Former NY Knick, NJ Sen. Bill Bradley says Trump "second fiddle" at Game 3

1 hour ago 4

Former New York Knicks prima and ex-New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley was a important portion of the Knicks' past title squad much than 50 years ago, and with President Trump attending the archetypal NBA Finals crippled astatine Madison Square Garden since 1999 connected Monday night, Bradley said "he's 2nd fiddle" erstwhile it comes to the main attraction.

"The radical are determination to spot these 2 teams play," Bradley told CBS News' Nikole Killion. "And what is compelling astir the teams are the values they show similar unselfishness, discipline, resilience, the benignant of things that we request much of successful our satellite astatine large."

Bradley spent each 10 seasons of his NBA vocation with the Knicks, winning 2 titles successful 1969-1970 and 1972-1973, besides earning his azygous All-Star motion successful the '72-'73 season.

"If you deliberation of your teammate archetypal and yourself second, that's an important happening that the Knicks contiguous and the Knicks successful the past demonstrate," Bradley said erstwhile asked what makes this squad akin to the ones that won those 2 championships. "If you're disciplined, you're not conscionable flying disconnected but you're playing to plan; that's different thing. So this is not rocket science. It's what a squad does if they privation to beryllium a champion. And I deliberation this squad has the makings of a champion."

Bill Bradley, #24, Forward, of the New York Knicks, drives toward the handbasket arsenic Willis Reed, Center, #19 sets a prime against the Buffalo Braves during an NBA hoops crippled successful Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y. , October 16, 1973.

Asked what makes Madison Square Garden specified a peculiar spot to play, Bradley said it's the fans.

"They applaud the walk that leads to the walk that leads to the basket. They applaud boxing retired connected rebounds. They applaud the subtleties of the game," said Bradley, who besides won a golden medal astatine the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. "And they are profoundly enthusiastic and loyal and dedicated to their team, and I deliberation you'll spot that successful the arena tonight, arsenic you person successful each the different games."

With the Knicks holding a 2-0 pb successful the best-of-seven series, Bradley didn't telephone Monday night's crippled a must-win for the San Antonio Spurs, but noted: "If the Knicks spell successful 3-0, I mean, I cognize I'm gonna beryllium determination connected that 4th crippled expecting them to beryllium crowned champions that night. And there'll beryllium millions of different radical who volition deliberation the aforesaid thing."

But the Hall of Famer added: "You play 1 crippled astatine a time."

New York City is famously divided successful astir of its sports fandom, with the Yankees and Mets, Giants and Jets, and Islanders and Rangers carving up the populace. But contempt the Nets' determination to Brooklyn successful 2012, the Knicks inactive look to person a choky grip connected astir of the city's hoops fans.

"It gives them thing to anticipation for. It gives them thing to judge in," Bradley said of the city's devotion to a squad that has been disappointing for agelong stretches of time. "It gives them immoderate connection that unchanging values tin really win — successful your beingness and with the Knicks."

He said the values of the team, similar their subject and resilience, "mean thing successful a title squad and they truly tin mean thing successful people's lives, too."

Bill Bradley withdraws from statesmanlike race, 2000

After retiring from basketball, Bradley, a Democrat, was elected to the U.S. Senate representing New Jersey successful 1978. He served 3 presumption earlier opting against moving for a 4th successful 1996. He besides unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic statesmanlike information successful 2000. Despite his governmental vocation and Mr. Trump's beingness astatine the game, Bradley said playing for an NBA rubric is "not related to politics."

"It's related to excellence, and to these unchanging values, and to team. It ever has been and ever will," helium said. "And that's wherefore radical ever travel backmost to it. Because we privation a glimpse of what is possible. And to judge that that's imaginable successful our lives astatine ample and successful the satellite and successful the state is, to me, inspiring. And so, to me, that's what these games are each about."

In: