PTI - Should Pacers be Concerned After Loss?

Episode Date: May 30, 2025

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss the latest in the NBA ECF, the upcoming Stanley Cup Final, and Yanks/Dodgers. 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 Wilburne. Tony, the national spelling bee was last night, and the winning word was Eclay-C-C-C-Mont. Can you spell that?

No, I can't spell that. I've never even heard of it. I'm Tony Kornheiser. The kid who won, can he spell Anto T'Compo? That is something I care about. Or Shishvsky, K-R-Z Y-S-K-I-E-W-S-K-I. Huh? On to the cumpo or to chef.

What is that for? Eclare Simone? Obviously, that's French. Maybe it's an ice cream treat. I don't know what it means. A French ice cream treat, maybe. Do you think it's like an Eclare? Like a chocolate of Eclare?

Wow. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls. In today's episode, the Oilers Advance, the Yankees visit the Dodgers, and Justin Fields was once you're born. Says he can be great with the Jets, but we begin today with the Knicks decisively beating the pastry. last night to stave off elimination and extend their series to at least game six. Wilbon, you were there to see the Knicks hold the Pacers to under 100 points for the first time in these playoffs. Is this just one win for the Knicks or is it something for Indiana to be concerned about? Oh, Indiana had better be concerned, Tony, because it's the way the Knicks went about it.

The Knicks diverted from the previous plan of games, three of which they'd lost, three or four, and they found some new things. They planned. it out and they executed it. They jumped Tyrese Halliburton from the opening tip in the back court. And they did to him sort of a minor league version of what OKC's defense did to Ant Man. They got all over Halliburton. They made it so that when he got to mid court, when he got across the timeline, as we used to call it, he had 17 seconds, sometimes 16 seconds left in the shot clock as opposed to the Pacers getting up shot. within the first 12 seconds.

They forced him to go side to side for the court and not straight line. And he's not Barry Sanders. That's not his game. He's got to get the ball, go north-south, and get them involved quickly. Ball in the basket. That's what the Pacers do. The Knicks didn't let him. And defensively also, Jalen Brunson, who the Pacers had targeted in the first four games of the series,

Jailen Brunson got after it last night. and he was actually effective against whoever was trying to attack him and allowed only 21% of those matchups to result in baskets as opposed to more than 60% in the previous games. So, no, the Knicks did a lot more defensively than they'd done early. Look at you, Mr. Analytics, getting those stats. Yeah, not exact. Not exact.

Okay, I had everything right, everything. I had Edmonton winning last night. I had Oklahoma and Florida winning the night before, and I said to you, the only series of the four that I thought could or would go six was the Knicks and the Pacers. And then I said to you, if you ask me why I like the Knicks in this game, I would say Jalen Brunson. And Jalen Brunson went out. He scored 32 points. He had 14 in the first quarter when the Knicks established themselves and took the lead. He shot 12 for 18 for the field, four of seven from three. The only thing I missed out on were Brunson's minutes.

I said he was going to play 44 or 45. But the Knicks were ahead by 17 at the end of the third quarter, so he did not have to play 44 or 45. Do I think that the Knicks can win this series? Sure I do. I think Indiana has been a little bit better. All those other teams were decisively better. Indiana has been a little bit better.

Now, it is also very tough. When you have lost three of the original four to come back and win the next three, it's very tough to do. And I expect Tyrese Halliburton to be better in Indiana because, Mike, eight points, right? And only seven shots. That's an ant-man game.

That's the right analogy. That doesn't work at all. Doesn't work. No, no. He's going to have to be better. But, Tony, only the icons. The icons are great for, like, three, four games in a row in series.

No, the nature, the rhyme and the rhythm of playoff basketball is up and down. First you, then him. So the question now is, what is Rick Carlisle going to do? And I bet he has something up his sleeve to free Halliburton. That's what he's got to be. Free Halliburton. And I'm not talking about his father. I'm talking about actually Tyrese, not John.

Let's move to hockey. Edmonton eliminated Dallas last night, chasing. the Dallas goalie early and eventually winning six to three. Edmonton was up three nothing. Dallas cut at the three, two, and then Connor McDavid did what Connor McDavid does. Wilbon, you were jacked about that goal. How did the Oilers look to you?

Oh, whoa. Tony, they look like a team that belongs now. I mean, I've been, you know, rooting for them for a few years now, like I do Toronto. Yep, yep. One is made it, one is not. But, you know, Edmonton breaks through this because they have the best. player in the world, Carter McDavid. And that goal, I mean, when you see Dallas score twice to get it to three, two, and they're at home and people are going wild. And you know, Edmonton,

you wonder, people really believe in Skinner and goal anyway. You're like, uh-oh, can they bring this back and make Tony Cornheiser wrong and make this a series of six or seven gamer as well? Maybe, maybe, maybe. And then Connor McDavid, Tony, it's the same. It's the series of six. speed, but it's what he does with the speed with the puck. And he's somehow able with a guy on his back to hold him off and then Deak and make the move at full speed without slowing down, without having to gather. He's just so spectacular to watch. I want to watch him more.

I want to watch him all the time. And so now we're going to get the finals that we should get. Yeah. Absolutely. They belong. Absolutely. Absolutely. Let's put this in some sort of perspective. Dallas won game won when they got five goals in the third period at home against Edmonton.

From that point on, Edmonton won four games in a row and outscored Dallas 19 to 5. That differential is even greater than Florida's differential against Carolina, which I believe was 21 to 10. Edmonton, I think I'm right on this, lost the first two playoff games they played this year. to the Kings. Since then, they are 12 and 2, and they have outscored in those games, they have outscored their opponents by 25 goals, right? I mean, I know that P.K. Suban was concerned the other day when we chatted with him about the loss of Zach Hyman and what that would do to Edmonton. But it looks like Edmonton right now is rolling. I thought the weirdest thing was they pulled the goalie, Jake Ottinger, or do I have that name right? Like they pulled him almost immediately.

Got rid of Ottinger. He just dumped him. Two shots, two shots, two goals. You have to hear this quote. This is the quote from Peter DeBoer. That was Osloor. I heard it last night. Quote, I don't blame, I didn't blame all at all on Jake, but the reality is if you go back to last year's playoff, he's lost. He's lost, not the team.

Six or seven games to Edmonton. If you give up two goals on two shots, that's a pretty big sample size. That's a Terry Bradshaw quote. That is saying to your goalie, get out of here. What are he doing then? Wow. I mean, it can change before you walk out of the skate out of the dressing room. Wow, that was a wow.

He did blame him. He can say, I didn't blame him, but I blame him. I blame him. That's right. Yeah. And now to baseball, where we have a World Series level matchup that begins tonight. The Yankees visit the Dodgers for three at Chavez Ravine. Don't hear anybody call it that anymore, not even in L.A., but I love that.

It'll be the first time the two teams have met since the Dodgers won the Fall Classic last year in five, and the only time they'll meet in the regular season this season. Both teams are loaded with stars. Both teams lead their divisions. Tony, do you see this mid-season set as big deal, little deal or no deal? How big do you want me to go? Historically, these are the two most important franchises ever in baseball. As you said, they were in the World Series last year.

They lead their divisions at the moment. I think they have scored the second and third most runs. They've got the two biggest stars in the game in Shohei Atani and Aaron Judge. And they've got four other MVPs on the field, total of six. They got Freeman is an MVP. Mookie Betz is an MVP. Cody Bellinger is an MVP. Paul Goldschman is an MVP.

Anybody who cares about baseball, I think they want to see that. The only thing that keeps me from saying that it's a huge deal is where it falls on the calendar, because it's still May and there's 100 games left, right? But let's drill down on some of the accomplishments of these players. Max Fried is going to start for the Yankees. He's 7 and 0. He leads the entire world in ERA, 128. Otani leads the majors in home runs.

Judge leads the majors in batting average. Freeman is next. Goldschmidt is fourth. the catcher on the Dodgers. Will Smith is fifth. On Sunday, Yamamoto's going out there for the Dodgers. His ERA is 1.97. I don't know what else you could ask for.

I know you would ask for the Cubs. I understand that. But the rest of us will love to watch this series. I might watch it, but it's no deal. There's no deal. It doesn't matter. It's great. It's glamorous.

You are absolutely right about those players and watching them. And by the way, if this is an NBA game and it had this many glamorous players, guys said it's in the Hall of Fame. and it was played in, oh, early December, you would say, it doesn't matter. There's 100 more games. Oh, wait, there are 100 more games in that sport, but there are 100 more games in this sport. So it's no deal.

It doesn't matter where the dam to the standings or what's going to happen in October when it would be a big deal if they meet again. But all those guys, they do matter. It's a joyful occurrence in the schedule. It is. By the way, by the way. And it's, by the way, it's compelling. Go ahead.

You said it's the two most important franchises in baseball. And I'm, I'm, I'm reluctant. I'm reluctant to bring this up. I'm going to do this. Maybe reality can help us with this. Haven't the Cardinals won more World Series in the Dodgers in the National League? Yes. I think they have.

I didn't. Okay, but I would say historically because one is the franchise of Babe Ruth and one is the franchise of Jackie Robinson. I was going to let you go. That was the only counter I was going to let go. Thank you. Only one. There you go. What do you think?

You think I have no notes here? You think I'm dumb? What? Let's take a break. Coming up, 21-year-old Junior Cominero. Had a home run and six RBI last night, but how big of a highlight was it for him? And Justin Fields says he can be great with the Jets.

What's the word for that? I'm going to say the Cardinals have 10-year-series. I don't know I'm guessing now. I'm smart, Mikey. I'm not dumb. I'm smart. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by Popeyes. Love That Chicken from Popeyes.

It's time to flex our lexicon. What's first? Junior Caminero's 6 RBI performance for the raise last night must have felt blank to him. My word is eh. You know, I mean, I know 6 RBI is great. And he was 3 for 6. He had a single, he had a double.

He had a home run. His team beat the Astros. 13 to 3, so he beat him all by himself. But he's had a greater performance than this. Do you remember him from the Dominican World Series? This was the guy in the final game of the Dominican World Series. The score is tied. It's the top of the ninth inning.

He hits a ball like 456 feet. All right? And ultimately proves to be the game winner. And he celebrates it by taking a full minute to round the basis. He shakes everybody's hand. like he's running for office, a full minute. I mean, you said at that time it was the coolest thing you ever saw, so I'm assuming now that your memory is jogged,

you're going to say it again. Yes, yes. And my word for what he did, the six RBIs, is just, I. It's I. And, I mean, you know, there was no such celebration to a company. The bad thing is his kid plays in Tampa. I'm never going to see him. I'm never going to see this kid play.

When I say kid, he's 21 years. He may be baseball's Lameen Yamal. He may be that. He's like the best hitting third baseman in the American League, home run, slugging, RBI. I mean, he seems to be on the verge of stardom, and I'm never going to see him playing for Tampa. Maybe if they put him on the Dodgers of the Yankees,

somebody can make room, and I can actually see him. In the meantime, it's all I. Maybe the Cubs could trade for him, and then you'd see them all the time. We need a- I'll stop talking about him. I'll take him. What's next? When Justin Field says he can be great with the Jets, he sounds blank.

My word is, it's three words, like Aaron Rogers. Justin Field said yesterday, here's a quote, the sky is the limit for this team and this offense, and he says he can be great there. And then he concedes, it's another quote, we do have a long way to go. You think the Jets were five and 12. last year. The last time the Jets were in the playoffs was 2010. They have had one winning season

since then, and every quarterback they get is anointed as the next savior, Sam Darnold, Zach Wilson, and then Aaron Rogers. Aaron Rogers really believed that he could take the Jets to the Super Bowl. How did that work out? It didn't happen. So I'm going to wish Justin Fields a lot of luck and hope he doesn't end up chewing on bark. Yeah, we're going to agree. We're going to down the line on this one. You know, I still love Justin Fields, even though he's not wearing, you know, the midnight and orange. I root for him. But he sounds uninitiated when he says this, as if he doesn't realize the Jets actually don't play in the Premier League or shouldn't. They should have been relegated. And while he's played in a place where quarterback means even less than

quarterback means with the Jets, he plays at a place where they're just more. for forlorn. They've been wandering through the desert for longer. He said, we're not far I mean, we're, you know, sort of far away. Far away is California walking it from New York. So he sounds uninitiated.

It's hard for me. I can't root with all apologies to you and Greenie. My two favorite Jets fans. I can't do it. I just can't do it. I get. That's the final word. Let's take one last break, but still to come. Has Patrick Mahomes really ruled out

playing flag football in the Olympics. Yeah, yeah. Somebody will rule it out for him with sense. Who should win tomorrow's Champions League final? Huh? Huh? No Lameenia Mall and that. Quarterbacks.

It doesn't ever work. Quarterbacks, it's 50 years, 60 years. Not since 12. Not since 12. It doesn't work since then. No, it's not. No, don't work. Pardon the interruption is brought to you by

the UPS store. Happy time, people. Happy 35th birthday, Zach Wheeler. The veteran right-hander is half of the Phillies one-two starting punch alongside Aaron Nola. But Wheeler is carrying most of the load

this season as Nola is one and seven with a 616 ERA. Wheeler has been joined at the top of the rotation by Jesus Lazzardo and Ranger Suarez, who are 9 and 0 combined. Willer is in his 11th season in the Bigs, his sixth in Philadelphia.

This year he's, six and two with a 296 ERA and the second lowest whip in the national league. While in Philadelphia, Wheeler is 65 and 34 with a 294 ERA. Prior to Philadelphia, Wheeler was 44 and 38 with the Mets. Willers made two all-star teams and twice finished second in the Cy Young. The Phillies are a team I can work up a pretty good hatred for Tony and they're worthy of it. I mean, they might be the best team right now. With all the slurpage of the Dodgers, I get it. But, The Phillies look to be just as good if not better. Solid playoff team for years now.

And not so happy anniversary, Jim Tressel. On this day 14 years ago, Tressel was forced to resign as Ohio State's football coach after several NCAA violations as a result of a tattoo parlor scandal proved too much for school officials to ignore. This seems so quaint now in the era of cash payments to players. Tressel's teams played in three BCS National Championship games,

won the title in 2002 with a 14-0 record. Tressel's 229 victories at Youngstown State and Ohio State ranked just ahead of Steve Spurrier and not far behind Bo Schembeckler and Woody Hayes. Tressel later became president of Youngstown State, and he's currently the lieutenant governor of Ohio. Yeah, tattooed that. I like Tressel on the sideline

because he will wear nice cashmere and merino vests. I like that look out of Trescel. Tressel, all these scandals that relate at one point to texting or tattoos, how stupid does that seem now? People are going to look back in history and say, this guy lost his job for what? Yeah. Tressel, by the way, contemplating a run for governor. Happy trails to recovery for Jonathan Taves. The longtime Black Hawk star captain told his agent he's ready to return to hockey after stepping away for two seasons while battling long COVID.

Taves has won three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, and was named one of the NHL's top 100 players from the league's first 100 years. 37-year-old is a free agent, can speak to any of the league's 32 teams immediately. Wilbon, I bet you have one in mind. I do, Tony. He's been the captain for a long time. I don't know if that's in the cards and a rebuild like the Blackhawks are undergoing may not be. But Taze and Cain.

I mean, Kane got more shine because he's just more a spectacular player. But Taves, man, these are all-time greats, all-time great partnership. One correction. Eclare Seismont is not a word that means ice cream treat, though it should. It means a clearing up of something obscure. Come on, Wilbon, be better. By the way, this is probably my last show at the Seaport in New York, Tony. The last one, I probably did 100 shows here.

What was your favorite memory of the Seaport era? Don't have any really. I mean, I don't know much about it. I think I did two shows. Let's go to the big finish. Chris Sale reached 2,500 strikeouts and fewer innings than anyone in history. I bet you're impressed. Yet by anyone, that list includes Nolan Ryan.

That's all it matters. Nolan Ryan. Mike Trout returns tonight for the Angels. Is that still a big deal? I hope so. He has been robbed of his greatness by injuries. Robbed, great player. the homes says he will likely leave Olympic flag football to younger players. Does that make sense to

you? I know the NFL players are all with this to be a big deal to everybody. Sorry, it's not. Football is a big deal. Tackle football, not flag. That's something my kid plays. The Eagles are reportedly close to trading edge rush or Bryce up to the Niners for a mid-round draft choice. Is that significant? It would reunite him with Robert Sala, who he played for with the Jets, and he was quite good. Last one, Champions League final tomorrow. PSG and Inter Milan, who he got? I got rid of a lot of their stars like In Boppe.

If they win, they never won. They win without those guys. Pretty big deal. Pretty special. We are out of time. We will try and do better the next time. I am Tony Cornynheim. And I'm Mike Wilbon.

Have a great weekend knuckleheads.