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- [00:00]
A
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- [01:08]
B
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. Is National Dinosaur day. Tony, you like dinosaurs?
- [01:15]
C
I'm Tony Kornheiser. Yes, but they haven't existed since I was a kid. What happened to them?
- [01:20]
B
Oh, that's good.
- [01:21]
C
What happened?
- [01:22]
B
I thought you were gonna say we have to like ourselves and we're dinosaurs. I thought that's where you were gonna go.
- [01:28]
C
We are dinosaurs. We are A, Muppets. And B, D. Yes, absolutely. Welcome to pti, boys and girls. In today's episode, the Knicks are back on the court, the Canadiens eliminate the Sabres, and Joe Burrow says the Bengals have everything they need. But we begin today with Victor Wembanyama putting his stamp on Game 1 against Oklahoma City by scoring 41 points and grabbing 24 rebounds in a double overtime win for San Antonio. This was Oklahoma City's first loss in the playoffs after eight straight wins. And it must have been jarring coming at home. Wilbourne, how would you describe what you saw last night and what does it bode for this series?
- [02:08]
B
Tony, it was historically impressive. I mean, I've sat through courtside and on the television for my whole life and watched game ones of series. And this ranks way, way, way, way, way up there in terms of personal performance and team performance. And the game was epic. It just was. I mean, you know, you get one of two, one or two things that go a different direction for either team. Like Oklahoma City did not play badly at all. They didn't SGA, didn't shoot it well. 7 for 23. And Chet Holmgren was, you could say he was a no show with, you know, you know, eight points and eight rebounds. They got to be better those two. But they weren't as good as they could be or usually are. MVP twice because when Banyama was in the lane. Tony, there's this great number that says that OKC was 2 for 10 shooting against Wembanyama when he was a primary defender. 10, that's in a game with two overtimes, you only got 10 shots up against him. That's because people were going into the lane looking at win Bunyama and saying, I'm going to make a U turn. I can't even deal with this guy. They assess the situation, could not deal with him. So between defensively scaring them to death and then that three, that three from 27ft pull up to tie the game. He does everything at a level that's just impressive. Unbelievable.
- [03:36]
C
Yeah. I mean, I probably shouldn't be surprised at what I'm going to say now because when Benyama has public publicly come out and said he wants to be the mvp, he never dodges a question when you ask him, what, what are his goals? What are his ambitions? But I found it very refreshing that after the game last night he said, yeah, yeah, I do take this series personally with Gilgamesh Alexander out there because he is the mvp. You know, Mike, and I've said this to you before, every time I see him, I am more impressed. I really am. Let me look at my notes here for a second. What does this game do for the series? Not much. It's a game one I firmly believe and you probably do as well at Oklahoma City will win game too comfortably. At least I believe that. But Oklahoma City now knows it is in a series. Oklahoma City cannot just throw out the championship trophy on the middle of the floor and figure San Antonio will be scared and run away. I mean, that's not going to happen. This is five out of six this year. And as I told you yesterday, San Antonio owns Oklahoma City at the moment about Wembanyama. He's the youngest guy ever to go 40 and 20 in the playoffs. And Mike, you're going to like me saying this. This is not 1612, 5, 5 and 5. No, it's not. These are real numbers. 40 are real numbers. The first guy to do this in a champion conference championship since Charles Barkley did it in 1993. And there's only one other guy who ever made his debut in a conference championship and won 40 and 20. And that guy's Wilt Chamberlain and I think that ought to be good enough for people. That's Wilt Chamberlain. That's the company. Let's stay with the NBA, score it and move to tonight's game one between Cleveland and the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. The Knicks got there by pounding Philadelphia. Cleveland got there by winning their last two games in Detroit. Both teams are healthy. OG Anunoby is expected to return for the Knicks. Wilbon, you are in New York City. Do you give the Knicks a big edge, a small edge or no edge?
- [05:29]
B
Big edge, Tony, at least in game one. I mean, this is not the exact same circumstance as the previous series when Philadelphia limped into New York in the Madison Square Garden and got spanked after coming off a grueling seven game series against the Celtics. And the Knicks just, just took them out and that that series was done. Cleveland's a better team than Philadelphia. Cleveland has Philadelphia as, you know, sort of a warning, like come in here and put up a better, stronger, tougher effort or you'll go out in game one as well. I still expect the Knicks to win this game one, Tony, but you know, I'm looking at Mobley and Allen and I'm wondering, are they going to play like they have late in series when they stood up against Toronto, you know, and particularly in that Toronto game as they stood up against Detroit in game seven on the road? Am I going to get that? Because if I'm going to get that, then I think that Philadelphia, I'm sorry that Cleveland can have a real chance in this series, but I want to see it, to believe it first. And I think the Knicks, if Anobi is out there, I know he's probable, I believe he's playing. I think the Knicks are going to control what looks like a five game series to me.
- [06:38]
C
Yeah, I'm going to disagree maybe on the eventual winner and disagree on the number of games, but I'm not going to disagree on the first game. You know, I like Cleveland, I have made that clear. But I also grew up and rooted for the Knicks for 100 years. So I am, I am conflicted here. I give the Knicks a pretty substantial edge in game one for a couple of reasons. The reason you're saying that the other team, Cleveland, just came out of a seven game series with Detroit with two elimination games and they're gonna be tired and not beyond that. This is Madison Square Garden, kids. And the noise in there tonight is gonna sound like a Fleet of jet planes inside that building. I mean, this is a big deal. Now, I'm cognizant of what Oklahoma City did last night. But Cleveland doesn't have Wembanyama. They don't have that guy. And on the other side, Jalen Brunson is a guy that I think does very well in the spotlight. That's my personal opinion about that. But I'm going to get personal about this, too, Mike. I cannot. Even though I like Cleveland, I cannot root against the Knicks. When I see the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, I think of a team of my youth. In my opinion, the greatest basketball team of all time. And that is Reed, Debusscher, Frazier, Bradley and Barnett. Nobody passed it as well as them. Nobody shot it as well as them. And no Knick team since then has been as good as that team. So it's a conflict for me. I agree with you about the big men. If Cleveland big men step up and they're tough against Mitchell Robinson and, you know, and Karl Anthony Towns, and then that could change the series around, right? You agree with that?
- [08:13]
B
Yes, it could. Yes. Yeah. No, no doubt. Tony. Look, by the way, you're on a roll. You're on a roll. You said San Antonio and Cleveland, you get off. You stayed on a roll last night. If. If you're on a. If I say that tomorrow, we're going to have some sort of upset. Tony, I'm going to say this real quick to make an opinion like annoying everybody. My friends in New York, starting with my dear friend Stephen A. This morning by saying, this is the undercard last night. That's the main event, the Western Conference series. I know you don't disagree. The main event, but it will be tonight in the Garden will feel huge because it is a storybook season for the Sabres is over. Buffalo came back from two goals down to tie the Canadian in the third period last night in game seven. But the Sabres first playoff appearance in 15 years ended when Montreal netted the series winner in OT. Buffalo fans serenaded their home team with cheers. Regardless, it was very touching. Tone, how do you feel about the way this series ended?
- [09:16]
C
The series is baffling to me. We talked about this yesterday. Yesterday at that juncture, three games in a row have been won by the road team. Last night made it four games in a row. If you look at the history of game Cavs in the NHL, the home team was 118 and 84. So it seemed like a pretty good bet. But no. And now we've got Montreal. Are they 6 and 2 or 7 and 2? 6 and 2 on the road in the playoffs. More importantly, Mike, they're two and oh. In game sevens on the road. They won in Tampa and they won last night in. In Buffalo. I honestly thought, I thought Buffalo was going to win it. Down two. Oh, they bring it back to two. Two. They're at home. I actually think. I actually think they're going to win. But there's a stat here that's fantastic that the goalie, the Montreal goalie in the two game sevens on the road has made 65 saves and 68 shots. That's, that's spectacular.
- [10:12]
B
That's, that's almost perfection. And we ought to give a nod to Mr. Alex Newhook, who scored the goal in overtime last night.
- [10:20]
C
Yeah.
- [10:20]
B
And scored the goal to win it against Tampa in Game 7 on the road. Previously, I don't know that that's ever been done, but that's impressive. And I will say this, Tony, we talked about this a little bit yesterday. Having spent a lot of time in Buffalo in the 90s covering those great Bills teams and Bills games, and they would win those games in Buffalo to get out of Buffalo, and then they would go to someplace warm in January and lose in the Super Bowl. I've been rooting for the Canadian teams, Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal for quite a few years because they haven't had a Stanley cup winner in a while, so I've been rooting for them. But Buffalo, to see Buffalo go out like that, it looked like when they scored, they tied the game. I got off the train here in New York, got off the Acela last night and Montreal was up 2 nothing. And I thought, well, let me rush to the hotel, watch both of these games. And Buffalo comes back to tied. I think, man, maybe they have some pixie dust. They got something working here. What was touching afterward, as sad as that fan base is, and again over its team losing is serenading the team in defeat.
- [11:32]
C
That's nice.
- [11:33]
B
Philadelphia, they won't even go to the damn game and defeat. They just sell their tickets. You know, being the front runners, they are. They don't want to deal with it. And I, I just love that about Buffalo and the people of Buffalo as it relates to their team.
- [11:48]
C
It's fine.
- [11:48]
B
Sorry they're not going on. Loved them last night.
- [11:51]
C
They won a playoff series for the first time in 19 years. They won a playoff series. It's cold comfort right now, but they had a great season. On the other side, though, Montreal is the greatest franchise in the history of the NHL, they have the most. They have the most Stanley cups. They have 23. They have the most Game 7 wins. They have 17. There's Montreal. And again, they are the last Canadian team left in this thing. And now they draw Carolina. And I'll get out on this. Carolina's 8. 0 in the playoffs. And you know what? So is Oklahoma City. Let's take a break. But coming up, the long struggling Mets are suddenly hot. They're hot.
- [12:27]
B
And Joe Burrow says the Bengals have everything we need. What is the word for them, if not delusional?
- [12:35]
C
I'm getting notes from people. You gotta get off Philadelphia a little bit. You're killing Philadelphia. You gotta find another place.
- [12:42]
D
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- [13:21]
E
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- [13:57]
C
It's time for you to be stirred by our words. It's kind of sort of rhyme, but not really that good. What's first?
- [14:03]
A
The Mets started out so poorly, but lately they've been blank.
- [14:09]
C
My word is competent. Let's not get carried away here. This is not Philadelphia. Which appears to be in a complete turnaround. The Mets are right now still 21 and 26. Okay, they won six out of seven. Something like that. And three of them in extra innings. Last night. They won in extra innings. And I know about this because I watch this because it was against my nats. They got ten. It's an absurd game, Mike. They got ten runs in the 12th inning. What? Ten runs in the 12th inning. And then, you know, it proves that the Nats, of course, have no bullpen whatsoever. So, like, that's. That's a big win for the Mets in that inning, though. This is interesting to me. They got six singles, the Mets. Two of them were bunts and a couple of doubles. This is not like Shohei Otani and Aaron Judge hitting it out of sight. They basically pecked the gnats to death. But they're better than they were.
- [15:09]
B
My word is decent for the same reason that your word was your word. I'm pumping the brakes. We're in the same place now. We're gonna get off of that. We're gonna go back to the Mets and the Nats. All right. I was glad to hear you admit that you have angst about. You picked Cleveland all year, but they're going against your team. I know how much you have loved the Knicks in your life. You equally love the Mets in your life.
- [15:34]
C
Love the Mets.
- [15:35]
B
And so you were cheering for the Nets. This is such unacceptable behavior. How do you recognize for you, explain that away?
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C
I know it is for you. And I know that you told your son, if you don't root for the Cubs and the Bears and the Bulls, get out of my house. I understand that you've done that. I have gone a different, different way. I've found that I really do like the Nats. And that's because they weren't here when you and I first got here. Remember? There was no baseball team.
- [16:04]
B
No.
- [16:04]
C
That's what made it for the Orioles for a bunch of years. But we are. We are equal on this. It's competent. It's not. Don't get nuts. Don't get nuts. What's next?
- [16:14]
B
Don't get crazy.
- [16:15]
A
It's blank that Joe Burrow says the Bengals have everything we need.
- [16:20]
C
It's bold. What Joe Burrow is doing is turning the spotlight on himself. Joe Burrow has basically just said, we're going to the super bowl this year because Joe Burrow has been to the super bowl already. And if he says this is what we need, he's saying, we are good enough to go to the Super Bowl. Now, Mike, you know that I think Joe Burrow is the best quarterback in the NFL, not the best football player. Patrick Mahomes, the best football player. But I think Joe Burrow throws it better than anyone. And in the last two to three years, at many incidents, he puts up 35 or 38 or 42. And they lose because their defense has been rancid for a long time. And here's what they've done. They signed defense, they drafted defense, they traded for defense. And if this makes Burrow happy, I think we need to look at that team because he put a target on himself. He's basically saying, we're real good right now.
- [17:16]
B
So when I found out we were going to do this topic earlier, I had a word and I was really going to take a shot at Burrow. You know, I mean, it's a division that, you know, the Steelers, I guess the Steelers can't finish in last. I certainly hope they do because I'm tired of the Aaron Rodgers nonsense. Irrelevant. Aaron Rodgers news being overstated to the heavens. But Cincinnati did draft Cassius Howell, who you referred to, who's got some pass rush in him. That's why they did it. They drafted dicario Davis, cornerback, in the third round after taking Cassius Howell earlier. And how. I certainly wish the Bears had taken him because how's got some again, a pass rusher that they hope to put in there. And before all that, they got Dexter Lawrence. So they got Dexter Lawrence. They traded to the with the Giants for him. And so you put those three additions out on that field and you already got Higgins and Chase. Higgins and Chase to me, is the best pair of receivers. So you know what? I'm going to change from whatever I had to reasonable. It's reasonable for Joe Burrow to say that Cincinnati has all it needs. Reasonable. How about that? See, I adjusted.
- [18:27]
C
No, that's fine. That's fine. Well, everybody knows you can do that. You can find another city other than Philadelphia to hate. You can adjust on the fly. That's the final word. Let's take one last break. But still to come, JT Ginn makes it to the doorstep of history before everything goes sideways.
- [18:47]
B
And disappointing injury news for two of the biggest figures in international sport. I'm gonna go over and see Walt Frazier tonight. What should I ask him?
- [18:56]
C
Ask him which Nick team he thinks was better of the two champions, each of which is over 50 years ago. Ask him if it's a 70 or 73. Which is better? You know which is better.
- [19:05]
B
I'll give him a hug from you.
- [19:07]
E
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- [19:36]
F
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- [20:13]
C
Happy time people. Happy 33rd birthday Connor Hellebuck, the Winnipeg jets goalie did not have a great season. After winning the Vesna Trophy two years in a row in Winnipeg, the Jets did not make the playoffs, leaving Hellebuyck disgruntled. His save percentage.895 was slightly below the league average, but Hellebuyck had a great Olympics. He was in goal for the United States hockey team that won the gold medal in Milan Cortina this past February. Hellebuck started five games and won five games, including the gold medal game against Canada in which he had 41 saves. His goals against average in the Olympics was 1.18 and his save percentage was.956.
- [20:53]
B
I don't know about you, Tone, I'm gonna remember what Hellebuck did in the Olympics. He was so great in that closing game. Look, I know guys come back, they want to play for their club teams. It's just like soccer. You want to be great again, but if you had to choose one over the other, you know, you know, the
- [21:09]
C
Olympics is a pretty good way to pick the Olympics. Absolutely. You pick the Olympics. Happy Anniversary, Kevin Garnett on this day 22 years ago, Garnett had a monster game 732 points, 20 run rebounds, 5 blocks to lead Minnesota, which scored only 83 points over Sacramento in advance to the Western Conference finals. This was Garnett's MVP season, and it was the last time Minnesota would make the playoffs for 13 seasons. Garnett never won a championship in Minnesota, but won one in Boston in 2008. Garnett was estranged from Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor for years, but will now serve as a team ambassador under the new ownership and his number 21 jersey will be retired. Last month, Garnett was warmly greeted by the crowd when he appeared at Fan Appreciation Night.
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B
That number should have been retired. That jersey should be hanging. I was at that game, Tony. The noise and the warmth and the love in that building for that team. But specifically its best player and that franchise's greatest player, Kevin Garnett. Come on now. I'm glad that they there's been some kiss and makeup even with new ownership. Glad to hear.
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C
83 points for a whole playoff game. The coach would get fired. Get fired?
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B
Yeah.
- [22:21]
C
Nowadays different games can't do that. Happy trails to a no hitter for J.T. ginn. The A starter took a no no and a one nothing lead into the bottom of the ninth against the Angels. And then it all fell apart. Adam Frazier led off with an 02 single to center to break up the no hitter. And then Zach Netto followed with a two run walk off home run. So Ginn lost the no hitter, the shutout and the win within six pitches. There hasn't been a no hitter in baseball since the Cubs did it in September 2024. Really? Really, Mike?
- [22:54]
B
Well, shota and relievers did that. And I don't the whole thing. Multiple pitchers. I'm not into that. When I was a kid at old Comiskey Park, Nolan Ryan lost a no hitter like that in the ninth inning to Dick Allen and the White Sox wearing the red and white pinstripes back then. And it was crazy. This I've never seen a no hitter in person. That's the closest I came. And Nolan lost that game. Nolan Ryan lost that game to the White Sox.
- [23:22]
C
One omission. Arsenal. I know you love Arsenal. They won the Premier League.
- [23:26]
B
Wilbon. Yeah, that's apparently coming for some time, tone. Manchester City's 11 draw with Bournemouth today clinched it for Arsenal.
- [23:35]
C
Let's go to the big finish. Lamin Yamal, who I know you love, will miss at least one game of the World cup with a hamstring injury. Is that a big deal?
- [23:43]
B
Yes. He's wimp. He's soccer's wimby. Yes, it's a big deal. I'm glad it's only one game. I hope it's only one game. Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from Wimbledon. You gotta be disappointed to hear that.
- [23:54]
C
I am. I think it means that that wrist injury is more serious than we think. And it opens the door for Djokovic if he only has to beat Sinner and not two of them. Chicago sky forward Rekia Jackson out for the season with torn left acl. Your thoughts?
- [24:10]
B
She's our best player. It's depressing. Another knee injury in Chicago. Man, we've had more than our share of those. Hate hearing this. Hope she can bounce back next season. Shohei has 10 hits over his last five games. Is that significant?
- [24:24]
C
Sure. He was in a 4 for 38 slump a couple of weeks ago. Sure. Last one. The brewers snapped the Cubs 15 game home winning streak last night. Revenge tonight?
- [24:33]
B
Nah, I'm not feeling real good about this stretch. You can only survive in injuries to pitchers for so long and even though we were hot in one whatever. 18 of 21. Not so hot now. Lost seven of nine.
- [24:45]
C
We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. Shout out to Dean Kelleher on graduating from Columbia. Good job.
- [24:52]
B
I'm Mike Wilbond. Same time tomorrow, Knucklehead.
- [24:56]
G
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