Knicks Look Playoff READY + Players Who Could Swing a Series | ALL NBA PODCAST

April 10, 2026·1 hr 5 min·5 clips

Legler describes throwing his custom knee brace against a locker room wall hard enough to break it — then says the forced switch to a neoprene sleeve was the psychological breakthrough that revived his shooting.

1. The All-NBA Show covers the New York Knicks' win over the Boston Celtics and previews the Eastern Conference playoff race in the final week of the regular season. 2. Host Adam Matys is joined by former NBA player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler, who is preparing for his final regular season call — Denver at San Antonio on Sunday. 3. The episode's central question is what the Knicks' win over Boston means for playoff seeding and whether key injuries reshape the field. 4. Josh Hart hit 5-for-7 from three including back-to-back clutch threes in the fourth quarter, the last of which clinched the game and drew a 'bang' call from broadcast voice Mike Breen. 5. Adam cites that the Knicks are the number one fourth-quarter team in the NBA and third best in clutch situations at plus-20.5, which Legler attributes almost entirely to Jalen Brunson's ability to create and control late-game possessions. 6. The Carl Anthony Towns-Brunson two-man game is analysed using a specific stat: since February 1st, the duo ranks first in on-ball pick-and-roll efficiency at 1.3 points per possession. 7. Legler argues the biggest factor in Towns's improvement is that the media stopped asking about it every week, allowing the team to operate without constant public scrutiny of a storyline that head coach Mike Brown had been downplaying all season. 8. Hart's three-point improvement is contextualised: this is the best three-point shooting season of his career, though Legler notes playoff teams will consciously leave him open to focus on stopping Brunson and Towns. 9. The Celtics' Derek White is flagged as a concern: he is shooting 32% from three on the season, well below his career marks of 38-39%, and his role will matter more in a playoff series when bench contributors like Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser face tighter coverage. 10. Jason Tatum said before the game that returning to Madison Square Garden — where he was injured — was a psychological hurdle; Legler expresses surprise at this, citing his own experience returning to the same floor 10 months after blowing out three knee ligaments. 11. Legler recounts throwing his custom metal knee brace against a locker room wall after a shooting slump in Washington, breaking it, and then discovering that the forced switch to a neoprene sleeve unlocked his mechanics and confidence. 12. Legler also describes being booed by Washington fans during that post-injury slump, calling it his first experience of that reaction from a fanbase that had previously supported him warmly. 13. Joel Embiid's appendicitis diagnosis is covered, with Legler calling it yet another playoff-time physical setback in a long list that includes the Toronto 2019 series where Embiid was ill throughout, and the orbital fracture game. 14. The episode evaluates Philadelphia's play-in position: they are tied with Charlotte at the eight-nine line, and Adam notes that the Pacers and Bucks are considered likely losses for their opponents, meaning Philly probably locks the eight seed. 15. The Western Conference bracket scenario is discussed: if San Antonio beats Denver in the season finale, Denver potentially drops to the four seed and faces Oklahoma City rather than San Antonio in the second round. 16. Legler argues San Antonio should play Wembanyama in that finale because pushing Denver into OKC's bracket is strategically worthwhile, and notes playing their guys is not the same as 'manipulating standings.' 17. The episode format is a two-host studio-style breakdown with structured segments, including an upcoming swing-player list segment advertised at the end. 18. The tone is analytical and candid; Legler frequently uses personal playing experience to contextualise current player situations, and Adam drives the conversation with specific statistics from show research. 19. NBA fans who follow Eastern Conference playoff races and want candid takes from a former player will find this episode particularly useful in the final week before the play-in. 20. Listeners who want Western Conference analysis or prefer not to hear personal anecdotes from a broadcaster's playing career will find parts of this episode less relevant.

As heard by us

A Knicks-heavy playoff discussion that also covers Embiid's injury and Legler's swing-player list.

The episode opens on a needed Knicks win, led by Josh Hart's clutch buckets and the Towns-Brunson two-man game. It then turns to Joel Embiid's appendicitis and likely season-ending absence, before settling into Legler's list of players who could swing the playoffs this year.

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