Bloomberg Sports Reporter Jon Stashower Talks NBA Finals Game 4

**SPEAKER_1** (0:02)
Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio, News.

**Tom Keene** (0:07)
He's the pride of Syracuse University. He knows why the Mets are so terrible. With perspective on the game last night, it can only be our beloved sports anchor, Jon Stashower. Jon, good morning.

**Jon Stashower** (0:21)
Good morning, Ty. I can't kill Paul for going to sleep. I think a lot of people did, you know, when they're down by 29 early in the third quarter. But here's what Paul missed. They cut that deficit in half. It was 15 going to the fourth quarter. The Knicks kept chipping away and they took their first lead with a minute 22 to go. A Jalen Brunson shot and they fell back behind. So they were down one. They had the ball about six seconds left.

**Tom Keene** (0:45)
Brunson gets it, fires up a three.

**Paul Sweeney** (0:48)
The chip, it's gone. It's gone. It's gone.

**Tom Keene** (0:52)
With one point two remaining, Knicks take the lead. Oji Adanobi and it's 107-106.

**Jon Stashower** (0:59)
That was your final score. ABC had the call. And I was saying this morning, Tom, I'm not sure what was more astonishing the comeback where that game winning basket at the end.

**Paul Sweeney** (1:07)
Yeah, Jon, I mean, I mean, as great as the Knicks played in the second half defensively, they held the Spurs only 30 points. It's just extraordinary.

**Jon Stashower** (1:15)
Well, they had 71 in the first half. It was incredible. Now, you know, you had the feeling there was no way they could keep making those shots.
They shot 14 of 26 on three pointers in the first half. So they did cool off. And the Knicks have made these comebacks before, even last year, with basically the same players. They had a couple of big comebacks in the playoffs. They beat the Celtics. They came in 22 down in game one against Cleveland. Only seven minutes left. But you didn't think they could do it this time because the Spurs are a better team and they were playing so well. I don't think anybody really could have seen this coming.

**Tom Keene** (1:49)
You know, what I noticed was a change to Alvarado. I mean, he goes into the stands the other night. He saved there protected by a man in the stands who caught him nicely last night. And then at the end of the game, all of a sudden I've got Alvarado Brunson.
I'm sorry. Is that something new for game five?

**Jon Stashower** (2:05)
That's a good point. No, he, Mike Brown, very rarely, I think, plays those two together. And I was surprised they did. But Alvarado, I don't know, he's very pesky, you know, and maybe that's why he brought him. But he had a couple of big shots in that comeback in the fourth quarter.

**Tom Keene** (2:23)
I think, Paul, it's amazing that Alvarado, I mean, he knows he was lucky to play game four, protected in game three by that person on the sidelines.

**Paul Sweeney** (2:30)
Exactly right. So, Jon, the game, we head back to San Antonio for a game Saturday night. What do you think in here?

**Jon Stashower** (2:38)
Well, they just won twice in San Antonio. So, you know, I mean, logic tells you that it might be hard to wrap this thing up on the road. I don't think the Spurs want to see the Knicks celebrate on their home floor, but if San Antonio wins Saturday, then we would move ahead to Tuesday night, back at the Garden. It'll be another hot ticket with a chance to win the championship.

**Tom Keene** (3:01)
Jon, I'm an amateur. Alexis is the real deal. Paul's the real deal. Who was up on your wall as a kid, like 1973?

**Jon Stashower** (3:08)
Who was- Oh, Clyde.

**Tom Keene** (3:09)
Who was Clyde?

**Jon Stashower** (3:10)
No, absolutely.

**Tom Keene** (3:12)
Link for our international audience, Jon Stashower. Link 1973 and the other struggles over here to 2006

**Jon Stashower** (3:21)
Yeah, I mean, there have been a lot of struggles. I mean, that's part of why this has become such a big story is because Knick fans have gone through so many just dreadful teams. I mean, yeah, they went to finals in 99, but basically since then, I mean, Tom had 12 coaches in 18 years. I mean, they just kept recycling different coaches, general managers, they bring in Phil Jackson, they bring in all kinds of people, it never worked. And now it's finally worked, and they have such a great team.