00:00Look, I believe in the old adage that a series doesn't start until the road team wins the game.
00:05That's fine.
00:05But what you've seen thus far, from the fourth quarter to overtime in game one
00:12to last night's full four quarters of basketball at the Garden,
00:16the Cleveland Cavaliers don't have an answer for the New York Knicks.
00:20They do a decent job here and there.
00:24They're very spotty.
00:25But the reality is that the New York Knicks happen to be the best closeout team in the NBA.
00:33The New York Knicks in the fourth quarter, when they have a lead,
00:36have figured out how to put their foot on your neck and put you out of your misery.
00:41And while the Cavs made a little mini run there and got from 18 to 7,
00:46and a lot of people started thinking, I'm watching online as well,
00:49oh, the New York Knicks are going to collapse just like the Cavs collapsed in game one.
00:53Mike Brown was very smart, I thought, with his timeouts.
00:56He stopped the run.
00:58And then, of course, the Knicks made big shots and went from 7 to 14 very quickly.
01:04The New York Knicks do not give up fourth quarter leads that often,
01:08and they know how to close out.
01:10And that, my friends, is the sign of a champion.
01:14Let's reconnect now with Tyrone, who's down the shore at one of his many rental properties.
01:20He's got 14 of them down in Wildwood and Avalon and Margate and Vendor
01:26and all the other well-to-do communities.
01:30And apparently was hitting the pipe this morning based on his eyeballs right now,
01:35which is all well and good.
01:36I want to know from you, Tyrone, if I look over your right shoulder,
01:41who tried to make Allen Iverson look like Josh Hart in that hand painting behind you?
01:46That is only, only Allen Iverson.
01:49Can we make sure Tyrone's sound is on?
01:50This is only Allen Iverson.
01:51This is awesome.
01:52This is only Allen Iverson.
01:54I do not hear Tyrone at all.
01:56Now, there you go, Tyrone.
01:57Go ahead.
01:58What do you got?
01:58Right.
01:59This is – that's Allen Iverson.
02:00But I don't – I'm sorry about the technical issues.
02:03This Knicks team, I can't hate on them anymore.
02:06I'm jealous of them.
02:07I'm jealous of you as a Sixers fan, as I'm representing.
02:11I am jealous because of the level of just dominance the Knicks are playing with
02:16that you just mentioned.
02:17And the other part is the defense.
02:19They didn't shoot well from three again, and it didn't matter.
02:24They're now a team that can beat you 100 ways.
02:26When they were shooting 95% against the Sixers, I'm thinking, okay,
02:29this is just a heater, and eventually they'll cool off.
02:32Well, they cooled off, and it doesn't make a lick of difference
02:35because they beat you in other ways.
02:37They smothered the Cavaliers.
02:39They're holding teams under 100 points in 2026.
02:42That's unheard of.
02:44This Knicks team is just awesome.
02:46Now, I can't say I'm rooting for you to win, but right now,
02:49if I'm a betting person, I'm betting the Knicks because I get the best value.
02:54And tell me when this team is going to be beaten four times out of seven
02:57in a series with the way they're playing, Craig.
02:59Well, now, from the other perspective, now the Cavs have to beat them
03:03four out of six to knock the Knicks out.
03:07Look, I think everyone's going to get it through their heads now.
03:09The New York Knicks are going to the NBA Finals.
03:12Like, that's done now.
03:13Now, do I think the Cavs will come to play?
03:15I do.
03:16I thought the Cavs did a good job in the first quarter.
03:18You know what I mean?
03:19That game was 5-0, 10 seconds in, right?
03:22The Cavs had a bad, embarrassing offensive turnover on their first possession.
03:27Knicks capitalized.
03:28They got a three.
03:29They got a two right out of the gate.
03:31Bang.
03:31Up 5-0.
03:32There was a chance 30 seconds in for the Cavs to fold up 10 and go home.
03:37They didn't.
03:37They fought back.
03:38They took the lead against the Knicks.
03:41There's just not enough of them.
03:43And that's the reality.
03:44I also think Donovan Mitchell has something wrong with him.
03:46He seemed out of the game, you know, mentally, facially.
03:50I know they talked about a groin injury.
03:51I know he did a good job scoring.
03:53But Donovan Mitchell did not look right to me.
03:56Someone's got to explain to me how you have Evan Mobley,
04:00who has 14 points in the first half
04:03and was their best player by far, I thought.
04:05And in the second half, does not even attempt a single shot.
04:10Like, let that sink in.
04:11I know a lot of people also bet his over,
04:14which is 15 and a half total points.
04:16He had 14 points at halftime,
04:19did not take another shot in the second half,
04:23and he had two free throws.
04:25He missed them both.
04:26So, again, I'm not sure how much of that is,
04:28just as you said, the stifling defense
04:31that the Knicks showed everybody yesterday
04:33because they are a great defensive team,
04:35not a good defensive team.
04:37I'm not sure how much they get credit for that
04:39versus just how bad the Cavaliers were.
04:41But it don't matter to me, Tyrone.
04:43You said the most honest words you've ever said.
04:47Philadelphia is jealous of New York,
04:50and rightfully so,
04:51because New York is now the capital
04:54of the basketball world,
04:56and you got to get used to that.
04:57So, yeah.
04:57So, Uhh,
04:57all right.
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