Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors trying to stave off elimination. Tonight, we'll see if the New York Knicks can advance to their first Eastern Conference Finals since two thousand and of course, Minnesota trying to get it done as well. Our next guest played pro basketball for a number of years for a number of teams, including said New York Knicks. It's a pleasure to welcome in Quentin Richardson to the program
on Wednesday, on a Wednesday afternoon. Q. Happy Wednesday, man, how are we doing.
I'm good, I'm good. Appreciate you I having me.
I appreciate the time. So do you think the New York Knicks get it done tonight? Boston eight and two without Tatum this year, they're a four point five point favorite at home? Q?
How do you think it goes down in Boston tonight?
I'm skeptical right now, man, because on the one hand, I do think that the Knicks have the advantage. They got the momentum right now, and they've already won two games on their home court in this series, so they should, with all the intents and purposes, be able to get the job done. But I just hesitate a little bit
because the Celtics our champions, they do have pride. I don't think they want to go out in that fashion, just saying, you know, every all of the rest of those guys individually, they don't want to feel like the once Tayton went down there was just all over for them. So I'm sure they're gonna put their best for it and come out with a with a with a championship
type effort for the night. But I think as long as as long as New York stays out, you know, letting it become a big lead and having to fight back from that, you know, and they get brusting into into crunch time, I think he can get it to eat and get it done.
Kil Is somebody who played in the league for a number of years. All kind of concede to your opinion here, And I understand that the system is the system in Boston, the five out spacing, We're gonna shoot a lot of threes. But when the threes aren't falling and you have like a fourteen to twenty point lead, why don't you adjust a little bit?
Like, look, I am all in on New York.
I want to see the Knicks do it, but I'm kind of stunned that Joe Missoula and the Celtics haven't made more adjustments.
Kind of help me understand this, yah, I mean.
I mean when teams come into it, you know, once you get to this point in the season, you are who you are. You played the way you play. But I do agree regardless of that, regardless if you got the personnel that they have, you have Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown those first two games, it should have never gone down that way with them guys just continuing the
fire fire, fire away. When you got guys that are that good at driving the ball and drawing files and getting in the pain and making different things happen, and for them not to not do that either of those games, and watching the twenty point league collapse, that I felt like it should have been some type of change. Even if that he is your philosophy, at some point, you know,
you got to try to do something else. Not to say you completely abandoned the three, but you got to try and you know, mix something else in there, try something else as well.
Tell me what stands out most to you about the evolution of Jalen Brunson.
I mean, we saw him.
We're in Salt Lake City and the final playoff series that the Jazz had with Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell was against the Dallas Mavericks and Luca got hurt and Jalen was the primary offense initiate, and so we saw what he could do out here, at least.
In a truncated space.
But a lot of people thought the Knicks were taking a big gamble on a guard that doesn't have great size, and that's not necessarily a modern day NBA approach. What stands out most about how good he's been qu in New York, I.
Think that for me, it's the mental aspect of it. You know that his mental makeup. I think that's a big part of what makes him as good as he is. I mean the player, he's unbelievable to be able to do the things he does in his size and without as much athleticism that he has. I mean, he's unbelievable with shooting the ball, and you could tell everything is repetition. Like people ask where this confidence come from. It comes from him getting in the gym and doing things so
many times that he expects it to work. And I mean the other part of that man to play in New York and the high the type of mental makeup he has. It's a perfect marriage because he doesn't get too high or too low with anything. And I don't think he pays attention to a lot of the noise. And there's not a lot of people that could do that. People say, yeah, I don't care. I don't listen to what nobody say. Oh, I don't read anything, I don't
look at anything. Ain't but they do. And I think either whether he does look at it or not, I don't think it has an effect on him because he doesn't put a whole lot of stock into it, either way up.
Or down as somebody you played in that city.
What will the reaction be of Knick fans in New York if the Knicks can get it done at advance in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Oh man, I can't. I can't tell you how much pandemonium there will be, because I'm telling you right now, the Knicks fans, I think in championship, and I mean rightfully so, they absolutely have a crazy good opportunity to win the championship in the first one. If they've ever ever had a chance in a long time. So I mean they got it. They got a right to be,
you know, to be excited and things like that. But I would be very cautious and respectful before I start saying we getting to the finals, you still got to eliminate Boston. You still gotta watch the Pacers. The Pacers are not gonna be an easy series. In my opinion, I do think the Knicks can beat them, but it won't be easy at all.
I don't think, no, not at all.
I mean Rick Carlisle, of course, is a Chanceampionship coach, and they've got They've got a bunch and Q you know this. I mean they have a bunch of just dogs, pit bulls on the perimeter.
I mean guys that can really guard.
And we had Donovan Mitchell out here for five years before he was traded to Cleveland, and we all kind of pull for Donovan want to see him do well. But let me ask you what stands out most about just how Indiana is playing the right way at the right time of year.
I mean, it has a lot to do with you said, man, they got a really good team. They got a deep team, they got a lot of guys that they can shuffle in. They go about nine to ten bat and that's a big deal when you look at the New York teams that only go six seven to eight beat. So, I mean when you think about that Indiana, they play at a fast paced you know what I'm saying, Tyree Kelly
Burden and getting guys the ball. Guys are running and then like you say, they got the intangle moves man, they got a mouth turner who doesn't get enough credits. I feel like he's one of the few big men that really impact shots at the rim and that paint protection. He impacts it at a high, high level, but also goes out there and shoot three. It's like a it's like a you don't really get that a lot from guys that are shot blockers that can shoot at the high cliff that he can and the mid post and
everything else. I like top to bottom man, they got they got a deep rock to them hard Matt Durin. They come off the Smith off the Bennie Smith is an absolute dog on defense. I don't know if everybody is a lot of people have paid close attention because it hasn't gotten like the whole ride rod to it. But if you just take a couple possessions and you just watch him, just follow him. He is all over his man. He is getting over screens, through screens, around screens.
He's getting up into people when they get the ball. He's pressuring the ball up the court. He is He's tremendous on defense. I'm a big fan of Aaron E. Smith on defense.
Let me ask you about Donovan who I think it's now eight straight years that he's not been able to get out of the second round.
And look, it's obviously a team sport. It's not all on him.
And I've seen Donovan Mitchell have individual playoffs scoring nights that is very rarefied air. Do you think he is a number one Q on a team that can win a championship?
I do. I do think he can be a number one, but it has to be the right right team. He has had the right type of support. So I mean, that's like you said, the years that he has in advance, you can go through the numbers. I can't. We can't just you know, put it on him like, yeah, he if you want to consider him the best guy to lead on the team, that falls on him from that respect. But I mean he's put in major work, Like you said, rear fied Ear with some of the numbers he's been
putting up in these losses and things like that. And then every every instance you can point to someone else there that could have done more, been more, that are more expected of, for more for them.
Now there are some rumblings the staff is going to try to go tonight.
I don't know what that's going to look like.
Do you give the Warriors any shot of at least getting this thing back to San Francisco.
I give everybody a shot. Man could just because I know the pride of an actual of us as athletes, Like you know what I'm saying. It's one game. We just got to turn up one time and worried about everything else after that. So they definitely, I mean they got they got. Even if step doesn't play, I still give them an outside shot. I mean, I'm not gonna be surprised at Minnesota go ahead and close it out and handle their business. But I'm not gonna say that
I don't give the Warriors a shot. I know what Jimmy has in him, Draymond is a champion, some of those other guys, these are pros man, we got pride and they not just gonna lay down.
So coach Chadleman elected to leave Nikola Jokichen every minute in the fourth. Jamal Murray too, and I understand why Denver's not as deep as Oklahoma City, but of.
Course the Nugets just ran out of gas.
And now we go back to Denver to see if Denver can get this thing back to game seven.
I know you say you give everybody a.
Chance, and certainly nobody would bet against Nikola Jokic, But what do you make of what we've seen so far with Denver and OKC and how do you think it plays out?
I had Okay see winning this series. I would say that I'm surprised because of the coaching aspect, because I don't expect the team that priors their coach three games before the rec before the playoffs, I didn't expect them to have any type of run I thought they might have got. I wouldn't have been surprised they got eliminated
in the first round because of that. But I mean, when you like I said, that's as players, we got pride Man, they got they got Joker, who could be possibly the you know, arguably the best player on the planet, right now, and Aaron Gordon has played out of his mind this postseason. He's been I mean off season, but particularly this is postseason with the game winners and the timely baskets and things he's been able to do for them. And Jamal Murray has has has the superstar Jamal Murray
has showed up, so right now anything could go. I still don't consider this is a full long conclusion for ok see, they definitely had to take this as a as a and come in with a sense of urgency and not not allow them to get the crowd going and get get into this game because Denver is not gonna lay down. This is gonna be a dogfight.
I feel like, Hugh, I know you're doing the media thing now, and I know you played for a handful of different teams. Do you have a rooting interest in any of the teams left? Is there a team you'd like to see goin the thing?
Oh? Not particularly, man, I just I just really want to see you know, good good basketball, good series, hard falk games. Teams you know, turn injuries off. I hate what happened to Tatum and anybody else that got injured. I want to see guys get teens get to go at it with a full compliment and just see who the best team is. Man. You know, I got I got a lot of different ties to different ball clubs and stuff like that. The New York Knicks. I'm once
the Knick, always a Knicks. So I definitely would be excited if they were able to win the championship because I know what that would mean to that to that fan base, to the to the franchise, to the folks that work in them buildings, that's been working there fall them years and they've got to go through the you know,
ups and downs and things like that. So I know what it would mean from that standpoint, from being there for a period of time and seeing how you know, on on hands on the ground, and seeing how how impactful the Knicks are to that city. I mean, I've seen the Giants win, the Yankees win, but everybody still talks about how how they waiting to see when the Knicks win, how it's gonna be. And I would love to see it last.
Thank you all. You got to run.
But reports are that Yannis is now open to being traded from Milwaukee.
Is there a team that you like as far as the fit goes.
You think, should you know, should trade for Giannis and Antonio.
I would love to see the Yin and Yang to his powerful dominance playing alongside the Unicorn or the alien that that win. Biyama is all right now. I think they got enough assets and everything with the draft picks they just got in some of the young players they can move and things like that with the contracts and so I think they can make it happen.
There you go, Q, thanks for the time. Enjoy the game tonight. We'd love to have you back on soon.
Okay, all right, man, anytime fellas All right?
Quentin Richardson he played in the NBA for twelve years, played for the Clips, the Suns, the Knicks, the Heat and the Magic that actually resigned with the Knicks to retire. Uh played only a game for them. Was a really really good shooter, good two way player, kind of a three and D guy before.
That kind of became in vogue.
I's got a podcast called Knuckleheads? Is that with uh Darius Smiles? Darius Miles because they both were the knuckleheads?
Right yeah?
You can look on YouTube right right now to watch me do the knuckleheads. Can people see me doing this. Yes, okay, this is cue right now, that's what they used to do. WASQ part of the Nick teams that you kind of fell in love with when you were early on in your basketball fandom?
Yeah, so I actually was. He was part of the Knicks teams early, right, And you man, I don't think there was a check its overlap It was four h five maybe, No, there was not, right, So it was it was kind of some of those late nineties Knicks players were still hanging around a few of them, and Q was on those teams. I really really liked his game. It just it was a little before the game became what it is today. Which, man, you would love to have a Quent Richardson from two thousand and five, two
thousand and six in a NBA roster today. And then yeah, he signed with Mellows playoff run Nicks, right, the team that ended up going and beating the Celtics in Round one, beating Kevin Durant and Paul Pearson in that team. Quint was on on that roster. So yeah, he was. He was a guy I liked a lot and then has been good to me in the in the the media's versions he joined, So he's a he's a friend of the show.
Now, yeah, McDonald's all American, and I'll tell you what, she was really good. But I thought I thought Darius Miles was going to be like a ten time All Star, right, he's an He's another one that's like.
That type of explosiveness, that type of athleticism and the length. For sure, it pops on a college floor so much. And then you know, or even the high school stuff right with you look AT's like stroll Miles Swift. I think the same thing. Guys that showed that type of domination at the previous levels, and that the NBA almost everyone's like kind of like that, or they're seven feet tall, so it evens the play for a little bit.
Yeah, Darius was six'.
Nine he committed to play At Saint, john's then decommitted when he realized he was going to be a top. Pick he was a number three pick overall and never fully developed the way that we thought that he. Would he played in THE nba for nine, years bounced around a little. Bit his best years were actually In, portland not with The. Clippers spent a couple of years In cleveland as. Well but, yeah interesting stuff there so a
couple of a couple of interesting games. Tonight it looks like the reports are that they're going to maybe attempt to Give Stephen curry some minutes.
TONIGHT i don't know how that's going to.
GO i, mean hamstrings are so, tricky but it's do or, die and of Course steph will give it his.
All that's going to be a tough place to.
Play The Target center In minneapolis when the when The timberwolves are, good it's very much like The Delta center when The jazz are, good, loud the fans are right on top of, you and it just feels the feels like The timberwolves kind of have the The warriors. NUMBER i don't fully understand Why Jimmy butler hasn't looked as
engaged AS i thought that he. WOULD i, mean this was a guy that like single handily took The heats to the finals just a few years, ago and With stefan, OUT i thought we would see more of The butler show than we've, seen and he's been just a little bit, Hesitant and you, know is this kind of the Moment Anthony, edwards who already has a tremendous playoff, pedigree even as a young player even takes that proverbial next, step it feels like we're high speed ahead To minnesota And. Oka,
See i'm not ready to Bury denver just. Yet denver just has so many depth. Issues AND i understand why Coach adaman last night went With jokic And murray And gordon and the entire group in the fourth, quarter the entire fourth. Quarter the bio rhythms with that team is Typically jokicic takes about the first three or four minutes off of the fourth to kind of get him to finish, it and then usually they'll Bring jokic back in and sit them all.
For a little, bit but all hands on.
Deck they had like a fourteen point lead in the fourth and then if you were, watching every one of their three point shots were.
SHORT i, mean the legs were.
Gone and the problem Is Oklahoma city has a team Where Mark dagnoll can go like twelve deep if he, wants and they're all. YOUNG i, mean off the top of my, HEAD i think the oldest player might Be Alex, caruso AND i Think alex is still in his. TWENTIES i, mean that's Where denver's running into. Issues they're so top,
heavy and they're just a little bit. Older they don't have the ability to supplement the Non jokich or Non murray minutes the way THAT okc can even do with the Non sga minutes because they can Have Jalen williams be their primary ball. Handler So warriors T wolf Tonight Target center In, minneapolis and then for the first time since two thousand against The Indiana. Pacers ironically, enough The New York knicks will attempt to make The Eastern Conference.
Finals The Boston celtics are a favorite at. Home they're a four point five point favorite at last. Check even
Without Jason. TATUM Td garden's going to be. Crazy you, Know Bill simmons as the whole Like Patrick ewing theory which is based off Those Nicks night ninety nine when they went to the finals with you in on the, sideline and his whole theory is, that you, know all of these guys are really good players in pro, basketball and when the best player on your, team AND i do Think Jason tatum is the best player on The celtics to respect To Jaylen, brown who was The FINALS
mvp a year, ago there's like this collective effort that kind of comes to the, forefront And boston has plenty left even Without Jason. Tatum eight and two Without tatum this, year of, course it sucks to have an injury adversely affect. You so those are the two games tonight with The nicks and The celtics and then The warriors and The.
TIMBERWOLVES tnt will have that for.
You The pacer stuff is really, interesting And Rick carlile himself, postgame Both Rick carlisle actually And Kenny atkinson last. Night So Kenny Atkinson coach of The Year Cleveland, cavaliers.
They get rid OF.
Jb, bickerstaff he goes To, Detroit kenny came, in did a really good job With, cleveland And kenny admitted last night like they're just playing.
At a level that we're not out right. Now and when you.
Look At rick carry lot What Rick carlisle has, done Inserting Andrew nemhart into the starting lineup And Aaron nesmith who was injured for a, while Alongside Pascal siakam who's been An All, star And Miles turner who's like Mister pacer for ten.
Years he's been a steady big for.
Them and then obviously Their lynchpin Is Tyree, saliburton but they also can go nine deep With Obi, TOPPIN tj, McConnell Benedict matherin who wants to fight, everybody And Ben shepherd's a good. Player they've got four or five wings that will cause The knicks a lot of problems if The knicks can get passed The celtics. Tonight but that is the perfect example of a team that kind of slow played it and then just figured it out comes spring and they are simply playing the right way at
the right time of. Year and interesting to HEAR q talk About Donovan mitchell as the number one option for a championship.
TEAM i.
DON'T i honestly don't really. Know And i'm conflicted here Because i've Seen donovan have individual scoring outbursts in playoff games that put him alongside the leait names in the history of this, game Including Michael, jordan Including alan iverson some of the great postseason scores we've.
Seen donovan has numbers to match.
Them but there's just something that happens down the stretch where he cowers away from. Physicality so you hear this thing about him where he understands the moment and he steps up when the moment is the, biggest AND i would actually counter that he steps up until the moment is absolutely as big as the moment can. Get if that makes, Sense and it sounds like a, criticism and in a, way maybe it, is But.
I'm not trying to be.
CRITICAL i just don't know BECAUSE i saw it here over and over and over where he'd have these games where he dropped like forty or sometimes even half a, hundred and then you look at the box, score, like you can't be critical About donovan because he had, Forty but what you don't see are weird turnovers down the stretch or simply cowering away From Benedict matherin or Aaron Ne smith and not responding to physicality in big playoff
moments the way superstars have to. Respond If i've said it, Once i've said it a thousand, times And i'll say it.
Again my biggest.
Thing about are you a legitimate superstar in pro? Basketball is you get it down in the playoffs on the, road when the moments are at their, biggest and when the moments have been as big as they can. Get donovan just hasn't met them. Yet twenty, seven twenty eight years. OLD i think he's twenty eight years, Old so he is smack dab in the middle of his. Prime and my guess Is cleveland does run it. Back they have all of their big four under, Contract Evan, Mobley Jared,
Allen Darius, Garland Donovan. Mitchell DeAndre, hunter who they acquired in a trade With atlanta provided some. Punch isaaccorro is a Good primmeter defensive. Player Ti jerome had a solid. Year so what do you do with The Max, struce's The Dean, wades The Ti jerome's like the decisions you have to make another team to look at as it pertains to whether or not the front office is making a different. Calculation and because of another playoff, failure but we'll.
See only time will. Tell it felt bad For, donovan but he did step up to the podium and drop a bunch of expletives to show you that he's serious about. Improving Quentin richardson today stops by a courtesy of our friends AT Ifa Country.
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