There are just two teams left in the fight to become NBA champions this year, and they are two teams that no one expected to get this far: the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. What can we expect from this underdog matchup? We’ll talk it out with Marcus Thompson, a lead columnist who covers the NBA at The Athletic.Then we’ll hear from someone who’s no stranger to NBA championships: Michael Cooper. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the ‘80s, during an era of basketball defined by flashy moves and a run-and-gun style of play. Powerhouse players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson were at the forefront. But in the background was Michael Cooper, silently but consistently delivering a defense that cemented their legacy.This week, we sit down with Michael Cooper to learn about how he turned a behind-the-scenes role into one worthy of a highlight reel. He’ll also talk through the insecurity he faced as a young player making it in the league, and how he moved past it to become an NBA Hall of Famer. Show Notes COOP: The Making of a Showtime Lakers Legend | Michael Cooper and Jake Uitti Michael Cooper’s Defensive Career Highlights | Basketball Action Despite His Success in 12 Years With Lakers, Michael Cooper Never Quite Believed He Was Good Enough For them | LA Times The Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals seemed unlikely before the playoffs. They saw it coming | The Athletic Victor Wembanyama on Gregg Popovich after Game 7: "He goes through some things we can't even imagine | YouTube Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineers: Mike Villers, Charlie KaierTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.