Nightcap Hour 1: Ant Man RETURNS in TWolves Game 1 WIN + Knicks DOMINATE Sixers in MSG + Chet Holmgren Calls Rui Hachimura the Japanese MJ

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Timber will snatch home court the very first game of this series, one O four to one O two. They got a welcome surprise. Ant Man played. He came off the bench, but he played twenty five He played twenty five minutes, eighteen big points two or three from the three point line, played from minis in that fourth quarter. He was sensational, Joe, We're gonna kick it off with you, and then we go to U twin and then, oh Joe, you take it and then I'll come home with it.

How were they able to do it? Joe resilient.

I told you, and I told you, and Ocho I said, man, listen, uh, these Templewolves ain't gonna be no pushover. Man, it ain't gonna be as easy as everybody think. They got some dogs too. They got some guys who can compete, some guys who can move them puppies, you know, play some defense. And then what you want to do with wimbycho twe you want to be physical with him?

Bro?

You want to be Philly. Yup, he had a triple double wood blocks. So what you know what I mean? I think as the game kind of continued to go on, he was, you know, kind of starting to wear down a little bit. But they both teams was exhausted, Bro, Timberwolves was exhausted.

At the end. But they did what they wanted to do to one.

You know this, man, when you go into a playoff series, bro, your your your first mindset is okay, we got two games on the on they on their home turf, We at least want to get one.

I got you know what I mean?

I think you got to give Minnesota the credit the coaching staff. That was smart. I love the way they did it with Anthony Edwards bringing them off the bench so he could you now to play him only twenty five thirty minutes you knew he couldn't play a full game.

They didn't have to. They didn't have to play Rudy.

So as great as one he was defensively, he's gonna have to figure it out offensively because you can't allow them to play small because the venice goes to Minnesota if they able to keep nives red at the five. Because now that down the mismatches started to happen on the offensive end for Minnesota. So kudos to Minnesota, big win to go in there and get that. But Ethniel was I thought was great. I thought he didn't force it.

I believe if it's gonna it might this series might end up going the distance.

The second half.

This is what Chris Finch dead to winby held him to five points, two of eight field goals, zero for three from the three point line, one or two from the free throw line.

He was zero for eight from the three point line.

Oh, you're watching this game, And like I said, I didn't think this was gonna be a four to Oh.

I thought it would be.

I thought it would be an extended series because I didn't anticipate in wmby play excuse me not women ad Man to play until they got back home.

Guys, that's what I thought Man would come in.

But he's progressed so far, so fast that they say, you know what, he's able to give us something. And whatever he's able to give us is more than what we would have been able to get if he was not on the court. On eighteen points that he gave you and great efficiency eight of thirteen, two or three from the three. Now, he wasn't attacking like he normally was because but you know a that Nie still probably lit little sore let But just say, you know what, I still can get my shot out here and foul.

But I thought, I thought Chris Finch and.

The game plan that he had was unbelievable, especially in the second half.

Yeah, hey, listen, the god damn Wolves were Resilian.

Huh. There was a regilion.

They gave Wimby Hell okay, defensively, he had a shipload of goddamn blocks and stayed on changes back what they was able to do. They kept the game close. Listen, the game was back and forth. It could have went really, it could have went really idiot either way. If you watch the entire game, they was they was. They were scoring back to back to back to back to back.

You know what I was surprised by, guys, is that when you really look at it, and you you look at these two teams, they really don't have an answer for Jude Randall. They had Stefan Castle trying to guard you Ramble in the fourth quarter.

Can't do it.

I mean, I take my hat off to it, because he stepped up to the challenge. He ended up filing out. But that's a lower you see. You see lest eight six nine, two forty two fifty. Can't deal with him down there in the blox and you got your starting point guard trying to deal with their power forward because you don't really Yeah, because they like to play more. They like to play wimby and basically threes and twos and ones.

Yeah, cause they don't have a four.

And let me let me add this, guys, you gotta think about this. The Minnesota team has been together for some years now, They've been in the Wars. This this is the first trip for San Antonio. You gotta think Minnesota's not gonna get rid of that. They cores seven. Eight guys besides Terren Shennon have been in these wars and been and played these tough games.

So they got an advantage that way. Nobody's talking about that.

Everybody's thinking, because the Spurs had a great season that this is gonna be an easy series. Nah, Minnesota feel confident this group has been together. Don't look at the seeds, don't look at being because they just sixth seed and all that. No, this group, that Minnesota guy has been together for this probably third or fourth year with this crew. Yeah, when you think about it, so that they really kind of got that advantage. When you think about it, they're

Hey, hey, hey, the piggyback with hold on piggyback with toyn say. I agree with Toying wholeheartedly, especially early when he said when Minnesota goes small, San Antonio got a problem. They gotta figure it out because it takes Windby away from the basket. When you got nas reed at the five, you feel so if he ain't gonna guard nads reading, he gonna play health defense. Now, it's gotta hit him upside his head. Every time you feel what I'm saying.

The highest level.

They were he outside of win I think Rudy Gobert played some solid defense, gave him some great effective minutes by outside of Winby Bro when he go out the game, man, they get what they.

Want, Yes, they got no because they don't fear, at least think about it. He had twelve blocks, but he had about another five or six alterations where you like, I ain't I know what's problem up in there, but you know who I think. And look, ju Ramdall played unbelievable. If he was five offensive rebounds, he had double digit.

Blackout.

Yeah, you know what I'm saying, because now the crowds in the friends look when Winby blocks the shot, it's almost like step shooting a three. That's the equivalent of the crowd erupts. Yeah yeah, so now the crowd is going crazy. We just shut him down. We go, Hey, somehow Minnesota comes up with the ball. They kick the call in the corner in the left handed up side the head and and you know, hey, you we've all been there, Joe dwy you know you scrammed it and all a sudden.

Yeah, yeah, but you got a message. But like Collie plays so good to know you really don't have to rush Allo back. You can kind of it now, you know. I all get to get now two games to come back. You don't have to rush him back. You get about it. He didn't play at night, and he's playing really good right now.

Hey, I agree with that.

I think when you think about it, do you do you play a man in game two though? Or do you let him continue? Do you let him get a little rent? I would play him. I think I just think you have to watch his minutes again.

I think you put him on a minuteccount because if you get a chance to steal game two. Now, it's a really really big different series now going back home, so you still want to take a shot at it. But I wouldn't play him extended minutes. You got you, you stole you one. Now you can be a little cautious. Gotta see how we gotta see how you feel like Joe, you know how the thing is, they got to see how I feel tonight.

See how you feel in the morning.

If he walking around limping a lot and can't putting no pressure on that leg, then maybe you may think about it.

But right now I'm going for the kill. I'm gonna go two.

Oh yeah, yeah.

I think the thing is Joe also is that you really he hadn't did any running, so his cardio, he really ain't in the shape that he really needs to to be able to play those extending minute So I'll watch out for that. But I'm gonna be surprised if game three or four he's not in the starting lineup. I'm gonna be shocked if they continue to break. Now, I think one more game, I think the game, but that that'll be Wednesday. I think he comes off the bench again. I think when they go home, I'm not

Probably so hey, but listen, I like how a man pours confidence into his teammates.

Bro, Yes, you know you.

See it, especially the young guy Tan Shannon. Obviously always you random McDaniels, but the Tan Shannon kid.

I like his aggressiveness. Fellas. I don't know about y'all.

I know the first two his first two positions were blocked by womban. The second one was a damn goldten and they miss it. But I like the aggressiveness that he plays with. I like the confidence that they pulled with him down the stretch, meaning handling the rock, making decisions. Bro, they got a nice squad, man, they got they built for this, They built for the San Antonio team.

Built for this run. Man.

I'm telling you this is team has been together three four years. Man, I'm saying they built for this. They not scared of no situation. I think all the wars with the Denver Nuggets has made them ready for this type of moment. You know, Santoio are not gonna beat them with trying to get shoot shooting threes, and one is gonna have to mix it up a little bit. He's gonna have to post up a little bit. I know that's not his game. I know he's more of a perimeter type guy. But he's gonna have to mix

So they're gonna have to make a decision.

Man, it was not a forced winby post up a lot more than he's been doing.

He's gonna have to because you can't women, You can't play forty minutes and only attempt two free throw. Ain't no way, ain't no way that can happen. Because now you played right into the hands. Like you said, we're gonna stay small because the advantages that you have is that when Rudy's on the court, because Wendy can pull Windy can pull him away from the basket. Well, if hey, now, if women's gonna stay out there and let him shoot threes, he was oh for eight tonight.

Wow, I think that's an anomaly.

I don't think he'll go over again from the three point line, but he's gonna have to be somewhere around.

And I'm not saying he needs to be around.

Twelve fourteen attempts, but he's got to be eight nine ten attempts a night in order for him to have his impact offensively, because I don't think he can just hover around like you said, And there are a couple of times I don't know what he's trying to do, Bruh, Just grab the rebound. He was trying to grab the rebound and all in one motion shoot it, which was unnecessary.

Just stay first, rodeo too.

We gotta realize too, we gotta just stay first rodeo just the first time in this group where the hot seed everything is. Everybody expects them to win so that they know some nerves tonight, and they got to be by a veteran team who've been there before.

Yeah, Hey, you gotta give we gotta give Minnesota a lot of credit though defensively, bro I'm talking they locking down, man. He we got to show them some love on that end, and I'm sure coming.

Into this series.

That was an emphasis, you know, not giving up too many easy buckets. I know late at the end they were dead tired and they gave up some offense and rebounds.

But for the most part, man, they battling naked nick with you.

That was a good game.

Give J. J.

McDaniel's credit. He's doing an unbelievable job on dr and Fire. He's doing an unbelieved because the thing that look, he's so he's so long is that because most of the time you're dealing with a guy that's short. But hey, even if he beat him on the initial move, hey, he can get a poke here a pope, they're a slide and he's right back where he needs to be. I thought he did a fabulous job on de Fox tonight.

The one thing that Chris Finch.

Is gonna hang his hat on, is gonna have his hat on the defensive end because they say, look, guys, we can't just let these guys just like it's a freeway, get up and down. We got to put hey, we got to put stop cones in their way. We gotta make him slow down. We got to make them stop on occasion. But in all cases, we've got to be physical.

With the big.

If we're physical with him, that is not what he likes. He wants to he wants to play in space. He wants to be able to run a roll. Put a body on you. If you see a the shot goes up, find his bony hass and put body on me.

Look and how many times? How many times?

How many times did he hit the floor tonight fellas Hey, oh you know, and he hit the flo number of times? And hey, look, I enjoy watching it because Minnesota understands that you gotta keep a body on him.

Bro, you gotta keep it.

You can't let him roam freely, you know, ugg his ass on offense when they coming through, when he coming through the lane. Yeah, you have to be alt your aggressive with him, and I think that'll slow him down.

And listen, and you gotta think about Rudy. Rudy, he had the joker first round. Now you're getting win but you gotta think you got just got some credit. He gotta go against these guerrillas to are probably the best big man in the game. And Rudy, I mean, Rudy's taking the challenge. We got to give Rudy some credit.

Oh yeah, So would you think? What'd you thinking? O Joe? What are you like?

So?

What do you think? What's the counter?

What do the Spurs need to do to counter what Minnesota did tonight in order to tie this series up? And they're gonna need to go home and get one from them? So how do they tie this series up? On Wednesday?

Man, listen and shit it?

Fox?

Fox got to come, come to come to the party, Wimby regards of how much they pessy you, regardless of how aggressive they all defensively, you have to make your your presence felt offensively.

You got to do what you've done all season long. They got to have an answer.

They got to have a counter for the great defense that the god damn Ward's played.

That's that's the only thing I can think about.

Castle, you can't get and goddamn foul troubles so goddamn early And it's great, greater as you hey, listen, I understand, but as great as a year. Defensively and offensively, he can give you. He can get on both ends of the court. He can give you something. But you can't be a liability too. You can't be a liability. At some point, you got to pull the rings back and play and play good sound basketball, not just out there being aggressive, running all over the place with your head cut.

Hey, but y'all know this how san Antonio has played all season by commits.

You know, yeah, Castle and Fox and Wimby.

They may explode and have one of those games where they need thirty thirty five points, but for the most part, I mean, look, they got six players in double figures tonight. You know, I didn't think that they played bad. I just thought that both teams are great defensively. This is a good backyard old school game, nineties game, you know, to where we locked down defensively. We ain't gonna make many mistakes and you're gonna have to beat us making tough shots. This is gonna be a nice series. And

What's the quickest way. What's the best way to keep them from getting out? Not turn the ball over? Make them take the ball out the net right right right, And.

Then you gotta think Minnesota's did what they They did what they wanted to They wanted to get one.

I'm pretty sure they wanted to come there and get one. They got that one.

Like you said, now I got to think about for the sit down and how you feel. I mean, do we need to do we need to push this? Can you get you two extra day's rest, maybe not play you Game two and just get that rest for geting ready for Game three. Those are some of the questions Minnesota needs to think about. I would think strongly about that, because a healthy Anthony I was I don't think San

That'll be huge for them.

Yeah, because if you don't play it, if you don't play, if you don't play him on Wednesday, they don't play a game until Friday. So now you give him Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and so you So basically that's almost like four days off because he doesn't play until Friday night.

I don't think and you got to be I don't.

I don't think he can get one hundred percent those fellas like he You gotta understand him. Him dribbling, Yeah, he had some moves the way he could get by a little bit, but for the most part, he didn't look great. I'm talking about exploding by his man. I understand the injury that he's dealing with, and just by him being out there, it is a blessing for for for the Wolves. I enjoyed washing them play because he

You gotta be careful a torn and most time when you got players like him that want to play that come back too soon from injury, they really know they shouldn't be playing.

It should take a litle bit more time.

I think the goddamn Wolves have enough, especially offensively, especially with the way they play defense, and man can take a game off certain players, and you know what, certain players you gotta know.

About.

Jason Tatum is just in the back of my head, you know what I mean. That's that's what I'm just thinking about, Jason Tatum in the back of my head. You don't want to you don't want to get deep in this series, and ethnic awards ain't healthy, don't get better, you know what I mean.

That's all I'm thinking about.

Like you gotta you got a little you got a free period right now this game too, whether you whether you decide not to play them.

Or you can play him.

I'm with you, Joe.

I do want to get greedy, but it's almost like, man, we got the one. Now we get a chance to get him three four days rest. We may have to play game two without him, right.

But I think the thing is the problem that JT ran into is that he having to play a little extended minutes late.

Because you remember those.

Games when Philly stole game took game of what they took game six and then all of a sudden now and JT had to play those minutes what they take?

What they what?

It was three to one, so they end up winning the last three they went five, six, et seven?

Right now?

Yeah, yeah, So now you got to think about it, JT playing forty minutes, he playing forty minutes. You're hoping that, you know what, we get him up out we getting them up out of here. JT gonna get him off the long risk. Yeah, well he didn't get that long rest and you playing, you playing those minutes, and then it was right, it was a right Achilles, And I think it what was his left thank his left k need and started back.

Well, you know, not that it's not about him, but we all thought. I told you this a long time ago. I thought you should have sat the whole season out. I mean, he played great coming back, don't get me wrong, but I was I was afraid that he wasn't gonna be one hundred percent anyway. So I just think with and you're thinking about advancing, you know you can win this series. I just think you gotta play with caution.

They might do. I wonder, I wonder what's the extent of uh a yo uh uh.

They were saying game They were saying game two or three. Io will be back. Yeah, man, they could have used him. But hey, listen, they got like I've been saying, bro, they gotta play the guys who they can throw at you and who can have big games. You know, I look forward to Minnesota being greedy. Maybe mcdame's play a

Well, we know Jewish is more than cable of doing that. The thing is that he's got a mismatch unless Womby is on it. But he gonna bang women. The problem is is that even if he dislodged women, women just standing there because he had some opportunity tonight, get that ship out of here.

Why was he Why was he trying to shoot the layers? You know he got to kick man, you get that offense rebound.

Get if women standing right there, Man wasn't even jumping that man with that thicking his hand down.

Bro he right, he right there at the realm.

But the thing is is that Randall is the mismatch because they don't have anybody. They tried Kell, they tried Keldon Johnson, they tried Castle, they tried to say.

They don't have anybody that can bang with him.

So he's on the court and you're talking outkay, you got him and he got nas reed.

Nads's gonna be out there by the three.

So now winby Winby got to play if he got to stay out there, Yes, Sir, as much as he wanted to play halfway between, he can't because nos Reed is a great catching shoot we guy, So he can't.

Rudy. He wrote a he's like, I can't.

Beat because they're telling us, say, look, if he leaves Rudy, you come and you file him. Let's put his ass on the free throw line. We're not gonna give him any dunks. If he may get points, he's gonna get them at the free throw line.

Hey, listen, I agree with you on that, And I do think when Rudy in the game, it makes the game easier for Winby because you're right, he don't have to go out there and guard Rudy way out there. He can just kind of sit back. Yeah, he played that free safety. He played that free safety spy to where he can help off in it because he ain't.

He know, Rudy ain't shooting, no damn jump shot.

Joe, you walked quarter. They didn't play Rudy much that fourth quarter.

Yeah, I know, I know. I'm just saying.

I'm just saying throughout the game when when he did play, I just seen Winby kind of sit back like a free safety playing health defense, getting all these damn blocks.

But you're right, and that for a quarter when you go in nis reed and you go small.

When we got to pick a side, Hell, he gonna have to guard or he gonna have to help, whichever one.

You know, we gotta make him pay.

Yeah, And you got guys and and and and and read is more than cable of knocking down those shots.

So you got the arner. He was two or three.

He was five or nine from the from the field, he was two or three from the three. He had nine rebounds. They had two guys with ten rebounds, another guy with nine.

Uh.

I just think, look, I.

Don't want to you know, it's easy to overreact, and I don't want and I don't want.

To do that. I don't want to do that.

Just yet, I think I think we I think we're all in agreeance.

We should give Minnesota their due.

Uh.

This was probably the easiest game because, as you guys said, this is a young team.

They haven't been this far before.

They don't understand as you Yeah, they did a tremendous job on Portland, but as you go rounds, it ratchets up and teams that have been there. You look at the Lakers, they've been to Rue has been in the playoffs, Austin Reves has been in the playoffs. Lebron has been in the playoffs. Those guys, so you saw the difference, and you see where this comes in. J Rendal McDaniel's go bear Connolly nas reed. They've been there, they've done that.

But it's okay, it's okay, you know what.

Say you know what, guys, Let's slow this thing down, Let's get a good yob. It just seems like these young teams they want to play in the playoffs like they played on this running gun, and I don't.

Really know if you can do that now they can't. And Minnesota's not old. I mean, these are guys there in the prime. They're young, but they're not playing against an old team. This is a team that's got besides Mike Conley. I mean, they got guys that can run too, so they can play just as fast as they want to. But tonight you saw the Lake possessions. Who's gonna be that guy? The one thing I couldn't really figure out who would be that guy late san Antonio goes to

It looked like if I had to get if I had this Surmonds, they're gonna put the ball.

See they want to put the ball in fox hand.

If you saw he got ultra aggressive late in the ball game, but he's being defended by McDaniels, which ain't no slous. It's like, yeah, we want to go to our best receiver, but he got past her tand on it, so okay, now we gotta go and what you call him, pers Castle had filed out, so now we okaysell. You see, Vasell did his thing. Champignee got a couple offensive rebounds.

Bro, Hey, we're gonna have to live with that. Yeah, we ain't gonna block his damn shot when he go up to shoot. We're gonna have to pat him on his ass in another way if he make it though, you know what I mean. But one thing we ain't gonna do is just let him get buy us and just have an old lader where he just dunking the ball left.

And just to add, you're not gonna they're not gonna beat Minnesota and him going oh for eight from the three, he shoots too.

Many of them, all five or seventeen.

Yeah, they're not gonna win like that.

He has to either shoot less threes and focus on getting to the basket, being around the basket, or he's gonna have to make sure he goes four for eight, No, three for seven.

He's gonna have to make some of them. You can't go oh for eight from the three.

Because you're bailing, you're beling Minnesota out, you're giving them u He's gonna have to figure out what he want to do.

But if you look at Minnesota, when teams have ded a number on them and they made Rudy unplayable in the fourth quarter, they put his ass in the pick and roll. Remember when Dallas Dallas put him in the pick and roll when he was in Utah.

The Clippers, they put his ass in the pick and roll.

They said, okay, you say, and now because he hey, he wants to play soft coverage. So guy's getting wide open shots. And when he come up there, he tried to he know, he tried to dance. They right five and they lay the ball up. Your real protector is out there twenty feet from the basket. So if they don't have to play Rudy in that situation, you got nas Reed and you got j Randall, who have better feet. Now they're not the real protectors that he is, but

Yeah, And I think when nas Reed is in there and and they run the pick and roll with McDaniel's guarding Fox, they switching all that fellas. They switching that McDaniel's gonna get up under. They're gonna get up under Winby, and they gonna they gonna push and shove, and they ain't gonna let him get down to their low block and get to the sweet spots.

They gonna make they making them boys work. Man.

This is why that man went oh for eight, It ain't you know what I mean, Like, yeah, he got a couple of nice looks, but for the most part, you know, they taking them legs.

And we know we always talk about playoffs about y'all know that. And sometimes and this is not a favorable match up for San Antonio. This is probably the wrong team for them to be playing because they got size, they got a guy who can close the game out in Anthony Edwards. They got better players, so they got and they got active wings that can defend. So this ain't This probably is not the best matchup for the Spurs. This this is probably one that you know, they probably

I do too, man, where the earlier game wasn't much of a game.

Oh oh whoh oh wasn't the game? Huh? And I saw a twek wait, Hell, I'm not go first, Let go ahead.

I'm going ahead, big blow out. The seventy six was one thirty seven to ninety eight. Jalen Brunson thirty one save two. Still he was twelve of eighteen. This is his fifteen thirty five point playoff game, the most ever by a nick O. G had eighteen on seven of eight shooting. Cat had just had seventeen on seven of eleven shooting. Mckal Bridges had seventeen on seven to ten shooting.

Uh. They shot the cover off the ball sixty three percent, shot fifty three of eighty four from the floor.

They shot nineteen of thirty seven from the three, plus they out rebound them. So I told y'all, if you let Brunson get off to that start right there, it's over that eight.

That's not.

That's not what y'all said yesterday. Yesterday what we say y'all was so confident. Uncle Joe a twyn I asked him, I specifically asked him who you got in this series?

Matter of fact, who you got in game one? Both of them they picked got let me finish, Joe.

I said, a twin, I said, are you sure you want to do that? Because I think kat is gonna be able to not be one demented.

To stay at the three. But give embiid and Drumming some work. They told me he too, like he can't do nothing and beating drumming? Boy, what did Cad give you to night? What he did to He gave you seventeen?

He gave you three for five from the goddamn three where the rest of the points came from.

Un listen, y'all said, just the thing, and they probably, oh, oh Joe, They probably got excited because they saw and be played great against Boston. Bosston don't have no Boston don't have no bigs. So let's start with that. The Knicks got real big big men. So now it's not just they have Jaln Brown, Garden and bid At times in that series, you you got real You got real bigs with the Knicks, so it's a different ball game. Now he can't just go in and post and dominate those guys.

He needs that. He needs that jump shot working.

So if he's not making this jump shot and b don't move the same, so you're not gonna do much off the dribble. He's not doing a lot of post moves. It's just a simple jump book. So they got real bigs that can guard them. So this is a different series. Were looking at that Boston series where he kind of had his way to Boston. Celtics played small, played a lot of zone. The Knicks don't got to do that. The kniss can play straight.

Up to one. I understand all that. But here's my thing, Philly.

Coming out of seven game series, Bro, the Knicks been resting a little bit. They got a little risk. Hold up, O jo j H me out. The Knicks got a little risk. This is just one game. The Knicks ain't shooting no damn light shut like this. No every damn game. Man, Hell, hell, they ain't shooting like this every game.

Come on.

They shot fifty one from the three, sixty three from the field. Come on, Bro, everybody on their team played great. Brunston had thirty five. I think Philly gonna have to sit in, y'all. Y'all seen they got. They got the Brakes beat off for me in that Boston series in a couple of games about after game one and then bounce back in one game two. It's just one game, fellas.

See I tell you what, see this, this is what I'm talking about. To see a When I was little, you know, my grandma said, hard head, make a soft ass. And despite what the despite what you say, Joe, I understand what you're saying. Obviously they come off for seven game series, but you're not finna sit me say, even if they don't shoot from the field like this, even though they don't shoot sixty three percent, this is the matchup that you know, the Knicks is probably gonna come

Again, y'all tell me.

I don't know, pall, but every time I say something when it come to basketball, I'm always right.

And here we go again, Joe, you make an excuse me?

All right? They did.

They are coming off for seven games series, so they'll make some adjustments. It'll be a better game then. But that's a bad matchup for the Sixers when you think about it. The only way the Sixers got a chance in this series. I'm gonna tell you, can Paul George turn turn it back the clock. If Paul George could turn back the clock, and then Maxie you can't wait and be gotta get it, get his stuff.

How you gotta get it, Maxie? You gotta Maxie, You gotta Maxie gotta lead. You can't wait. Maxie has to go out.

You gotta go.

It's a reason you average thirty points a game. You can't get to the playoffs. And now you want to go through and b that's the one option, no, you the one option. You see what end? You see what Jenden Bruston did tonight. He's the one option. You don't wait on nobody. He gets going. That's what MAXI gotta do.

If Maxie don't be because if you know, think about it, one you you and Joel, right, because you look at like the first a possessions they gave it.

To him, beading. What you do nothing? Yeah, trying to back it. They're like, bro, come on, no, we can get to that of the later dayton time.

We can always. That's one thing we know. We can always get Joel and b big ass down on the block. We can get that anytime we want it.

But hold on, hold on, hold on to a twine. I'm on the ass to Night. Hold on that.

They said, we ain't got to worry about big body brunting because we're gonna put Eskim on him.

They tried everything tonight.

Hey, you god damn right. They tried. I tried to George on it.

They tried every They tried everything. Hey, God, like that get it going. You can't.

Once you can't put that rookie on him. He gonna he gonna have his way with that rookie. He ain't the answer. That's definitely not that I tried. I tried to tell him. I tried to answer to Night.

The problem is he quick enough, but he ain't got enough bricks in his back pocket. You see how you see how Brunson do hit it hit it with that shoulder and dislodge it and.

Turned around to shoot that.

I called brust.

I called brusting a professional score. So you know, for his size, he's a professional score. So you trying to play a rookie on him is not gonna work. Paul George can't step up to the simon again some length, and he's obviously you know, Paul was a great defender early on in his career, so he probably could do a better job on it. But it's Paul George gonna take that commitment, you know what I mean.

Hey, by the time, by the time Paul George got on him here, he was already over. Hey, listen, y'all know specially toying, you know when you're playing the game, because hey, listen, I doem been in games with guys called hot. Then you try to throw me on him, it's too late, Broy.

I'm with you, though.

It's like if that's my only problem with Philly, because it's like they force feed and bed sometimes and sometimes it's too damn much and it takes away from MAXI torn. I like when MAXI played like as I'm saying, I like, yeah, I like for you up and down, Yes, I like for him putting pressure, getting up shots, being aggressive.

Hell, nine nine shots ain't enough for me.

Bro. That's why I say he gotta be one agg He has to be one agg. Nick.

He has to let him be one A. If you're not gonna let him be one A, they gonna get swepting. This serious serious.

You have to let him be one A and B to get his whenever, whenever you can get it, you gotta let him.

You gotta go behind Maxie. Man, it's a reason why he averaged thirty points this season.

Yeah right, and you think about it.

Show you think about some of those games with Maxie average thirty and B wasn't even playing, and B wasn't playing some of them games. Now, when Embid is in there, you gotta stand he clogging up the goddamn paint. So if Maxie gon't control and be effective and be aggressive with embading the game, they got to they got to call some type of players with embiding that goddamn sim He's at the god damn posty in a way, he.

Called, hey, listen, I ain't tripping on going to mbid the first maybe even the second possession. But him and Cat got a little thing going, and won't e try to. We don't need that ship right now. We don't need that ship. We're trying to win.

We don't need that.

Bro, you gotta get these young dudes going. Man, you gotta get Maxi downhill. You know what I'm saying. You get him in there, pick and roll against cat let mb pop, maybe take a couple of minutes, get to maybe even get you a three, but just to bog down the first five six possessions of the game. Come on, it's gonna get us out of rhythm. And y'all know when you get out of rhythm, it's hard for for a lot of these cats to really get back in rhythm.

You know. Once the game gets ugly and you.

Didn't do it well, it's gonna stay ugly. Because I told you what's gonna happen either, Joe not listen. I'm gonna take over this segment because I told y'all before to see a series even started what it was gonna be like.

And even if Maxie Water come.

Downhill and be got them aggressive, we got cats sitting down there. Oh my god, yes, that cat he's sitting down now. He gonna swap that ship to the Hey, what was.

In the first quarter? He picked up them two damn files. That's what I'm saying.

They can always He had to sit down, he had to sit down.

I'm gonna talk to him.

I'm gonna talk to him, say this. We need to be a little bit smart. We need to be a little bit more smarter early in the game.

And I like, you know what else I like to I like it good act.

The Knicks are playing small, not starting two bigs, so they saving files. So you got cats starting on them. Then you come with Mitchell Robinson, so they saving files for their big men, not playing.

Those two guys together. I like the fact they're doing that.

But you see what they did. You see what Philly did that he got laid in the first quarter. They started finally they started hacking hacker Robinson and back Brown said, get your hands over here, and you put the other big he said, comes, he said, come sit your no free throws over here? Will be jud you messing up a river. Yeah, I don't know what it is. And you you know twenty I'm sure you and Joe Benny games when when somebody, when the team gets hot, nobody

I like with damn, Well, well.

Let's remember now og is on the heater right now, playing great that first series. He's on the heater right now, he playing great ball. And now you get Michael Bridges who didn't play play well that first series. Now he started making shots. Now it gets the Knicks to come even better because remember he didn't play good at that first series.

Nah. I think he might have had one game. I think about the last game where Joe he had.

Like twenty four.

He started saying that you know you can count on Brunson, Brunst. He gonna give you Brunst, he gonna do brunts and things. But if you let that man go twelve of eighteen, you not beating the Knicks if he if he shoot that percentage, I don't give a damn what anybody else does?

You not?

Yeah, you're not, you're not.

And y'all right they still hot hell from the last damn series.

Shit, I said, even a matter of fact, they just going one hundred. Listen, they still high.

Bro.

Look when you look man Og barely even been missing his last two games.

Boy he I don't know him that.

Can you believe Og playing like this on the offensive end? Hell no, I haven't never seen.

Hey, listen, I'm not saying. I'm not saying he can't play, because I like his game. But the way he's shooting the ball, it's like everything he shooting, Man, that shit going in, it's swishing.

He ain't hit no rim, he's swishing threes. Hey, he euro Stephan Duncans. You know, look we look at o G. They got o G before his defense to be able to deal with Tatum and Brown. Yeah, that's what they got him for. And now he giving you that. And it goes with Brunson. Look, they're gonna be off with each other now, I'm not They're not gonna shoot no. Sixty three percent. Again, I don't think Atlanta said that

I'm gonna be honest, man, I think Philly you know they got the blessing. And I'm not defending the Celtis. You play, you play Game seven, Jason Tatum not able to go, You able to get out? That series putos to them that was great to be able to But that's a different animal than they healthy. The Knicks got a good system. These guys been together now, three four years together. They in rhythm. Man, it just looks it

Yeah, hey, hey, uncle Jill. Even if.

The goddamn Nicks don't shoot sixty three, even if they don't have a scoring output from Brunton like they did, Brunston is always gonna get hit no matter what. But if you get og and you get Josh hart to to continue playing defense way the way he is and contributing a little bit on offense, you getting Micall Bridges

I'm gonna do something nobody else said. I canna win. I'm telling you, hey, Joe, listen to me, Joe. I know you played the game, Joe, but you gotta.

Listen to somebody who didn't play the game that can see the game different.

Got I got, I'm listening, brost okay listening, Hey, listen. If I'm Philly, I'm starting Paul George out on the brunton man. Damn that I'm gonna Paul George on him to start in. You gonna use You want you some height, you want some length to bother you.

Yeah, and I'm gonna put I'm gonna put edge comb on h heart.

But because hertest active, he's gonna office the rebound. He gonna back door cut. So you want you want a young guy running on the floor with him. You want to young you want to young guy chase him around, keeping the body on him out.

That's that's that's a good that'll be a good switch. Yeah, But let me ask you a question. When you put because you know what they're gonna do. They're gonna run. They gonna put it there. They're gonna put Paul George in the pick and they're gonna run his ass off a bunch.

Of pickus know we're gonna put him in the blend up.

Picks.

Is Paul George is Paul at Paul George age and Paul George's body and them shoulders. You know he's had a shoulder serve on both of those shoulders. Yeah, needs they what they used to be? How long can he do it?

Well? You want to you want to slow him down.

I ain't saying he's gonna stop him, but to go twelve for eighteen thirty five points here, we ain't no way we're gonna win. He's shooting them type of percentage. You don't think you don't expect the game to be a blowout.

Obviously tonight okay, it's a blowout, But if we get into a possession game, three, three, four possession game.

I'm going with you.

I'm gonna try that line. I'm gonna try that them defensive changes. I'm gonna try Paul George on them in the fourth quarter to see if he can get a stop making hard for him. So you gotta be creative with it. But you know when you get blown out. It's this film right here. I don't even know if you can watch this film.

And like you and Joe say, now, if I get a one, one, two possession games, now I can give the ball to Jordan to be Now I got an advantage because I don't give it.

Damn about your big They can't do that with him.

Well, mb gotta be patient though, O Joe and Twine. You know he can't be He can't be out there too hyped up to where he wanted to ball every trip down the court. You know, kind of similar, kind of similar what man, how he kind of just playing his role? Like man, we ain't gotta feature you that much, but when we need you, we need you to come through.

You feel me, I don't know what can then be take that type? Can you play that role?

No? You gotta get no.

Yeah, you gotta you have to Yeah, you gotta do you gotta be willing to do that. I mean, that's why I give Minnesota coaches so much credit. The coaching staff. They forced that, Hey, we not gonna start you. We're not gonna start you first of all. That way, we're gonna sit you six seven minutes, let these other guys get going, then we'll come in with you. So I thought that was the genius move of the night, not starting first of all. Now can you what can you

If if he was to accept that role, would he still be high energy, give us great effort, you know, pat guys on the back, you know, keep encouraging cast That's my thing because sometimes, bro, you know, our stars in the game, if you ask him to sacrifice a little bit, they start soaking, you.

Know what I mean.

And that's and that's what you don't want from from mb man. You want him to really stay upbeat and do whatever it takes for them to win.

Hell, it may take for them for him.

To get twenty rebounds and have twelve points every every game. He ain't gonna score twenty five thirty damn points. But he can be effective. He can be effective in other ways. Yeah, and he needs to be a defensive presence too. Man, you've been with Jorlan B used to go. I mean, Jordan B was a hell of a defender. He got the left he can't can't shots.

Hey, the lateral movement ain't the same. It's gone. And it seemed like every every time I was like, damn, I see him limping.

I like, Lord, I cut, he come up the court and he's tripped, and he ended up tripping Josh Hart.

Yeah he got him. I said, Lord, I know this man his damnself.

And then you know what's ca And then and Joe know this.

Even though you're not practicing much in the playoffs, I mean, and be probably not even taking his sweatpants off on the off days. He probably just free throws. He ain't getting no reps in, he ain't getting no extra work in. He probably just working on his legs so he can play game the game.

So you ain't. It's hard to just come out there and you ain't in no rhythm.

You know what I mean?

Because remember he just came back after the emergency antidectomy, so he was out for two weeks. He ain't doing nothing.

He ain't doing not not he look not only is he not in no rhythm, but hell, he ain't in great shape neither to be to be able to get up down with these boys like that.

You know what I'm saying, So begin with huh, I said he was hert to begin with.

Hell, I go two three days without lifting, but doing cardio, I gain two pounds, I know, damned five seven and I beat I beat deg White said, I beat healthy. Some days it don't get no damn cardio here. Man, Please, ain't no way his weights staring to save the mind. Absolutely, I know exactly what you mean.

But they got it.

They gotta get more productivity from him. I'm talking about defensively too, bro. He you know, MB can't just think by putting his stamp on the game that he's gonna score twenty five thirty. He gotta find other ways to affect the game.

For sure.

I mean, way Philly can win this series.

Paul George has to go from seventeen eighteen to probably twenty five a night. And damn, Maxie, you gotta you got. Maxie has to be the guy gonna get you thirty. I mean, I love the fact and beat his fight throwing and playing, but those two guys gotta carry you. MAXI gotta be that guy.

He gotta put that Superman cap on the have a couple a couple of nights, so you know, in the playoff series, your superstar gonna have a couple of nights. Yeah, I agree, I agree. A minus twenty eight for Maxi to night Bro, they cannot happen.

Minus twenty five for Ubri, minus twenty four from B minus twenty six.

Hell, as a matter of fact.

When you lose by thirty nine, ain't nobody gonna have no plus, ain't nobody gonna yeah?

Damn, y'all gotta start yeah, Uncle Jay, y'all gotta start listening.

It's one game, oh yo, one game bro?

All right, okay, okay, so when when when When the game happened Wednesday and the goddamn six lose again, what's the excuse gonna be then.

Well all they did was hold serve home. Yeah.

Series don't start until somebody wins on somebody else home court.

Okay, Okay, so y'all that's why it works.

Okay, Hey, hey, Minnesota in the Spurs. Now we got a damn series.

You hear me?

Yeah? Okay, okay, Minnesota and the Nuggets. What happened?

Yeah, it's a different Minnesota team though.

This just this Minnesota went to different stole one and say, oh we got something.

It's different. It's a different series. Now I see act getting better and better. Are y'all coming back? It's a different Minnesota team.

Hey, but I.

Don't know who, but somebody better turn into doctor J. Somebody from better turn into doctor J. And the other one butter turn into AI.

Because if they don't, I got, I got Philly bouncer back. Man, They ain't. They ain't gonna get. They a't gonna get.

They going out like that, They ain't gonna get the dole blew off of them like this in game two, Bro, they gonna be a lot better in game two. Watch it just look. Not only does it match ups, but it's the adjustments that the coaches make. Bro, Philly gotta make a few adjustments. And I agree with you on that, Joe. I think it'll be a better game, you know, playing

It'll be a closer game. But I don't I don't see. I think the Knicks. I think the ne getting out this serious it may.

See, That's what I'm talking about, Manet.

Getting out the serious Philly Philly.

I mean, we're gonna give Philly a seven game series against against the Boss and Celtiss.

They had a tough go at it. You know, it took seven games, so we'll give them that. We don't give them that one game, but game two we need to see a lot of improvement.

M m Yeah, Nicks better go all the way to the NBA Finals because they won't have a smooth they won't have a smooth path to what they got right. Chant Holmgren called Ruy Mora but Japanese Michael Jordan, describing his game, something about thus guy.

He's a talented guy.

He plays a little bit like the Japanese Jordan sometimes when you see the turnaround and stuff.

And don't follow for this ship. Ruin. He trying to butter you up, trying to buy you up, trying to soften you up for the game. You better go in there and go with their neck.

Well, yeah, hey, I already know it's gonna be a good with I know when I see Ruin and he just turned the clippers to his own head and it's all butchers Ruin going off, y'all. Ain't no way you paying somebody good money to cut you like that. That's your job. That's a huge job right there. So when I saw that, when I saw that cut the other day, yeah, man, Ruin about to go.

Smooth off for these fools.

Yeah,