and if we would have been healthy, we would have been fine. So making any kind of rash decisions on the core of this team would be a colossal mistake. huge mistake. and they they have some like accounting things they have to do sort of like You know, they have some I'll be like let's just get done what we absolutely have to, but keep this roster core and maybe we can marginally improve on some shooting. But like if we get everybody back they They spent basically, I want to say, what like seventy percent of the regular season without JW and they were the number one seed he was compromised throughout the entire playoff run. They won game five. at home without those two creators that I was talking about And they also did so because Der Fox didn't look like himself You know, and Harper didn't look like himself at points during this series. likeike health is so important and we're going to get to the Kicks. but one of the reasons they want to levon straight playoff games is because everybody's available and healthy. And I do wonder If you're in that room, would you say, look, Core is the core. And we have Shay Gils Alexander and we have Jayla Williams and we have Ched Homgrren And then we build out around that. So we got to figure out Harten State, We' got to figurearuso, we got to figurease on Wallace door But but those are the interchangeable pieces. build around, but we have decided Three big money guys are Gildes Alexander, Jaylen Williams and Ched Holgren Yeah then we're going to build out around that. You would say that's the right thing and frankly, one of those guys wasn't available for this. So it's an unfair U grade They didn't draft Say. They drafted the other two, they developed the other two and I always like it if you're going to have I call it the one thirty five, if you're going to pay three guys big, big money. I like them to be a primary ball handler, a wing that can score and defend and a big that can finish and defend. and they've got that And'm not I'm not overreacting at all to losing the conference finalsout your second best player. If you take the Carlin downowns off the mix This looks like a different post season Um How does it affect? Western Conference team building. Spurs won that game seven and they are the representative We've said you know, going back to I guess, you know the last run where a team won multiple was the warriors and then everybody say, Oh, we got to have shooting and obviously had this three point revolution and everything that took place with that right? You got to be able to match them from the three point line. You saw teams build like that. And then we have seen over successive years say, o the Celtics won you need wings That's what you need. And then the and then all the doggets one. You better be able to deal with Yok that's what you get Well Timer will speak it out and we got but Right, but I do wonder about this Are we done And this is inststructive with the draft coming up alsoso Are we done Are we done drafting and team building the champion in mind. This is now going to be E to raate unique champions does feel to me that the idea of We're going to have to deal with blank in order to get to where we want to be is a fool's errand, but I mean Do you think the San Antonio being there? Let's just talk Western conference. S building Sure Do you think San Antonio being there this year is different then the conversation we were having a year ago about This is the team you're going to have to deal with for the next five years if you want to get to where you want to get is the Spurs one Different. Yes. Then even Oklahoma City because again, it feels prisoner of the moment because a year ago we were just saying that was it was the dynasty. It was the nuggets and then it was the Celtics or reverse and then it was the Thunder and now it's the Spurs. The difference with this one is and who knows what's going to happen in the finals, right is when Minyama is wildly underdeveloped As an NBA asset like as a basketball as effective basketball player. He's in his third year. He missed a lot of time last year and you can see The potential, especially like offensively, he still just sort of like uses his height to get baskets. You know what I mean? And eventually it's going to be his height and his skill and his wisdom and his knowhow And that just comes in time. You could you're not your best player when you are in your third year. Shakeill just Alexander last year peak, right Yokage two years ago Peak Tataan Brown Both. Pe when they win the championships. We twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine years old, right? whichich might be a little d This guy's twenty two And he's still growing and learning. Quickly That's why I think it' the differentust the differentnce And also Casso Cast' in his second year. Harperson his first year. They're all getting better None of them have are none of them are within four years or five years of their peak. think about So good, so good, so good New summer arrivals are at Nordstrom Rack stores now. Get ready to save big with up to sixty percent off brands like Rag and Bone, Levi's, Adidas, and Free People. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack Let's speak on. The Harper thing. You know, we started this show by talking about what we were most impressed with att no point At no point did Dylan Harper appear to be a rookie Nothing about his performance was like a rookie all the way down to Stefan Castle from a crashout on Alex Caruso. Like that is what at does. That's a t move What he did. He plays Vveerteran And watching that game and look, I love Castle too. The Harper thing is Downright scary when you think about how he conducts himself on a basketball court and his age and what he is going to become becausecause he is amazing and It is so wild History will look back Go Hold up. He was fourth in Rokie of the Year. Yeah. and We're about to have this NBA draft that everybody's bonkers over in like three weeks We so vastly underrated last year's draft VJ really thirty six against the Celtics on the road Kenipel broke the rookie three point scoring record and led the league in three points and Cooper Fag won. rookie of the year. like those were the top three and this guy Who was four in Rokie of the Year voting This guy looks like He's going to be a staple on all NBA teams and team USA for like the next fifteen years. Yeah D't forgetable Con looked like a rookie in those playing games. He looked like a rookie Dylan Harper doesn't look like a rooie in these games in a game seven on the road, he did' not look like a rookie at all it's if he went one for two and didn't shoot after the first quarter and sort of shrunk into himself and lost all aggression like Chet did, I would understand it because he was playing rutgers last year. It was shocking how built for it all of them were. It's crazy Champagne knocking down like this Be in that Game in that environment with those stakes at that age and Nobody looked like the game was too big for them Not for Visll, not for Champenny, not for Fox, not for Weby, not for Harper none of them look like they were overtaken by the moment. The confidence is contagious too. You know, that Wimby dunk early and then Fox looked like himself early and just like they started knocking down a couple shots. It starts to be like, oh oh, we got lead on the road. Like this is our game to lose And I felt like ye that the confidence is contagious. and it started with a good start and really got them going. They felt like They didn't feel like they had to battle back against a loud crowd and a surging offense from the Thunder and their you, they took care of the ball, like you mentioned earlier which was which was everything This's a quick look. I And and I I think I agree with you that this is different simply because of Wemby's age. And so when we go back to the Yes probably has not been the right thing to do to build with the champion in mind. because the champion changes every single year and If we're being fair a' a huge what if if if Halliburton doesnn't tear his Achilles. Oh in a game seven Maybe then we're looking and going. well, the answer is having a pace the ball getting the ball out never setting up your offense. You got to keep that in mind at all times. also like I think we're going to get into the finals preview. We'll do that shortly is You also gott to keep your eye on this series and see what the Kicks do with Wemby M because maybe it's O J An andobbe, mayaybe it's like, well, maybe they needed JW. They need somebody like Anabobi. Maybe everyone's going to look like You know what? let's talk about this. Do you remember Oh, o, oh oh oh, this is great. So twenty second time map So the guy from the giant from Michigan, right? Oh yeah Diebara. Yeah. He's probably going shit. I'm going to go in the top. G first now right first Yeah It right B too your point. OGian andobi is the best possible defender for Viictor Wimbinyama Everybody six, eight two hundred forty. Yeah's Exactly because like that's one thing I think about sort of building for this team, which is the question is let's see what happens in this one You know what I mean? Because the Kicks are sort of like uniquely positioned to give this roster problems. I really think that And I remember there was this one stretch where they played in Phoenix and they played in LA And they put Dylan Brooks on them. Ag, no one person covers Wimby, but they've kind of had Dylan Brooks push him off his spot and they had Marcus Smart push him off his spot And I don't know if they lost both the games. I think they did, but it was like, oh is Wby been figured out? It's like no weby hasn't been figured out. But there's more ways to guard Weby than take your biggest strongest guy in this case Hartenstein and just have him lean on him the whole time like he did in game two But because sometimes in the past we have seen Caruso on yogi Williams orr Jayalen Williams on Yokage, right rememember the one that was coming off the bench or you have seen toowns, right did a great job on Yokage during that series with Minnesota and Denver when Minnesota one. And so And go farinating. G pare go pare it was amazing this year on Y. Right And you could, but you could very well look at the Weemby situation and go, you know what Actually, that's not right because He's a big mismatch for a big guy. You don't need bigger guys. You need these guys that are bigig strong wings with seven foot two wingspandans. That's what you need because that's what then they can get underneath him and give him a pr We'll say again But to your point, it looks now After that you're like man, you need big guys like you going have to be dealing with this dude for the next ten years. You better fize and so A di Mara's draft stock depends on this NPA final. So we'll see, right It's probably going to be fine either way. just because you're sitting there going on we still need something to deal with the seven foot five guy Right?, which leads us to talking about the upcoming NBA finals, which I know you could not be more excited for Are you Shock that when the line came out San Antonio' basically a two to one favorite. It's moved a bit towards the Nicks since it opened it to the one But s they took shall shall they took Challam's bet. It took Chalam's bet and Mitch broke his pinky, which we'll get to But yes, I'm absolutely shocked. I think that I knew the Kicks would be underdogs if they made the finals It's sort of like what you were saying about Detroit the entire regular season, where it's like, well, what else do they have to do Like they're on're on a historic heater where they're just demolishing teams. They've lost two games in the playoffs by like last second CJ McCollum shots And every other game outside of game one against the cabs which overtime they won by eleven been like Breezy twenty point wins where they they're up by thirty at some point becausecause I could understand A level of if you just wanted to tell me that's just disrespect for the Easter Conference. P think the Easter Conference isn't very good and so they're unimpressed with what they've done except for the fact of the margins Like And the calves are no slouches likeike the sixers k f Yeah you know the hawks young undeveloped. They had no they had no size, right? A Koro is not going to be not going a kongu Like the cs going into that series, I was concerned I was concerned. They've got talent but they've got talent, but you all But if we're being fair None of those teams hadad a chance in hell of winning a title In an alternate world I could see the cabs when it play No, you cannot Dave James Harden is their second fair is their second fd fair. You can't see them winning Yeah, I mean, so that that's the thing. Th those teams were incapable of and the level of sppurs respect is was the ch I mean, it was a sixty win team that they just beat eight times eight times and they won sixty games which is insane. I would hate as much as you can't stand oneen. I mean, if you're Okloma, I mean It's literally the one team. You dominate everybody else and then this team just totally had your number. I'm glad that The Kicks are playing the spurs for a few reasons, but one is like I just I'm really tired of like the grifting flopping discourse. And I'm glad this is going to be more about like oh, wow, look at we've got a seven foot six guy who's amazing instead of like, Wh Wh can create more fouls, Brunson or Shay. And then we have to look at these clips on X every day You know what I mean? Like I'm glad that's Thank you. Here's the here's the big question All right, so we are I am I am also surprised at the odds of this Uh The regular season matchups think anything matters from Yeah. I went back I went back and look at all of them today. All right. So december sixteenth was a one twenty four one thirteen Nicks win That's the cup. wheny play Yeah, he played twenty four minutes cameame off the bench in the entes Yeah, seven for seventeen OG was great. Brnton was great. Some things about that though. So there's a right. Do they matter? no. It's complete like I'm telling you like Colk is playing these things, likeike Dia War is playing these things. likeike and Wimby's coming off the bench so they're not apples to apples, but in that cup game Mitchell Robinson had ten offensive rebounds T fifteen rebounds in eighteen minutes. ten offensive rebounds Now Pinkygate is upon us I've got theories Um It just it shows just how important it is to have another big that Wimby has to deal with, especially in the offensive boards because so many of those offensive boards are because Someone gets past their man And then they see Wimby and they have to throw the ball up in the rafters and Wby jumps in the air, but that exposes the help side rebounding So if you if he leaves Mitch to contest a shot, which is what he has to do because the defense is broken down It just leaves like one of the best offensive rebounders with very little in his way to get the rebound and put it back also makes him worse Yes on the defensive end over and over again because if you don't work, you're not getting possession, he's creating a second opportunity for his team Y It was enormous Um deecember thirty first, the New Year's Eve game. That was the Surs win. Wemby had thirty one and thirteen and twenty four minutes. Chhampenny had thirty six. The Nicks had a forty five point first quarter the Spurs out a forty one point fourth quarter. But again, like you were saying, there was no heart. there was no Robinson in that game. How many many threerees did he shoot thir series Modiauara. Like I' said ninety percent of the people watching the MBA Finals game one have no idea who Modi Awara is telling you I mean, in a champagne had thirty six in this one. In that New Year's Eve game Color, Yabolli, Huck Porty and Clarkson all place And Diaara Scarda. in that game. And this is also the final scores one thirty four, one and thirty two But I was rewatching it and this it's a five point game and Kelda Johnson is celebrating with the Spurs bench and Brunson runs over, grabs the ball and hits a three So this isn't like a nail biter. they had the game in hand and Johnson was celebrating and Brunson just made this amazing play. He's like he hit like the crazy from the corner fadeaway three, but the time was like There's just nothing left they're down to. And then the last match upp, march first. This is interesting because it was a the Nicks smacked them around one fourteen to eighty nine wheny played thirty four minutes and You go and look, that was the Spurs lineup that they're fielding now. Yeah. I mean, that' champtinging the game. Yeah. Yeah. it's the one game that they did play against the Kicks where When you go and look back at that game mark first It's Champenne Vasssel or Vasil Wimbidyama Castle Fox And Dylan Harper Keellin Johnson Luke Cornett off the bench So mean like it was their lineup. There's two things from this one that I think are important because again, like all these games are recular season games. and don't forget they were also on an eleven game win streak. This was a Sunday afternoon on ABC. So this is They're the highotest team in the league. The're coming to the garden. This is the three letter network. I think because this is March. this is post Super Bowl sort of when the attention on Sundays turns from football to basketball. And two things happen in this game that I think are like very important keys for the series. Weemy went one for seven from three I love that I love he's taking seventh threes That's that's seven times. he didn't go towards the basket get his feet in the paint or shoot him mid range And Josh Hart went one for six and three These are going to be key pressure points in the finals Josh Hart knocking down his shots is going to be it's going to be a flow chart, pivotal moment for Mike Brown in this one Also a lot like it was for You know, Lou Dort. Right Yeah It's like this is especially if You know, did you see the Josh Hart comments about I'm paraphrasing, but it says a lot about me if they've got the Defensive player of the guarding me. It does say a lot. I love that. I love. It's like ke They're keying on me. They're putting the best defendnder in the world on me. Yeah. they need to do. Yeah I love Josh. I love Josh heartw By the way, that little odd because Bridge has led them in fie goal attempts in that game. H points w first and that And that was the game that Diiawara took thirteen three. There was that one. Jesus. It was That they also' gfy because they werehead. They went on this they went on a twenty six to two run in this one And I remember I was so excited for this game and it's kind of like all the Western Conference F finals games outside of one and seven. It was kind of so you get so excited. you know bre it part of your day. You sit down in front of the TV and you're ready for this exciting game. It's just kind of bizzled When we were just talking about Hart and his ability and maybe, you know They found something at one point in game one against Cleveland where they went to shamon and they say, all right, if you're not making them, then we're going to face out the floor, right It's a hard thing if they are going to deploy on Wembinyama and they are just going to say, you know what goo ahead, shoot us out of the game, but we're not going to use W beyond towns because Towns is going to be all the way away from the basket. because pounds is going to space that's the attent. If Rby's on to tryrying toull. Yeah. Yes So somebody then is just a, you know is that didn Go ahead the same way that they have done where Alex Caruso lit him up. They had one thirty something points and it was like, all right R Caruso is just going to make everything work. I'm not coming all the way up there to deal with you Alex Carusso. And so go ahead, have fun shooting as much as you want to. like that is the heart or Carton Champ whover you want to next the next book because's what is he eleven for his last twelve from three, but Hart right Hart has experience with this. like this isn't not new for Josh Hart in the New York Nick uniform and he knocks him down a lot And a lot of times he uses that space. If you're open for three, you also have an open line to the basket So use that space to drive and k and put pressure on the defense Th about just saying like, oh, Josh Hart missed two three, so let's put in Landy Shamman. And Landy Shamman has grown on me u as a Nick fan doesn't finish in transition like Hart does. He doesn't pass and playmake for others like Heart does. He doesn't take charges like Heart does. He doesn't get offensive rebounds like Heart does. He doesn't do so many other things. likeike it's not just as simple as like, Ohh, well, Josh Hart missed a couple of threes. Let's put in shamit. like I don't know is good for the Kicks because of everything else that Josh Hart does. and the fact that Josh Hart has dealt with being sort of ignored on defense so many times that he has counters for it. I believe in Josh Hart Well, and it feels like he has outsized importance because there's always the guy. it's going to happen It's like the sp the spotlight on him. I promise you. Wednesday night, one of the first five possessions. Josh Hart is going to have a swing swing wide open three Bruntson drives and its it's going to happen in the first four or five possessions and like If he steps into it confidently and just knocks it down and does that twice in the first quarter, you really have to consider everything if you're the first How are we feeling about towns and in the case that they do just decide, you know what? We want Wbenyama being able to Dop. We want him to be able to step up to when Brunson comes around and gets to that like elbow level jumper That's not available to him. He's not going to be going all the way to the rim and so he's just going to have to knock down threes. But what we're going to do is we're going to have a doet defender on him out there. And then we're going to make him problem solve, but Wy's not Wy's not going to be out at the three point line. So go ahead. you can have towns out there, but that's not who's going to be guarding him. It feels like at that point towns. Super has to take advantage of whoever they deploy because they don't have it's got to be natural fit. There's no one else Fox can't cover him. Champagne can't cover him. It's got to be Cassler forll. If you're if you're saying we want Weemby to roam in the middle and help. That's what they always do with him and it's what one of, you know, that's what would do to if I wasiss. Johnon I think the next counter for this and I've spent so much time thinking about this is right Brunson's really good at getting to the basket and finishing for someone his size. You don't have to me to tell you that. like the way he can pivot and up fake and all that stuff He can also operate from the elbows as you mentioned and brridges can really operate in the mid range too. And when you have Weny helping on mid range shots instead of at the basket, you can use the Dunker spot. You can have Josh Hart cut. you can pass behind him and finish in ways that you can't if he's just because he can he can defend on one side of the basket and get the rebound on the other side of the basket in the same shot or defend an offensive rebound side baset the same shot. But if you pull them out a little bit further ten feet from the basket, twelve feet from the basket, it opens up the opportunities behind him on the offensive glass and and on cuts from the Dunker spot, which I think that they can enoy Because this use kind of small Like like who's there for See it. Castle here He's there four. You know, and I think that can be in pvate that could be exploited Well and the interesting thing is going to be toowns and where he makes his bones in this series because he is kind of like you like to be able to play him at five and then say whenby's got to come out here. but that is going to be dependent upon who that other spot is and whether or not you know, because I'm like you. I don't want to have to play without Josh Hart. But like The only way to get Weemby away from the basket is to have another guy that canot reliably not knock down some shots and then that could be otherwise. Yeah I think I think we always talk about these matchups, especially in these big series. in all everybody gets cross match and transition and the switched on picks and like it doesn't end up like as neat as we all talk about it like. but Um One of the real keys is going to be Where town scores becausecause let's say he's got Fisll on him and I love that matchu up for Carothy Towns All right, well Is' going to shoot threerees because I don't love that. him shooting threes over a little guy. Okay, is he going to post up because Whby's going to help if you post up. likeike it's just too slow. It takes too long for him to get to the ball. And another thing that Towns is good at is veryer slow long step ugly ass drives, but finishing tough shots. Like that's one thing he does. like theres these long he never crosses you over and spins back the other way. like it's always just these like cuff the ball like a football, takeake long slow strides, bump into the guy, pretend you got bouled and then hit some really hard angle off the glass. but I think that Wenbenyama will be involved on both of those drives and post ups in ways that that will be hard on towns So he's going to have to pass out of doubles or even like soft doubles that he sees from them. And I honestly just I want Wemby to cover towns. Be I think that opens up everything else. I think that's it then you get they brokeen who Whever is that other player has to be able to shoot. If it's if it's Oji, if it's Jalen, if it's if it's brridges all day long. It's just Josh Hart or Lamy Shamon That's going to be a key flelection point in the series. And again, like I said, in the first five positions, Joh Harks going to a wide open three. He's going to take And like yeah, you can just right there is's going to be a huge shot for the Nicks And they can provise what happenens to You just have to you have to have something that draws him away from the basket. and on the other end You know, the people have put up the stats throughout and it's interesting because he is He is a big guy like six eight with the long wings span and he' strong as a knx that OG and and Oi has been a problem for when Binyama. And so that is it's fascinating not only in the context of the series, but also like you know, as we call back to what we're talking about team building that it might change people's idea of How you become best equipped to deal with a guy like this And this OG I think is a in there's like two ways to cover Weny. like one is with someone with size like a Hart andstein. and I think another is someone is OG is perfectly built for. Strong, great defender, works hard, Push him off the spot, but tall enough and long enough that wind Windby goes, you're going to block his jumpps shot. but you can Make him feel you when he rises up in the air, put a hand in his face. like OG's long enough to do that. Whereas like the Dylan Brooks and Marcus Smarts big and um And but you know, it doesn't always end up this clean. Like it's going to be and an going to have to switch on a pick and roll and then Wemby's rolling and Brunon's in front of them. and now we got toowns kind of trying to help from the side. And man, let me tell you something that's terrifying for me, Verno It hasn't been a real problem They haven't faced that much adversity in these playoffs so far But man Caring into the house just can't get in foul trouble because all this stuff I'm talking about like whereere's right score on the win. Is he going to hit threerees If he gets two fouls and then Mitch just got a broken hand. So who knows what's going on with him? L you could really see Huck Porty in this series. I'm not joking. Like if mch is compromised and and towns if towns gets in boul trouble It's things get really, really hard from there because he can't help himself. He just can't. He cannot help himself You good Bonjour, compomadre, it's the prelineoti. How do I negotiate so many great travel deals? My greatest gadget. The prriceline app. It's got hotel deals, flight deals, rental car deals, all of those deals in a bundle, Dals, game day deals, concert trip deals. No one deals more deals than priceline Bold your horses, there's more. The app let you filter hotels by neighborhood, vibe, star level and amenities like pools and spas and beachfronts and Wait, I'm not done. Stop cutting the up. I slide This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a fifty page restoration block or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online makes sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responssees setup required compatibility and availability varies eighteen plus Do you Have you looked at the MVP out Wemb's minus one eighty Why would that be the case if they're like minus one sixty to win the whole thing little ot know the yet I only I can't see a world in which Wimby's not the MVP if the firsturs win close to yeah, they're close to minus two hundred to win in some of the markets. And the other thing is The most likely outcome when I went and looked at like the series prices was spurs in five games, which was So they're going to win on the road in the garden Well, no, that five would be at home. you're right you're right. I'm sorry, you're right. Yeah. F fiveive would be at home But I just don't that's a gentleman's sweet That just doesn't seem right to me. That doesn't anyways. Brunson is plus two ten. Okay The question becomes If it's not, O of those two guys. The next ones are towns plus twenty two hundred, Castle plus six thousand Oji plus six thousand Fox plus ten thousand. I would I would put a little value on Oji. If there is a world in which he is is the the Igudala to The cabs theoll. You know what I mean? Like like plus six thousand. like I don't really like gambling on stuff that doesn't pay off for two weeks. it's just like doesn't work for me. You know that's a good value right there because I can see a world to which the Kicks win and everyone's getting twenty points game. So it's like Brun is putting up forties Rrian. OG is the main defender on the impossible alien and limit him because don't forget He had a great game one, had a great game four hadad a good six and seven But like I'm so twenty and five h up No, that was a great point about the Eguadala thing because Iguadala, all of the attention was on LeBron the same way. OG andenobbe is going to get a outsized spotlight If in fact he is your primary defender for the majority of the time against Victor Wbinyama and can somehow make his life hell Yes. and but he'll be the he'll get the credit, but it's going it's going to be a group project. You can't stop Victorory Wim Minyama with one person. You cannot do it Hardestine did an admirable job in game two Just leaning on him, body blowing, grabbing him doing all that. But like you have to team defend to stop Victory rem. Yeah the gu guys said for six Yeah. Obviously now we look to this particular series and you you started off when we were talking about the games that they had played throughout the year. And Robinson and the advantage that he creates forward to the next U by making When Binam will work, he is a elite level. rebound Not only can he help you end possessions on the defensive end. he creates you extra possessions on the offensive end. And you have this tootally bizarre circumstance where the Kicks have had their feet up for some time now And then this news comes down about him having a broken finger that he has already had surgery on and You said earlier you teased that you have theories. What Don't don't tell me' stucking up somebody's butt. Well's it's anropate thing. That's an in appropriate thing. That's their thing. They s their fingers in each other up They're the finals. We alone. my guys firstirst of all, I want to just listen very carefully to Mike Brown being asked it was a basketball related injurure in game four U no You was not at practice yesterday It was It was not at practice yesterday and it wasn't in the game U that we would have to Yeah He's trying his best, but he sounds frustrated with this injury. How about him How about him turn into the PR guy of the PR guy It's like you got to he's like you got he's like, you got to that's not for me. We'll find out how Mitch hurt his pinky I'll just tell a personal story that might be relevant In college I a girfriend, Susan Lee We d it Yeah, she was hot Qeen Shout to Susan L. And We got arguments. I was immature. You know what I mean before I was a fully realized adult And we got to an argument in the subway at the West Forest Street station one time. and I got mad punch the concrete wall Guess what How old are you nineteen, twenty, something like that and I broke my pink It's a lot of rage. ye had a lot of rage. Broke my pinky finger Oh it's called a boxer's fractor What did Susan say She walked away, She was upset Yeah, She she thinks' an idiot. Yeah She was too good for me. Yeah. She was like a good good girl. I was a bad boy. Um I'm saying's what happen to M. Robinson. I'm just saying that's what happened to me And Mike Brown seemed really frustrated with the circumstances of this injury Are you saying that Mitchell Robinson? I'm not saying that. Your old girlfriend? I'm not saying that cost Mitel Robinson? No fak is it? No. No, I know that I know understand. No I know she's not going with Miss. Robinson because she immediately started dating one of my friends after we broke up So it's like this guy is a psycher. Yeah ye But I'm just saying like We'll find out what happened to him But I just know one way to break a pinky that's really embarrassing that would piss off your head coat I'm not saying that's what happened in the Jobson. I have no idea, not reporting anything. what you what did it. the fireation. Do you remember that? Yeah, And so did Stotemmeer. Stotemeyer did it on the Kicks Yeah withith the fire extinguisher. It does happen. It happens. what's weird is it's off day Weird No, but no, it's yeah, that's what's weird. That's usually a frustration of the punch the l Yes Yeah Yeah punch the wall You know, happ H in baseball and pitchers give up home runs all timees. angry. Yeah. I don't think I I don't know. But it's also like, I do want to be fair about something I don't want to speculate about this because it's irresponsible. But he did mention that he was going through mental health struggles. during the Cab series and he like deleted some of his apps and stuff So I wish him the best physically and im mensely. and I want him on the m Brown was pissed. pissed. That was that was concerned. piss. But like again, the group chats have all said the same thing. like if there's anyone whose game is not affected by a pinky broken on their shooting hand It's Mitch Robinson because You know, likeike we said last time, like you could put a baseball glove on that guy's hand and he's still going to contest shots and grab rebounds and go the foul line He's got to be playable though. Yeah, yeah. But it just he's got to be I also think he's got to be able he's got to be able to catch the ball. catch the ball, catch the rebound, put a dunk back You know, bother women Yama and like maybe go one for four from the line O else we're going to see he's a No he could provide a massive advantage and especially, you know, it it calls back. to something that you were talking about earlier, which is a guy that can play the dunker spot, a guy that can play with force, but most importantly guy that can play if in fact inevitably over the course of what could be a long series Towns has that game where he's unplayable because he's got threeles in the first quarter Exactly because if he gets two fs are gets two fouls. it's it's it's mitch That's the counter And if it if it's not mitch, you start looking like going small doesn't seem like a good idea at all. And then you're looking at Hk Porty who's like Serviceable It's a real concern. Yeah. It is And OG can get bous too. They would be smart to sort of work OG in towns and see if they can sort of gets gets hang a couple of thousands on them early in the game That would be smart if you' the I will say just talking about this and talking through it I have been I've been very, very high on the Ns also Despite last year's young Thunder team winning it. I generally have believed that there is a reason that over the course of NBA history, veteran teams and veteran laden teams with full grown men that have been through a lot of different playoff series and have taken their scars end up holding the trophy at the end. That has been the case over the you know we've had over whatever, eighty years of NBA history and you go and look and generally young teams do not come out on top for NBA Championships. It is veteran laden teams but I have been given incredible cause for pause with those odds. like I just don't I see it. It's shocking. I don't see it's shocking. If it's a close game, I feel very confident in the Nick's ability to close it out We've got a guy stunned if the I would be stunned if the spurs wiped them out like it says. It's I don't see it. I think that this is a This is a tough series for Brunson Um you know They're going to get him involved. It also will it's also going to change look Becky Hamon and Draymond got a lot on the line. They really do they really do. They really do. You can't win with a little dude being your best dude. They've won the elevenh straight And I think that this is a much more spread the ball around cut off the ball beautiful game offense than it was under Tibbs, but whoof if it's a close game with three minutes left We're handing the ball to Brunce. He's dribbing air out of it getting a bucket. like that's just a pitch they can always throw. And no matter he just finds a way no matter who's in front of them, you know, because if Castle's on towns And Webby's a heart Like So wait a second, is that Fox I'm Bransson Fox is a capable defender, but could be a little injured, a little older. Id like that matchup. If it's champanne, I like that matchup Vcell, I think would be hard with this length, but then you' got who's covering bridges? Like I think the Kicks pose problems. Weenby always poses problems And Castle's amazing in his own right and Harper's just an absolute discovery of a basketball player But the Kicks pose problems for this first. They really do. I think that's why they game problems during regular season Froot's a good score on everybody He really can. It's stupid. Hes swar on don I don't know about Wimbi, but if Wimby's in front of them, that means there's mismatches other places I do think that it's going to be fascinating when we talk about how This finals affects the rest of the league. One thing I will say with the two teams that are there There's a clip that we used several months ago And you and I were having the discussion and I was thinking aloud as the season was going on, I was like, you know what? Best teams are going to be young right? that that is there is a changing of the guard here and that's because of the finances of the NBA. And there are two very unique things about these teams. You have one team So maybe It's either going to be You can do this But one of your best players has got to take a discount And and that's the and that's the way Uh the new finanance of the NBA, which is As we know, Bronsson left a tremendous amount of money on the table. Why would he do the order to be able to have this team so weird I mean, he did. And well look For many, many years, San Antonio did it You know Mano Genoboli and Tony Parker, those They did not just take the maximum amount and that was and that's the issue if we call back to the Oklahoma City. there was no discount for Jaylen Williams. There was no discount for Ched H, but they all deserve max dis There's no discount for Sheayobs Alexander. I'm saying at the time you're doing all those deals. Right. Of course you do. But what I'm saying is it might be the only way to pull this off Is that what is it somebody's got to play for less than market value If you're going to have it a bunch of you vets already on the new deals or you're going to have a young team that you have built out vets around them and you've got three of your best players not getting paid all that much money because that gives you the ability to have the requisite amount of talent. Yeah. I mean, but it's just going to be too hard to have the requisite amount of talent if you're paying everybody. If you if you look at like Austin Reeves, I just think the Lakers going to regret whatever they give them Jay and Durn I think the pes is going gonna regt whatever they give. And these are like, you know teenders Oh yeah That's the way it goes with all of these teams Right? Y you're you're pegging the You're giving max contracts to guys that have not proven to be worth Max contract. look at all the discourse on Evan Mopeley for Godake. and he's been Defensive player of the year And people are like, yeah, they got to get rid of him. They gott to get rid of him It's's's you feel good about giving a max contract to someone who's like top ten in the riger one hundred. you know what I mean? And then beyond that, you're kind of like, well, He's a good second option.'s getting paid sixty two million dollars. You know what I mean? I know That's not second option,oney Well, and look look at what You know, there's been a bunch of stuff about Kisson Wallace and where he could end up worth like you I'm just going to say you're going to see the Kaseon Wallace and the Io D soon moves of the world and It's like you can't afford to keep them like somebody's going to pay them a fortune in the off season And mayaybe they're not going to be they're obviously not going to be forty and fifty million dollars players, but They're going to be get people are they're going to get four year hundred dollar hundred million dollars contracts. C of people are going to be like, what Yeah, likeike that is the that's the market to do business. That's the market All right, last thing before we get out of here I know you're in LA now You have been in New York until just today Has it been odd? there it' it's a weird circumstance where they took care of business so early, celebrations, people on top of Madison Square Garden waving American flags Pies everywhere, everybody going nuts and then it's like All right, now we're just going to watch other teams play basketball for a week. L Is it a What is the vibe like considering this inordinate amount of dntime between taking care of business in the Easter conference finals, but waiting for the NBA finals. It's been a very unique time in the city and their relationship with the Ns becausecause the enthusiasm is so high. But never has the enthusiasm been so high and the optimism been high as well Like there's always a yeah, but is OG hurt., you know, how do they match up against the Celtics? You know, so excited to beat the Sixers, But man, this Celtics teams going to be tough. like And then there's always like some injuries or some like, yeah but about the Kicks. But this is like The city's favorite team playing the best basketball they've played since they weren't world Champions. like Like even you know, even in ninety nine when they went to the finals. Ewing's not there you know, and the spurs are so good that there wasn't this level of optimism going into the series. It was a bit like man it was so great being an eight se and getting to the finals But now it's like, The whole city is on fire excited about the Kicks. I can really feel it through my kids. because my kids are not Nicks fans, they're not sports fans But they come home every day talking about the Kicks because all their friends are talking about their Nicks. and all their friends parents are talking about the Kicks. And then there's this whole thing sweeping the city of where you're going to watch the game There's not a bar that's not having a watch party. Central Park is having a huge watch party. like they' popping up everywhere. Every single bar is getting a projector and getting audio. likes there's going to be very few people except for myself, they're going to be on their couch watching the games and The problem is game three is on a Monday and game four is on a Wednesday Game two Friday night I'll be just coming in from JFK I think I'm gonna go to the Central Park watch party where I have an in. You are? I have an in. Yeahah. I've got a guy who works there. Shout to Rob. You also live within walking distance. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. ye. Also the guy's name shout to him He works for summer stage. Also, the name of a colleague of ours Rob Mahoney I was like, oh No way, Rob, I swear to God This is a lot of Robahononey Rob Mahononey. Yeah yeah. It won't be hard to tell the two apart though. They look very different. But yeah, I'm going to go watch it for one of the watch parties so I'll have talailes from that when we do our show on Monday, But like the city is absolutely on fire And I think this whole like are like shutting down the watchash parties because of like, you know rowdiness or whatever because people are climbing on billboards. I think that's completely misguided. And I think if you're not in New York, what you're missing is like this isn't chaos. this is people celebrating and being happy You know what I mean?ike We've had like riots and protests and real tension in the city in the past decade, but this isn't that This isn't like positive twow sides being separated by cops. You know what I mean? This is everyone's happy trying to act crazy for Instagram. You know what I mean? It's just happiness. Yeah, it's just like there real happiness.'s a huge There's a huge difference between positive mayhem and anger. Exactly. And if you're wearing a spurge jersey, you could walk through the crowd. You're not going to get physically assaulted. You're going to get yelled at, but it's not like It's not like unruly violent chaos out there I'm telling you don't I would' recommend it. What I'm saying is it's not dangerous. I think get people get the wrong idea when they see the stupid clips online. You know what I mean? Like and I don't know if you saw this, the mayor did like an actual, I don't know what mayor stuff he does of it. likeike he repealed bedimes during Nick's games. I saw that. some kids kids have like ammo so they can stay up late to watch the games. They had a Jordan Clarks and like part That was a smart PR thing to do. Yeah, he's leaning into it because you don't want to be the mayor that like shut down the watch part You know what I mean So he's leaning into it. They had a Geordan Clerks W watchatch party today. L the momentum has not waned whatsoever. If anything, it is building and crescendoing And the city will be absolutely on fire for every single game. And like worst case scenario, I still believe in this team if they're down zero two going into game three I still believe. I retweeted that guy yesterday. I'll give him credit where credit is due Mike Buvice. I think was his Dave. It said The New York Kicks are four wins away from their first championship in fifty three years and the only thing standing in their way is a nine foot tall French chaalin alien. When you put it like that, it doesn't sound great. Maybe that's why it's my' two hundred. nine foot doallbren. Oh Also and I sent you this Shout out Zodiac GA. Oh yeah. mocked it. Oh my. You mocked it. You mocked it weeks ago. Zodiac GM before the playoff started said there's two teams with a plus Zodiac synergy The New York Kicks and the San Antonio Spurs. and here we are them facing off for the Zodiac Championship. That changes my position absolutely zero I know. Nixon four be sweet. It's going be sweet. Nixon four. N four the odds on that have got to be Oh my God. Nixon fourbelievable. Nixon four Jayen Brudson MVP city just goes crazy. No one goes to work Thursday or Friday This finals is going to be awesome. Yeah The games I think the games are going be ks I I'm confident that I to in the series, but I I don't see You know, you never know, but I thought the games would all be good with Thunder Spurs, but I think these games will be great. I think they each pose real problems for the other side I think the Kicks are going to win too. You know, and who knows like Dudes to go three for four. Shamot can go five for six. Alvarado could have three steals and get in a fistfight with Wbinyama and you know,embonyama gets ejected. like there's just so many weird things that can happen You know, and and the things I'm keying on are Josh Hart being effective on offense and forcing them to make adjustments on defense. and Just just not letting Wim be Rim run. Just keep him outside of the p. Why do you think I think the New York' going to win Beyond the fact that you're my friend that I want you to be happy Battle scars. You gott to get their scars. Gott to get your scars I mean, got to get your scard. Gott to get your scard. Otherwise it's two years in a row. you don't Yeah It's Ierno W has never gone down. Scars. Scars is dying if if the Nixol you've got to guard the scars like Alexander Scars guard. That's it. That's it. Yeah. Verno. You could never be wrong three years in row. It's impossible. So yeah, Nixon four. N All right, That's gonna do it for this episode of the Mispatch. We are going to be talking about NBA finals games by the next time we speak again. Thanks to Jeff as always, and Kbe, I'll talk to you later this week