ESPN and Knicks play-by-play man Mike Breen explains why the Heat are vulnerable, how the Spurs got here and why Mark Jackson could be a good coaching fit for the Knicks with The Post’s Justin Terranova.
Q: Do you think your former broadcast partner Mark Jackson deserves another job right away?
A: Anybody that has a job opening that doesn’t at least talk to him isn’t doing their due diligence because he showed what a terrific coach he could be. Why he was fired I am still looking for a reasonable explanation for that.
Q: That includes the Knicks, even though Phil Jackson is looking for someone to run his triangle offense?
A: It’s all about how you communicate with people and Phil Jackson even said that he doesn’t have to hire somebody that runs the triangle, just somebody that feels the same way about their basketball philosophy and what makes a basketball team successful. So, if they get on the same page and feel good then that would be a good match, as well.
Q: After rolling through the first two rounds, is it still fair to say the Heat aren’t as good as in the past two seasons?
A: Yes, for a couple of reasons. They are a year older and they are a veteran team and that’s just the normal progression. And after two titles in a row to create that consistent hunger every night is very difficult to do. A three-peat sounds great and they are striving for it, but it’s just human nature that other teams who haven’t won it in a while or at all are just hungrier than you.
Q: Are the Pacers still the same threat to the Heat that most thought they were for most of the season?
A: I haven’t the slightest idea. This is the most Jekyll-and-Hyde team I’ve ever seen. They went from the best team in the league to an absolute disaster to showing signs of breaking out in the playoffs only to fall back again. If they advance, I can see them beating Miami or I can see them being swept.
Q: Are you stunned to see the Spurs back again after their brutal Finals loss last season?
A: If any team can overcome that, which is as excruciating and painful a way to lose a championship as you can possibly imagine, it’s the Spurs. It wasn’t shocking that they were in the mix, but for them to come back and to have the best record in the league is a testament to team basketball. It still shows that five guys working together can beat any collection of talent, any day of the week.