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Chapter 1: What does Nick Wright believe Jalen Brunson needs to improve?
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Chapter 2: How did the Knicks perform in the last game against the Spurs?
Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the Heard at foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It is World Cup week here in the Herd.
USA and Paraguay kicks it off for the United States men's national team on Friday. Two days away from the World Cup kicking off on Fox and FS1. Nick Wright, he and I are going to do a deep dive in a few minutes. I thought sometimes you get the whistle, sometimes you don't. I thought the refs missed a call on Wimby. I gave you a reason why, but overall...
The Knicks lost the turnover battle, and the team that's lost it is 0-3 in the finals. Wemby had his best game. Cat had his worst. And let's be honest. The Spurs were more aggressive, created more free-throw opportunities, and the Knicks are terrified of Wemby when he's on the floor, and they're becoming a jump-shooting team that is very Jalen Brunson-dependent.
So before we get to that, all week at this time, we're going to offer what we call World Cup Week Super 6. Yesterday, it was the six greatest goals by Christian Pulisic as a member of the United States men's national team. Today, Messi and Ronaldo, two of the greatest players of all time, maybe the two best players ever. Here are their six greatest World Cup goals. Number six.
I'm stolen here by Lee Edson. But Ronaldo is getting there first. It's six. But they have indeed been magic. What a day in Cape Town. Messi's pass. And he gets it back. Lionel Messi. That is what he does.
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Chapter 3: What factors contributed to the Knicks' loss in Game 3?
Lionel Messi reaches out for perfection and grabs it.
Number four.
We're looking at short this time. In by Moutinho and in by Ronaldo. He is a sensation. 85 goals in 152 games for Portugal. Statistically now, there is no one to match him. Number three.
Look at that ball. Messi brings it down. In the box. Messi. Goal. Argentina wins. Look at the touch. Look at the way to the pass.
Messi puts it in his path and buries it to the far post.
What a great touch.
Set up and shot by Lionel Messi. Number two. Ronaldo through. number one Argentina come again with Messi you go for goal here oh my goodness gracious me if one man could win a football match it would be Lionel Messi curled around the defense curled around the goalkeeper curled into the net that is vintage Messi A combined 21 World Cup goals. And with that, you know, I said this.
I wanted last night, I wanted San Antonio to extend the series. I think they're worthy. I think these are even teams. The winner of the turnover battle is 3-0. I thought the Spurs were cleaner, pushed the ball down low in the paint, created more free throw opportunities. Knick fans think they got a lousy whistle.
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Chapter 4: How does Victor Wembanyama's performance impact the series?
With that, Knick Wright, first things first, is joining us live from New York. I mean, I said to start the show, we always need an excuse when our favorite team loses. And if you didn't watch the game, I'd say, Wemby? was the best player on the floor by a wide margin, and Cat was a no-show. That was a part of it to me.
I mean, your take on Wemby's performance, defensively, I don't know if I've ever seen anything like what I'm seeing. It's just insane that he can run to the corner and alter a corner three as a postman. What did you make of the overall tire ribbon on one or two things that just jumped out to you last night, Nick?
Yeah, listen, I... So I had an interesting strategy, Colin, because I don't know if you saw the news, but tickets to the game were quite pricey. And I do like going to live sporting events. And so I had a theory, which is, what if... I simply bet on the Knicks in game three enough to pay for a ticket in game four. And that was looking great at halftime. And then not so much.
So while I'm not a Knicks fan, I was last night. And while I understand their frustration with the officiating, that is not why they lost. The reason the Spurs shot so many free throws was because the Knicks played a sloppy, disorganized, undisciplined defensive game for the first time in more than a month, and they fouled a lot.
I really think a lot of the officiating frustration, aside from when Wimby shoved Brunson down early in the game, the refs just missed it. I think a lot of the officiating frustration is, Game two, I thought the Knicks got an awful whistle, but they won anyway. So it's like Knicks fans were ready to complain about the whistle in game two, but they won, so you have nothing to complain about.
And then in game three, it spilled over. The Knicks did not lose last night because of the officiating. The Knicks lost last night. Listen, that was a missed call that they should have called, but set that aside. The Knicks lost last night, Colin. You said it exactly right. For the first time all series, the guy who's been called the best player in the world was the best player on the court.
That was the first game all series where Victor Wimbinyama played up to his standard. where he was better than any of the next is the first game is better than towns i was the first game in my opinion he was even the best guy on his own team he was energetic and excellent on both ends through four quarters that's why they want on that now on the flip side if you're the next
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Chapter 5: What strategies are being discussed for the Knicks to win?
You played, I thought, I don't think there's anyone on the Knicks. That's not true. OG and Josh Hart can be like, we played great. Yeah, OG was good. Cat didn't play well. Bridges was a total no-show. Brunson is struggling this series. And despite all of that... They were in the mix at the end. If Castle doesn't hit that three with two minutes left, it's a four-point game. Who knows?
So this series probably should be 2-1. It is 2-1. I certainly would not panic if I were the Knicks. And it was a great bounce back by Wimby after the disastrous end of Game 2. I'm curious what his energy level will be on only one day rest before game four, which I do expect the Knicks to win, but sadly I won't be in attendance for it because I lost the bet.
It's about a two, two and a half point number there, so it's going to be a close game. I think I'd probably lean Knicks. Here's what jumped out to me, and I've said this before, is that James Harden's history in Game 7s, he runs out of gas. And Luka, we've seen this in his NBA season, he can run out of gas. The usage rate by Brunson now is getting ridiculous.
He's taken 44 more shots than any Knick. It's the third highest usage rate in the history of the finals. Only LeBron and MJ, much bigger, stronger athletes, have had a usage rate this high. And my takeaway last night is this team's reverting back to the team that got Tibbs fired. to the team that could not finish it against the Pacers. Brunson is the offense.
They're becoming very, I mean, again, Bridges and Cat. Cat hasn't scored a point in the fourth quarter. I think the worry for me is ball-centric, high usage rate players, guards, do not necessarily age well in a series.
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Chapter 6: How does the World Cup affect the current sports narrative?
They're often exceptional early, exhausted late. That, to me, jumps out with Brunson. Where are you with Brunson in the series? Listen, I think it's been a tough matchup. Stephon Castle, who I think has been, over the course of the three games, the most consistently excellent Spur. Obviously, last night, Wimby had a better game than anybody's had.
But Castle, I still think, hit the clinching shot. Castle has been giving Brunson a huge headache. I am not as worried about Brunson's usage as you are, in part because the Knicks had played so few games this postseason, and Brunson had played such low minutes, and after tomorrow's game, they're going to have two days rest between each game.
I don't think he's going to wear down, but I do think, and I... The Knicks were on the second longest winning streak in the history of the NBA playoffs.
They were due a bad game, and they deserve the benefit of the doubt to just call it a bad game, so I don't want to overreact to it, but Cat does have to be more involved late in these games, and they've got to find a way to get Jalen going early, because even games one and two, you could argue Jalen was better in game three than Then games one or two, at least from an efficiency standpoint.
But games one and two, he had the heroics down the stretch. Last night, he wasn't able to do it. I still think the Knicks are better. They've played six times this year. The Knicks have won four of them. The Knicks feel to me a touch, not a touch, considerably more rested, fresher. I believe the Knicks are going to take full control of this series tomorrow night and go up 3-1.
But they're going to need to get over the hump. One. I don't know if they'll need more than one, but one excellent start to finish Brunson game. They haven't had it yet. So it's interesting. The Knicks shoot 39% when Wemby's on the floor, 58% when he's not. Basically, when Luke Cornett checks in, it's like the toll road's open. All right, let's attack the basket. I said last night watching Wemby,
uh... one of the things i've set up ad nauseum on the show president's never get credit for recessions they avoid you know with it so you don't get credit sometimes as a parent for avoiding crazy kids when he doesn't even get credit he gets credit for blocks he doesn't get credit for the shots he detours what's really clear to me watching the next last night they're terrified like that if they lead the league in u turns
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of the Knicks' high usage rate players?
Do you think they've been too passive? I mean, I think it's even affecting their perimeter shots is that he's in their head. Do you see that? Listen, Wimby is one of the more unique defensive players ever.
He is showing, you know, as teams try to get more physical with him, he's showing this postseason a bit of a mean streak that I think he's going to need throughout his career, particularly until he gets a little physically stronger. I think at times he can lose his temper. At times he can go, you know, a little too far with it. And I also think...
That when he's out on the perimeter, yes, him being out on the perimeter contesting shots can be great for them. It also has led to him getting blown by a decent amount. OGN and Obie's had some good moments in that. I think it's unquestioned. He's the most impactful defensive player in the sport. I don't think he doesn't get credit.
He just became the first ever unanimous defensive player of the year. I do think it is interesting. The thing about the Spurs with Cornette on the floor during the regular season, Colin, this was not the case. They played a ton of Cornette minutes because Wimby was on such a minutes restriction, and they were a great defense with Cornette on the floor.
Not as good as they are with Wimby, but still a great defense. It does feel like in these series, the last two specifically, It's not so much that Cornette is all of a sudden a bad defensive player. It is that the players on the opposition see Wimby's off the court and they get a boost of energy. It's like, all right, now is our chance. Now's our moment to go to the basket. And that I do think...
is actually an important factor as this series goes on, in that Wimby is not going to do the old LeBron or Jordan thing of, oh, okay, so game four, I'll play 42 minutes. Game five, I'll play 44. Then I'll play 46. And Wimby's going to stay right around 40 minutes max. So you're going to have these moments of time to take advantage with him off the court.
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Chapter 8: What insights does Nick Wright provide about Brunson's playoff performance?
The Knicks must take advantage of it. you know i was saying this yesterday and brunson there's there's this sort of narrative now that he's been underappreciated and my set my take was you know he's actually a little russell wilson So he is at college when his first national championship, he was like fourth or fifth scoring for Villanova.
On the second one, Dante DiVincenzo was the player of the tournament. So it's not like he came out and he wasn't a dominant scorer in college. And then he's a second rounder. And then next to Luca, he looks like clearly not the same level. And then, by the way, he's not a great defender. Historically, most of our great NBA players look like LeBron or Michael. Tim Duncan, Shaq.
He's not a hyper-athlete. Same with Russell Wilson. His college coach at North Carolina State said, now we're going to play Mike Glennon. He transfers to Wisconsin, goes in the third round, kind of smallish, kind of ad-libs too much. Is it the defense? Is it Pete Carroll, Marshawn Lynch? And I said, both are appropriately...
embraced but let's let's stop with the lack of respect russell was beloved in seattle in his prime brunson is beloved appropriately but the questions historically he doesn't look like an all-time great where where do you where are you with brunson as a top 20 player in the league in the in the respect he's been given
Well, listen, I think if anybody thinks he's not a top 20 player in the league, that would be disrespectful. I think he is building the case, Colin, this postseason, that he is the best American player. We'll see how this series finishes up. But if you want to go, like, Jason Tatum's coming off the Achilles, obviously. Tatum has, you know, a more decorated resume.
But him versus Ant, you talk about guys wearing down. Ant talked about wearing down in the conference finals. Ant had Carl Anthony Towns as his second best player, made a conference finals. Brunson's made an NBA finals. I would take Brunson over Cade Cunningham. There's another obvious American player that I'm forgetting. But he is in that argument, in that discussion. I think that's fair.
I think the skepticism, because I still have. I picked the Knicks to win the championship after the Celtics got knocked out. I've been very kind of like embracing what the Knicks have been on this run. And I still have people on the streets in New York City heckle me about my reaction when the Knicks signed Brunson.
Because that video goes viral every time he has a great game of me saying it was a massive overpay. He has continually exceeded expectations and kept raising the bar. Over the last three years, his playoff numbers are identical, identical to Shea's. What do we do with that? What do we do with the fact that even when he's playing poorly, he is as good of a clutch player as there is in the league?
What do we do with the fact that there's no one you really would trust more tie game 90 seconds left? And then what do you also do with the fact that he is breaking all the precedent? What can a small player do? What can a second round pick and a domestic second round pick do? Because sometimes international guys get overlooked, but not usually a guy that went to Villanova.
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