Nightcap Hour 1: Spurs CHOKE vs Knicks in GAME 2 of NBA Finals + Wemby TOO YOUNG to Win? + Rick Brunson CONFRONTS De’Aaron Fox

21:45Shannon Sharpe:They played Portland, and then they played Thunder.

21:49Chad Johnson:The Thunder wasn't fully healthy. This damn Knicks team, healthy, man. and they have a plethora of guys who've been playing well all playoffs long, bro. Hey, hey, hey, hey, they giving the Spurs hell. And I'm talking about they doing it in San Antonio. I think that's the most disheartening thing when I'm watching. They beating them boys at the crib. I'm talking about beating them at their own game, just outworking them, bro. If you ask me, it seems like the Knicks want it more. Hey, Joe, listen to me. That's the problem with y 'all, y 'all old folk. Y 'all don't listen. I told you before the series started, what would happen?

22:28I said Nixon six. I didn't know. Honestly, I'm going to be honest with you, Joe. I really thought, you know, San Antonio being able to play the second game at home, they would win tonight. This makes it that much more difficult. Them boys ain't ready to talk to the garden.

22:42Shannon Sharpe:I don't see a scenario. Me, personally, Joe, I don't see a scenario where they come back to play another game in San Antonio. You said they feeling good. I don't see how. Hey, Joe, what you clean your house with when you got dust on the floor? Huh? A broom. A broom? Huh? I told you. Nah. I told you New York City will be flipped upside down, and the Statue of Liberty is going to walk for the first time. She coming up out that water. I'm telling you. Y 'all don't listen to me.

23:10Chad Johnson:Hey, listen, Ojo. The Knicks playing great ball. Yes, sir. I'm going to give them that. I mean, everybody who comes in the game for them are contributing, you know, at a high rate. I mean, everybody, bro, from McBride to Shamit. I mean, Shamit's still hot. You know, he's making timely threes, knocking down shots. For a guy who was on the training camp, you know, on his training camp squad, they didn't even know he was going to have a guaranteed contract to be playing these type of minutes in the finals, bro, is great for him. I mean, he's been amazing for the Knicks, bro. Another shot maker, a guy who you got to honor.

23:53Chad Johnson:You know, it gives room for guys like Brunson to be able to, you know, break cats down and be able to make plays. But for me, man, it's cat, bro. It's Carl Anthony Towns.

24:03Shannon Sharpe:21 points, 13 rebounds, four assists tonight. 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists. He's shooting 56-43-100. 56 % from the floor, 43 % from the three, and he's shooting 100 % from the free throw line. He's been outstanding. He's taken the challenge to defend Carletta, to defend Wimby. He's punishing Wimby, and that's why you see Wimby tonight. Because what Cat did in game one, put the ball on the floor going around him. Now he has Wimby apprehensive about running out there. He's going out there with his hand down. What's he doing? Draining the three.

24:37Chad Johnson:Knocking it down. You see what he did?

24:39Shannon Sharpe:He planted that seed. You come out here already with your hand up if you want to, I'm going to go around you. and that's what he's doing. He gets a smaller guy on him and they get a cross switch, he's punishing whoever it is. If it's Vassell, if it's Champagny, if it's Harper, it does not matter. If it's Castle, he's punishing him. He is not settling. He is not settling. He's not, bro.

25:05Chad Johnson:He's not.

25:06Shannon Sharpe:And that's what we've always knew he had it in him. He just showed, he's showing you right now that, man, when I don't settle, Yeah, we know you can shoot the ball, Cat But this is the best version of Cat A guy that's played Because Cat didn't want to play no defense Cat rarely played defense

25:26Chad Johnson:He's working

25:28Shannon Sharpe:He's making Wimby work

25:30Chad Johnson:Yeah What's up? I mean, talk about Wimby Cat understand, huh? Cat understand what's their state Well, we come out of here with two games On they court And they got to come to the garden man stop playing man it makes the game that much easier you know how you know how you know how much of advantage we have you have home court advantage you got that crowd behind you yep come on man yeah but but but you got to look at the when you look at cat bro you got to look at the challenge that he's taking he's starting off on winby alcan ocho i mean i didn't see that i didn't see that to start off he's done that in both games and hell he's been he's been great i think his defense him being assertive on defense taking that challenge it's kind of got him going offensively as well you know what i mean because he i'm talking about when the rebounds go up he out hustling when being on the rebounds getting extra possessions with his tip backs layups kick out for threes he's just doing a lot for this next team bro i'm talking about a lot and even even and even if he

26:36Shannon Sharpe:doesn't get the rebound he's doing a good job of keeping women from getting the rebound and you You saw the first game, the Thunder let him run around, and he got 24 rebounds. Now, he got his rebounds, but I thought they did a great job. I think the Knicks are doing an unbelievable job of finding Wimby and somebody putting a body on him. It does not matter who it is. Yeah, the majority of the time it's Cat because Cat is defending him, but when they get the switches, other guys are doing a great job of putting OG or putting a body on him. Mikael Bridges will put a body on him. Hart, it does not matter.

27:08Shannon Sharpe:and that that's a well-coached team they understand the task at hand look when they got that first game you know they probably had a conversation man let's go ahead and be greedy i ain't trying to come back to san antonio it ain't really nothing here for me ain't like we're in miami ain't like we're in la it's not like we're in vegas that we got ish to do let's go ahead and finish let's go ahead get greedy let's take sweet steaks and uh do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA.

27:50OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don't sleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lily, a medicine company. Copenhagen spit-free packs American grown tobacco into pouches made from when your elbows deep in an engine block,

28:16Shannon Sharpe:they're masked up, torching deep cuts into stubborn pipes, her helmets on riding deep into back country. When there's no time or space to spit, grab Copenhagen's spit-free pouches. Find them in stores today. Not all varieties available in all geographies. Warning, this product can cause mouth cancer. Now streaming on Paramount+. From executive producer Lena Waithe, the acclaimed series, The Shy, reaches its final chapter. For seven seasons, we've lived these stories, walked these streets, become part of this community. Now it all leads to this. Friendships will be tested. Families will evolve and secrets refuse to stay buried.

28:58As the past catches up and the future comes into focus, one truth remains, The Chi is more than a series. It's a legacy. Don't miss the final season of The Chi, now streaming on the Paramount Plus Premium Plan. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything.

29:19Chad Johnson:It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we can calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News, reporting for America. When it comes to advancing your education, you have more options than you think. At Rasmussen University, we find ways to remove barriers, not build them. like a new laptop if you're eligible, and enroll in select online or on-campus programs. That means flexible and engaging online courses and resources, tuition savings options if you qualify, exceptional student support, and much more.

30:02Online nationally or check out their 20 campuses across six states. Start when you're ready and get the support you need. Visit rasmussen.edu.

30:13Shannon Sharpe:The next game is Monday. The following game is Wednesday. Hey, hell, let's go out in the city on Wednesday night after we win the championship. that's how I would be thinking and you know what when you think about it too in this series Jalen Brunson the first two games he really had a great game I know you look at how many shots he's had to take to get the numbers that he does have OG has been consistent Cat right now if this was the final game Cat is winning MVP

30:41Chad Johnson:he's probably still going to win OG has been consistent as well we still haven't had one of those games from Josh Hart yet where he gives you 16, 18 sometimes 21. We ain't even had that yet. So one of those games is coming, and they're probably going to be back at home. He got in foul trouble early. He hasn't had an offensive spurt because he wouldn't do it defensively. And so many other things on the court that don't show up in the stat sheet. He's been special. Jalen Brunson is still going to have one of those games. They're going to come.

31:10Shannon Sharpe:It's going to be hard, Joe, I believe, for Brunson to have those games because they got such elite defenders. Castle making it extremely hard. of the cell can defend at a level. Harper is not the defender that those two guys are, but he's a big body. He does a great job of body and using his lower body. I think, look, Jalen, that shot that Jalen Brunson hit to tie the game up. That's a tough ass shot. Man. Hey coach, I can't play it any better than what I played it.

31:36Chad Johnson:Yeah.

31:39Chad Johnson:You can't, bro. You can't. And that's why, even though he hasn't played great, he's made timely shots down the stretch. He's been huge down the stretch, whether it's making shots, obviously, you know, getting to the foul line, making free throws. Man,

31:55Shannon Sharpe:he hasn't played great, but when he's needed to be great, he's been back. That fourth quarter in game one, the big shot, they put the ball in his hand, he tied it up because he missed that. Who knows? They get the rebound, maybe they go down, make a three, maybe they get a two, maybe it's a two-possession game. But now, hey, we tied up. We tied up. And that situation, I still don't know. I don't know. I'm going to need to hear women. Hopefully, before we go off the air, we can hear what he was thinking when he passed the ball ahead because the guy wasn't even looking.

32:36Chad Johnson:He's probably going to take ownership and say he's bad. He know that was a bad pass. But, man, we got to get a ref's credit because they holding that whistle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. boys play hey hey when you talking about being handsy you don't really see that that i mean this this 80s 90s basketball the way them guys out there he they let them play defense on the perimeter touch do a little holding you know it's physical bro so i think they've they've done a great job in bottling brunson up throughout the entire game making it tough on him hell he's having to take tough shots he's having to make tough shots i think i think they've done a great job on him i I just think these other guys around in the bridges, OG, Cat, those guys have been huge in these first two games.

33:21Shannon Sharpe:Last four guards, they have 20, five, five, and five. Five rebounds, five assists, five steals. Rayjean Rondo, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan. Tonight, Jalen Brunson joined that group. That's what you have to have, guys. That's what, you know, every time, you know, it would like to be a situation. I think I read in the stat where Michael Jordan scored at least 20 points. did he score 20 points in all 35 of his finals games something like that did he he probably did something like that joe uh no joe but it's when like i'm not at my best can my teammates be at their best right or can they be better and you look at what cat has been giving you these two games you look at him josh hart gave you he didn't give you the points the first game but he gave you an overall outstanding game with the rebound, the assist, the steals.

34:10Shannon Sharpe:You look at OG. OG has been sensational playing both ends of the court. Doesn't take a whole lot of shots, but he makes the shots that he take, he makes those count. Cat has been phenomenal. This is the cat. But I get it though, Joe, because once you get a taste of that scoring bug in your mouth, boy, it's hard for you to go like, yeah, I'm going to play some defense tonight.

34:31Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah, yeah. He understands, man, I am so close.

34:35Shannon Sharpe:this is close as I've ever been and I might not ever be back here again. Let me get that ring because getting a ring with the way I'm playing, it's going to be hard for them to deny me. Hey, he wasn't no tag alone. This ain't going to be no tag alone ring for cat. Big contributor. Now and people go look at people look at him different. Everybody sees how he's playing with me. Everybody's seeing the contribution that he's making on the defensive end and what he's doing on the offensive end. He's averaging 12 rebounds a game, basically 20, 12, and 4. That's what he's averaging. And playing outstanding defense on Wimby.

35:14Chad Johnson:You're absolutely right. And being the fact that he's from Jersey, okay, Ocho, to be able to get a title in New York, bro, I mean, obviously they all going to have the damn key to the city. But, man, this is legacy. You know, this big time, bro. You know, you win the title for the Knicks. But, man, I've been impressed, bro. I ain't going to lie. I didn't see this. I didn't see them outplaying the Spurs the way they've outplayed them. I didn't see them out muscling them, out physically them. I didn't see that, bro. And they showed me. The Knicks showed me. I think it's really Cat because we're so used to him floating around.

35:52Chad Johnson:Yes. Yeah. Not trying to defend. Yeah. Playing that finesse game. But he switched from Wimby. Hey, understanding the assignment, Joe. Understanding what it's going to take. What it's going to take. It's going to take you having to change your game. It's going to have to take you having to use your body, sit in the chair a little bit, you know, nullify this young fella who they call the alien. Huh? Hey, be his kryptonite. Cat, you got to be his kryptonite. And that's where he's been these past two games. His kryptonite. He's going to get yours. And when you look at it, He's probably the only center that the Spurs have played in this postseason who can shoot the three.

36:33Chad Johnson:He's probably the only one. He's the only one. So Wimby can't just float and play free safety and really help, you know, the way he's been doing in the past series because you got to honor Cat, bro, and he's shooting at a high clip.

36:45Shannon Sharpe:Clinging can shoot the three, but he can't shoot it at the clip that Cat can. Clinging ain't really trying to put the ball. Cat showed you in game one, and this is why I think he was effective game two from the three is that I put it on the floor and get on the edge on you. Think about how many times he put the ball on the floor and got by Wimby. How many times he put it on the floor and got by Cornette. And if he didn't get the basket, he got the foul. So now I've got that seed planted. Damn, I can't be all in running. You know, I got to be down the step. With my hands down, Cat can shoot it.

37:15Shannon Sharpe:Cat ain't really shooting. It's really a set shot, Joe. You know what I'm saying? It's like a... Yeah, it is. It is. But he get it off quick, though. Absolutely.

37:22Chad Johnson:Absolutely. Yeah. He really... And he'll throw that pump fake in there because he know you got an honor. And next thing you know, he buy you. Now he able to spray out for three or get to the basket, get fouled. It's just so many options in that. And it's good to see him playing high-level basketball, bro, because he, I mean. He's taking some unfair criticism, Joe.

37:45Shannon Sharpe:He's taking some unfair criticism. Because you know that with the Jimmy Butler situation, how he took some backups and he beat the starters. and everybody saying what catch is solved. My thing was, I didn't think it was solved, but I did think that he hung around the three-point line. He was so interested in trying to convince people he was a better shooter than Dirk. When he has an advantage in the paint, or he has an advantage where he can put the ball on the floor and get to the paint, he would sell it. Because he was so gung-ho, and I want to prove I'm the greatest shooting big man, but if you don't win no championship like Dirk, who don't care?

38:22Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah, you're right. Hey, but when you look at it, though, Uncle Ojo, with him playing in Minnesota, playing next to Gobert, it's kind of hard for him to really, what I would say, attack the basket like he is now. He has to play the five. That's where he has the advantage at. Put him at the five. He's a stretch five, a guy who can knock down shots. Not only that, he ain't selling. When he catch it in the post, he making strong moves. It may not lead to points, but it leads to somebody getting a great damn shot.

38:51Shannon Sharpe:I ain't never seen nobody go 100 feet in two steps like Cat. I'm like, y 'all sure this man not walking? Joe, that Joe got the ball. I think he a running back. Joe, I mean, he got the ball up. He got them long strides. I think what they, okay? But no, I think also, Joe, I think, look, he came into the league and he was scoring so much. And, you know, he's dropping 50. He's getting 40. He's getting 60. They're like, well, I kind of like it like this. And they're like, well, you know, we're going to bring Rudy Gobert, which is going to require you to play even less defense. But like you said, now he, like, bro, we're going to give you a blow, but you got to play some defense.

39:39Shannon Sharpe:You got to deter some people from coming into the paint. And when Brunson doesn't have it going, we're going to need you to have it going. But I think in this series, he's been phenomenal. I know Jalen Brunson, that clutch, that performance that he put on last night, and he had a big clutch basket tonight. But we cannot speak in glowing terms enough about Carl Anthony Towns because he's been phenomenal. OG has been every bit. OG has been what we expect OG to be. He's going to play outstanding defense. And he's shooting the three ball really well too, Joe.

40:11Chad Johnson:Yeah. He is. Hell, he's been shooting. Oh, he – against the Hawks in their first series, the man barely missed. He barely missed a shot. He was not missing. He barely missed a shot. Yeah, he barely missed it. And he didn't play in the Philly series, and he came back in the Cleveland series. But for the most part, man, he's been super solid for them all playoffs.

40:34Shannon Sharpe:He picked right up where he left off against your Hawks. Came back up. Who did they play? Who did they play? Cleveland? What you laughing at, Ojo? Laughing at what Unk said. He picked up after your Hawks. Yeah.

40:46Chad Johnson:Well, act like he ain't rolling with the Hawks, too. You got to come on, man. I was rolling with the Hawks. Oh, you want me to roll with the Hawks now? Yeah, who else you going to roll with, bro, for the league in LA?

40:57Shannon Sharpe:I don't know if I can get down with the Hawks, man. Man, the Hawks used to be so sorry before they got down with Nick, man. Lord, have mercy. Hey, you put on some sneakers, they might put your ass in the game. They would have 15 people there. Somebody file out, and they're like, hey, can you play? Hey, sign this waiver. No, I, you know, we've got to give, look, for all the things that we say the Spurs did wrong, I think we have to give that kind of praise to what the Knicks did right. Right, yes. Right, absolutely. Because we've heard so many times say, and we can say that about the Spurs, the Spurs, the game was right there for the taking.

41:37Shannon Sharpe:Yep. But you didn't take it. Every time, if you go back and look, look at the Cavs, every time somebody has presented the Knicks with an opportunity to win the game they've cashed it in

41:50Chad Johnson:absolutely

41:52Shannon Sharpe:once they got down by 22 of the Cavs and they came back and beat the Cavs the series wasn't even close after that yeah it wasn't even close after that they get down they've been down double digits in both of the first two games and before you know it they go on a 7-0 or 12-0 run and boom

42:12Chad Johnson:fellas this 12 straight wins in the postseason, man, by the Knicks. This is unheard of from a team who, you know, I wouldn't say they struggled against the Hawks because they beat us bad in game six, but you didn't see this coming, bro. You didn't see them just pulling away from teams like this, and then you get into the finals, and as great as the Spurs have been all season and in this postseason, you mean to tell me they go to San Antonio and win two games? Yeah, I mean, I told you that was going to happen, Joe. See, Joe, you're looking at it from a different lens, huh? You're looking at it.

42:47You're thinking with your heart, in a sense, you know, based on everything you just said. Uncle Joe, I told you what was going to happen. You hear me? And I don't know. If people that listen to me, if you're betting and you're betting the house and you're trying to make a little extra money, I hope you don't follow everything I've said the entirety of the playoffs because right now you'll be rich. Huh? Joe, and I'm telling you ahead of time, if there's a way to gamble about who the MVP is going to be, Cat's going to win it. Cat ain't going to win the MVP because we're seeing a different version of him we haven't seen before because he hasn't had to play this way.

43:25Chad Johnson:Hey, Ocho, if he keep playing like this, being assertive, attacking the basket, not settling for jump shots, taking it when he has it, I can see it. I can see it. Keep getting the double-double.

43:37Shannon Sharpe:The thing is, Joe, the proxy, we look at the finals MVP and we think it's just for the finals. They be voting for the totality of it.

43:49Chad Johnson:Hey.

43:51Shannon Sharpe:See, I think the thing is, Joe, you said something. You said that Cat didn't want to play like this. They wanted him. He's always been in him. Yes. Joe and I have been saying that he's the first pick of the damn draft. He's seven foot tall. Yes, he can shoot, but he can put the ball on the floor. He can. He just settles far too much. Now he's not settling. He's not.

44:19Chad Johnson:And not only that, he's being disruptive, meaning every time the ball goes up, bro, he's jockeying for position. He's trying to get a putback. He's trying to get an extra offensive rebound. He's doing the little stuff that a lot of times won't show up. Like I'll say, man, they're keeping a body on Wimby so he can't affect the game, you know, from a rebounding standpoint. Hell, I don't think he had a double-double in these first two games, fella. He has it. You know what I mean? So, I mean, that's saying a lot, bro. That's saying that the Knicks are coming to play. They're being ultra-physical in the low post and on the perimeter.

44:59Chad Johnson:I just think all around they're playing a great basketball game, great game plan.

45:05Shannon Sharpe:The 2026 Knicks, they won 13 straight playoff wins, the second most ever, the second most road playoff wins ever, the highest point differential in a postseason, and they're up 2-0. The Knicks have joined the 2017 Warriors as the only teams in NBA history to win 13 straight games in a single postseason. The Knicks are two wins away from winning a championship, a run that's starting to look legendary. Yeah, I agree.

45:35Chad Johnson:I agree. They look great. They look great.

45:38Shannon Sharpe:They do.

45:42Shannon Sharpe:They quite as careful. I mean, think about it. They've lost two games. I mean, do you think about it? You need to win 16. You need to win 16 games to be a champion. There's a chance they're going to be 16-2 in the postseason. That'll be, I mean, what? I mean, I remember Shaq and it was, what, 15-1 in the postseason.

46:02Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah, yeah. You don't – the Warriors, I wonder what the Warriors were.

46:07Shannon Sharpe:I think the Warriors – because the Warriors lost – I know they lost one game to the Cavaliers, but I don't think they lost anymore. I wonder what they were in 2028. I think – you know, because I think – I know when it won one series, they would – they end up beating the Rockets 4-3, Joe, and I don't know if that was 18. because they swept the Cavaliers in 18. They beat them 4-1 in 17. But, man, this – and it's the way they're winning. They can score 140 or they can score 102 and beat you by three and you score 99. Yeah.

46:51Chad Johnson:They're just finding so many different ways to win, Joe. Yeah, they're beating you by committee. They're having so many guys step up, and you don't know who it's going to be on a night-to-night basis. Here's Wimby on the last three possessions of the game.

47:05Shannon Sharpe:Let's take a listen to what he had to say. Just wanted you to take us through the list. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

47:49Copenhagen spit-free pouches are packed full of American-grown tobacco. Made for welders. Stuck behind masks. More mechanics. Stuck on a fused spark plug.

48:02Shannon Sharpe:Long-haul truckers stuck in gridlock. Performing. Working late at the field office. Or anytime there's no time or space to spit, there's Copenhagen spit-free pouches. Find them in stores today. Not all varieties available in all geographies. Warning, this product can cause mouth cancer. Now streaming on Paramount+. From executive producer Lena Waithe. The acclaimed series, The Shy, reaches its final chapter. For seven seasons, we've lived these stories, walked these streets, become part of this community. Now it all leads to this. Friendships will be tested, families will evolve, and secrets refuse to stay buried.

48:39As the past catches up and the future comes into focus, one truth remains. The Shy is more than a series. It's a legacy. Don't miss the final season of The Shy. Now streaming on the Paramount Plus Premium Plan. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything.

49:01Chad Johnson:It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we can calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News. Reporting for America. When it comes to advancing your education, you have more options than you think. At Rasmussen University, we find ways to remove barriers, not build them. Like a new laptop if you're eligible and enroll in select online or on-campus programs. That means flexible and engaging online courses and resources, tuition savings options if you qualify, exceptional student support, and much more.

49:44Online nationally or check out their 20 campuses across six states. Start when you're ready and get the support you need. Visit rasmussen.edu. Three possessions, the two misses from mid-range and the turnover with Castle.

50:01Shannon Sharpe:What did you see and how can you guys react? I'm still very blurry and that's the whole problem. You know, I need to have more poise, more control over the game. I'm not going to go through the whole possessions, but that's the general image. I mean you say look it's a make or miss league I shot the ball it didn't go in okay that's it like you said you need to have more poise on passing the ball but Joe I still what I'm trying to figure out why would you pass it there's nobody picking you up bro you got 14-15 seconds in the game yeah yeah

50:45Chad Johnson:I agree he shouldn't have passed it he should have brought it up and then at some point maybe even give it to the guard but i don't give a damn what nobody say them 17 18 foot jump shots he's shooting yeah i know he can make them but at the time he's shooting them okay ocho man them ain't good shots bro i mean at the end of the game that last one yeah we would i guess you got to live with that but to do a clear out for him to have it at 18 19 foot and shoot a pull-up jump shot no bro put that ball in them guards hand fox hands let them guys run that pick and roll and you try to get something great out of that you know i just i just didn't think them were great shots them last two possessions that he had i didn't think they were great here's wimby on the last shot on that play how did the execution go

51:33Shannon Sharpe:did you like the shot you got uh yeah of course i like the shot but i feel like in this moment you need to shoot to score and uh in moments like this is like results matter more than process You know what I mean? So he was like, hey, Fox, you go ahead and take that shot.

51:54Chad Johnson:That's what it sounded to you, Joe. Yeah, that's what it sounded like. Hey, he's saying all the right things. Yes! That's Coach's fault, though. It is. Coach's fault, Joe, because when they drew it up, Coach on the sideline, overthinking it, overcomplicating the situation, to where now Fox is thinking, well, I done got by my man. But wait a minute, Coach said, he got to go to Wimby. Therefore, even though I have a free, I have free will to the lane and can get him floater or put it on the glass, I'm going to kick it back out to him. Right, right. I think, yeah, I think Coach drew up them plays.

52:32Chad Johnson:I don't know if it's overthinking it, Ocho. I just think you, I just think he looks, Coach Mitch Johnson looks at Wimby as the best player on the team, which he is. But in certain situations, bro, you can't put him in those situations. I mean, damn, man, let's make the game easy. You know what I mean? Have him set the pick. Maybe – man, it was a few times tonight that he set the pick and one of them little guards was guarding him, and he just stayed floating out around. He don't roll.

53:01Shannon Sharpe:He don't roll.

53:02Chad Johnson:Yes, yes. You got to – hey, hey, when you get that switch, you got to beeline your ass. Roll to the basket hard. Man, and when they throw it to you, all you got to do is keep it up high. What the hell them little bitty bumpers going to do? What they going to do? If you notice, Joe, when he gets tired and they pass it to him,

53:16Shannon Sharpe:he tries all in one motion. He'll try to catch it and shoot it, or he'll try to guide it in.

53:22Chad Johnson:Yeah. Yeah.

53:24Shannon Sharpe:That's –

53:24Chad Johnson:You're right.

53:25Shannon Sharpe:He's tired. I noticed that about him. I thought De 'Aaron Fox had one of his best games. He was 8 of 12. He was perfect from the three. He was perfect from the free throw line. I'm looking – hey, they got – hey, Fox is having a pretty good game, coach. He's only missed four shots. He's perfect from the three. Let him go while he hot now. He got the hot hand. And if you go, think about it, Joe, the last couple of possessions that they gave the ball to Fox, what'd he do? He hit a three, forced a timeout. They gave him the ball, boot, boot, off the glass.

53:56Chad Johnson:Yeah. Hey, hey, he was playing. Fox was playing with that thrust tonight. I like the little mix-up that he got with Brunson when they got in each other's face. And it seemed like after that, he didn't let Brunson's ass off the hook not one time after that. You know what I mean? He was getting straight to it. So I agree. I thought they should have rolled Fox's hot hand down the stretch, bro. Miss him, mate. You just to put Wimby in those situations, obviously he going to be able to get a good shot. But that 17, 18-foot jump shot in those times, if he make it, hell, we cheering, clapping our hands.

54:34Chad Johnson:But, man, you can get something better.

54:36Shannon Sharpe:De 'Aaron Fox with a floater from 8 feet is a better shot than Wimby from 17, 18, even if he makes it. See, sometimes, Ocho, Joe, the results, the results, results. Look at the results. You can get positive results and it still not be the right choice because now you fall in love with that. Let me make the right play. The right play was De 'Aaron Fox was cooking. He had gotten enough of a step on bridges and he could have got to his floater. He's left-handed. He got bridges on his right hip. Yeah, you're right.

55:11Chad Johnson:You're right. you're right i say i say i say i say keep it in them guards hands man there's just the way the game was going the way fox had it going even dylan harper the way he had it going they couldn't stop those guys from getting in the paint fellas you know they could get in the paint at will and by them getting in the paint you have you create so many options not only for yourself but you could throw the lob to wimby now you could kick it out to champagney or castle or or whoever you know for wide open threes. You have so many options when you have a guard who can get in that paint and live in that paint.

55:46Chad Johnson:And Fox and Harper are two of the best at that. Joe,

55:53Shannon Sharpe:Wimby called for the ball in the backcourt. He called for the ball for somebody to give it up to him after the rebound and then he passed in the head when the guy not looking. Why you called for the ball?

56:08Chad Johnson:I don't know, man. Damn.

56:10Shannon Sharpe:That's going to hurt, Joe. This one's going to hurt. Talk about it.

56:14Chad Johnson:It hurts. It's going to hurt. They big hurting. You lose two at home, man, listen, that's demoralizing, bro. I'm telling you from experience. I've been there. I promise you. It's hard to come back from there, bro. Now they got to try to find a way to muster up. Obviously, you want to take it one game at a time, try and win game three. But you got to go to New York, bro, thinking you can win two at home. Try and win game who? I'm just saying, Ocho, it's a little different on the road. I could have told you that. Huh?

56:44Shannon Sharpe:Teams in the NBA Finals history to lose game one and two at home. Spurs have lost game one and two in 2026. The Magic lost games one and two. They got swept. The Suns lost game one and two, and they lost in six. Whoo. I just, like I said, I just think the thing is, the young guy was really, and it's okay. I think sometimes we bestow so much on Wimby, and he's going to be great. He's already great, but I think he's going to be even greater. And sometimes I think he – I need to bring the ball up to show everybody. No, you don't. Let Harper – let one of those small guys bring the ball up. Me, personally, I'm putting the ball in Fox's hands.

57:30Shannon Sharpe:I've seen Fox make more clutch shots than I've seen anybody else on that team. and he had it going he did there's no look Wimby is going to be phenomenal Wimby has made some big buckets but tonight should have been about Fox because of the way he played game one and the way he had came back and redeemed himself

57:58Shannon Sharpe:I just love the way and he honestly Honestly, honestly, Fox probably should have been 11 or 12. He missed some shots. I'm talking about Joe right there. I'm talking about right there at the basket. He never missed. After he shook the guy and got there, I'm talking about point blank. He probably should have been 11 or 12. He was 8 or 12. He probably should have been 11 or 12. Because a couple of the shots that he missed, he don't normally miss those.

58:23Chad Johnson:Right, right. I'm talking about Cat Quick. I've yet to see anybody from the Knicks stay in front of him. He just has to will his – he has to will himself to be able to be great, bro. And I know they down 0-2, and everybody's saying the series over, this, that, and the third. Hey, bro, the Spurs are talented enough to go to New York and win two games.

58:47Shannon Sharpe:They are, Joe. But not Joe. They are. All right, Joe, that's cute. You don't win on the road turning the ball over. You don't.

58:55Chad Johnson:You don't. You got to take care of the run.

58:56Shannon Sharpe:And they're a young team. And young teams make young mistakes, especially on the road. Joe, I mean, we don't know what happens if they don't turn the ball over those last couple of possessions. We don't know what happens. But you don't even give yourself a chance. And the thing, listen, the coach used to tell us all the time, son, don't make a bad situation worse. Wimby, you turned the ball over. Why would you foul Brunson? You got him trapped on the baseline. You got him trapped, Joe. Where is he going? He done dribbled. He picked his dribble up. You got him trapped. Why would you nudge?

59:37Chad Johnson:Absolutely right.

59:38Shannon Sharpe:And you know if you get really, really close, he going to sell it. But you didn't even have to do that, Wimby.

59:45Chad Johnson:You going to do it. Hey, listen. And the Spurs, look, it ain't like they getting their ass whipped, fellas. I mean, they've had double-digit leads in both games. I like to mix up what they do with Brunson on the pick and roll. Sometimes they play him straight up. Sometimes they trap him. Just to put that indecision in his brain, you know, so when he do come off the pick and roll, he can hesitate a little bit. I think they're doing a great job at that. I just think they make too many mental mistakes when they get up. It's like, okay, damn, it's my turn. Yes. It's my turn. It's my turn to get a bucket.

1:00:20Chad Johnson:It's my turn to get a bucket versus just milking the clock and just keep getting great shots, bro. But as a young team, this is kind of what you'd have to deal with.

1:00:30Shannon Sharpe:Joe, we had the conversation. I said, Joe, they won the game. I think we said this about two times. I said, Joe, they won the game. But, man, they take far too many shots so early in the shot clock. I mean, the shot clock is 18, and they're letting off a three. And see, people look at it, hey, but they won the game. You never accept anything in a win. You wouldn't have lost.

1:00:52Chad Johnson:They wouldn't have lost.

1:00:52Shannon Sharpe:Are those quick shots okay tonight? You lost? Would those turn up because, hey, man, they won the game. Be quiet. As athletes, you know what will cost you inevitably in a ball game, Ocho and Joe.

1:01:05Chad Johnson:Absolutely.

1:01:05Shannon Sharpe:You make those mistakes like that and you play a good team. You're going to hurt. Hey, Ocho, you got your handy hand. You slamming it down on the helmet. You slamming it against the wall, walking to the locker room. Man, we had the fans. Man, they're not that good.

1:01:21Chad Johnson:Yeah.

1:01:22Shannon Sharpe:You know what I'm saying on the other side? Yeah, y 'all thought y 'all had us, ain't it? We're not that good. We better than y 'all today. Hey, chat. Y 'all heard what Joe said now. Hey, you heard Joe, huh? What'd Joe say?

1:01:36Chad Johnson:What? Joe just said, oh, the Spurs good enough to go to New York and win two games. They are. Yes, and it will be. Absolutely not. But I like Joe. See, Joe, we're going to call him naive and delusional. Huh? You said the Spurs were going to win the series I told you what was going to happen Now you got a small sample size Of before a sweep Two games And we talk about some of the things that went wrong with the Spurs But that's a part of basketball That's a part of basketball You're going to have errors, you're going to have mistakes When it matters most, what team comes out on top Oh Joe It ain't like they getting their ass whooped We in the finals Ain't nobody going to get their ass whooped there's a reason why they're in the finals what I'm saying is the Spurs still have a fighting chance that's all I'm saying I know you look at it oh the Knicks up 2-9 they done won 2 in San Antonio you and Unk don't think they're coming back to San Antonio Unk does not read off to you in the history of the NBA he got him down 0-2 how many of them come back from that Unk in the finals listen listen listen for them to come back and win the series they're going to have to do something special.

1:02:49Chad Johnson:But I still think they can go to New York and win a game, if not two. They're going to give them a game because the NBA got bills to pay.

1:02:56Shannon Sharpe:And so do Nightcap. So they need to give us a couple of games. Huh? Come on, man. They need to give us a couple of games. Joe Ocho, what did you think about Rick Brunson coming down the court to confront De 'Aaron Fox after he got in Jalen's face? Rick told Brunson, you ain't tough. Don't do that. Hey, I like it.

1:03:15Chad Johnson:You're talking about Rick.

1:03:17Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, Rick came down there in Fox's face because, you know, he was in his son Jalen's face.

1:03:23Chad Johnson:Hey, man, I'm sorry, but when I'm watching the Knicks and I see Rick Brunson and Jalen Brunson huddled up and they talking, discussing the game plan, he telling Brunson, he telling Jalen what he should be doing. Man, I just think it's such a great moment, bro. And as a father, those instincts naturally kick in. You see your son down there getting into a little confrontation, Hell, I'm taking my ass down there too.

1:03:48Shannon Sharpe:Hey, you know, that's, bro, I understand he'll coach. But I'm a dad before I was a dad, way before I was a dad coach. And that's my son. That's still his baby boy. Yeah, at the end of the day. Hey, don't do that. Hey, don't do that.

1:04:02Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah, you need to slow that down, partner. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

1:04:08Shannon Sharpe:Hey, I get Fox. Hey, Fox like, hey, I'm going to meet intensity with intensity. It's that type of game. Hey, we're not shying away from this. We're not going to let you get comfortable tonight, Jalen. You got comfortable tonight. Hello. You're not going to get comfortable tonight.

1:04:24Chad Johnson:And Fox turned it up after that, too. But you know what I like also, Joe?

1:04:29Shannon Sharpe:Because a lot of times, guys' teams don't want to do this. Their best player on the defensive series, what you call it, wasn't in the game, was it? Jalen Brunson. We had a very similar situation with the Lakers. One of their worst defenders was in the game. Who was that? Austin Reeves. When you should have had Vando in the game, you had Austin Reeves in the game, and the guy got the bucket on Reeves. I like that. I understand Jalen Brunson, but Jalen Brunson is not one of your better defenders. I want my five best defenders on the court.

1:05:02Chad Johnson:It's the same reason they put

1:05:05Shannon Sharpe:Randy Moss back there on a Hail Mary. Hail Mary, yeah. They put Gronk, and Gronk got broke up. you remember the uh the miami what they called it miami miracle yeah with the guy they they called it and they laterally yeah yeah

1:05:24Shannon Sharpe:uh but no it was it was a situation i understand i understand you as much as you try because i'm sure there's a lot of times he's thinking it's called like man i gotta let me stick my ass on this bench i know that's my boy and i i want to do something bad to these boys but this is the NBA I'm trying I don't know if he I don't think he really wants a head coaching job he kind of likes the situation I'm sure he would take one but you know being able to coach with your son and go to work with your son every day nothing better than that go to work with your son every day Ocho that's dope

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