OverDrive - OverDrive - June 5, 2026 - Hour 2 - Mike Johnson/Jack Armstrong

Episode Date: June 5, 2026

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Analyst Mike Johnson joins to discuss the Hurricanes’ comeback win in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Conn Smythe Trophy sweepstakes and Dylan Larkin requesting a trade from Detroit and where he might land. TSN Basketball Analyst Jack Armstrong joins to discuss the Spurs needing a response in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson’s special skillset, Mike Brown’s fit as the Knicks’ head coach, Victor Wembanyama needing to step up and the potential ceiling for his legacy. The guys react to one of the craziest golf swings ever and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets!

Catch everything soccer with Bell's game time bundle. Get 5 TV with TSN plus 5150 internet, all for $99 a month. Price guaranteed for two years with a two-year internet and TV term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. Hour 2 Overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you more ways to play your game your way. Brian Hayes, Zodog, Jeff O'Neill, Jamie Noodles, McClennon. We've got a good friend Jack Armstrong later in the hour on game two at the NBA finals.

What do we expect out of Wemby tonight? Feels like a must win for San Antonio. Seeing some of the dollar amounts on these ticket prices for New York games are just absurd. Dude, can't be real. It almost feels like it can't be real. Yeah, like someone's just trying to promote it as the garden and the hype. And it's like, I don't know, man. Like, you're a Knicks fan?

Like, is Ben Stiller? Like, is that guy paying for it? He gets in for free. He's getting free. All the celebrities are getting. But let's say he wasn't. Is he going to be paying $45,000, like, USD for two tickets? Like, how rich do you got to be to not care about that dollar figure?

You've got to be pretty rich, man, for a three-hour sporting event. There's people that have it in New York, though. Dude, I get it. But I also know rich people that are just like, I'm not blowing 45 U.S.D. For a lot of sporting event. Brutal seats, too. Some people just have, if that's their thing, keep in mind, When's the last time the Knicks have been relevant?

27 years. Exactly. So, okay, so let's just, and I know this is a bad analogy, but let's say the Leafs are in the final. There's people that have been waiting their whole life for that. And they go, I'm a billionaire, I'm worth lots of money. How much would you pay for great tickets at Scotia Bank Cup Final for the Leafs? That's the people in New York. And there's lots of money there.

lots of money here. Totally. So that's what you're dealing with. I understand. I get it. And if you're a billionaire, who the hell care? 50 grand is nothing. It's nothing to them.

You wouldn't even flinch at that. But ultimately what I think is happening likely, because I know what happens in Toronto, is it's businesses that are buying them for clients. Yeah. Corporate. Clients are like, hey, you want to keep my business, you know, you make a lot of money off me. I'm going to game three. Yeah.

And it's like, man, okay. What are we paying for these? It's 40 grand. We've got to pay it. Expense it. Exactly. And that's what's like that happening. Well, I'm telling you that happens with big companies.

Dude, 45 G's for two tickets on the old expense report. 100%. A big hospitality company that goes, like let's say you're, let's say you're, you know, I won't even name a company. Let's say you own a bunch of restaurants in New York and you sell a ton of product of someone's product. You say, I want to go to the game. they're getting you those tickets.

100%. They're finding you with it. These investment bankers will spend that on, and again, I don't want to speak out of turn, although I know a lot of guys who have big expense accounts. They'll spend that in a weekend in Vegas and have nothing to show for it because it stays at the Spearmint Rino. Yes. And they write it down as.

Straight cash, I mean, expense that bad point. I'm telling you, there are. How do you expense a Spearmint Rino session? It might be written up on the credit card as something a little bit different. You know, Rick's Brick's Grill or something. Yeah, exactly. Who knows? Find a way.

I'm just saying I know people who have expense accounts. And they spend some stuff on weird things. Outrageous money. Outrageous. I'd go to Cheetahs in Vegas over Spearmint Rhinos. Anyway, bring in MJ. Anyway. Yeah.

It's a big one tonight in San Antonio. And then the Cup final making his way to Vegas. to Vegas, back to Vegas, and those will be sought after tickets for sure. There's Mike Johnson, our TSN hockey analyst, joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. That looks like, what are you? Back in Toronto, Johnny?

What are we dealing with here? Where are you? I came for another pit stop, Hayes. I haven't been home in five weeks. So it's a travel day, so instead of going connecting through Atlanta, I connected through Toronto. So up this morning, got like 10 hours here,

got some new clothes, and then getting ready to go right back to the airport after this to fly out to Vegas. And I can do some research on your Titas establishment or Spearmint Rino, a place I've never heard of, but perhaps I'll find out just what the credit card statement does say

when you go to one of those places. Cheetahs, they bring you pails of beer on ice. It's a beautiful nice. It probably cost a fortune. I remember the Spearmint Rino having the greatest grilled cheese at 3 o'clock in the morning

there. I had had alcohol poisoning the night before. So every time I had one sip of alcohol, I would vomit. So I went. Why would you try to have a sip of alcohol? I was trying to grind through on a second night. That's why.

And I'm sitting, you know, with buddies. And I fought through and had the greatest grilled cheese was the answer. It was the greatest grilled cheese in my life. At three o'clock in the morning. They can run food out of there. That is straight. That is right.

serious. That is wild. Yeah, I love that. Well, Johnny, you were there in Carolina for those two games. Have this scales tip for you in terms of, I think you were lean in Carolina, a slight lean. Has that changed it all after two games? Probably not. In that Carolina probably should have won game one.

Vegas probably should have won game two. They are about where they should be. The home team hasn't had a real advantage in these playoffs It hasn't really been a sizable percentage winning Advantage for the home team So maybe we shouldn't factor that in It's really close There are moments where Vegas is in control

And Carolina looks lifeless There's moments where Carolina is in control And Vegas looks like they're going to have a hard time With the pace and everything else I will say this though Well first off I hope Braden McNabb's okay That was one of the gnarliest replays you can see. The one

from behind the far net, and you can see it just comes straight into his grill. That was just horrific. But if they lose him, Vegas is not very deep on the back end. They don't have, he plays first pair of all these key situations. To lose them, this

understand, oh my gosh, understandably, you know, whether it's a broken nose, broken facial bones, or a concussion or something else. Like, that is 90 miles an hour. And even if it catches the visor, and he went off, like, broke his nose, could have been in the visor to the nose, whatever. If he's not there, that's a pretty

big blow for Vegas. So I guess I'm still not sure Hayes. Neither team looks like they are firmly in control. The only thing I think we've shown in through two games is Carolina's not running rough shot over Vegas. Like they dominated

against Montreal Canadiens. That stuff is not happening. This is going to be a back and forth sort of tightly contested series. Johnny, in a shocking turn of events, Brian Hayes agreed, with John Tortorella's challenging of the goal or the non-goal, give us your thoughts

are you on team MJ or team HazyB slash torts? So, if we want to operate in a vacuum mode, let's just say, just look at that. You got to pick a team. Well, I'm on

HazyB and Torts then because I can't be in a vacuum. But if I just look at the play, just look at the play, Freddie Anderson does not have that puck at all. It's inside his circumference of his arms, but it's on the ice. It's clear. And to me, Freddie Anderson's glove, oh, was like knuckles down. It wasn't freezing it palm down.

It was knuckles down. He was just lying there. I didn't know where it was. So Barberchav, yeah, he had to go a little bit under the glove to get the puck. But he didn't push the pad and the puck and everything. He pushed the puck through. And so to me, I think that should have counted. I don't think he interfered with Freddie Anderson enough,

and I think he's entitled to go and put his stick on a puck that's loose in the crease. Like, yes, you bumped his glove a little tiny bit, but I think that that should be allowed when the puck is in there and it is still loose. So yes, I agree with the idea that that should have counted. Where it becomes different, oh, situation, the fact that it was called no-goal on the ice, trying to reverse an on-ice call is way harder. And with five minutes left, you're like, well, hang on.

It's a huge risk if you get it wrong. But he had trusted his penalty killers, didn't like Caroline's power play because they hadn't been very good. So we put all that together and he made the call. Penal the killers couldn't bail him out. But I do agree that that should have counted. Even if the situation, oh, we could have that conversation, maybe it dictated being a bit more conservative

with that little amount of time left in the game. Yeah, Johnny, I fully admit, I'm on Team Brian Hayes on this one and you as well. I thought, I had no problem with the challenge. And, you know, it was one of those coin flip ones. They got it. Unfortunately, I don't know if they felt they got it wrong, but they were on the wrong side of it. And it's unfortunate.

But, you know, did you notice in-game adjustments or game two adjustments compared to game one? The flipping out of the puck and the neutral zone. Some of the things, could you tell it was systematically different from both sides? Not a ton from Carolina. I think they still try to play. The one thing you saw a little bit, noodles, a little adjustment is that in game one,

they got exposed a little bit of other five-on-man defense. And the winger's, oh, and I would love this, they play so high. They just stand beside the defenseman. They don't sag, they don't get to the slot. They just like,

I'm out here. When we get it, I'm going. In game two, that weak side winger did drop into a more normal occupy the slot, get in the trouble areas, then get out. That was a slight difference. Of course, Martin Nook swapping out.

For Spesnikov, that was an in-game adjustment on that first line. For Vegas, yeah, the high flips, for sure, were part of it. But they were just more comfortable. They weren't phased by the speeds. I don't think they practically made any changes, but they executed better because I think they were more familiar with what to expect than the speed that it would come at them with. So these teams are who they are.

Like, you can tinker, but you're in game 100. You're not going to reinvent how you play to get to this point. They're largely got a goal with what got them there. Yeah, quick follow up on that. Do you, have you, is Brett Houghton entered the Kahn-Smith conversation for you? Has to. 12 to 1 on Fandall. Kind of has to be.

12 to 1. That's a new development, though. Because two games ago, I don't think he was on it. Like, coming into the final, I don't think he was on the top eight or whatever. So, yeah, I mean, if you can go and score four more goals and he ends up with, what, 17 or something? Like, you know, even if he doesn't get a ton of assists, all those goals. Now, the problem with him or his candidacy is that a lot of the goals he'll score, Mitch will get points on. Mitch is up to 24.

You get to 30. That is a monstrous playoff. So if Mitch gets the 30, I don't care if I would get to 17 and 6, I still think Mitch Marter probably wins it. But it's wild to think, even though we only played, I think, 58 games in the season, how he only scored 12. Like, the fact that he has more in the playoffs than he did in the regular season with a 12-pack in the regular season is, it's tough to figure because you see that speed, see that strength, the way he shrugged off Jacob Slavin of all people for the second one.

Yeah, he's in the conversation, has to be. And Freddie, all of a sudden, who was like, had to be the winner for Carolina, His numbers last three, four games, not so good. So I don't even know if Carolina were to win the series. I don't know who wins it on their team. I'm not quite sure who would. Yeah, it's wide open on that front. I mean, Howden kind of feels like this.

It's kind of like Sam Bennett from a year ago, where Bennett just kept scoring big goals. And he didn't score, he didn't do a lot during the regular season last year. Daisy. Go ahead. Jaden Schwartz with St. Louis. That's who it's like. Yep.

That year when they won, he had, I think, 13 or 13 or something, 14. and then he got 17. Like, you know, winger, good player. We know he's a good player, but he just does so much better and he hits it with good health and good timing. That would be a pretty close comparable

for what Howden's doing right now. So Dylan Larkin reportedly wants out of Detroit. Yeah, what kind of, like, how was Carol, like how was the league kind of responding to that over the last 24 hours? It was like the lead talking point yesterday.

I know it was game two, but it's like, that's a major development on two fronts. One, in a league absolutely devoid of good Setterman, to have a guy this good with this term that's very affordable out on the market is not a common occurrence. And you can very quickly list off teams that would like him, whether it's L.A., Minnesota, Montreal, Rangers, like a whole bunch of teams could use him. That would be willing to pay quite a bit to get him. So that league-wide is huge. And guys, just as an aside, like, is it me? Or does it feel like the Olympic, the American Olympic team had a wildly impactful effect on each other? More so than just they are together and they won and they're proud and they should be.

But just about like the business and their futures and taking control their careers. Like, you know, the Hughes brothers, the Kachuk brothers and Austin. Dylan and Zach Worensky. I talked to him after winning the Norris. He's talking about, I got to start winning. You know, it's all out there where these guys are like, they don't want to wait anymore. So I just wonder what those dormitory conversations in Milan were like.

So there's that side of it. The other part is, what does this do to the Eiser plan guys? Like he was building to now. And Larkin is a big part of that build. And if he goes, you're going to get a bunch of players and prospects. but it's going to set the timeline probably back a year or two, which is not the intention. It was not the focus.

You're trading first rounders for Justin Falk, not to have your captain leave the next summer to go young again. It's a tricky, tricky situation. And I think about Eisenman apparently was in on Hughes, right, guys? Quinn Hughes? And he wasn't sure about parting with Edvenson. Now you're like, well, had you traded for Hughes, I doubt Dillard's going anywhere.

Right? He's probably hanging around a bit longer. but the unwillingness to make that deal, for whatever reason, want to keep track of Edmondson on their team, I don't know, but just the domino effect of where this leaves Detroit, I do not know. Johnny, my buddy texts me and said, I think the NHL is kind of trending towards the NBA, where movement for star players are just going to be, I want to kind of get out of here and go there. I don't think it's going to be to the James Harden extent, but what do you think about that? So I remember a day.

I'm old enough to remember a time when the NHO was often criticized because there were not a lot of deals, right? Like, the cap was too tight. Star players never went anywhere. They just resigned where they were and it was kind of boring when it came to transactions. So we're going away from that. I don't have a problem with it all. I know some people don't like the idea of him, air quotes, bailing on his current club. You know, you give a team 11 years.

you're entitled to make it. If you want to go somewhere else, you don't like what's happening. And I am generally player empowerment. If they want to take control and they have the leverage to, because I tell you what, he wants to opt out. Let's say he has no trade protection and you could trade him for a better player.

Do you think Detroit's going to say, no, no, no, we can't do that? Of course they're going to do it. Loyalty is not a two-way street in the NHL. They want it from the players, but they don't want to give it to you from the organization. So if you're a player and have expired your loyalty to a team for whatever reason, then cash it in and go somewhere else.

I really, I have no problem with it. Yeah, and I'm just curious, you know, how the league kind of ranks Larkin and how much of a needle mover he is, where, like, Quinn Hughes is top six or seven player in the world. So everyone would do, you would presume, anything to get their hands on Quinn Hughes. Except New Jersey. Except for Jersey, except for Detroit, evidently. And Detroit.

But, you know, Matthew Kuchuk, when he was out, now he controlled it and said, I'm only going somewhere where I'd sign long term. So he kind of basically created his own no trade list. That's a guy that I think anyone in the league would pay almost anything to get. I'm curious how you think Larkin stacks on that front. Like in terms of like the presented deals, two prospects, two firsts. I don't know if it gets that crazy for a guy like Dylan Larkin. I think Dylan Larkin is easily a consensus.

I might be being conservative. He's the top 20 to 30 center in the league. Okay. So he's not like a super duper first liner, but he's definitely a first liner. And I think he has aided in his perception hazy because he hasn't played in the playoffs so he doesn't have the rep as a playoff guy,

but he was good in the four nations. And he was good in the Olympics. And that's all people can kind of go off of. of when the chips are down, he was good. He was one of the foreign nations. He was one of America's best players. So, you know, you can be a team like Montreal and slide him in after beyond Zizuki. Or you can be a team like Minnesota and he can be your number one guy.

And both cases would be, would make a lot of sense. And he would help a team win. Like, you know, we were joking about the Matthew Nye's trade last week and people freaked out about it. But like, you saw what Nize is reportedly being shot for, right? the insiders reporting what that package was, two picks and a prospect and whatever. He's better than Matthew Nyes. It's more valuable than Matthew Nyes.

And he has term. So he's not going where he got control on him. So, like, he's not Quinn Hughes, but he's, you know, he's a major, major league asset, especially given the control you have for the next several years. Where do you think he's going, Johnny? Minnesota. Everybody thinks that. What about Boston?

I mean, he wants to win, though. Okay, what's Minnesota going to give up for him? You tell me that right now. That's what I want to know. A goalie. Wollstead? Detroit's got a couple of goalies, so don't they? They're off.

Yeah, I know they have a ton. Yeah. Yeah. But Kosa lost the net in the playoffs, guys. Costa was part of this great Brad Rapids year go down the minor league rabbit hole. But he was awesome early. But he wasn't even playing in the playoffs. So, you know, Walsstead, you're off.

Charlie Strammel is a huge, like a really high-end. pick a first rounder. They have three premium assets at a first round pick in 28. I would probably get it done. And I think Dil Larkin has no trade protection. He would accept that trade. I'm pretty sure he would go there. So you have to factor that in when you think where he might go is where he would

accept to go. Boston might be one. I don't know what their prospect pool is like. You know, if you're in Montreal, you've got to make a call. Big time. Imagine him and Suzuki won two. and they have so many assets, so many players that they could trade for him

and not deplete their NHL roster. So, yeah, but I think Minnesota, it just seems like that's a good fit. And they need them so bad, and they committed to Capriza to be good. What if Detroit wanted Hade? You have to, yes, 100% you make that tail if you're Montreal.

Not because you don't like Hage, but what is, if Hage turned a, to Dylan Larkin, that would be a monumental success, right? Like, why hold on to a guy in hopes that he can become the guy you're trading him for? Like, do you think

he's got five years of the deal of Larkin? It's true. Like, he's got five years of eight point seven. It fits in with the other. And like I get entry level contracts. Yeah. I get it, but he fits in exactly. It's, it's, people are so, cling so much to prospects because they might become good. But, like,

you're hoping he becomes the, like, as good as the guy you're going to get. You already know how good Dylan Larkin is. It's still a bit of a mystery what Hage becomes in the NHL. So if you want Hage and you want, what's the Russian kids name, Sharikovsky, you want

those two guys, Zorovsky, whatever it is, Ryan Bacher, they got Jacob Fowler, I don't know why I want to part with him, but they have three, four guys there. You can mix and match, Kate and Guli might be a player off the roster you could give them. You could make a deal and not kill the much all Canadians

at all. Anaheim. Yeah. Olin Zellweger's a good player. Mason McTavich is on the block. But I think those guys, McTavich is good, but I think they would prefer someone that they, you know, that wasn't getting scratched last year, you know, down the stretch. So, you know, Anaheim for sure.

But they, you know, Leo Carlson's going to be their number one. He can slide in behind him. Yeah, of course. Yes. San Jose, San Jose won him? Yep. You know? Yeah.

It's a race behind Celebrating. A head of him. Big time. 100%. There's lots and lots of spots. Yeah. All right, Johnny. Well, safe travels.

Enjoy Vegas. And keep us updated on those reputable spots out there. I'll send a screenshot of my credit card receipt to the group chat to see what it's labeled as. I'll appreciate that. I'm there for five days. Try the grilled cheese. Five days. And it's 40 degrees.

I got to go somewhere inside. I have to be inside. It's just practical. Journalism, man. It's journalism. You're doing the work for us. We appreciate it. Thank you, Johnny.

Mike Johnson, joining us here on the Maple Toyota hotline. It's time to Toyota check out the Toyota Tacoma and Toyota Tundra pickup trucks, both available as hybrids. Maple Toyota near Canada's Wonderland in the Maple Auto Mall. Yeah, I mean, if I'm Montreal, I'm putting chips in, man. Of course. You are kind of locked and loaded. It's very clear they need center depth beyond. And a good player instead of going out and, you know, I like Oliver Capitin, but it's not Dylan Larkin.

No, exactly. He didn't play a lot in the playoffs. He's young. He's a rookie. You know, if you can have Evans as your third or fourth line center, if you go Suzuki Larkin, Captainin Evans, like, that's a really good one through four. Like, really good. I brought it up yesterday, Brian, and just what MJ was talking about, all these American players and all that, he would have to be. You don't have to, it's coming up to Canada.

Yes, for sure. But if he wants to win, that's the thing. Like Montreal, why is Minnesota better than Montreal in terms of the way they're situated moving forward? I agree. I don't think they are. Like, I think the HABs put their hands up and said, we think we can win real soon. As good as Quinn Hughes, it doesn't make Minnesota like perennial favorites to win the cup over a team like Montreal. Right.

No way. Right. They might be on the same plane. Don't get me wrong. Yeah, they're on the same atmosphere. reach. So yeah, I'm very curious to see what this ends up looking like. Mail it on Friday, brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree, a side and a drink, and you get it all in 20 minutes or less.

So fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. We'll recap what's going on down at the Memorial. That course is so dialed in. It's such a sick-looking golf course. And we're cruising towards the RBC Canadian Open next week. So recap on our tailor-made picks coming up. Jack coming up on game two of the NBA finals.

Best bet still to come. Overdrive continues up on YouTube live. Catch everything soccer with Bell's game time bundle. Get 5 TV with TSN plus 5150 internet, all for $99 a month. Price guaranteed for two years with a two-year internet and TV term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.com for more details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. The newest tracks.

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All right, Jack Armstrong coming up here in a moment. Best bets later in the hour of the overdraft PGA picks brought you by Taylor Made. Feel the straight distance, feel the forgiveness, and feel the confidence as you step into every shot, learn more about the new QI Max Irons at TailormadeGolf.C.A. none of us took J.T. Posten, but J.T. went seven under today's nine under for the tournament. That is shooting the lights out at that place. Dude, those greens are so liquid, man. I played there one time, and I got on the practice green.

And if you think your greens are great, whatever course you're at, just go there and check them out. 30 footers, you hit like a two-footer. I've never experienced anything like it, man. They're like ice, man. These guys are like wedges way in the air, and they're blasting off the green and not stopping. Like, it's incredible. Sammy Burns, six under.

My boy Tommy Fleetwood, four under. He's still out on the course. So I picked Tommy. Shafley's up there. My main man, two glove Aaron Rye's one under for the tourney. I'm telling you, Aaron Rye is coming. Did Scotty Boy turn it around or no? shot even, I believe, today.

So he's won over for the tournament. That's still sniffing for him. It's sniffing. It is. He's 10 shots back. And you've got to think posted in Gerard, though. If both of them, you know, shoot over par, but I just don't think the weekend there, you can expect to shoot 67, 67.

I don't think it's in the cards. I don't know. Old Jackie Boy usually gives them like a, you know, a setup on Saturday they were. They can take it deep and then it crushes their soul on Sunday. Yes. He does. Some of the flags on Sunday are outrageous. But there you go. We're tracking the memorial throughout the week, and the PGA picks, brought to you by Taylormade,

feel the straight distance, feel the forgiveness, and feel the confidence as you step into every shot. Learn more about the QI Max Irons at Taylormade Golf.C.A. So a cup final on its way to Vegas, tied at one. I got a sense the NBA finals heading back to the garden tied at one. I think the Spurs get one tonight. I think Wemby shows a lot more. jump tonight. The Knicks, though, have been phenomenal, and they're battle tested, their vets, they're gritty, they grind, they fight. Brunson, man, you talk about bar play in New York.

It is off the charts what's going on with Jay. Number one guy. Unreal. Number one guy. And the original New Yorker joins us now around the table. Here's our TSN NBA analyst Jack Armstrong. How are you doing, Jack? Gentlemen, I miss you. I'm the only one here. Where are you guys? Well, we're getting ready for the game tonight. We're getting ready.

We want to be comfortable for the game tonight. How are you feeling about the Spurs responding tonight? I think they will. I'd be very surprised. I mean, you know, they don't have as much experience in big games as the Knicks do. And you could clearly see late in the game the closing ability, the clutch play, the attention of detail that the Knicks had in comparison to what you saw from San Antonio down the stretch.

And obviously, Jaylon Brunson, you know, when push comes to shove, he's going to take the game over. And he's going to make some play. Sometimes you're going to shake your head because he gets, the ball gets sticky. Sometimes he plays hero ball. But nonetheless, he's an incredible competitor, and he'll rip your heart out to win. You know, Spurs, the other thing, they gave up some big offensive rebounds that led to putbacks. And they got to move the ball a little bit better.

I think there were times they tried to do a little too much on their own, whether it be Greg Popovich, Coach Johnson now. They've always been an organization that lives and dies by making the extra pass. So they've got to get back to playing that way. Jack, you just mentioned Brunson. The one thing I'll give him is, like, he's a very unique player. Like, there's not many kind of similar to him. You just mentioned the hero ball. He's got a little bit of street fighter in him.

Like, he just brings a lot of energy. but he gets it done, man. What a special talent out there for the Knicks. You know, so too often we get caught up in, you know, the size of the player or the statistical profile, the analytical end of it. And look, all those things are important. I get that. There comes a point where you just go, I want that dude on my team. I want that dude walking down the dark alley with me.

He's going to have my back. I want him in the foxhole with me. That guy just has it. you can't put your finger on it, but you want him with you. And I think that's what he brings that is special. And, you know, he did it when he played at Villanova. He was kind of a secondary player at times in Dallas. He now has the keys to the car.

And I thought the best two players on the floor were the next two players. And that was Carl Anthony Towns and obviously Brunson. So they made a big difference. And look, Towns has gotten knocked around at times. in terms of not playing to a high level in big games. He was a man possessed the other night. You mentioned Towns. He had some great comments.

You heard that there was audio of him kind of messaging his team, where he was like, guys, everybody calmed down now, and we have to continue to play defense. And our offense will kind of warm up. We'll get Brunson back. I thought it was great commentary from like a leader instead of the coach. I don't know what you thought of that. I thought it was.

I agree. I thought it was great. And quite frankly, I was a little surprised because this is a guy that hasn't really ever been known in his career as being a defensive player. So, you know, when you hear that, though, you go, aha, this guy's buying in. Yeah, maybe he gets it now. He gets it now. And, you know, when you see that, you know, former Raptor coach, Dwayne Casey used to say, you tell on yourself, when you show that you can do it and when you want to do it, you can, it makes a big difference. And the things you're seeing now from Call Anthony Towns, at times he's been a bit of a tease.

He plays on his talent and wows you with talent. You say, look at a guy like that. He's got soft hands. He can score away from the basket, at the basket, can handle the rock. He can pass it. He can rebound. He's all those things. But sometimes those guys, they're permanent potential guys.

And permanent potential guys get you fired because they don't ever get to that level. But all you talk about is their potential rather than in. productivity. Now we're talking about when you've watched him this year, the light is truly come on. You're talking about him. This dude's producing. So Jack, it's as simple for them to get back into it. It's just Wambi's got to take control. I think that's one of them. He had six turnovers in the game, so he's got to clean that up. I thought the Knicks did a great job, packing the paint, being physical with him. I think the Spurs got to do a little better job again, getting the ball quickly swung around the perimeter.

Get it to the open, man. They've got to have a good shooting game from three. I think that'll benefit them a great day. Because now you're going to start pulling the Nick defense away from the paint, having to contest threes, and that opens up opportunities, single coverage with space for a guy like Wembe to dominate. Again, you know, when you look at the Knicks, the fact that, you know, they were in the East Finals last year.

They lost. but they've played, you know, this, you know, and they fired their coach. Right. You know, so now it's like, you know, whether you like James Dolan or not, he made a decision like, I'm throwing it down right here. It's, you know, NBA championship, Stanley Cup, World Series, Super Bowl, whatever it is. Like, sometimes you just got to light a fire on the guys and say, you know, you're better than this. This is my expectation.

We're making a change. and you know now you know you make a point O'Dog before and and you know noodles I love your question about it and that is this you look at a call Anthony Towns and it's not a coach and sometimes when you make a coaching change

now guys get a fire under there you know what and they go you know what I'm empowered it's on me like part of the reason that guy got whacked is maybe I didn't get it always done and probably some of the things he's saying are the things Tom Tibido got on as you know what for the last few years, and now he sees the light. And I think you're seeing a team that is more empowered and the players are running things a little bit more.

What do you say when you coach players or character, the character has a way of coaching a team itself? With Jack Armstrong, game two spurs Knicks tonight. And what's intriguing, like you mentioned, you know, the success they had in Tivode gets let go. And they, you know, they didn't try to find some new progressive, you know, 34-year-old coach. They didn't go get J.J. Reddick and say, we want to give you this opportunity. They go out and get a lifer at Mike Brown, who's kind of been around forever and kind of seen it all. Those guys are getting gassed all the time, hazy life. It's crazy.

How, exactly, you know, that he's, like, you look at the juxtaposition between the two coaches in the final. It's, you know, a great example of that. But, you know, you're a New Yorker. You're very familiar with the history of the. Knicks. If Brown is the coach of record who brings a championship back to Nick fans in New York, what does

that mean for his coaching legacy? Well, I don't know how much beer he drinks, but if he doesn't drink a lot, I'll hang with him, because I know I'll get free beers the rest of my life. Yeah. And the other thing about him and Jay's fans

won't be happy. I did root for the Jays when they played Seattle and when they played the Dodgers. But I grew up, you know, Brooklyn guy. grew up a Yankee fan. Sure. But I look back to when the New York Yankees hired Clueless Joe, Joe Torrey, fired by the Cardinals, by the Mets, by the Braves, his fourth time as a coach. Joe Tori was the perfect guy, and Buck Showalter did a great job,

kind of being that turnaround artist. And you look at the career of Buck Showalter with the Orioles, the Yankees, Seattle, I'm probably forgetting someplace. He was your classic guy that would get you so far, but you needed something else to get you over the hump. And Mike Brown is kind of a little bit like what a Tory is. He's been there, done that, he's been whacked a number of times, and he just has that bedside manner that's ideal for this team.

To my point before, again, I think these guys are taking the bull by the horns, And he's got that perfect temperament for those guys, whereas maybe Tibbs was a little too intense. But on the other hand, you need a guy like that to get you someplace. And then the players ultimately got to get you to the rest of the way. Jack, Wembe is a fascinating guy to watch, just his frame, like the way he dominates at both ends. His abilities are incredible. I don't want to get into the goat conversation because we just everybody's, seems to do that too much.

They don't enjoy, you know, the present and just watch the career unfold. But what do you think we're going to be talking about in 15 or 20 years with this guy and how much winning has to be involved for his legacy just to be that much greater? Well, number one, his legacy is going to have to be tied to winning, and he's going to be the guy that leads that organization. And they have a lot of good young players. But as we know in pro sports now, based upon the cap, and free agency and all the different things that happen.

The idea of having a dynasty for five to seven to nine years is really hard to keep together because you got really good players. They're all going to want to get paid. And sooner or later, you just can't do it. But he is going to be that guy that will be the face of their franchise and they're going to have to do a good job kind of around him. And look, Sam Presti, Oklahoma City is going to have some decisions to make. now that the spurs have emerged probably a year earlier than people thought, you know, how do they go about putting it back together again?

They've got a game plan for San Antonio. Yes, exactly. After being a champ the year before, but they had a few injuries in the West Finals that kind of made them vulnerable. But this young man has a chance, again, if he's healthy, and his body type, you always get nervous with his frame. and the greater physicality of the NBA game now that we've seen in the last 18 months

compared to maybe what we saw even a few years ago. The games are faster, but they're letting them hit each other a little bit more. So can he hold up? If he can hold up, this young man's got a chance to be, you know, obviously one of the 10, 15 all-time great players if it all stays together for him.

Huge platform for him tonight. like those legacy building nights. Tonight's one of them for Wemby. Down 01 NBA finals, his first taste of it. We'll see what he's got. He is Jack Armstrong joining us. Great catching up with you, Jack.

Enjoy the game tonight. We'll do it again soon. And I heard you guys are going to be at the Canadian Open next week for a few days. I'm going next Friday, and I just found out from the guys you're going to be doing soccer. We're doing World Cup. Yeah, absolutely. We're everywhere. We're going on the pitch, mate.

I love it. And by the way, you know, I'll never forget. Years ago, Toronto FC was playing. The Raptors had a game, so I walk in at halftime, and someone says, hey, what's the score of FC? And he goes, oh, it's zero, zero, nil, no. And someone in the press room goes, it's zero, zero already? That's it.

So let's hope you have some action, and let's hope Canada wins here. We're jacked for it. It's going to be great. This time next week. We'll know. I miss you guys. Someday I'll see you. You got it, Jack.

Hello. We'll see us. Great see you. Have a great weekend, guys. You too. There he is. Jack Armstrong. I had a game two of the NBA finals.

And again, yeah, next Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. We're going to be at the RBC Canadian Open up at TPC Toronto. Can't wait for that. And then on Friday we're down at Canada Soccer House. Just to clarify for Friday, we're not getting into. No, we're not getting anywhere close to that stadium. No, no. I mean, we're not like doing breakdowns of the team.

teams, what's like, we're going to be vibe setting from 12 to 2 on Friday. Yeah, we're not on in our usual time slot next Friday. We're a pre-pre-game show. The only thing I feel like. But noodles isn't doing Liberos of set plays. Well, I mean, I've been watching the goaltender a lot recently. Yes. Crape.

Max Crape. Crape. Crape is going to be a rock star. But I feel like in a 12 to 2 show, are we going to have food? Like, I feel like we. We should be able to eat on air. Should we not? I remember a show years ago, Brian.

I don't know if you were there with us. Oh, we did a show from Boston, and they had those pretzel dips with the cheese at the bar across the street. I can just imagine what you guys were doing to that. I was in 13 when the Leafs were in the playoffs. It was Boston, right? Leaves Bruins. Hayes and I are there doing a show at a bar across the street, and there were pretzel dips there. Like, phenomenal.

Giant pretzel with the cheese dip and that. That's what we need on Friday. Yeah, you're right. We need food there. You're right. We'll put in that request. I mean, it's been 13 years long overdue for us to fire that up again. Those were crazy shows, man.

That was we were down there because remember that was right after the marathon bombing. Oh, that's right. Remember they had found the one, the brother. And he was going to the courtroom that day. But it was Bedlam in Boston. The other dude was in a boat. hiding in the boat under the tarp. He was the one that was alive.

The other one was killed. Yeah, crazy stuff. Yeah, that was right around that time. It was crazy, crazy time down in Boston. All right, so NBA finals continue, and Cup final continues. We'll come back with our best bets and mail it in Friday, brought to you by Boston Pizza, Canada's favorite sports bar, enjoy $15 lunch at BP, where you get an entree, a side and a drink, and you get it all in 20 minutes or less.

Fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15, fast lunch. your local Boston pizza. Overdrive continues up on YouTube live. Catch everything soccer with Bell's game time bundle. Get 5 TV with TSN plus 5150 internet, all for $99 a month. Price guaranteed for two years with a two-year internet and TV term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for more details and to check availability. Bell, connection is everything. IHart Radio is throwing it back. 2010, the decade. To the days of huge hits and unforgettable albums. A nonstop stream of the biggest and best.

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All right, Best Betts, powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assemble the same game partly in seconds on the Fandul's sports book. Yeah, but I do think the Spurs win tonight, but I think it's tight. I think it's like the other night. It's a close game. I don't think the Knicks are going to get blown out. The spread is six and a half. I can't take the points tonight.

So I see Spurs by four tonight. Spurs, you know, I think it's close game. I do. I think it's a close game, but I think they win. But I'm going to take the points and take the Knicks to cover best bets. Powered by Fandual. Same game probably is available for every NBA playoff game and final game on the Fandrel's sports book.

Yeah, please play responsibly 19 plus. physically located in Ontario. Some of these questions, I thought I was asked some stupid questions at the combine, not at the combine, just at the draft interviewing with teams. Caleb Mahaltra said today he talked to a team and they said, if you were on a deserted island and a guy had a bottle of water, would you kill the guy for the bottle of water? Like, should expose the team and the guy and just say, no, thank.

Like, that is insane questioning. Would you kill the guy for a bottle of water? Yeah. Well, you know what's happening is these teams have outsourced, like the psychological profiling, right? They're asking some one with a PhD that's never played sports, never been in the dressing room. Hey, what should we ask these guys? And instead of having the foresight to say, okay, thank you for your contribution, but we're not going to do that. They just read from a cue card.

That's embarrassing. They just have a simple conversation, and there's risk involved. because guys don't turn out and guys turn out to be dumb dumb sometimes. But get to know them as best you can and be normal. And that's ridiculous. And get to know the parents too because figure out the fiber of the background. Right. Because if you've got dumb, dumb parents, you're probably getting a dumb, dumb kid.

Very simple. Sometimes they overthink it. You're trying to think outside the box. It's just a dumb question, though. It's too bad that something like that was asked. Yeah. Like they're looking for a reaction. I don't think they really care about the answer.

It's just what you said. Yeah, but what if he was... Ask him that. This is something that will get a reaction. You're looking for a reaction. What if he's like, yeah, absolutely. I would kill the guy for the water. They're like this guy's a psychopath.

I would have him like a psychopath. Good answer? No, I'd rather just die and let him have the water. Is that soft? You know, like, what are you supposed to react? That is weird. I don't know. I got a confirmation from our boy Todd Hayes.

He just texted me saying, confirming I was never a pro ball hockey player. Thanks. Yeah, he said I did play in leagues where things got really serious, but I was never paid to play. So is it midnight? But has anyone confirmed there is a league? No, not one person has said that there's like a budget for a ball hockey team anywhere on Earth. Maybe we should start the overdrive professional bull. ball hockey league.

We'll have six teams in it, get a bunch of guys named Rick and Gary. What was it, Tony and who? Were the guys? Tony and whatever, your guys that were ball hockey. Tony and Craig or something. Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure there's a real future there, and it's a real money-making opportunity for everybody. It's called the NBHL.

Look it up. Someone tweeted me, so it is a league. I just want you to just look at one swing. I want you to get some positive vibes, hazy. Normie, fire up this golf swing for Hazy B. I saw it today, and I have to show everyone. Look at this hitch and go on the way down. Who is that guy?

I don't know. It was like some one of the golf Twitter accounts played again. This little move, like this little jiggle on the way down is insanity. That's a little draw, though, off. I could put that action into play. Oh, my God. I was on a pro-am, and I saw someone bring that to the, table. I walk. I walk. That's like to

hitch that on your back and then relaunch the swing. He could blow his lower back out, his elbow, and his wrist all in one swing. Yeah. But watch, he's probably like a four handicap. Exactly. It's just all about the score. Jimmy Furek's uncle. Yeah. It's not how. It's how many. All right. Next week's going to be a lot of fun. A lot of fun. We're at the RBC Canadian Open. We're going to be at the Canada soccer house. We cannot

wait on Friday the World Cup. We've been waiting for years. It's finally here next week. We cannot wait for next week. It's going to be a lot of fun tracking the NBA finals, the Stanley Cup final. Obviously, we're getting close to maybe the Leafs hire and a coach. The draft is right around the corner. It's going to be a lot of fun next week. We cannot wait in TSN Radio and TSN as you've covered on everything you need next week. It's going to be awesome. All right. Thank you to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today, TV, radio, podcast. web up on YouTube

Tube Live and later tonight you can stream the whole show up on Crave. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy your weekends. We're back Monday at Don't choke in the proam like you did today. You bum. 4 p.m. We'll chat then. Mail it in Friday is brought to you by Boston Pizza

Canada's favorite sports bar. Enjoy $15 lunch at BP where you get an entree a site and a drink and you'll get it all in 20 minutes or less. A fast lunch doesn't have to be fast food. See you for a $15 fast lunch at your local Boston pizza. Hello, Canada. This is Brian Adams Radio.

Hosted by Brian Adams himself. We'll play a few of mine, a ton of my favorites, and some must-hear behind-the-scenes stories from the world of rock and roll. I'm coming to get you. One thing about doing rock and roll so long as you end up meeting a lot of the people that you admire. Sometimes you even get to work with him. The Adams Radio. Now available on the free I-Hare Radio app.

Everybody, how are you?