Best of The Herd

Welcome in from Chicago. New York’s tabloid just turned Wemby into a wanted‑style villain after game three, but this is the life of a great big in the playoffs.

Bigs fight for position, take the hardest hits, and sometimes push back; think of old clips where even legends snapped once. The league allows more contact in the postseason, and Wemby has been hammered more than anyone, so the occasional swipe is the lion shooing the pesky bird.

European stars get tested, he’s young, and the attention is massive. He’s passing the checks and setting a code: start it if you want, I’ll finish it.

On the World Cup, Landon Donovan says the U.S. system chases money, but here’s my view: the tournament here is a four to five week celebration, not a mandate to “grow the game,” and that’s fine. We wrap a flag around it, watch like crazy, then happily return to our regular sports slate.

In Orange County, a 5,500‑seat practice drew about 30,000 ticket requests, which showed the buzz is real.

It’s real and we’re all in, but if the party ends without a permanent spike, that’s not failure; it’s a great vacation we take every four years.

NFL jersey sales: lots of familiar names, but no Cowboys in the top 20 and Dak isn’t even top 50. Winning matters, and Dallas hasn’t been in enough big games to feed the brand anymore.

They draft well and offer players plenty of perks, so why the ceiling? Jerry’s blind spot is skimping on elite head coaches; you don’t bargain shop for a leader in this league, and the two greats they had left on principle.

Channing, you a soccer guy at all?

I like taking my kids to Timbers games, have an IPA, soak it in; it’s a good time.

About Wemby’s dust‑up: bigs get mugged in the postseason, so I give him leeway. Was it over the top?

No. For a 22‑year‑old, he’s shown crazy restraint, and when he finally said get off me, it made sense. The Spurs hit first, the Knicks didn’t answer, and a hard foul there was both a message and worth the cost.

The Knicks also complained about free throws.

They hacked and reacted second, so whistles skewed. San Antonio moved bodies and the Knicks drifted into Brunson‑watch; own it and adjust.

I worry Brunson’s usage is sky‑high and the Spurs’ length is wearing him down. Smaller guards fade by game six or seven when every trip is heavy.

Game one isn’t game seven. They put Wemby on Josh Hart, sent soft doubles to choke off the hub, and dared role guys to beat them; New York must get its big re‑involved and have OG or Hart pop for around 25 to 30 so the movement returns, or Wemby will roam and erase space.

Like a tall quarterback seeing over traffic. Who did you like then, and who now?

I still like the Knicks if they punch first and get back to moving bodies. The Spurs are drilling that corner crash to truck cutters and live with a take foul to send a message.

This time of year the officiating lets things ride; it feels like park ball, and it’s fantastic theater.

It’s right on the edge without spilling over, which is why it’s gripping.

Best Garden memory?

Thirty as a rookie on Andrew Bogut, and another night against the Pistons when we were shorthanded and I let it fly. All midrange, just working.

The Garden’s lighting makes it feel like a photograph.

It’s theater and it mirrors New York’s hoops IQ. For the next one, the Knicks need to hit first and get each other open again.

Great seeing you, Channing.