PTI - Thunder Win the Finals!!!

Episode Date: June 23, 2025

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss the OKC Thunder, Tyrese Haliburton, and the Durant trade. 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 Wilbon. It's National Typewriter Day. You and I used to write our columns on typewriters.

I'm Tony Cornhires, that's nothing. When I started out, I used a quill. Yes, a quill. Okay, we're both old enough to remember old school desks when they had ink wells. Remember that? Yes, certainly. Certainly. Yeah, you used to, they also, you could pull the desk up and down like this.

Yes. We just lost the entire audience. I had a kid in my fifth grade class named Fred, who used to spit on the desk and just roll it up and down for hours. I will not give his last name for fear of a lawsuit, but that's what he did for hours at a time. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls. In today's episode, The Thunder has a bright future.

Kevin Durant gets dealt, and Big Dumpur crushes your Cubs. But we begin today with the Oklahoma City Thunder, winning the NBA championship last night in game seven over the Indiana Pacers, who lost their best player, Tyrese Halliburton, to a reportedly torn Achilles in the first quarter. Indiana gamely led by one point at the half, but the Thunder outscored the Pacers 34 to 20 in the third quarter, and were never ahead by less than 10 after that. Wilbon let us start with Halliburton's exit and how it affected the game,

and how it affected you personally as a viewer. Tony, I'll start with that part because I called you. I was in despair. And I didn't start this with a rooting interest. I mean, you know, Rick Carlisle, I was the person I know best with Indiana, and I certainly root for them. But you know, all year I thought Oklahoma City was the best team. I just, I was very neutral.

But seeing how LaBurton go down like that tone, it just took all the energy out of me. I mean, look, I know OKC won a ring last night. Indiana won my admiration, and I think many other people probably feel the same way. And Halliburton, who over the last three seasons, I've got to, you know, be around increasingly. And I enjoy him thoroughly. As a basketball player, as a burgeoning star, as a young man, as still a very young man, he's just thoroughly enjoyable.

He's easy to root for, and I root for him. And what he was going through, Tony, he knew yesterday what he was puffed. possibly in for. He took that risk on. Like great athletes do, so many great athletes, they say, no, I may not get this chance again. Put me out there. I'm willing to risk this. And it turned out to be the worst

possible case scenario. When he went down and he was slamming his hand in the wood, I thought it's not the pain necessarily. It's the pain of knowing he can't finish this. He can't do what he has worked his whole life to do. And I, Tony, I was done. The energy was

out of me. I just, I didn't care about the game the same way after he went down. I admire the hell out of Tyrese Halliburton and his teammates. So you turned away from the game, right? I mean, you had had enough, you knew how it was going to end, and you turned away from the game. So let me say this. I believe that when you lose your best player, you can win one game, maybe, one game, not more than that. Tyrese Halliburton, for parts of the last three games, had had a KF issue that ends up. up in this way with a torn Achilles. He was diminished for parts of three games, and Indiana won one of those games.

He had a great start last night. He made three threes early on. And then the next thing you see is he's laying on the floor, pounding his hand into the floor. And for me, Indiana fought hard, and they were game, and I, too, was rooting for Indiana. But I knew there was an inevitability to the way the game was going to end. I knew that the outcome was really not going to be satisfying. I don't blame Oklahoma City for taking advantage of the situation. Of course they would, but there was for me sort of a hollowness at the end.

And the other part, and I'll just take about 15 seconds here, Tyrese Halliburton wasn't on the bench cheering his team on. He was in the locker room. So if they were looking for specific inspiration, they couldn't get it. Here's a quote from Obie Tobin. He says, quote, we needed tie out there. it sucked the soul out of us. I don't think I played well

because I was thinking about it the whole game, unquote. And Mike, my guess is that a lot of people on the Indiana team felt the same way. And it's not a normal game where when you get hurt, you take the rest of the game off,

you take a day off, you play it. It's game seven. There is no next. That's it being chip. Yeah. No, Tony, Topin, I think, expressed a view of a lot of people. I'm sure he did.

Let's focus on the champs. now. The Thunder are the youngest NBA title team since the 1977 Portland Trailblazers. Tom, what are your thoughts on what they accomplished? And what do you see in O KC's future? Okay. They were the best team in a league all year. They are a deserving champion. They won 84 games when you combine regular season and playoffs. That's the third most ever, ever. Okay? So they are a deserving team. But just please, don't talk to me about dynasties. I was watching television. this morning on this network. And I saw this graphic that said how young they were and how all their key players assigned for the next 50 years and how they have a million first round JF choices.

And Mike, as you know, the clear inference of that is that, oh, they're going to do this for a long time, to which we raise our hands and we say, hold on a second, Sparky. Hold on. It doesn't necessarily work that way. This is the seventh year in a row with a new champion in the NBA. So there is change in the NBA. Last year's or last night's winner, first place team could end up in fourth like Denver, like Milwaukee. These things happen and look at who they have to watch out for. They have to watch out for Houston. They have to watch out for San Antonio. They have to watch out for Denver. They have to watch out for the Lakers with Donchich there from the beginning of the season. Okay, these are important things to consider. They had to go seven, Mike, to beat Denver

and seven to beat Indiana. So while I like them, and I believe they are deserving, let's not say that they're going to waltz through because they're not going to waltz through. Amen, Tony, to every single syllable you just spoke. I'm just going to go back, let's just go back one year to Boston. Oh, Boston's got a dynastic team. Well, they would if Jason Tatum, like,

carried an extra Achilles tendon around in his suitcase. You are always one injury, one contract dispute, one locker room blow up away. Now, OKC for the things it can control, Tony, let me say that I just think Shade Gildes Alexander, I think he's damn near the perfect star. Everything that kid says and does strikes the right tone. The way he comports himself, the way he reacts to things, the way he leads his team, the way he plays. They've got it all for now. And yet, one contract dispute, one Achilles tendon, guess what? We've seen it. We see it all the time, sadly. I mean, Kyrie Irving just had this,

which might have prevented Dallas. Dame Lillard just had it, which might have prevented. Janus got hurt. I'm not wishing any of that in OKC. I want them to be healthy and holding us, See how great they are, but... It's not just that. It's not just that. The league changes all the time more than other leagues. Durant is now in Houston. Donchich is starting a full year in L.A.

Where's Yonis going to go? You think that'll be impactful? Victor Wemba Jolla comes back healthy. You think that's going to be impactful? All of these things conspire, so we don't want to have a coronation yet. Let's move to the trading of Kevin Durant. Durant goes to Houston in exchange for Jalen Green, Dylan Brooks, the number 10 pick in this year's draft, and five second round picks. Wilma, what does this do for each team?

Well, Tony, I think we're mostly concentrating on the Houston part of this because I don't think the Sun's got that much. I mean, they got a promising young player. You know, Dylan gives them some toughness that they, let's face it, did not have for some of us who are out here quite a bit. in Arizona and watch the suns almost every game. They need that toughness. The draft pick could turn into something. The draft pick, when you're drafting there now, you can draft. Guess what?

Shea Gildes Alexander and Janus, they're in that mix around that point of a lottery. They were choiced in. They weren't won, two, or threes. Neither was Joker. Neither were a lot of people. You know, Jaylon Brunster, you can find a player at 10 that can lead you to a championship. So I don't want to diminish it, but let's not go crazy. This is about Houston.

Kevin Durant at this stage by himself can't help a team get out of 12th. I know this because the Suns didn't even get into play in. But when it comes to jump shooting, catching shoot, off the dribble, three point mid-range, Kevin Durand is as damn near as good as there's ever been. And he can help them, Tony. The Houston Rockets, and by the way, they are coached by a guy who knows KD and EMA Udoca. got everything set up for him to slide in there and help Houston hold steady at number two and challenge O KC.

Yeah. So my feeling about this is that Houston, you know, stole somebody from Phoenix, just stole them blind. I disagree with you on a bunch of these things. Jalen Green is a very, very good player, but he's a guard. And he's going to join a team where there already is an established guard. Devin Booker and an overpaid, overrated, and maybe untradable guard in Bradley Beal. They would be great in a 3-3 league, but this is the NBA, and I don't think it helps them very much. Dylan Brooks is a suspension waiting to happen.

He's a great defender. He's a fierce physical player. But he's not a difference maker unless it's a great team. Unless it's a great team, he's not a difference maker. I disagree with you on number 10. I agree that it could be a great pick. It also could be garbage. and second round picks are completely useless.

No, it's all about Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant, and you know, Mike, that I think he's often a miserable person, somebody who's unhappy wherever he is, but he also always gets 25 points a game. Always, let me stress this, okay? Somebody's going to say he's 37 years old. Did you see any diminution of skills?

No, there has not been any diminution of skills. He's a great player. Now, in two years, Mike, he's going to say, I hate it in Houston and get me out of here. But how about this coming year? This coming year, he could be great. He could be great. Let's take a break. Coming up, what's the word for what Big Dumper did to your Cubs to their pitching, huh?

Is he big Dumber? Is that who he is? Did Keegan Bradley win the Travelers or the Tommy Fleet wouldn't lose it? I'll tell Joker and Jalen Brunson, you don't think much of second round picks. I'll be sure to convey that message to them. I don't. I actually don't. They got lucky on those picks. But Kevin Durant, he can still play.

He can fill it up. You can't get lucky unless you have the damn pick. We're load managing the email box, so we have subbed in the tray of tedium, which I hold up for people to see, the tray of tedium. And let me see what's first. Whoops. I just dropped the first one, and magically it returns to me, and I put on my glasses. and I read, as we kill time, I can't even open up my glasses.

What is the word for what Cal Raleigh is doing right now? He's yogiying right now. Cal Raleigh is a catcher for the Seattle Mariners. He went to Wrigley Field, and I know the wind was blowing out, but goodness, there's a lot of home runs. They're like 20 home runs in that series, but Cal Raleigh hit four of them, six for 12 with four home runs, and won that series, two out of three for the Mariners against the Cucson. who don't have to go to St. Louis, only three and a half games up instead of five and a half games up. So I'm very nervous about that.

Cal Raleigh, I didn't know he was the big dumper. I didn't know that that was the same guy. All I know is he's big, he's strong, he's like Mickey Mantle. He's on pace to hit 66. He won't do that. But he can hit more home runs to any switch hitters since the Mick. But I'm more concentrating on being a catcher and supplying that kind of power, which I associate Tony and you would too with Yogi Berra and Roy Campanella and

Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, I guess. That would be the group he's in right now. Wow. Yeah, I can't hear the name Cal Raleigh without thinking of Big Dumper, which is a fabulous nickname. It's right up there with Fairway Jesus. As you say, he's got, whatever he's got,

31 home runs, and we're still in June. The pace is for 66. I would take the under on that. But the record for a catcher, Salvador Perez, is 48, and I would take the over on that. I'd take the under on 66. because he's a catcher. Take the over on the 48 here.

What about switching? What about your boy, the Mick? Is he going to catch the Mick? That's remarkable. No, that's too many home runs. And the catcher is harder than the outfield. Things have a way in baseball of slowing down, Mike. In 1969, Reggie Jackson had 37 home runs at the All-Star break. And he finished with 47. So my word in describing Cal Raleigh now, I would just say, I would look at him with caution, with caution. Okay? Let me get the next one. Wish there had been some more cautioned at Wrigley over the weekend. Did Keegan Bradley win the travelers, or did Tommy Fleetwood lose it?

Yeah, I mean, Keegan Bradley, who's the next Riter Cup captain, and he's playing essentially at home, a place in Connecticut, you probably have played there, where he went as a kid with his dad to see the tournament. and he had like fervorous chanting of USA and people were going crazy for him. And I felt for Tommy Fleetwood, who I just sort of like, I never even met Tommy Fleetwood. But Tony, he had a chance to win this

and win his first time on the PGA tour. But it seems sort of unfair to keep calling that out when Tommy Fleetwood's won like seven times worldwide. Is that like Tommy Fleetwood has never closed in his life? In the meantime, man, Keegan Bradley, he hit it stiff on 18, made the short putt, won, had the adulation. He won it, and now the question is, is he going to put himself on the Ryder Cup team? Is he going to play well enough going forward to put himself on that team? It's interesting, interesting situation.

I will tell you that I think Tommy Fleetwood lost it because he had the lead all day and the lead the day before and he couldn't close on 18. He had a poor, maybe not poor, but a mediocre approach shot, and then he three putted. He didn't fall into a top. he fell into a loss, and he was two over on Sunday, and he can't do that. You can't be too over on a PGA tour. You know, if you're not Oakmont and went on Sunday. It doesn't work that way. No, nothing.

So Keegan Bradley, he won it. He was, I think, down three with four holes to play. I think he birded three of his last five holes. But the subtext that you're talking about is a story here. It's the Ryder Cup thing. He can legitimately, as the captain put himself on the team, totally legitimately at this point. And he does it with the satisfaction of knowing that he just went head to head and beat a guy who's going to be on the other team in the Ryder Cup when it's at Beth Page. And I mean, Mike, what if they played against each other on Sunday?

Do you think people would watch that? Because I know that I would watch that. I would definitely watch that. So, I mean, the entire subtext to me is the Ryder Cup. He's won that tournament before. I think it's the only tournament played in New England and he's a New England kid. I think he grew up in Vermont. By the way, Tony, I know you were watching that.

I watched it too, but the women in the PGA championship, Minji Lee, I mean, she was one of only three women under par for the tournament to win again. And she's right up there with a small handful of active players who've won that many three, I believe, major championships. So shout out to Minji Lee for that. Email train now empty. Let's take one last break still to come. Shohei does more

Shohei things. And Upps eject Coastal Carolina's head coach in the first inning of an elimination game. Seemed a little dramatic? That's brutal. I have to say that's brutal. That's just brutal.

Happy time, people. Happy 46th birthday, Ladenian Tomlinson. The Hall of Fame running back led the NFL in rushing yards twice and in rushing touchdowns three times. Tomlinson was the league MVP in 2006 and was first team all pro three times. He is the Chargers all-time leader in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and all touchdowns scored 37 more than Antonio Gates. Tomlinson is seventh all-time in rushing yards, second all-time in rushing touchdowns behind Emmett

Smith, and third all-time in rushing and receiving touchdowns behind Jerry Rice and Smith. Tomlinson holds a single-season NFL rushing touchdowns record with 28 in 2006. Tony, if I do the top, my top five running backs of all time, Jim Brown, Emma Smith, Walter Payton, Tomlinson, and either Marshall Falk or Barry Sanders, I get bogged down, that's six guys. But that's wow. I mean, that's some list, and people don't even realize how great Falk. Tomlinson was all that time. Happy anniversary, John McEnroe.

Around this day, 44 years ago. In the middle of a first round match at Wimbledon with Tom Doleckson, McEnroe shouted out his now familiar catchphrase, You cannot be serious while arguing a line call. The now iconic line is so tied to McEnroe that he used it as the title of his 2002 autobiography. For fans of only murders in the building, McEnroe has a cameo in season four where he utters the line.

McInroe, of course, is one of the greatest tennis players ever. He has an open-era record of 155 career titles, 77 in singles, 78 and doubles. This includes seven majors in singles and 10 in doubles, including a mixed doubles at the French with our friend Mary Carillo. Tony, I know Mack wasn't the greatest player of all time, but he's my favorite player of all time. And now a lot of great former players talking about tennis as broadcasters. I'd rather hear Mack and Chris Everett, probably the anybody, all the time, every match if they could do. Agreed. Happy Trails Coastal Carolina. LSU won the men's college baseball world series by beating Coastal Carolina in back-to-back games. The Shanta Clears had won 26 straight games entering the finals but fell 1-0 on Saturday, then got beat 5-3 on Sunday with the home-played on, ejecting their head coach and first base coach in the bottom of the first inning. Seriously, what was that? LSU went on to hand Coastal Carolina starter Jacob Morris and his first loss of the season. You may remember that LSU LSU was just one out away from getting eliminated by Arkansas on the semis,

but are now champs for the fourth time this century. Tony, if blue gets knocked down in the field to play, somebody's got to get tossed. I don't care what the ending is and I don't care what's at stake. Somebody's going. Quick to the big finish. Angels manager Ron Washington out indefinitely. With an undisclosed health concern, your thoughts. He's expected back later this season reports are Tony.

We certainly hope so. Raphael Devers Homer against the Red Sox again. Saturday as the Giants took two of three. Your thoughts. Big acquisition. Carlos Alcoraz won the Queens Club championship. Is that a big deal? Two-time defending Wimbledon champions seems to be rolling in to the All-England Club again.

Shohei struck out two-in-one inning and worked and added a three-run triple and a two-run, Homer. I know you're impressed. Yeah, if he pitches like he pitched, he's the greatest baseball player of all time. Last one, U.S. men's national team beat Haiti for its third straight win. Do you find that significant? The game might not have been significant, but continuing to play well, given what they've been up against. That is significant in the goal country. We are out of time, and we will try to do better the next time. I'm Tony Coronizer.

I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.