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00:00That was like, that was like fantastic, right?
00:04Unbelievable.
00:05Well, I'll tell you what's also unbelievable.
00:06And I would have asked JV Bickerstiff this in the post game.
00:11Why didn't you run a second defender at Brunson and force someone else to beat you?
00:19Carl Anthony Towns has fouled out.
00:21You don't have to worry about him.
00:22Make OG Ananobi, Josh Hart, Miles Bridges, McBride, make one of those guys beat you to get a game seven.
00:33I mean, it's incredible that he allowed the clutch player of the year in the NBA to go one-on-one.
00:41And people tell me that Thompson's a great defender.
00:43Is he Michael Cooper?
00:44Is he Bruce Bowen?
00:45He hasn't earned his playoff spurs yet.
00:47He hasn't done anything.
00:48That team hasn't done anything.
00:49So to me, that was a fatal flaw.
00:52And you got to remember this because you know this too.
00:55One of the biggest reasons they got to a game six is because Tom Thibodeau, that was a travesty,
01:02not calling timeout to get Brunson on the floor for those positions late.
01:07So now he's on the floor and you actually allow your team to be beaten by the one guy you can't allow that to.
01:14So you were talking about game five when he was standing on the scorer's table at the end of the game.
01:19The only reason the Pistons have got to a game six in my mind is because of that mistake by Tom.
01:28And I love the job that Tom Thibodeau's done.
01:30I think you're correct.
01:31The Knicks would be crazy to fire him.
01:33But he didn't get Brunson back in the game.
01:36And to me, that's the reason there was a game six.
01:38And now if you're J.B. Bickerstaff, don't you remember that?
01:41That's the basic primary reason you're here.
01:44And now you're not going to run a second defender at him to force somebody else to beat you.
01:49I'll take my chances with O.G. trying to beat me or Josh Hart.
01:53I don't care if Brunson missed a ton of shots, which he did in that game.
01:58That's the guy who I am afraid of that is going to send me into the offseason.
02:02And that's what happened.
02:05So, J.B., you know what?
02:06They had a tremendous year.
02:07That team lost 28 straight games last year under Monte Williams.
02:12That's almost impossible to do in the NBA.
02:15And they reversed that all this year.
02:17And it was just like, guys, come on.
02:20You've got to get the ball out of Brunson's hands.
02:22When you saw Bridges have that dunk on Cunningham, I think it was, where he came in fast and he flushed it.
02:31I was like, that's why they got this cat, that he has that extra size and he's quick.
02:38And he had a big game last night, 25.
02:39I thought that play was huge.
02:41He had the big putback or whatever, the layup that tied it.
02:46You know, the Pistons are up, what, seven points with two and a half to go.
02:49All they have to do is score another two, three points and they're probably home free.
02:53So, a lot of stuff does go wrong.
02:55Kate Cunningham did not produce down the stretch.
02:58They did not have someone who could match the shot making of Brunson, who was incredible.
03:02But the problem with Bridges is this.
03:05And this is, unfortunately, it's not of his doing, but this is his deal.
03:09They gave up too much for him.
03:11Yeah.
03:11He is a guy who's forever going to be linked to five number one picks, right?
03:16They gave up for the guy.
03:17They gave up a King's Ransom for a player who's like your fourth best player on a given night.
03:23So, he has to, that always hangs over him.
03:26That always is, something is going to be a reminder.
03:29Right.
03:29Years ago, years ago, I was covering the Mavericks in a different lifetime in Dallas.
03:35And they drafted Detlef Schrempf over Karl Malone.
03:38Okay?
03:39Detlef Schrempf was the guy taking over.
03:42And Detlef had a good career, don't get me wrong.
03:44He was not Karl Malone.
03:45And, unfortunately, it took very little time for the fans and people and even the media to keep reminding Detlef, you're not Karl Malone.
03:54You're not.
03:55And it just, they finally had to trade the guy.
03:57And I don't know what's going to happen with Bridges, but he has to play at a high level because people know he's a key piece for them in terms of what Leon Rose wanted to do with getting him, getting Karl-Anthony Towns.
04:08But, man, they gave up too much for him.