NBA analyst and former All-Star Wally Szczerbiak takes a shot at some playoff Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Szczerbiak will be in studio with Bill Pidto and Alan Hahn for MSG Network’s pre- and postgame coverage during the Knicks’ first-round matchup against the Hawks — with contributions by Alex Monaco, Monica McNutt and Tyler Murray.
Q: Are the Knicks better equipped entering these playoffs compared to a year ago?
A: You can never predict. … I would think they would be because of the depth of their roster, and how many guys they can trust off the bench, and the different kind of rotations that Mike Brown has experimented with. … I remember when I played for Mike in Cleveland, he really did a thorough analysis of who he was playing, matchups in each individual playoff series. And I remember the first round we played against Detroit, and I was playing a lot of minutes, I was the first or second guy off the bench, but that series I didn’t play much at all because he didn’t like my matchup guarding Tayshaun Prince. So he wanted to keep LeBron [James] on him, I think, most of the time. I don’t even know if I even played until maybe Game 4, we won all four in a row.
And he explained to me, he was like, “Wally, just stay ready, this series I’m gonna experiment with some stuff. I’m gonna watch the matchups, see how the series goes.” … The following series we played Atlanta, and my matchup was different, I was taking on [Ronald] Murray, and I played like 25, 30 minutes every game and we won 4-0, and I played a lot in the Eastern Conference finals because I was matched up with Rashard Lewis, he liked that matchup for me. … He has a lot of options now with who he’s gonna go with off the bench. … These are all options that I don’t think the team had last year that Mike Brown and his coaching staff have at their disposal this year.
I personally would think they’re a little more equipped for success and the opportunity to win a championship. That’s how this team has been coached all season long. They’ve been primed to be healthy at this point in the season, peaking at this point in the season, tweaking matchups, tweaking lineups, tweaking benches here and there just to see what works best. … It’s not gonna be easy. … But I think this team is very equipped to make a championship run.
Q: What do you sense the mindset of these Knicks is trying to get over the hump?
A: I just think they embrace the journey. I think they really like each other in the locker room. I think they just need to focus on their opponent one at a time. The Atlanta Hawks are a good basketball team, they really are. They made some good moves, they’ve gotten better defensively and they have a great coach [Quin Snyder]. You gotta respect everyone on that roster. … The prep’s gonna be big for these guys this week and I know this team’ll be ready. I really believe experience wins in the playoffs.
Q: What is the key to the Hawks series?
A: Defend the 3-point line. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a very underrated player. He hurt the Knicks a little bit from 3, and I think they really have to do a good job of not letting [CJ] McCollum get going, obviously he’s like the orchestrator, the guy they trust in the fourth quarter. McCollum’s gonna be aggressive, he’s gonna get his, but when you start doubling McCollum that leaves their shooters open, and that’s a big problem. When the Knicks don’t defend the 3-point line, that’s when they’re vulnerable, and that’s when they get in scramble mode on defense.
Q: This is a more rested Jalen Brunson?
A: Yes. Do you remember at the end of last year? He missed a month coming off an ankle injury, and he got back right before the playoffs. He looks quick, he looks athletic, he looks explosive, he looks rested, he looks healthy … and most of the guys do. All of ’em, almost. Obviously injuries are gonna come, but Mike Brown has managed minutes very well and trusted the bench. Landry Shamet’s a big part of the rotation, Mitchell Robinson’s been outstanding — he’s healthy this year, he’s had a bounce-back year in every way, shape or form, he’s a difference-maker on the boards. [Miles] Deuce McBride came back and had a big game. I think he’s ready to go now in the playoffs just to remind people how good he was all regular season.
Q: Describe the Jalen Brunson we see now compared to the Jalen Brunson in Dallas.
A: With Luka Doncic, he was playing Robin to Luka’s Batman. So it’s his team [now], he’s got the keys to the car, he’s the captain. He gets to impose his will on the game when he feels he needs to, and that he can pull the foot off the gas and be a pure point guard when he sees his guys are going. He is completely the engine to this team. He’s the best, if not one of the best, in closing games. He always delivers when the defense is loaded up on him and they’re locked in and they’re playing their hardest. The way this team plays in the fourth quarter and the way he executes the offense in the fourth quarter, I think, is just second to none.
Q: What do the Knicks need out of Karl Anthony-Towns in these playoffs?
A: I just think aggressiveness is important with him, when teams dare him to switch and put a small guy on him, be aggressive, demand the ball … work him into the offense. I think we saw a lot of high pick-and-roll with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns towards the end of the year, and I think that’s an impossible play to guard. I think we’re gonna see a lot in the playoffs. That’s gonna be maybe their go-to play at the end of games possibly. They’re playing great in the fourth quarter. This team is built to win close games, and they have clutch guys on their team. Karl-Anthony Towns seems fresh, he seems like he doesn’t have as much mileage on his body this year as he did last year. I think that’s a credit to Mike Brown and the coaching staff and the training staff really managing these guys to keep them healthy for the playoffs.
Q: What kind of X factor can Robinson be?
A: Huge factor. Huge. Obviously he has a few limitations — he’s not a jump shooter and he’s not a great free-throw shooter. But what he does well, he has maximized to the fullest. The bench unit, when he comes out there and plays with those guys, he solidifies them defensively. He’s a big-time rim protector. The offensive and defensive glass, when they come in with that unit with [Jordan] Clarkson and Deuce and Shamet and Mitchell Robinson, I think that unit’s really developed a lot of chemistry and played great in the last couple of weeks, and that’s gonna be a dynamic bench unit that can really, I think, help this team in the playoffs.
Q: The entire starting lineup is battle-tested in the playoffs.
A: This team is experienced. They’ve had a couple of pretty good playoff runs the last couple of years. I guess your top eight is the same that made the Eastern Conference finals. … At the same time, Boston’s playing well, Detroit’s playing well, Cleveland’s scary now that they picked up James Harden. … No one’s gonna hand you anything, you gotta go out and earn every one.
Q: Compare Josh Hart starting versus off the bench.
A: I like it, especially with the way he’s shooting the ball. He brings such intangibles to that starting lineup, he doesn’t have to shoot, he does all the other little things while all the other guys are looking to be aggressive and score. I think Josh Hart’s confidence shooting the basketball is in a great place, and that’s one thing that I think hurt the Knicks a little bit in last year’s playoffs, the fact that he didn’t trust his 3-point shooting, and as a result teams were able to load up defensively on all of the other guys. They can’t do that this year.
Q: Why was the trade for OG Anunoby so important for Leon Rose?
A: In order to win in the playoffs, you need wing defenders, and OG and Mikal [Bridges] are two of the best. The main reason why they got OG, he’s one of the best defenders in the league, he can guard all five positions, and he can play all five positions, so you can play small and you can bump him to the 5. I think he’s been great rebounding the basketball this year, which has allowed Mike Brown to play a lot of different lineups. A winning player is what you got in that trade.
Q: What should Knicks fans expect from Bridges?
A: The Knicks don’t get by the Celtics without his defense last year. They’re gonna need more of the same. I think he’s had a better shooting year than he did last year. Sometimes he doesn’t get as many shots as maybe he would like and a lot of people think he should get, but he doesn’t complain, he just goes out there and does everything that the team asks of him to win. I love when he’s aggressive and looks to get himself into rhythm, looks to be aggressive and shoot. He’s a very capable outside jump shooter and 3-point shooter, so that opens up the floor for Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and all of the other guys to have a lot of driving lanes to the basket.
Q: What’s the loudest you’ve heard the Garden?
A: Donte DiVincenzo hit that 3 a couple of years ago in the playoffs. I think that was just the loudest I’ve ever heard a building. It was unbelievable, it was awesome.
Q: How big of a factor can the Garden play?
A: Huge. Massive. Like, every time I go to the Garden, I think they’re never losing, especially in the playoffs, with how loud it is, and how amped-up the crowd is and the way that energy is. I know as a former player, having that kind of home-court advantage, it’s just electric, it really is. They have been a very good road playoff team, too. This team can win on any floor, it doesn’t matter, but it sure helps having home-court advantage with that great crowd.
Q: How crazy would a Knicks-Celtics second-round series be?
A: Oh, that would be awesome. It would be really, really good. Obviously the Celtics have a little different makeup than they did last year. I think the Knicks were very fortunate to steal those first two games in Boston when Boston had those huge leads in the second half and completely fell apart. I wouldn’t bank on that happening again, but I think this year the Knicks match up a little bit better. I think Boston has retooled very well. You had three key pieces that aren’t on the roster anymore that won a championship. That’s a little bit of a question mark for Boston. Some of these guys haven’t played in the playoffs, they’re a little inexperienced, but they sure have stepped up to the plate this year and played outstanding basketball. So a Boston-Knick series in the second round would be really, really fun for the NBA, too.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory when you played for the Celtics?
A: I enjoyed the fans, I enjoyed playing there. Unfortunately, I was a little banged-up, had some injuries there. One of my favorite games was when I first got traded there, I landed like right after the first quarter ended and I made it for the second half, and we beat the Sacramento Kings, just threw on a uniform and went out there and played, made a couple of 3s, and it was off to the races in my Boston Celtic uniform.
Q: How did your game compare to your father’s, Walt?
A: Very similar. The only difference was I had a little bit more ball handling to my game. He was more of a catch-and-shoot guy, and that was maybe because of the time. He was probably a better rebounder. He loved playing down low and just rooting himself down there rebounding. I think I had a few more perimeter skills, and he had a few more big man skills.
Q: Did you play one-on-one against him?
A: Yeah, first time I ever beat him one-on-one was after my freshman year in college that summer. I remember we played a game in Pittsburgh, we were on a little mini-vacation with his family, who grew up in Pittsburgh, he grew up in Pittsburgh. We played at a local YMCA and I said, “Let’s get this over with, buddy,” and I finally beat him.
Q: How did he handle it?
A: He was alright. I was All-Freshman in the MAC [Mid-American Conference], so it was about time he handed over the reins.
Q: Did he coach you growing up?
A: Oh, yeah. He coached me in CYO and stuff. He didn’t coach me, per se, in high school, AAU, but he was very influential in being at games and being in my ear whenever I had questions or just kind of steering me in the right direction all throughout my NBA, college, all my careers.
Q: How would you sum up your NBA career?
A: The All-Star Game was great, I think I made the playoffs seven out of the 10 years. I fell short of an NBA championship, which still haunts me to this day, made the Eastern and Western Conference finals. I was just all about wanting to win, I played on good teams with great players — K.G. [Kevin Garnett], LeBron, Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce, [Latrell] Sprewell, [Sam] Cassell, you name it. I was very proud of my career, I just wish I could have avoided some injuries. I would have liked to have played a little longer, and I was still pretty healthy after that 10th year. But that would be my only regret.
Q: Did you have a chip on your shoulder after you were not heavily recruited and chose Miami (Ohio)?
A: Not really. I liked Miami, it just was a great place for me, we had a great coaching staff. I just looked at it as a kid that needed to get better, I used it as motivation to get better. I had Sean Miller, Thad Matta, Herb Sendek, Charlie Coles, Jenny Christian — great coaching staff that were experts in developing players.
Q: Tell me about your 43-point game in your 1999 opening-round upset of No. 7 seed Washington in March Madness.
A: Well, that was fun because they didn’t double-team me for the first time my whole senior year (laugh). I was dealing with triangle-and-twos in the Mid-American Conference — teams were all over me, really physical, double-teams every time I touched the ball. I had my best games in the nonconference and in the NCAA Tournament because the teams I played against didn’t really think they needed to double-team me as much.
Q: What was that like going to the Sweet 16?
A: That was awesome, it was great. I came off a loss in our Mid-American Conference Tournament championship game where I had a terrible game, lost like 49-42, I shot 4-for-17, I was getting roasted by “Mike and the Mad Dog” on the radio. That’s the first time my games were televised. And I used that roasting as motivation to go out and prove ’em wrong in the NCAA Tournament.
Boston. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: Long Island memories growing up in Cold Spring Harbor?
A: The biggest ones were going to Robert Moses Field 2 with my brother, my sister and my mom and dad — that was my summer vacation. It was so much fun. I used to love boogie boarding. I also was really into soccer at a young age — we had a really good soccer team, travel soccer — and then I played New York State Select and Long Island Select soccer until I was in eighth grade. Another huge memory is growing up going to my dad’s summer league games, my dad’s Huntington League games, Friends Academy games, he played in the leagues after he retired (Real Madrid), so I loved palling around with him, hanging with the guys afterwards for a burger and Coke. That’s kind of where I got my bug for the game of basketball.
Q: Favorite players growing up?
A: Dominque Wilkins was my favorite. I used to go to the All-Star games with my dad, so I loved his dunking prowess, dunking off two feet. I always loved Chris Mullin, I loved [John] Starks and [Patrick] Ewing, I was a huge Knicks fan, the Knicks were my team growing up. I used to go to the Garden maybe once or twice a year, my dad would take me to a game, and it was just so much fun rooting for the Knicks teams in the ’90s. I loved Larry Bird.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: Bill Pidto.
A: He’s a wonderful host, just a joy to spend so much time with during the season and talk Knicks basketball.
Q: Alan Hahn.
A: A numbers genius that is always fun to debate at times about his stats.
Q: How good of a basketball player was he?
A: He was pretty good, he was a solid Division II player [LIU Post], great athlete, he was like a hustle 4 man, utility 4 man-type guy, a little bit like a Mitchell Robinson type where he rebounded, played defense, just hit the glass hard, could make his free throws and stuff like that. He was a big energy guy, and we played a little bit once I would come home in the summers, we used to play at St. Mary’s, we would always call him up. But unfortunately we got him when his knee was kind of cranky ’cause he had that ACL surgery that derailed his career a little bit in college.
Q: Monica McNutt.
A: She’s great on camera, she really knows a lot about the game of basketball, the NBA game. She’s great on the radio, too. Having her point of view is big time.
Q: Mike Breen.
A: He’s the GOAT, he’s the best. Ultra prepared. One thing I learned from Mike is it doesn’t matter whether it’s Game 7 of the NBA Finals or whether it’s game 52 [of the regular season] and the Knicks are up 20, 30 points, you gotta bring the same enthusiasm, the same energy to every broadcast. I think that’s what makes him so special. He never lets the fans down, he always delivers, and he knows his job is to call the game where the fans are gonna always respect his call, and he does this like no other guy in the business and he’s just nothing but pure professionalism.
Q: What do you hope the viewers say about you?
A: I hope they see the joy I have about the game of basketball when I talk basketball, whether it’s a broadcast in the studio or whether it’s a broadcast doing the color. I love talking Knicks, I love talking about the skill level and the quality players they have on their team, and I hope the fans can see the joy that I have having the opportunity to call this a job even though it really isn’t.
Q: Would you ever wear one of Clyde Frazier’s outfits?
A: I’ve tried to wear a little something a little bit Clyde-esque. I would always give anything a shot. Christmas, I wear a red velvet, like, smoker’s jacket so I always try to mix it up a little bit. I think Clyde looks great. As long as the suits fit, and they’re tailored nice, I’ll wear absolutely anything, and Clyde’s all fit to a tee.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Michael Jordan, Nicole Kidman, Scottie Scheffler.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Gladiator.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Russell Crowe.
Q: Favorite entertainer?
A: Metallica.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Paella.
Los Angeles. NBAE via Getty Images
Q: Who could be a Knicks X factor?
A: Josh Hart. I just think what he brings to the table in close games, the ESP that he has with Jalen Brunson, is so key in must-win games and crucial clutch situations at the end of games. And I think his shooting’s gonna be a big X factor, also.
Q: Do you think the Knicks will embrace the pressure of NBA Finals-or-bust?
A: Yes. They have embraced it all season long. They love it. Having been in that situation as a player, you want those expectations. That’s what you live for. That’s the only reason you play this game, is to win the championship. The more pressure, the more glory when you accomplish your goal.
Q: As a New Yorker, paint the picture of the city if the Knicks reach the NBA Finals.
A: Oh, my goodness. Well they’re gonna have to shut down Seventh Avenue for a long time, that’s for sure. … I just think we’re so ready as a fan base — everyone’s just ready to explode. … But I caution everyone to just be patient and enjoy the ride and not just expect it to happen … let it happen. That’s the most important thing. And if it happens, it’s gonna be amazing, and I know this team isn’t only gonna be satisfied with the playoffs. … This team seriously has the capabilities to win the whole thing. … It’s gonna take a little bit of luck, it’s gonna take some great play, and I’m just really excited for the ride. These next couple of months are gonna be, I think, something we’ll never forget as longtime Knick fans.
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