OverDrive - Miles on the Pacers' winning mentality, Siakam soaring in skill and Durant's next destination

Episode Date: June 13, 2025

Former NBA Veteran C.J. Miles joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NBA Finals, Indiana's determined style in the series, the importance of the Pacers' depth, Tyrese Haliburton's clutch play, Pascal Siakam's enhancing his abilities, Kevin Durant's team sweepstakes and more.

Are you age 16 to 30 and ready to make a real impact? The Youth Thrive program, funded by Canada Service Corps and delivered by the Career Foundation, is your chance to develop leadership skills, connect with mentors, and gain real world experience, all while giving back to your community. Best of all, it's a no-cost program, available across Ontario, Nova Scotia, Alberta, and BC. Thoughts are limited, so register now at careerfoundation.com. That's careerfoundation.com.

Join today and be part of something amazing. Right now, Bell Blue Dot Days are on. That means the offers are hot, hot, hot at Bell. And these aren't just any Blue Dot Days. They're the first, the premiere, the debut, the start of something grand. So hurry in and get in on the great offers. Introducing Bell Blue Dot Days.

Get over a thousand dollars off amazing phones with eligible trade-in. Switch to Canada's fastest 5G plus network today. Visit a Bell store or Bell.ca slash Blue Dot Days for details. Bell, getting a new phone just got better. Here is former Raptor longtime NBA vet, CJ Miles. How you doing, CJ? I CJ Miles. How you doing CJ? I'm good. How you guys know we're doing well I mean it feels as if the world is expecting Oklahoma City to tie things up tonight

Do you see it playing out that way or you lean in the Pacers possibly shocking the world and going three? Yeah going up three one tonight um, I Honestly, like I think after the first two games I think the way game three goes is the way the rest of the series go They've got good feels on each other and I think they're gonna be close down in the stretch They don't come down to some big plays. I think they're really that evenly matched right both benches have shown the bacon score You got 50 from one team 49 and from the other team the next game like I think is really just gonna be a dogfight 49 and from the other team the next game like I think is really just gonna be a dog fight

So how have the depth and role players on the Pacers played a huge role in this series? I? Think it's just their energy right like in their toughness like home And not the okay. See doesn't have it But those guys got a little bit of a like TJ mechanicals TJ McConnell been around right like you might not have been on this stage but he's been around he's been playing this way for a long time those guys are figuring themselves out and then I think Matthew is just so talented man I think he's just figuring out how to how to place it where his role really is to be really aggressive and use all of it he had a really good pace to himself last game but I think with the pace and space that Pacers played with like it just allows all those guys to maintain their own identities and not just be standstill guys. Well Matheran's obviously a

Canadian kid that you know we love to see him playing the way that he's been playing he shot the lights out the other night another Canadian kid clearly with the focus on of tonight will be Shea I mean this is where you get your back up against the wall in a situation he be Shea. I mean, this is where you get your back up against the wall in a situation he's never dealt with before and really this year they've never dealt with. We were saying this prior to you coming on CJ, you know, game seven against Denver, that was big,

but that was at home. And the Thunder have not played great on the road in the playoffs and they haven't been chasing a series and they're chasing a series. So my eyes go to Shea tonight. This is a massive, massive moment for him. What, uh, what do you see him? How do you see this playing out for shade tonight? I just think he, he's got to figure out a balance, right?

Like we know who he is. We know what he does. He scores the basketball. So we've seen that type of play not worked for guys over the last decade, right? Like really just having it up high on the top of the floor or high in the slot on the wings and kind of ISO and slowing it down. I think when he finds himself in a good rhythm and he's moving a little bit and he scores without really stopping the game. I think yet they have a better chance because those other guys get chances to just make things happen and be a part of the game. But I think he's going to be locked in. I think he's going

to be trusted guard as always. He's got to be a little bit more attentive defensively this game. I think last game was the first game. I've seen him in a long time. He just didn't seem engaged defensively. And I think it came from the game just kind of being different for him. Well, CJ, you played an Indy. What is that vibe like in that market basketball wise? Because it just seemed like it was rocking the other night and it'll probably be the same tonight. Yeah. Yeah, I was there. I mean, they just love basketball. Like, it's like the, you know, they're saying in 49 other states is just basketball, but this is Indiana. Like I really, they really make you feel that. Like they love their basketball, they have

a deep, rich history with it and they come to they showcase it, right? And they reward guys that play the right way So like when you have a team like they have with a bunch of guys who just play really really hard in the right way They give them a reason to cheer the way they cheer. It's amazing. Yeah, it's a cool environment, man And I guess you're getting it from both teams, you know with Oklahoma City. Yeah smaller market And like okay, okay with Oklahoma City. Yeah, smaller market. OKC feels like a college team. If you go to OKC's field, it feels like a big college arena. It feels like a college with a billion dollars. It's that type of thing. And the guys are so young. You get Jalen Williams, just the crowd barking in there.

It's a little different, but it's the same type of thing. It's just fun energy. Joyous basketball. It It's not uppity. Absolutely. With CJ miles. And you know, that's coming tonight. It'll be a great, great crowd. And yeah, this Chad Holmgren, man, I, this watching him is a wild, it's a wild watch. Just the body type of tall he is. That looks like he's 130 pounds, you know, and he's seven feet tall. I said that before. Yeah, it's crazy. And yet, you know, he's effective, like, when he's on his game. Like, in terms of Indiana, like, their approach to him tonight, what do you can expect? I mean, Shea's the guy, clearly, that's going to drive the bus, and that's the guy they're going to be kind of tracking tonight.

But Chet can get you. Yeah. How do you see the Pacers kind of attacking him tonight? I think it's physicality with them right now, as it is with most young guys, right? How do you see the Pacers kind of attacking him tonight? I think it's physicality with him right now as it is with most young guys, right? They're figuring that out. I think you go at him, the game is a little bit more attacking when it's like that. I think mouse turn has got to be.

It's physical with him if he can and he's got the mobility to guard him on the perimeter too, but not giving him anything easy. The game, the really, really good game you had, he got an easy put back or a layup and he got like standstill threes, right? Like you got stuff that like, we're like warm up shots and now everybody's feeling good or space everywhere. But I think with him being the Broder and being a lot of picking roads, being range has got to be a tentative and alert with them. And then on the other end, you got to attack them. I think there was one play late in the game, the last game, miles, just was way more patient with it

when he caught it on a roll and he just bumped him a couple of times and he found his way at the rim. I think he's got to do it more. CJ, I got to ask you a non-finals question. Where do you want to see KD go? Oh, I was just talking to my wife about this. So like, as a fan, I would like to see him like strictly fan like New York or Houston.

Like from my mindset, I would like him in those two places. I think he's good for basketball wherever he goes. I think it really comes down to like where he's at mentally, right? Like, does you and what does he want to deal with? Or like what is if he's going to a younger team, like if he came to Toronto like what else is gonna happen? Yeah, if you went to the Spurs right bike Well, if you want the Spurs is nuts. Also the Spurs I just in my from my fan perspective again I would just like to Spurs see the Spurs do it the way they do it, right? They got the pieces They got the young guys. I like to let it take his course

Let when we become who he's gonna be I know KD and CP and all these people can help him but I think there's something about allowing a guy to like bloom you know at his own rate in his own time when you know he's special and it doesn't put any extra weight on it because he's already got I'm not saying it is bothering them or anything but he's already got enough that he's gonna deal with like let him deal with it on his own time you got You get the Aaron Fox in there long term You got the ricky of the year

You got Vassel who's really good and you just find the right Harrison Barnes is great for them You find the right bitch and you let it just happen and I think it's gonna happen sooner or later There's something that would be Somewhat funny though to see KD go to San Antonio and the old-school basketball players watching Wemby and KD Jack 33's Why did they? No, so like there's a part of you that is just insane to think about to see two guys of that size and ability like Be on the floor at the same time like one of those guys shot average 26 points on 50-40-90 last year

like that's nuts. Crazy. Like, so like, and Wimby's definitely on that trajectory. And there's definitely a bunch of things that KD can show him. Like, I'm not saying it's wrong. I just think about the Spurs as being a certain way. And I think that that seems out of character for them

to go right out and get KD. I guess that's the best way to put it, right? Like, you think about them as being, like, it seems like it's happening again the way it happened the first time. And it'll last for 20 years and then like go do it again. So CJ, before you came on, we were talking about C. Ackham and how he won here six years ago. Are you impressed with his elevation since he's left toronto and and the player that he's become and what he is on the return arm the thing is when i got around who like just watching the way he worked

and watching how it can be one of the watch and i was trying to add to his game constantly i wouldn't say i'm surprised i would tell you about new where it was going but i'm not surprised to be got better and that he's because of the type of person he is also is why he's found himself in the other situation. Cause a lot of guys are talented and get better at work, but like a lot of those guys wouldn't fit on this Indiana team. You know what I mean?

Like the mentality and the way they approach the game doesn't always fit. So I think it's been really special to watch. And when you know his story, it makes it even more special but just The the beginning of the thing everybody just like you start making point of threes you have a long career The next you know even the milk post ice-sowing guys the next thing you know He's handling the pick and roll the next thing you know You should step back you know I mean like it was just it's been amazing to watch when you seen it from the beginning

Yeah, he is he's an easy guy to like, man, and root for. Like, Pascal just goes out there, and he's had a great, great career, and he's still in his prime, you know? And he's up 2-1 in the NBA finals, seeing his teammates who came forward to him. My favorite thing about him, though, is that, like, the joy he played to the game.

He's excited to be in the gym all the time. Like, his energy, like, I used to remember him yelling and practicing as soon as he walked in the gym before we did anything but he was just always happy to be there and he carried their energy today even with the amount of time that he's put into his crappy note that you're going to our expected to be treated a certain way or they get so

pointed out like that so anything for not be doing that at all exactly that any still rockin and you know eastern conference final mvp and you know Eastern Conference final MVP and you know We'll see what comes of it as we move forward with the finals game for tonight CJ. Enjoy it. Thank you for doing this We appreciate it. You too guys, man. Thank you. Thank you got it. CJ miles former Raptor longtime NBA vet You've heard them countless times now learn the details of how they came to be. Join Ruby Carr for Encore, the stories behind the songs you love.

New interviews and newly unearthed archive footage make for a fascinating weekly deep dive. Stream Encore, the stories behind the songs you love on iHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts.