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  • 5/18/2025
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00:00Live right here on this Friday on the early line, we preview all of the action around the association with the coach, J.Y. James Young.
00:09Denver wins by 12 outright last night on its home floor to force a game seven on Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma City.
00:17J.Y. the Thunder, who have been booked as a favorite in all six games of this series.
00:22Of course, three and three now straight up and just one and five against the spread.
00:26The Thunder in the previous three games in OKC, a double-digit favorite.
00:31One of the numbers for game seven early, just a seven-and-a-half point spread in favor of the Thunder at home and a total of 2-12.
00:40What is at stake for this young core in OKC, led by SGA, coached by Mark Dagnall?
00:46It is their first spot in the Western Conference Finals, the first for the Thunder as a team since 2016.
00:53On the other side for Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets, a third trip to the Western Conference Finals in the previous six seasons.
01:01And of course, that championship pedigree showing through, forcing this game seven.
01:07They won the title just two seasons ago.
01:10J.Y., a game seven and a seven-and-a-half point spread.
01:14What are your early thoughts for game number seven Sunday in Oklahoma City?
01:17Honestly, the best thing I think I like is the under-2-12.
01:21I think you look at a team like Denver, they have gotten this game, guys, in this series to be played at their pace.
01:27Walking up the floor, half-court basketball, and lean on Nikola Jokic to kind of get them through.
01:35I do like the under, and I just think it's too many points.
01:38I think Denver will find a way to keep this game extremely close to the best and make this a competitive game.
01:44So, I am looking at this to go really tight, plus a seven-and-a-half, under-2-12.
01:50Interesting thing, Nikola Jokic, again, missed a triple-double.
01:53I want to say that's eight straight games that he's had under a triple, that has not had a triple-double.
02:00There's got to be one coming at some point where they slow it down, give it to him.
02:04And if you are Oklahoma City, you're going to try and make other guys beat you in that spot.
02:09Right now, plus 165 on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
02:12Nikola Jokic to have a triple-double.
02:14And also, when you talk about teams returning home, typically, you know, we expect SGA, road, home, doesn't wherever to play great.
02:21Same thing with Nikola Jokic.
02:22I take a look at Jalen Williams, underwhelming in his last game here.
02:25Give me some other players that on both teams, Coach, that need to step up in a game number seven that could be those unsung heroes in a big moment.
02:32Well, I mean, when you talk about, obviously, you know, Denver, to me, it's Aaron Gordon.
02:37I know he was, you know, 12 points.
02:39But he's been really making big shots after big shots, have improved his three-point shot.
02:43I take a look at him.
02:46And other side, I'm going to look at Chet Holmgren.
02:48He did have a double-double last game.
02:50He's going to have to step up.
02:51I think Williams will play better in his home building.
02:54And then look at a three-point prop.
02:55A guy like Lou Dort, who's not afraid, even though he's known for his defense, to take the three and take a bunch of threes.
03:02Maybe that's a guy, especially Williams, gets off early.
03:04He's shade off of someone else.
03:06Look at Lou Dort to fire up a bunch of threes come game seven.
03:09Some pretty good bench minutes as well for OKC out of Alex Caruso in this series, who is the veteran statesman, it appears, for the Thunder.
03:18And Kaysen Wallace, the backup point guard, off the bench as well.
03:22All right.
03:23That's game seven on Sunday.
03:26How about game six inside the world's most famous arena?
03:29And how about those Friday night Knicks?
03:32Maybe the biggest Friday night inside Madison Square Garden in the last 25 years.
03:37Maybe the biggest game inside Madison Square Garden in the last two and a half decades.
03:43New York, a two and a half point home favorite against the reigning NBA champs and their bitter foes, the Boston Celtics.
03:51With an outright win tonight, the Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the year 2000.
03:5925 years ago.
04:01Total slightly on the rise, JY, at 2-11.
04:05As you look at this game, in all of the pressure mounting on New York,
04:10because the reigning champs do not have their best player in Jason Tatum and just routed the Knicks by 25 in Boston a few nights ago.
04:19What is the key to game number six inside the Garden tonight?
04:24Honestly, I'm looking at the man in the middle, Carl Anthony Towns, a guy that couldn't post up Drew Holiday for some crazy reason in game number five.
04:32He's got to be better and he's got to be dynamite.
04:35I expect him to go over his 34 and a half point rebounds.
04:39It's just Boston is going to try it again and live by the three.
04:42That's how they kind of kept that game close at half, almost trading twos for threes at some point during the game.
04:48I think they struggle a little bit from three.
04:50And then Derek White, after the fantastic performance, can he repeat it again?
04:55Listen, this is the biggest home game for the New York Knicks in 25 years.
04:59In fact, 26 years ago to the day, Allen Houston hit that game winning shot versus the Miami Heat, a heated rival.
05:06Who did they play in the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals?
05:09The Indiana Pacers.
05:10Who beat them in the 2000 Eastern Conference Finals?
05:14The Indiana Pacers.
05:15The stars are lining up.
05:17Go New York.
05:18Go New York.
05:19Go.
05:20Knicks on the money line.
05:21Get the win tonight.
05:23Ah, the city dancers are going to be rumbling.
05:25I mean, Coach, all the way up to Spanish Harlem, to Brooklyn, to Fidei.
05:29I mean, it's going to be like Queens, the home of Kevin Walsh.
05:32Absolutely on fire tonight if the Knicks do win.
05:35But understand this for me.
05:36I look at the FanDuel Sportsbook right now, and I see Jalen Brunson at 30 and a half points, Coach.
05:41Give me the outlook.
05:42Is this a Brunson game where he's shooting 28 plus times from the floor saying, I'm going to be the closer.
05:48I'll win this thing.
05:49How do you look at his points prop tonight and try to play that?
05:51It's interesting because I think that would be advantageous, honestly, to Boston if you get a Jalen Brunson trying to get you 35.
06:00I think you have to get other guys involved, particularly Carl Anthony Towns, early and often because you look at the fact of, you know, Porzingis, we don't know how much he's going to play.
06:10He doesn't look good.
06:11You know, can Luke Cornett, who looked like Bill Russell in game five, can he repeat the process?
06:16You got to look at other guys to try and get you going early.
06:19If you're a boss, you're like, go ahead, Jalen Brunson, go shoot the ball 28, 29 times.
06:24Just like the Knicks are probably going to say, Jalen Brown, go shoot it 28, 29 times.
06:29And just because you get the shots doesn't mean it's good.
06:31It kind of leads to more stagnant basketball.
06:34I think the interesting way of looking at this game tonight, honestly, is I'll be looking at Jalen Brunson over his assists at six and a half.
06:43I think he's got to get other guys involved and you got to look at, obviously, O.J. and Anobi being absolutely awful.
06:50I think one of 11 in game five, you got to look at Brunson and his assist mark, get other guys the ball.
06:56Brunson 30 plus in five of the six in the opening round against the Pistons, only 30 plus once here over that number of 30 and a half in a masterful game.
07:06Four performance, of course, inside Madison Square Garden, 14 of 25, 39 points for New York's leader.
07:14He has taken at least 17 field goal tries in all five games so far against the Celtics.
07:20Just a humorous image that came to my mind as Donnie likes to go to the Knicks City Dancers.
07:24You know, in Trainwreck, the movie with Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, LeBron James, when Schumer goes out on the court with the Knicks City Dancers,
07:32Photoshop idea, Donnie's face on Amy Schumer to go out there and get things done.
07:39Maybe we get Donnie with the Knicks City Dancers if the Knicks can continue in this postseason.
07:44A win tonight sends them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the last two and a half, for the first time in the last two and a half decades.
07:50But, of course, J.Y., I think after Game 5 in Beantown, there was an argument to be made that without Jason Tatum,
07:58the Boston Celtics damn near equal with the New York Knicks in terms of talent level out there on the floor.
08:05We saw Jalen Brown have a huge night.
08:07Derek White, a monumental night from beyond the arc.
08:10Peyton Pritchard, great.
08:11Luke Cornett, great.
08:12Everybody really stepping up in the absence of Jason Tatum,
08:16who continues to fill that large void for the Seeds tonight in MSG.
08:21Well, Jalen Brown's got to carry him.
08:23But the always interesting thing, Ben, is it's not the first game after an injury.
08:28It's the second game.
08:30The first game is adrenaline.
08:32Everybody thinks we're going to lose.
08:33Us against the world.
08:35Now reality sits in.
08:37And now you've got to go to Madison Square Garden,
08:39where you've got to have everyone inebriated for that game.
08:42Meanwhile, you've got the Mets and the Yankees down at the boogie now.
08:45You're going to have all those people probably inebriated as well.
08:49Looking at the – it'll be the only time at Yankee Stadium
08:51where everyone cheers at the same time,
08:53and it's going to be for the Knick game if they pull out that win.
08:56It's going to be a huge Friday night in New York sports.
08:59The Subway Series begins this weekend in the Bronx tonight
09:03between the Yankees and the Mets.
09:04And, of course, the Knicks and the Celtics in.
09:07Go.
09:07Come on.
09:08Do it for Big Mace tonight.
09:09How about that?
09:10Yep.
09:10Let's go.
09:11Knicks win.
09:12Let's go.
09:13Come on.
09:13All right, DRS.
09:14Let's get to what we have for game six tonight
09:16inside Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics.
09:21Go, New York.
09:22Go, New York.
09:23Go.
09:24Or will we go back to Beantown for a game seven on Monday night
09:28at the home of the reigning NBA champs after the mite
09:31they showed in game five even without Jason Tatum on the floor?
09:36Who wins game six?
09:38What is the best bet tonight in MSG?
09:40That was our question to all of you in Fade the Public.
09:51It's a Friday night Knicks in the Fade the Public poll.
09:55What is the best bet for tonight's Celtics?
09:57Knicks game in game number six at Sports Grid on Twitter.
10:01The Knicks as a slight two-and-a-half-point favorite.
10:04Basically, you got to think that's the public saying New York to win outright
10:07in advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
10:10The Celtics as the road underdog in over of 210.
10:14Total now stands at 211.
10:16Or the under?
10:18DRS.
10:19Runaway vote-getter and leader.
10:21That would be the New York Knicks to win outright tonight in game six
10:25and cover as a two-and-a-half-point favorite.
10:2751% of the vote.
10:30But fewer than 5%.
10:32That would be on the under.
10:33That's always interesting from a Fade the Public perspective.
10:36Which way do DRS look here in the Fade the Public poll?
10:40Went with the public, man.
10:41Give me the 51%.
10:42I'm with the people, Ben, that getting off work today,
10:44going to get a chopped cheese the hockey way and ready to settle in
10:48and watch some Knicks basketball down at the Garden.
10:51So, yes, the Knicks win today.
10:52They cover the two-and-a-half.
10:54I support the general public out here that is also backing my pick as well.
10:58Look, the Celtics are going to be game.
10:59That's a quality team.
11:01But the Knicks understand this.
11:02You cannot let.
11:03This is game seven for the New York Knicks.
11:05You can't let this get to a game seven in the TD Bank Garden.
11:08Close it down at Madison Square Garden tonight.
11:11End it.
11:11And I believe they will.
11:13DRS, we talked, of course, about the spread for game five.
11:16Even without Jason Tatum after rupturing his right Achilles
11:19at the end of game number four,
11:21Boston was a four-and-a-half and then five-point home favorite
11:24against the Knicks,
11:25despite a ton of public love for New York in the betting markets
11:29and stats,
11:30thinking it would be too much for the Celtics to overcome
11:33without their best player in Tatum
11:34to hold off the New York Knicks in that 3-1 series lead.
11:3877% of the bets on the spread backing New York
11:41by the time we got the tip inside TD Garden on Wednesday night.
11:46And, of course, it wasn't just the Celtics extending this series,
11:49even covering as a five-point home favorite.
11:52It was Boston winning by 25, and it was tied at the break.
11:56It was a complete reversal from what we had seen in large part in this series,
12:01New York being dominant in the third quarter and the second half.
12:05It was very much a different story for the Celtics running away with things
12:08in that second half in quarter three and four.
12:12I would assume, with how you are voting and what you are thinking about this game,
12:18that is not giving you a ton of cause for concern.
12:21Maybe in the same way we thought about things after game three
12:24when the Celtics won by 22 in the Garden at full health,
12:27and we thought, all right, maybe that's what we can truly expect
12:31in this series out of Boston and New York.
12:33You are not feeling the same way, DRS.
12:36You are going the hockey way at a chopped cheese
12:38because you still have confidence despite that pressure mounting on the Knicks.
12:43Exactly.
12:44Like, you have to get this done tonight if you're the Knicks.
12:46They understand that.
12:47They didn't play their best game in their last game,
12:48and also Boston probably played their best game
12:50that they're going to play without Jason Tatum.
12:52Understand this.
12:53If the Boston Celtics down three to one going up against the New York Knicks
12:56and the Knicks collapse and lose three straight games
12:59to a Tatum-less Boston Celtics team, it's a wrap, man.
13:02It's a wrap on the head coach.
13:03Tibbs is going to be gone.
13:04Maybe two or three starters out of that starting lineup need to be gone
13:06because this is your season where the Seas are parting for the Knicks
13:10to do some damage and make an Eastern Conference final
13:13and possibly get to a World Championship round in the finals.
13:16And if they can't get by the Celtics without their best player
13:19with a three to one lead, it's a wrap here.
13:21I think they get it done tonight.
13:22I think Brunson has a big performance.
13:24The Garden is going to carry the Knicks
13:26and make sure they're in it energy-wise
13:28because the start is going to be key.
13:29I don't think the Boston Celtics is going to rain down
13:31seven of eight from three-point range to start this game.
13:34You got to have the Knicks with a lead at the end of the first quarter.
13:36And they should be able to carry the rest of this game.
13:39DRS, nearly 51% of the public backing the Knicks
13:43as the slight home favorite.
13:4582% of the money on FanDuel backing the Knicks
13:48as the home favorite on that spread.
13:51And over 70% of the volume of bets as well.
13:55Not a lot of love on the over or on the under, I should say,
13:58for a total on the rise at 2-11 now.
14:02We'll discuss this game more a little bit later on.
14:04But I think it's a point that we have made in terms of playoff momentum
14:08and the immediate aftermath of losing a star to an injury.
14:12And J.Y. mentioned it as well.
14:15In the first game after, that adrenaline can be high.
14:18You can make your adjustments.
14:20And then the other side has to adapt.
14:22Tom Thibodeau and New York had prepared for the entirety of this series,
14:26expecting first and foremost to try to slow down Jason Tatum.
14:30That was completely gone in Game 5.
14:32The Celtics, to their benefit, took advantage of it
14:36and credit the Seas with doing exactly that.
14:39Now, both teams have to adjust in Game 6.
14:42We'll discuss a little bit later on.
14:44The Celtics, of course, in Game 6,
14:47as the reigning NBA champs with their title defense
14:50and season on the brink as well.
14:53We head to Madison Square Garden Game 6.
14:56Celtics, Knicks, as good as you could hope for in playoff basketball
15:02with all that is at stake just in this bitter rivalry
15:05of longtime East Coast foes.
15:08And, of course, with everything that is maximized here in 2025,
15:13the New York Knicks trying to get to the Eastern Conference Finals
15:15for the first time since 2000, two and a half decades ago.
15:20No Jason Tatum, of course, for the Boston Celtics
15:23because of it, for the first time in this series
15:25in just the fifth time all NBA season long,
15:29the Seas are booked as the underdog.
15:32Two and a half points spread in favor of New York,
15:35a total slightly on the rise.
15:37The over-understands at 2-11.
15:40Donnie, tell us, do the New York Knicks finally at long last
15:44advance to the Eastern Conference Finals?
15:47Or might Boston force a game number seven back in the other garden
15:51in Beantown on Monday?
15:53Yeah, I think it ends tonight.
15:55I do.
15:55And you have to understand the Knicks know that as well.
15:58They let the game slip away in game number five.
15:59They got an avalanche of three-point shots there.
16:01You saw them feed off that crowd, friends, as we talked about, in Boston.
16:04It was an exciting night for them.
16:06But sooner than later, you can't run off of that emotion of,
16:09hey, let's rally for Jason Tatum.
16:10He's not coming back.
16:11This isn't Steph Curry and the Warriors where, hey,
16:13if we can get this to a game six or seven,
16:15we might see our superstar player back in life.
16:17He's done for this year, particularly probably for the majority of next season
16:20if he even comes back at all.
16:22Advantage Knicks, you need Brunson to step up.
16:24You need to add a nobody to step up.
16:25Bridges, who was so good in the previous game at Madison Square Garden,
16:28didn't play at all, nearly as well, in Boston.
16:31He needs to step up here.
16:33Carl Anthony Towns, it's a team effort for the Knicks.
16:35That starting five is all playing 40-plus minutes because understand this,
16:40this is game seven for the Knicks.
16:42I don't think the Knicks win game number seven in Boston.
16:45If you let two slip away without Tatum,
16:47Boston's feeling like they're going to be the favorite,
16:48which they will be in Boston, and rightfully so.
16:51You got to throw the kitchen sink at them tonight in the garden.
16:54You just hope, you're Ben,
16:56that you can avoid the Celtics being hot to open up the game.
16:59Get a double digit for the lead for the Knicks.
17:01Then that creeps, the thoughts and the creeps coming in saying,
17:05you know what, maybe we can't get back in without Tatum here.
17:07Don't give them hope tonight, Knicks.
17:09Big first half, Knicks by double digits at the break in front of a raucous garden,
17:14and they win this going away.
17:16And raucous is the correct word.
17:19This is the biggest game in Madison Square Garden in 25 years.
17:23Mike Breen, who also calls Knicks games throughout the regular season,
17:27said after game number four, the biggest win for New York in two and a half decades,
17:32this is the biggest game and potentially the biggest win for the Knicks in 25 years
17:38if they can hold serve on their home floor tonight.
17:41Total down by a hook now at 210 and a half.
17:45Again, the first game for the Knicks as the favorites in this series.
17:50Donnie, I ask you this.
17:51Is there a world in which the winner of tonight's game does not cover?
17:57Maybe.
17:57It's a two and a half point spread.
17:59It could be tight to the very wire.
18:01Is it worth it at all for you to lay a little bit more chalk
18:05and just take New York on the money line to win outright
18:08in advance to the Eastern Conference Finals?
18:11Updated money line price now minus 142.
18:14No, no, no.
18:15Because I think the Knicks are the better team tonight.
18:17I don't think we're worried about a possession late in the game.
18:19And by the way, if we're worried about a possession late in the game,
18:23I'm really losing on the Knicks.
18:24Like, I understand that Boston is still a quality team.
18:27But this is your game in your building, fully healthy.
18:30You had a 3-1 series lead.
18:32We shouldn't be having this as a timeout to advance a ball with two seconds to go
18:36and a chance to win it for Boston tonight.
18:37This needs to be a resounding Knicks victory, which means, yes,
18:41they better be winning by three-plus points.
18:43Love it.
18:44And by the way, in terms of the first half,
18:46to not allow Boston to get off to a hot shooting start,
18:49as we actually saw in both games three and four in the garden,
18:52before they cooled off, even before the devastating injury to Jason Tatum
18:56in that fourth game.
18:57And we saw it, of course, in quarter number one,
18:59the man that was white hot, Derek White,
19:02who had 34 points in game number five inside TD Garden.
19:06His points prop tonight, second highest for the Celtics.
19:10Jalen Brown, 26 points, doing a bit of everything for the Seas in that fifth game.
19:15Highest points prop, 25 and a half.
19:18Jalen Brunson, 30 and a hook.
19:19I would look at Mikael Bridges.
19:21I would look at OG Ananobi.
19:23They were awful in game five.
19:24They combined 15 points between the two,
19:27and they were, I think, a combined five of 26 from the floor.
19:32I think the wings have been the difference for the Knicks in this series.
19:35That needs to continue tonight.
19:37Quickly, DRS, game seven, Sunday afternoon in Oklahoma City.
19:41The Thunder, a seven and a half point favorite.
19:44Who wins game seven?
19:46Who covers in game seven?
19:48I'm rooting for Denver.
19:49I think they can get the cover, but I do think Oklahoma City at home
19:52will be too tough at that point here.
19:53So that should be a fun Sunday.
19:55But by the way, quick topic before I get out of here.
19:57What's the best borough in New York City?
19:58We all know it's not Queens.
20:00So which borough gets hyped up tonight for the win for the New York Knicks?
20:03Which borough gets lit tonight, like partying out there?
20:07Staten Island, probably.
20:08All right, DRS, we appreciate the time.
20:11Have fun on the Moneyline.

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