Pete Rose, Mr. Never-a-Dull-Moment, goes off with Chris Russo; Raptors’ Nick Nurse talks NBA Finals

The Toronto Raptors lead the Golden State Warriors 2-1 in the NBA Finals with Game 4 set to tip off tonight.

Raptors coach Nick Nurse joined SiriusXM NBA Radio’s Justin Termine, Eddie Johnson and Cheryl Miller on the court at Oracle Arena and talked about the key players in his team’s Game 3 win:

It's tough to give credit for Game 3's win to just one player, @Raptors coach Nick Nurse told @TermineRadio, @Jumpshot8 and @Cheryl_Miller31 from Oakland.#WeTheNorth #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/HDVmSs5a9X

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 6, 2019

For his part, Warriors guard Klay Thompson said that though they are currently trailing in the series, he never doubts his team’s ability to pull out a win:

"I'm very confident. I will never doubt this team"

Down 2-1 in the #NBAFinals, @KlayThompson isn't worried as he prepares to return to the series. #DubNation pic.twitter.com/qkrXnuBbx9

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 6, 2019

Listeners can tune in to SiriusXM NBA Radio (Sirius channel 207, XM channel 86) to hear every game of the Warriors-Raptors Finals.

Also this week, all-time hits leader Pete Rose joined Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo in studio for a wide-ranging conversation on Mad Dog Unleashed.

Rose on the realization that he won’t gain entry to the Hall of Fame during his lifetime:

Rose: “I’m at the point where I know I’m not going to make the Hall of Fame while I am alive. But I’ve got a son named Pete Rose, and he’s got a son named Pete Rose. So I’ll write a letter where one of those guys can read it 30 or 40 years from now. … I’m going to write a letter apologizing to everybody I need to apologize to.”

Rose on his infamous All-Star Game collision with Ray Fosse, and the reasons he played so hard in All-Star Games:

Rose: “About four or five years ago [Fosse] did an All-Star Game and he says now he knows I was trying to hurt him. Trying to hurt him? I was trying to be safe! That game was in Cincinnati. My dad was in the first row. What was I supposed to do say, ‘Go ahead, Ray, take me out.’ He’d have kicked my ass after the game. Listen, you gotta be in a pre-game meeting in the National League when Warren Giles was president. He talked about winning the game where the veins in his neck would pop out because he believed that the All-Star Game was the opportunity to show the world that the National League was superior to the American League.”

Rose on the dominating “Big Red Machine” of the 70s:

Rose on Joe Morgan: “Most intelligent player I ever played with.”

Rose on Sparky Anderson: “Sparky was the most street smart guy I’ve ever met in my life. Sparky used to tell me – if you think about it it’s correct – ‘There’s three ways you can treat a person: Pat ‘em on the ass, kick ‘em in the ass, or leave ‘em alone. Don’t kick the guy that needs patting. Don’t pat the guy that needs to be kicked. If you’re going to ask them to go to war for you every night you gotta know what makes them tick.’ And Sparky was the best at that.”