Shabang: Knicks Finals Bound, Thunder-Spurs Drama & Loyal Fanbases

Episode 38 of In My Defense is titled "Shabang," and this week, Canty & Que break down one of the biggest weeks in basketball.The guys start with the New York Knicks sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999. Was this a case of New York greatness, Cleveland collapse, or a perfect example of team culture beating analytics?Then they head to the Western Conference Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder took a pivotal Game 5 over the San Antonio Spurs. Canty and Que discuss the controversial officiating, SGA's impact, Victor Wembanyama's struggles, and whether OKC is destined for another Finals appearance.Next, the conversation turns to SGA's place in NBA history. If he wins another championship and MVP, where does he belong among the all-time greats? And is his style of play changing basketball for better or worse?For 99 Problems, inspired by the Knicks' breakthrough, the guys rank some of the greatest die-hard fanbases that waited decades before finally seeing their team win it all — from Philadelphia to Chicago and beyond.Plus, Wins & Losses featuring:James Harden's playoff strugglesDonovan Mitchell's disappearing actJosh Hart is becoming a New York folk heroJalen Brunson's rise from overlooked prospect to Knicks legendNothing's personal… but In My Defense.In My Defense | Knicks Finals Bound, Thunder-Spurs Drama & Loyal Fanbases00:00 – Cold Open: SGA Is Hacking the System Like Harden Did00:15 – Intro & Welcome00:39 – New Dad Life: Canty's Baby Is Teething Two at Once 😅04:44 – Jump Into the Games: OKC Leads Spurs 3-205:16 – Thunder Win Game 5 — But Did the Refs Steal It?07:16 – Mark Daigneault's Game Plan: Bench Scores 40, Closes Quarters Strong11:30 – Wimby Shot 4-15 — Empty Calories Won't Win Game 613:07 – OKC Wins Game 5 in 82% of Cases — Spurs May Have Missed Their Shot15:00 – SGA Is Hacking the System & Could Join Elite Company18:32 – Knicks Sweep the Cavs — First Finals Since 199919:40 – Knicks Won 11 Straight: They're in Elite Historical Company21:15 – The Villanova Culture Is Real — Josh Hart & Servitude Win Championships24:02 – Mike Brown Put Some Respect On His Name25:24 – Brunson Left $55M on the Table — Thank the Mavericks for This Title Run27:08 – NBA Finals Preview: OKC vs. Knicks — Bad Matchup for New York?30:20 – Knicks' Keys: Stop the Turnovers & Protect the Glass32:26 – 99 Problems: Teams That Finally Broke Through32:59 – Eagles 2017 & 2024 — Most Passionate Fan Base in Sports34:16 – Chicago Cubs 2016 — 108-Year Drought Snapped35:09 – Detroit Lions Almost Had It & the Cowboys Could Break Through36:33 – Dark Horse: New York Jets Are Being Built to Compete39:13 – Wins & Losses of the Week39:32 – LOSS: James Harden Is a Ghost in the Playoffs — Marrying a Stripper Take 😂43:14 – LOSS: Donovan Mitchell's Playoff Record Is an Indictment44:14 – WIN: Josh Hart — Benched in Game 1, Playoff Career High in Game 245:44 – WIN: Jalen Brunson — Small Guard Putting It on for the Short Kings46:54 – Outro & Where to Find Canty & Q🎙️ New episodes drop every Friday 🔗 www.linktr.ee/InMyDefensePod 📺 Subscribe: youtube.com/@InMyDefensePodFollow the hosts:Chris Canty → @ChrisCanty99Quentin “Que” McDuffie → @Queie_Beamen1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.