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Mike Breen, the MSG Knicks announcer and NBA play-by-play man for ABC and ESPN, including the upcoming NBA Finals, makes the call to do some championship Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Why does New York love the Knicks so much?
A: It’s always been a basketball town. This is why I fell in love with basketball, and I’m certain a lot of Knick fans, too. There’s just something about the team aspect of the sport. Five players working together. The whole is better than the sum of its parts — I’ve always loved that phrase. And this Knick team is exactly that. And there’s just something special about that building, whether you’re there watching or you’re watching at home. There’s an electricity to that place that’s just truly amazing. … And I think this particular Knick team, because there were so many years of darkness, that to feel this way about a team, knowing that they have a legitimate shot of winning a championship, these fans have been just so hungry for so many years and stayed loyal despite that, they just feel like they’re being rewarded. The electricity in the city about them and the vibe in the city about ’em is crazy. It’s incredible the joy that the Knicks fans have. And the fact that all three games on the road that they clinched, in Atlanta, in Philadelphia, in Cleveland, the thousands of Knick fans at each of those games, shows you how much they care and how long they’ve waited for a team like this to root for.
Q: What makes this team so likable?
A: How connected they are, and how well they play together, and how they’ve sacrificed, they’re unselfish. And the other thing, too, is you hear them all talk after the games, and they don’t like to talk about themselves, but ask ’em about a teammate and they’ll go on and on and on and on. They’re so happy for each other’s success.
Q: What is the essence of Jalen Brunson’s greatness?
A: He has an iron will. He’s not tall, he’s not fast, he’s not overly athletic. But he’s one of the mentally strongest players I’ve ever been around. They talk about Michael Jordan, they talk about Kobe Bryant … in terms of mental toughness, I’d put him up there with anybody. He has a great basketball mind, and he always figures it out. He just figures out what the defense is doing and how to beat them. I love the humility that he has. When he has a bad game, he puts it behind him. When he has a good game, he puts it behind him, and he just goes on to the next game, just like he does every possession, he just goes on to the next possession. An iron will.
Q: Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Patrick Ewing are your two greatest Knicks. If Brunson leads the Knicks to the championship, does he belong in that group?
A: Absolutely. And even if he doesn’t win a championship, I think he’s already in the conversation and this is just his fourth year with the team. You have to take everything into account — obviously his talent, his leadership … but he has changed the direction and the perception of the franchise.
Q: What did you know about coach Mike Brown, and why did you think he could be a good fit?
A: He’s a great people person, and I knew that he was one of those guys that wasn’t afraid to try things … he wasn’t afraid to take others’ opinions. And that’s exactly what he’s done, he’s tried things, he’s tweaked things, he’s changed things, and he has sought ideas and opinions from his assistant coaches and his players. It’s the most collaborative coaching staff I think I’ve ever been around, and you have to give him all the credit. He’s so secure in himself that he’s willing to take ideas from anybody on his staff or anybody on his roster, and he’ll try them. And if it works, he gives them the credit. And if it doesn’t work, he says, “I need to do a better job.” He treats his coaching staff and his roster like it’s a big family, and everybody has a seat at the table and everybody has a say. And it’s worked to perfection because they had a lot of growing pains this year, and they had their ups and downs, but he never panicked and just kept trying to figure out what’s the best way for this team to play. And he said right from the start, “I don’t have all the answers, and I’m gonna need time to figure them out, and they’re gonna need time to figure me out,” and that’s exactly what happened.
Q: He figured out how to use Karl-Anthony Towns as a facilitator.
A: They’re down two games to one against Atlanta, and Towns went to him and talked to him about that, and it has completely taken their offense to another level.
Q: What were your thoughts when they acquired KAT?
A: I hated to see [Julius] Randle and [Donte] DiVincenzo go. I know Julius Randle wasn’t always the fan favorite, but Randle’s a big part of the turnaround, Randle and Tom Thibodeau started the turnaround. Those were two important pieces to get the franchise going in the right direction. But Towns is one of those special talents, and in today’s game, what he brings is so important, and you knew that he was gonna love coming to New York, being from the area, and the Knicks were his team. Besides his talent, it’s his willingness to sacrifice. He’s gone through these playoffs, and he’s not averaging the kind of points that made him an all-NBA player, but he doesn’t care because he knows right now his role as a facilitator and a playmaker is the best way for then to win, and that’s what I love most about Karl-Anthony Towns, is he just wants to win a title.
Q: Why is OG Anunoby so invaluable for this team?
A: He’s the head of a snake on the defense. I think he’s in the top five defensive players in the league ’cause he can guard anybody. And he cares so much about defense, and he watches a lot of film. He can guard a point guard, he can guard a center, he could be an on-ball demon defensively, he’s great off the ball. He changes a team’s defensive dynamic, he is just an elite defensive player. And now, he has turned into a consistent offensive force. And it’s not just 3-pointers, it’s drive to the basket, and it’s a direct result of an insatiable work ethic to get better.
Q: Why is Josh Hart such a fan favorite?
A: ’Cause he wears his heart on his sleeve — no pun intended. He’s a loose-ball lunatic, dives for every loose ball, rebounds in traffic, does all the dirty work, and he’s got his fingerprints on pretty much everything during the course of a game. And nobody plays harder.
Q: With three Villanova guys on the team, is that more appealing to your wife, Ro?
A: Well, my wife and my daughter are Villanova grads. So, in order to keep the peace in the family, I’m required to mention Villanova at least three times per Knick telecast. … But no, it’s very cool for them to see them excel like this, and I think Knick fans all need to thank Jay Wright because they will all tell you the influence Jay Wright had on them in terms of the kind of players and competitors and men that they’ve become.
Q: Mikal Bridges was not a fan favorite for a while, but is now.
A: He took criticism ’cause he was inconsistent. But he has started every game for the last two years on a team that went to a conference finals for the first time in 25 years and an NBA Finals in 27 years, an instrumental part of that. His ability to raise his game in the playoffs has been essential. Everybody gets so caught up in how many first-round picks they had to give up [five], but that was the price of getting a good player at the time, and it wasn’t his fault. And he’ll be the first person to tell you he was inconsistent, but he’s playing his role perfectly now. I have such admiration for the way he handled the ups and downs.
Q: Is it true you are Mitchell Robinson’s foul shooting coach?
A: (Laugh) I think if you really want to know, I’m a great free-throw shooter. I’m not one to brag very often, but I’ll brag about my free-throw shooting.
Q: Well, maybe you should help.
A: No, Peter Patton, the shooting coach, has worked so hard with him, and Mitchell has really worked so hard to get better. You can see, like, he looks more comfortable at the line, his form is better, his foundation in terms of his stance is better. … It’s just a matter of time before he starts hitting them on a regular basis.
Q: How important will he be in the Finals?
A: He’s a game-changer. The best offensive rebounder in the NBA. If he started and played 25-30 minutes, he’d be first-team All-Defense. His instincts defensively are off the charts, he’s a lob threat now, he’s become a really smart player, has a great feel for the game. For him, it’s always been about health.
Q: What’s gotten into Landry Shamet?
A: He’s always been like this. Since he came to the Knicks, he just kept getting hurt. And one of the reasons he gets hurt is ’cause he fights over screens so hard, he’s hurt his shoulder a couple of times. But he’s a guy that no matter where he’s been, he’s contributed to his team. He’s played for six teams in eight years and he’s one of those guys where you say, “Why would the five other teams let him go?” Because when you watch him play, he’s a great 3-point shooter, and he competes so hard defensively. He fights over screens as well as anybody in the league.
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Q: Miles “Deuce” McBride.
A: He works so hard on his shot, and he now has become a lethal 3-point shooter and competes defensively. A great two-way player.
Q: Describe the job team president Leon Rose has done.
A: He came in and he said, “Be patient.” Because he wasn’t gonna just try and hit the home run. He wanted to build something that’s sustainable, and he slowly did that. He’s done a masterful job. They were one of the worst teams in the NBA for a number of years. It was almost an impossible job, and he’s done that. He really has worked magic. I know the fans all want to say thank you to him.
Q: Two weeks before your ninth birthday, the Knicks won their first NBA championship, May 8, 1970. It was blacked out in New York, correct?
A: Yeah, it was on tape delay. My dad was a crazy sports fan so he rooted for all the New York teams, so me and my brothers followed suit, we were all Knick fans.
Q: What do you remember when they won it?
A: I thought it was the coolest thing because if you remember, the Mets won in ’69, and we were huge Met fans. And I’m thinking, “All my teams win championships all the time (laugh).”
Q: What do you recall about the ’73 Knicks winning their second NBA championship?
A: I do remember that I loved that Earl [Monroe] got to win a championship as well. And I also remember that they got revenge because they had lost [to the Lakers] the year before. I was a big Clyde and [Dave] DeBusschere fan, those were my two favorites.
Q: Who were you in the schoolyard?
A: Kind of both of them, actually. Clyde was my favorite, but I was not cool, so there’s no way I could be Clyde (laugh), so I was all of them. What I used to do all the time is I had a Nerf basketball in my room, and I would take jump shots and try to mimic the form of all the Knicks when I was doing that.
Q: What was it about DeBusschere you liked so much?
A: I thought my dad was the strongest man in the world, and then I thought Dave DeBusschere was the second strongest. I just thought he was so tough and so strong and hit so many big shots.
Q: And Clyde?
A: He hit every big shot. I was always surprised when he missed a shot. The word ‘cool,’ it’s not really around anymore, but he was the epitome of cool. He just never looked like he was in a rush, and always seemed to make the big play either with a basket or a steal.
Q: Your most painful loss as a Knicks fan growing up?
A: When they lost the title in ’72 [to the Lakers]. I just remember being so disappointed ’cause I thought they were gonna win again, and that’s why the ’73 team was so good. But losing in ’72 was hard as an 11-year-old. … The thing that hurt me the most was when they traded Clyde. That was devastating. He came back either six games or six days later in a Cavalier uniform, and I remember being so upset seeing him in a Cavalier uniform.
Q: Describe the 1994 Knicks.
A: They played with such a physical force. They overwhelmed you with their force, and then they had one of the greatest skilled big men of all time [Ewing]. I remember those games, it seemed every single possession mattered during the Finals of those games. Every single possession was like a street fight the way they defended. Pat Riley had a complete different type with the Showtime Lakers, and was able to adapt the style because of the personnel, that’s why I always thought he was such a great coach, and he knew he couldn’t play the same way with the Knicks as he did with the Lakers.
Q: The Game 7 loss to the Rockets in ’94.
A: I called the game on radio with Clyde, ironically. What I remember is Game 6, when [John] Starks had a chance to win it with a 3-pointer at the buzzer. … My radio location is courtside next to the Knick bench down the other end of the floor — Starks’ shot was at the far end. And when he got the ball to shoot, from my vantage point, ’cause I was kind of blocked out in the corner, I didn’t know if his foot was behind the 3-point line or not. The ball’s in the air, and I don’t know if that shot is to win the championship or tie the game to send it into overtime. It could have been a disaster if it went in (laugh). … If it goes in, it’s one of the greatest shots in the history of the NBA.
Q: How did you feel after Game 7 when the Knicks lost?
A: Awful. I remember going back to the hotel after the game, and because it was such a wonderful emotional ride, and you really thought they were gonna win, especially since they were up 3-2 in the series, that there was no way they were gonna go back to Houston and lose two games, they were such a good, tough road team. … It was very funeral-like. I remember going to the airport in Houston, and just trudging through the Houston airport thinking, “I can’t believe they lost.”
Q: The 1999 Knicks.
A: ’99 was so much fun because it was a bit unexpected. They were the 8 seed, they struggled during the season but then caught fire late enough to get into the playoffs, and here they are playing against their arch-rival, the Miami Heat, and it comes down to one shot, an Allan Houston shot propelled them all the way to the Finals. And Jeff Van Gundy always talked about that, he thought if Allan Houston’s shot doesn’t go in, he’s gonna get fired. That shows you how one shot going in, or one shot missing, can make such a difference in the narrative and the legacies of teams, players, coaches. It’s crazy how one shot can make that difference.
Q: Did you have any clue that Van Gundy the coach would become Van Gundy the television broadcasting character that he became?
A: When I first started, he was an assistant coach, and I learned more about the NBA from him than anybody because assistant coaches have more time to talk to the radio people or TV people or media people. And he was hilarious. … Then he gets the job, I would tell people, “He’s so funny.” They couldn’t believe it ’cause he didn’t show that when he did his press conferences. I thought he’d be great at it because he had that great sense of humor and a great basketball mind. We just had to work on his on-cameras. ’Cause when he first started (laugh), we’d put him on camera, he’d just blankly stare at the camera, like he was doing a hostage tape. Eventually he got more comfortable, but he was a natural from the get-go.
Q: Before the Game 1 tipoff, what do you think will be going through your gut with the Knicks playing in these NBA Finals?
A: I feel the same way before every Finals. I feel it’s the ultimate honor, it’s the ultimate privilege and a responsibility, and I can’t believe that I’m in that position, and I can’t believe that I’ve been doing it all these years. So I will feel the same way, but I’ve always wanted to broadcast the Finals on TV that the Knicks are in, so it’s a bucket list checked off.
Q: How confident are you that you will be able to be neutral in the eyes of the public?
A: Very confident. I learned from the best. When I first started, Marv [Albert] did so many big Knick games on national TV, and he was the perfect one to watch and emulate because he handled it beautifully like he always did, and I’ve always wanted to uphold the standard that he set, and I think I’ve done that. There will always be people who disagree, but every year I do the Finals, if it’s Boston-L.A., the Boston fans think I’m rooting for L.A., and the L.A. fans think I’m rooting for Boston.
Q: Your mother, Mary, will be watching.
A: My mother has watched more of my games than anybody on earth. She watches every game. She doesn’t watch to the end all the time because she’s 93, but she watches every single game.
Q: Does she critique you?
A: She tells me that I did a nice job every time. She just wants to watch the open when we’re on camera, so she sees her son and then she’s OK, she doesn’t watch the rest. When we played in high school, she went to all the games, road and home. She’s seen as much basketball as anybody I know.
Q: Would you take the Long Island Railroad to Game 3 at the Garden?
A: I used to take it almost every game, but I won’t for that because I’ll probably be staying in the city for Games 3 and 4 rather than go back and forth because we have a lot of obligations in between games the day of … but I still do take the train a number of times during the season.
Q: What happens when you’re recognized?
A: On the way in, rarely get recognized. On the way home, if I take the first train back after the game, there’s a lot of Knick fans, and they’re all so wonderful. I always find those very flattering and humbling.
Q: Describe your first NBA Finals in 2006?
A: It was the most nervous I’d ever been before I went on the air … without question. I was doing the games with Hubie [Brown], and I had received instructions from one of my bosses at ESPN to tell me that I had to broadcast this game differently because I was now broadcasting to many casual fans who hadn’t been watching the NBA, and I was trying to figure out, “Alright, how do I do this?” And I think I started explaining the most obvious things like I was talking to somebody who has never seen a basketball game. And I was nervous about it ’cause I wanted to make sure I did it the right way. And, Hubie Brown, God bless him, grabbed my arm during the first timeout, and he said: “Hey kid, just call the game the way you always do. We’ll be fine.” And from then on, I felt relaxed and calm and did my job.
Q: The challenge that Oklahoma City presents.
A: Their defense is smothering. It’s so physical, they make it difficult to run your offense, and they come at you in waves because they’re deep. So if the first five gets a little gassed by playing hard defensively, they got another five to come in and come right at you the same way. And then they have a special, special player who whenever they really need a bucket, this guy gets it for ’em. [Shai] Gilgeous-Alexander, he’s not a high-flying dunker, he’s not knocking down 3s from 30 feet, he just finds a spot, gets to a spot and knocks down shots.
Q: He’s a foul-baiter?
Lakers during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 18. NBAE via Getty Images
A: That’s a big narrative now because he gets to the line and he draws a lot of fouls. He drives to the basket more than anybody in the league, so of course he’s gonna get fouled more. But he gets criticism because he falls down a lot. Does he sell it to try to get calls? Yes. But so do, oh, about 250 other players in the league. And because they’re at the top, people want to poke holes in the best team and they go after him. He’s just a great player, and he’s a great teammate and he’s a great ambassador to the game, in my opinion.
Q: The first time you watched Victor Wembanyama play.
A: The first time you see him in person, you can’t believe how tall he is. Then, after you get over the fact that this guy is this big and you watch him handle the ball, and you see his agility running up the floor, and then you watch his beautiful jump shot, you can’t believe this one tall man like this has all of this. He’s the compete package, and he is far, far from the finished product. That’s the scary thing. As long as he stays healthy, he has a chance to be one of the greats of all time.
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Q: Thunder or Spurs: Which matchup is more problematic for the Knicks?
A: Both present tremendous problems.
Q: How much of an advantage will rest be for the Knicks?
A: I think it’s great. At this point of year, everybody’s banged up. The more difficult challenge for the Knicks is they beat the Hawks and they beat Philly and they beat Cleveland. None of those three teams you would consider elite defensive teams … solid defense, but not elite. The Spurs and the Thunder are two elite defensive teams, so that’s gonna be an adjustment.
Q: How does it feel to be known nationwide as the Voice of the Knicks, and a Hall of Famer?
A: Some days it’s difficult to process. God has blessed me in so many ways. The sport that I love, a team that I love, to be able to call these games, it’s incredible. But I realize that the only reason that I’m able to do it is for the help of so many people. This is gonna sound corny, but I fell in love with basketball ’cause it’s a team sport and you need good teammates, I’ve had nothing but amazing teammates my entire life. And for the Knicks, I have to give specific credit — Mike McCarthy was the executive who hired me to call Knicks radio, and that completely changed my life.
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Q: Your current teammates: Tim Legler.
A: He eats, sleeps, drinks everything basketball. He’s in love with the game as much as anybody I’ve met. He’s worked so hard for so many years at ESPN that for him to get this opportunity, I’m so happy for him, and I think he has taken the opportunity and I think he’s had a brilliant season. He’s so much fun to work with, he’s so knowledgeable, and his enthusiasm for the game comes through the television every night.
Q: Richard Jefferson.
A: He has such a great perspective of what it’s like to play in every type of game because he had a great career, and he had a lot of different roles in his career so he understands the different roles that different players have. He’s got a great sense of humor, and you need to entertain, not just inform when you’re doing a telecast, and he’s really good at the entertainment part.
Q: Lisa Salters.
A: The ultimate pro. One of my favorite people I’ve ever worked with. She has a special way of presenting stories when she’s telling stories. She has a great sensitive way when she’s interviewing people. Just has a great big heart and it’s an honor to work with her.
Q: Do you allow yourself to fantasize about standing on a Canyon of Heroes float?
A: No, I don’t. I don’t. What I think about is how wonderful it would be for the city, and how wonderful it would be for these loyal fans who have waited a long, long time for this. I think of when the Rangers won, and Sam Rosen had that just all-time great call of expressing the feeling, “This one will last a lifetime.” It meant so much to the city and it meant so much to the fan base. It would mean so much to so many people who have been cheering and caring and loving this team for however long they’ve been alive, whether for some it’s decades, for some it’s years. … That’s what I think of if they ever won.
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