PTI - Cowboys & Giants could be Super Bowl contender after NFL Draft?!

Episode Date: April 14, 2026

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon analyze the latest NBA play-in matchups and recent headlines from Major League Baseball. Guest Kendrick Perkins joins the discussion to evaluate upcoming postseason series, while the show also covers noteworthy developments from the WNBA draft and other major sports news stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Lilbon. It's National ex-spouse day, Tony. Any ex-spouses you'd like to recognize?

I'm Tony Kornheiser. Shout out to two of the three Gabor's sisters. Ava Jaja. Shout out to that. Who was the third one? Me? I don't know. I think the mother was Magda, I believe.

I think Jolie might be the third one. Anybody born before the turn of the tour? 20th century. No, no. Dion always calls her Zaza Gabor. You want to be just like Zaza Gabor.

Welcome to PTI, boys and girls. Today's episode, Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, both homer twice. A curious trade in the WNBA and Kendrick Perkins joins us for five good minutes. But we begin today with the NBA play-in games at start tonight. In the east, we have the 10-seed Miami

going to the nine-seed Charlotte, which has not been in the real playoff since 2016. In the West, we have have the eight seed Portland going to the seven seed Phoenix. Wilbon, which of these matchups do you find more compelling? Tony, actually, it's Miami Charlotte, and it's less the matchup specifically than the team. I want to see Charlotte. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I do.

Lamello ball is like, I mean, he's pretty, he's beyond nifty. I won't give him wizard status, which goes to Kyrie Irving with the basketball, but sometimes he can really be on it. And when you combine lamello ball and what he's done with C Cinepple, who is my rookie of the year and the best young volume three-point shooter in the NBA, and Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, that's a quartet. It's not a big three. I mean, I'm not talking a Hall of Famers.

It's a nice foursome to watch. And I don't understand why Miami's not better. I don't understand with Bam and his 100-point game or whatever it was, Tyler Hero, Norman Powell, Wiggins, and Yakesz. I don't understand why Miami is just sort of five and ten in their last 15 games, while Charlotte was 28 and 10. 28 and 10 and 4 in the last 14. So I'm like, I want to look at Charlotte and go,

is this something worth really watching? I'm curious about that. Yeah, I just want to start out with a shout out to Portland, okay, because they haven't been in a playoff in, quite some time. And at the beginning of the year, they had that terrible circumstance with the removal of their coach, Chauncey Billups, who was accused of being involved in a mob betting scheme and is indeed awaiting trial. They turned to Tiago Splitter, who was a, you know, an assistant and had not been a head coach there. And he brought him in, I believe, 42 and 39. And I don't

think anybody saw that coming. So good for them. No, good for them. I agree with you. I mean, I would concentrate personally on the, the Charlotte Miami game. Just because I'm more familiar with their rosters, I'll be honest, I don't really know anybody on Portland. Oh, yes, you do. There's a former wizard, you know, Denny.

I know. The ex-Wizard, Denny, who's doing a great job. He is doing a great job. And it took me a while to remember that Kevin Durant had left Phoenix to continue on his tour of every NBA city looking for something, someplace, where he's happy. I find myself rooting for Charlotte,

and I need to say this out loud. It's not that I don't like Miami. I like Miami. I like Eric Spolstruck. I know you do. I like Pat Riley. And I believe that last year's thing was not their fault at all. Because your boy, Jimmy's fault completely, okay?

But I don't think they can beat Miami, even with that 28-10 finish that nobody saw coming either, just like Portland. Miami is the kings of the play-in. This is their fourth straight year in the play-in. They've won four playing games. games. That's an NBA record. It's a dubious record, but it is the record. So I sort of think they're good. But I like what Charlotte does. Charlotte will shoot it from anywhere, from anywhere. I like that. By the way, Phoenix and Portland outperformed their preseason expectations. But she gives, you know, Phoenix a shout out as well. I mean, nobody had them doing anything but

finishing like dead last. Let's move to last night's baseball potpourri. Mike Trout and Aaron Judge, each homer twice and the yanks win over the Angels. Bosses Garrett Crochet gave up 10 earned over an inning in two third. The Cardinals Jordan Walker hit his major league leading eighth home run. Kyle Schwabber,

my man Schwabes Homer twice against my Cubs, formerly his Cubs. And your Mets lost their sixth straight tone. The biggest deal from last night was what? So I think down the road it may be that the biggest deal is Crochet. Okay, what if he ends up

on the injured list. His ERA right now is 7-5-8. Last year when he finished second to scoble for the Cy Young, his ERA was 259, and pitchers get hurt all the time. And I'm also tempted to talk about Jordan Walker, eight home runs in 16 games. Mike, that's the second most of any Cardinal ever in 16 games, and I'll drop a couple of names on you that he's tied with, Mark McGuire and Stan Musial. In the last two seasons, he played in 162 games. He had 11 home runs. Now he's got eight and 16. But that's not the top. The top. The top. is Aaron Judge and Mike Trout hitting two home runs a piece in that game. And if you looked at the clip, you saw that Aaron Judge marveled at Mike Trout,

and Mike Trout marveled at Aaron Judge. These two guys, if Mike Trout is fully healthy, they're two of the greatest hitters in baseball, along with Shohaneh. Shohay El Tani, that's the top three. Mike, they have six MVP's between them, and this is a mind-blowing thing I'm going to say. The last time that two players with three MVP's each, hit two home runs apiece in the same game. The last time, 1956,

Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, Roy Campanella and Stan Musil. 1956 before the Wilbon era, way before the Get Up era, but before the Wilbon era. So that was nice. I knew you'd go with that. And I will say that when I was going over to MLB last night

to look at condensed games, I did stop on that one, as much as I didn't want to. I did stop to just look at that. and marvel at it a little bit. But baseball's local. Baseball's local. And for me, the Cubs are in a place

that's awfully dark to be just two games under 500. Maybe there's 7 and 9, something like that. Because last night, Assad, Javier Assad, he gives up almost a Gary Crochet-like number. And his ERA is now 8 plus, right? He's up there in that land. Sounds like the Nats relievers. And I'm looking this, and Schwerber goes deep

against his own team like this twice, and the Cubs hitters are just subterranean. Nobody's at the old Mendoza line in that entire lineup, and the Cubs were thought to have one of the better lineups, not as good as the Dodgers, but right up there in the National League

underneath the Dodgers, it is cold, and I get that in the east, and they played too many games at Wrigley too early, schedule maker is an idiot, and so I'm trying not to get too carried away. What was the score of that day? 13 to 2 to the Phillies last night made me just click right back to the WNBA draft.

I didn't even stay on the Cubs. So you think 13-2 is a lot? I watched the Nats against Paul Skeens last night. They were down 15 to 1. They took Skeens out of the game, Pittsburgh did, because their innings were so long that Schoenz was getting cold. Little League to get them out of there. Yeah.

Right. Skeens last year, in 18 of his 32 starts. No support. three runs or fewer to deal with. Pittsburgh's spent some money. They got some hitting. Right now, he's had 38 runs in his four starts, and he's the best pitcher in baseball. Let's move to what you watched last night, the WNBA draft. UConn's AZ Fudd went first overall to the Dallas Wings, who drafted number one last year as well and chose Fud's Yukon teammate, Paige Beckers. NCAA set a record by having five players drafted in the first round, including their

center Lauren Betts to the Washington Mystics at number four. And the Golden State Valkyries now in their second year, oddly traded Flore J. Johnson, who they had just picked at number eight to Seattle for the 16th pick last night and a second round pick in 2008. Wilbon, what stood out most to you? Probably Seattle, ultimately, no matter how it happened, getting Flore J. Johnson, was just a star. If I just rank the star's star power chosen in last night's draft, yes, they're players who also,

like her earlier in her career, won national championships. You mentioned the UCLA players who just did it. Shout out to Kiki Rice going to Toronto. But Flagee Johnson is the biggest star. And Seattle gets Floresh Johnson and our fam.

And you're like, whoa, wait a minute. What did they pull off here? So I cared about that. I noticed your mystics getting six players in the draft, including Lauren Betts, which was pretty interesting. Olivia Miles,

who is a magician with the ball goes to the links as they build again. They've got championship history. They know what they're doing there. They know what they're doing in Seattle. So I look at their draft picks and say, wow, this is pretty impressive this night they came away with. But Flage Johnson winding up in Seattle may be the biggest wow to me. Can I ask a question about that?

If you are Golden State, why are you trading the number eight pick for the number 16 pick, a first round pick for a second round pick, and another second round pick? second round. How are you helping your team now? That's what I was thinking. It had to be that because this is a prearranged deal. Each team drafted the player that the other team wanted, right? So if Golden State wanted the player

that they got at 16, you don't want her at 8? I mean... I don't get it either. So, yeah, so I think it's cap. Because there's a lot of money right there right now for a lot of players. I was told this day, I hope it's true, that AZFUD by being drafted number one last night will make seven

times more what Paige Becker's made last year for being drafted. Last year. Just last year. Just last year. So there's money in there now. So maybe they do it for money. But the explanations were obtuse to me. And by the way, if I'm going to go local shout out, I got a shout out to AZ Fudd, local

as well. St. Johns has the number one overall pick. And Sidwell Friends has the number five pick. And pretty impressive for the DMV. I know you'll be happy about that. I knew about it. I said, I live here.

Let's take a break. Coming up, we will ask Kendrick Perkins if he has been particularly impressed by any of the playing teams. We'll also ask his thoughts on Lakers Rockets in the first round. I just didn't understand the quotes by the general manager of the Valkyriegreens.

They don't make sense to me. I mean, if you like somebody, you're at eighth. You're in the first round. Take somebody you like. I don't get it. Right? Has to be money. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by Vision Works.

See the difference. Let's get into the NBA postseason with our great friend from NBA Today, ESPN NBA analyst, Mr. Kendrick Perkins. Perk, let's start with this. We talked, Mike and I talked about the Hornets and the heat and the Blazers and the Suns in our A-block. The other two play-ins are going to be the Magic and the 76ers and the Warriors and the Clippers. Are you particularly impressed with any, with any. of these eight teams? Well, look, I'm impressed with the teams that you guys talked about,

but I'm going to tell you what I want to talk about is the Orlando Magic, right? They're on the clock. All eyes should be the Apollo Ben-Caro. We expected him to take that leak this year, and he hasn't. In my opinion, he's digressed and has made nothing but excuses and has thrown his coach under the bus. And when you look at the position at their end, I'm looking at him and saying, can you lead this?

team in a play in tournament to get this team into the postseason. If not, then it is a failed season and it's a disappointment and it's an indictment on Paulo Ben Carroll. And so I'm keeping a close eye out on Orlando Magic because he's on the verge of getting his coach Jamal Mosley fired if they don't make the postseason. Amen to that perk and he shouldn't be fired because it's certainly ain't his fault was going on there. Let's talk about the first round matchups that we do know.

When you look and you see Lakers Rockets, you think what? I think pressure. I think pressure. First of all, I think it's going to be a broad for it all, okay? And look, I understand Luca and Austin Reeves, they're not going to be playing, but the pressure is on Kevin Durant.

He was brought over to Houston to move the needle. They got to the first round of the playoffs last year without them. And when you talk about the head-to-head match up with him and LeBron James, Katie, this is a legacy moment for him. He better not lose to a 41-year-old senior citizen and LeBron James with this squad that's built around him. Kevin Durant has to win this series.

Otherwise, I will be coming back on here and we will be having a different type of conversation when it comes to Kevin Durant. Just think about it. Brooklyn Nets, disaster. Phoenix Suns, disaster. The Houston Rockets gave up a culture guy in Dylan Brooks and the guy that they drafted in the lottery in Jalen Green

to bring you over to have hopes of bringing another championship. You better not lose this series to this Lakers squad. Perk, on the other end of this, a team that's on the fly right now on the run of the Nuggets who've won 12 in a row to finish the regular season. I thought the Nuggets at the beginning of the year would win the championship. That's the team I pick.

How do you like how the Nuggets match up against the Timberwolves and what do you see for the Nuggets in general? I think the Nuggets are going to get upset. I actually got the Timber Woods picked to win that series. I am never going against Anthony Edwards. And this is a core group that went to the conference finals last year. This is a core group that when they know, when they're in the right mental space, they're one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

And so I'm looking at the leadership of Anthony Edwards. He had a career year this year. Julius Randall has finally found his floor again. They're healthy. They got Jaden McDaniels back. And remember the last time we saw these two teams match up, remember how frustrated Jamal Murray was because of the pressure and the perimeter defenders that Minnesota threw at him.

He was throwing hot packs, hot heat packs at the officials. How frustrated he was right. Got about that. We will get you out of here on this. You've picked one upset. I'm going to ask you about another potential upset, the Hawks and the Knicks. Can the Hawks knock off the Knicks? Tony, I'm going to say no, but I do think that series is going seven, right?

But I'm going to say this. If the Knicks knew better, they'll do better. They better feature Carl Anthony Towns. He is the most important player on the New York Knicks. He's the most important player going into this series. The Atlanta Hawks doesn't have one single person that could stop him. They have to utilize him on the offensive end. If you don't, then you're not going to get anything from him defensively.

The one thing I would give the Knicks credit for over the last two or three games of the season, they finally got back to the recipe of utilizing Carl Anthony Towns and Jalen Bronson in the two-man game. We're going to have to see more of that in the first round. otherwise it's going to be a disappointment and it's going to be something that's going to happen to them because the Hawks ain't playing around, but I still got the Knicks and 7. Now, Wilbon's head is exploding

because he thinks Jalen Brunson is the most important player in the world. He's the best player. He's the best player, but Perk is more important. Cat, Cat's got to play. He's right. Thank you, Perk. Thanks, Perk. Thank you, thank you.

Let's take one last break still to come. We may have an important development in the restoration of the Triple Crown Conference. competition. Really? Can we imagine what that means? The Orioles manager leaves after taking a line drop to the face, but then does something kind of surprising. Maybe he's a hockey.

Did you know that the Triple Crown was horse racing, the horses that you like to say? Yeah. Did you know that? I sort of known that all my life. I just ignore it most of the years. Most of the years. Happy time people. Happy 51st birthday, Brian Dayball.

was brought in to coach the New York football giants from the Buffalo Bills, where he was offensive coordinator for Josh Allen's early years. Dayball went nine and seven his first year in New York and won a playoff game, but Dayball was fired after three more seasons in which he went 11 and 33 and did not get a sniff of the postseason. Now Dayball is the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans and as Cam Ward at quarterback. He was hired by Robert Salah, who also had a rough time in New York. Sala went 20 and 36 with the New York Jets in four seasons. and never made the playoffs. Sala and Dayball became pals in New York,

and now we'll work together. You know what Dayball should have said to Salah during the interview? Draft Jeremiah Love, and I'll come coordinate your offense. That's the deal. Anything else is a deal breaker. Jeremiah Love. I don't care that Mel, the great Mel Kiper, says, oh, you don't take a running back that high in the first round.

Yeah, you do when he's this good, Jeremiah Love. Happy anniversary, Don Calh. On this day, 33 years ago, Calhoun, a 23-year-old Chicago Bulls fan, drilled an 80-foot shot to win $1 million. He then celebrated with the back-to-back NBA champions as if he had just hit a game-winning three against the Celtics. Days after this dreamlike achievement, there were whispers that the company that ensured this promotion was going to negate Calhoun's basket because he had walked on to a couple of community

college teams some years before. Bull's players, front office, and several corporate sponsors lobbied to get Calhoun paid, and he actually received 20 years of $50,000 check, so Bobby Bonilla deal. Wilbon, do you remember this? Yes, I wrote about it in The Washington Post a day later. Tony, those promotions in Chicago, going back to the old Chicago Stadium, used to get so much interest. I never left to get a hot dog before fans took those shots,

including somebody you're familiar with named Don Wilbon was chosen for one of those. He didn't win a million dollars, though, because I had to take it a percent. Did he hit the rim? I don't think there was rim. Don't think there was rim involved. A brief happy trails last night to Orioles manager Craig Albernaz. In the bottom of the fifth, Baltimore's first year manager took a line drive to the face off the bat of his own second baseman, Jeremiah Jackson.

Albinars left for treatment but emerged less than an inning later as Jackson hit a grand slam that got the Orioles back into the game. And Jackson later hit a solo shot to cement the nine. seven win over the debacks. Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers told the Baltimore banner of Albinaz, quote, the fact that he didn't go to the ground shows how tough of an SOB he is. And the fact that he wanted to come back to the dugout, he's got a big set of onions on him, unquote.

News today is that Albinaz suffered seven fractures in his cheek orbital area and a broken jaw, and he'll be eating baby food for six weeks. A PTI investigation reveals he's from Massachusetts, and you know that can only mean one thing. He must be a hockey player. It's got the toughest of a hockey player. Must have played hockey growing up. We have a Gabor's sister Upgate.

Magda was the third sister, not the mother. I said Jolie was a sister. She was the mother. There's Zaja Ava and Magda. We're running out of show. We go to the big video. Let's do it. Former Michigan head football coach Sharon Moore

received no jail time today. Your thoughts? 18-month probation. I don't know what to think. I want to dismiss that as quickly as possible. Stanley Cup playoff field is set. Any notable absences? Yeah, for me, the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin and the Detroit Red Wings, certainly.

U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker left for a similar job in Saudi Arabia. Your thoughts? I got to think this is about a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot of money and not running away from a ship be sinking. That's what I hope. The Preakness will reportedly move one week later next year to put it three weeks after the Derby. You want to defend that nonsense? I will defend it by saying that the derby winner did not run in the preakness last year.

I believe they should be May, June, and July, separated by a month each for the triple ground. Last one. Astros have lost eight straight. Will they snap that streak tonight? You should not be playing at home and have a losing streak to the Rockies. So the Astros will win tonight, yes. We're out of time. We'll try to do better than the next time. Happy birthday, Michael Cornheiser. Your birthday, Michael, indeed. I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads. Now on a ball night here's sports center. BTI.