Ryan Mcdonough: "Suns Have as Good a Chance as Any Team To Make It to the NBA Finals"

McDonough, Blackburn, Knish Talk NBA and NHL Playoffs, and Euros

Untitled Image

Yesterday, Ryan McDonough, Pete Blackburn, and Joey Knish joined Nick Kostos and Ken Barkley on You Better You Bet to talk NBA and NHL Playoffs, and Euros.

Here are some of the most notable nuggets from the show:

McDonough on the Phoenix Suns

They've looked as good as any team in the league including Brooklyn ... The team really has something special going on right now. Their energy, their vibes, ball movement, depth. It starts with their starting five led by Devin Booker and Chris Paul ... If I look at the Western Conference, I think the Suns have as good a chance as any team to make it to the NBA Finals.

I still think Brooklyn is the favorite ... But it would be hard not to be super impressed by what the Suns have done over the last couple of weeks.

McDonough on Boston Celtics Coaching Search

They're doing a robust search ... Brad Stevens plan was to interview internal candidates ... start the process with them and expand it to other candidates. I don't think this will go real quick. He'll talk to a number of different people with different backgrounds.

Organizationally they have a big offseason. A lot of questions to answer with Kemba Walker. Some issues with his knee. How can they get him healthy? Robert Williams, who played very well, is eligible for an extension.

So they have a lot of questions with their roster, but most importantly, in the short term, they'll pick a head coach. Again, I think Brad Stevens will be deliberate and thorough in that process.

Untitled Image

Blackburn on Islanders-Lightning

I think the Islanders have a shot. With those odds, might be worth taking it at a small price. I think Tampa is as good as anybody in the league.

The Islanders are not going to be able to exploit the mismatch in the bottom of the roster like they did against against the Bruins and against Pittsburgh.

I'm for sure siding with Tampa, I think they are the much better team. But, you do look at these two teams, they met last year in the playoffs, and a lot of things went kind of wrong for the Islanders. A lot of the games were close, they played them tough even with injuries.

A lot of people have been writing off the Islanders since the beginning ... but they are the biggest bend don't break team I've ever seen in my life ... never count that team out.

Joey Knish on Euros

Big dogs aren't going to win these things. Outrights, I think there was some value in the summer in an Italy or a Portugal that have now gotten bet down. If there's one at current I'd be looking at, it would probably be the Germans ... At 8-1, 9-1, Germany and Portugal are at that sweet spot to me on the end of the fringe of teams that can win.

Untitled Image