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Tony Kornheiser
In case you didn't know, these young men are driven. They are prodigies, the savants, the ones we've been waiting for. Like Damian Lillard, for instance. He doesn't seek guidance or mentorship. He's a leader. He isn't waiting for the baton to be passed to him. He's taking it for himself. He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness, always pushing to one up himself. He is accomplished, but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaking up the status quo in their community and beyond.
Frank Isola
And.
Tony Kornheiser
And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here and they want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive.
Mike Wilbon
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Lobon and we have so much basketball to discuss today. I just hope Tony has some passion for this.
Frank Isola
Never fear, Phil and Frank is here. Ooh, it's a big basketball show.
Mike Wilbon
How's the bullpen? Yes. Carlin, the right hander. You're a right hander.
Frank Isola
Yes, that's what I thought.
Mike Wilbon
Always good to have you here.
Frank Isola
But I can go left, particularly on basketball.
Mike Wilbon
Basketball Thursday.
Frank Isola
Your OKC Thunder. Boy, they look good. You were touting them back in October. You were right. Look, look at him nodding his head, still touting. Yes, I was right.
Mike Wilbon
Welcome to pti. Tony has the day off, so I'm lucky to be joined by our great friend, Mr. Frank Isola.
Frank Isola
We should be clapping for you. You were right.
Mike Wilbon
It's a good Thursday. Welcome. We begin today with trepidation for number one ranked Duke. Cooper Flagg fell to the floor with a left ankle injury late in the first half against Georgia Tech and was wheeled into the locker room. After some tense moments, he returned to watch the second half. With X rays negative and a diagnosis of a sprained ankle, Duke battled back, beat Georgia Tech without him. Frank, your reaction to what you saw and tell us what you think Flag and the Blue Devil should do now.
Frank Isola
Yeah, I'd be surprised if we see him again in the ACC tournament. I think the big thing will be obviously the NCAA tournament, likely a number one seed, probably in Raleigh. That doesn't start till next Friday. If he misses round one, then you're talking about round two Sunday. So I think he'll be okay. You know, he's a Celtic fan, so he was in the Paul Pierce Memorial wheelchair, which is probably the proper way to transport a guy that's got an ankle injury. The fact that he came back, there was an ice on it, that's a good sign. But I. Nerves, exactly. But I couldn't help but think, you know, Duke has kind of been down this road before with these heralded freshmen. You know, Kyrie Irving only played 11 games as a freshman, had a toe injury, came back for the tournament. He only played 11 games that year. They made it to the Sweet 16 before losing. Then Zion, who had the incredible freshman year, had the knee injury. That was the game that Barack Obama showed up at against Carolina when he blew out his shoe. They made it to the Elite Eight and they didn't win. So we'll see how this works out for Cooper Flag. I don't think he's going to be 100% for the rest of the tournament.
Mike Wilbon
He might be at this age. What is he? He just turned eight.
Frank Isola
Yeah, yeah, he's young.
Mike Wilbon
He might be, but we agree completely. Frank, you're not putting him back out there in the ACC tournament. This isn't 1984 when there's a single, you know, bid coming from the conference and you're so nervous. Even later than that, Even into the 90s, coaches and programs put so much into the conference tournament and trying to win it. Those days are long over. So with Cooper Flag, this becomes about a couple of things. One, how far can Duke get? Cuz it's like you said, they've had these, these star cross sessions with freshman before. And the other thing is, to be fair, if you're Cooper Flag, you got a lot riding.
Frank Isola
That's right.
Mike Wilbon
You're the presumed, heavily presumed top pick in the upcoming draft. What do you feel comfortable with? We see football players now not want to play in bowl games, not want to play in playoff games because they're worried about what might be coming in their draft stock. His draft style, Cooper Flag ain't gonna change if he was to tweak that ankle and make it a little worse, would it? Yeah.
Frank Isola
Now I think, and you know this, these players, they're so competitive. You don't get to be, you know, the top freshman in the country if you don't have, you know, this is a kid who skipped high school. He reclassified, he should be a high school student.
Mike Wilbon
You want to play this year? You want to play.
Frank Isola
When he showed up in Vegas to play against the US Olympic team in training, he was so good against them because that's his, in his nature. So you tell me, you think he's going to come back?
Mike Wilbon
You think he's going to have to be talked into not playing, not playing 100% and that's the kid you want. And by the way, if you're scouting and everybody's scouting and you got the number one pick, that's what you want to see. You want to see a kid who says no, I got to go in and you got to have a coach who says no, you.
Frank Isola
Yeah. That's why I was always thinking about the Luca trade. All these teams that are tanking in the NBA, they're all doing it so they hope they can get Cooper Flag who one day might be as good as Luka Dot. No matter what happens, Cooper Flag is going to be number one overall. All right, let's move to the Thunder beating the champs in Boston last night. Mike Sky, Shay Gildis Alexander had 34.7 assists and five rebounds to help the top team in the Western Conference to a six point win. And the Thunder did it without second leading scorer Jalen Williams, who's nursing a hip strain. Meanwhile, the Celtics, how about this? They shot 20 for 63 from three and just 5 of 27 in the second half. So Mike, I think I might know this. What did this result say to you?
Mike Wilbon
Well, it's a couple of things. I mean, the Celtics can be hard headed because they're wearing the championship ring. They're defending champs. I still wonder about the strategy of just having more threes. Historically, night after night after night they do this. This is what they want to do. It didn't work last night, but in not working last night specifically, I just want to mention some guys on the Oklahoma City thing, every win for them to a national audience unfamiliar with them is like, oh my God, did you know how good they are? And so they are just becoming familiar with names. They know Chet Holmgren a little bit from college. They know Lou Dort maybe a tiny bit from Olympic play. But Kayson, Wallace, Isaiah, Joe, Aaron Wiggins, even Hardenstein who they're used to seeing in the Knicks uniform last year. They're deep, they're talented, they're tough, they defend. They don't care if it's Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown and all these Celtics who can put up 40, which every Celtic can do that they're going to defend you. They're the number one defensive team in the league. They force turnovers, they convert turnovers. And Frank, I just, I think we're going to have to get deep into the playoffs before people get accustomed to the idea of Oklahoma City being perhaps great.
Frank Isola
Yeah, well, get used to it because we're going to see a lot of Oklahoma City over the next four or Five years with this team that they have. You know, you mentioned the playoffs. When it starts for me, no team is going to have more pressure on them because it's going to be the second straight year they come in as the top seed in the Western Conference. Last year they got knocked out by Luka and Kyrie Irving in the second round. As far as last night, that's the second time they've beaten the Celtics. They beat the Celtics all the time, in fact. And Mark Dagnault, who does a terrific job as coach and that defensively they're terrific. They wanted the Celtics to shoot three. So if you went up to Joe Missoula today and said, joe, you guys shoot too many threes, get ready, he's going to bite your head off. Yes, but last night they got suckered into it by Oklahoma City. And you mentioned a couple of guys. Kayson Wallace, he's like a. A strong safety. He's the. He is incredible at their door. He can guard anything.
Mike Wilbon
Guard people.
Frank Isola
That's. And they can.
Mike Wilbon
A lot of people.
Frank Isola
Multiple positions. Yeah, I was at a game two weeks ago in Brooklyn. They gave up 76 points in the first half. They looked disinterested. Then they said midway through the third quarter, that's it. All right, we're going to play.
Mike Wilbon
And by the way, how about their fourth quarter runs when they have these 14 nothings?
Frank Isola
I saw them go on an 180 run with Shay on the bench.
Mike Wilbon
They do this all the time. And Shea is out there. So this was, you know, this is also basically a little love note to Michael Malone. We went into Boston and we beat the champs. Now, you can give me numbers all you want.
Frank Isola
Well, the numbers can be good.
Mike Wilbon
The numbers are great, but they don't always accurately measure impact. And by the way, Joker has great impact as well. But. But Shay, gild Alexander and here's the other thing, Frank, and I don't know if you agree with me on this. You know, when you're playing with a great player, you know how the teams surge when all of a sudden they feel that a third year LeBron or a second, third or fourth year LeBron or a third or fourth year Michael Jordan, I know Shay's further along than that, but those players I just named, in addition to Jalen Williams, who's an all star, they know their teammate is the best guy on the court and they're playing like it.
Frank Isola
Couple of things matters. Chet Holmgren was not available last year for the playoffs. And by adding Isaiah Hartenstein that they needed size, they were Getting on the glass. So now they could rebound. But you also make it sound like you and I both have MVP votes. It sounds like you've already made up your mind.
Mike Wilbon
Nope, I haven't. But I know who's leading.
Frank Isola
All right.
Mike Wilbon
I know who's leading on my MVP ballot.
Frank Isola
Tony was making a very good case.
Mike Wilbon
He makes a great case. He makes a good find. As in Michael Malone case with Donovan Mitchell. The most dramatic finish in the NBA last night came in Portland Blazers. They're up two with 3.4 seconds left when Mikhail Bridges inbounded to Josh Hart. Immediately got it back and hit a three at the buzzer to win the game. Bang. But let's get a closer look at this. It looks like Bridges travels before he puts the ball on the floor. What? Three, four steps? Frank, should the shot have counted?
Frank Isola
Probably not. And you guys did this segment recently about Steve Kerr talking about the traveling in the NBA. But if that shot's not going to count, neither should the Scoot Henderson shot at the end of regulation where he probably took three steps. So that's something that should be addressed. But if you want to ruin a good story, don't count that basket. Because the great story yesterday, Mikhail Bridges starts the day by saying that I went to the coach where we're all playing too many minutes or the starters are playing too many minutes. Tom Thibodeau comes out and says that conversation never took place. What happens last night? Mikel Bridges plays 41 minutes because the game goes into overtime and he ends up hitting the game winning shot. The knicks are now 2 and 1 since Brunson left the team with the ankle injury.
Mike Wilbon
Listen, this goes back 20 years with Tibbs and that is going to be a storyline until one of his teams. Yep, one of his best teams gets through the playoffs with lineup intact.
Frank Isola
Okay.
Mike Wilbon
All right. And playing as well as they can play. And they either win it or they get beat playing as well as they can play. You and I have had a million conversations with Joakim Noah and others about Tibbs, guys who loved playing for Tibbs, guys who wanted the minutes, guys who then started to wonder as they went on in their careers. Maybe this isn't the right way to. There's always a thumbs up or thumbs down on whether Tibbs is playing. People, 20 minutes. This, this, this conversation is ongoing.
Frank Isola
What player? Mike, you've covered the NBA for a long time and you're in Chicago for a long time. So I'll bring up Michael Jordan. So he's around there for a lot of It Michael Jordan ever come out and say I want to play less minutes? Name me the player in NBA history. Will Chamberlain.
Mike Wilbon
No, Chamberlain. Never. Never.
Frank Isola
He was one. Averaged 48 minutes.
Mike Wilbon
Never averaged 48 full. Because he played every time.
Frank Isola
I know, I know. That's right. The game has changed because we never used to obsess about minutes. Now that's over.
Mike Wilbon
Well, but guys also, if you look at the minutes leaders from 25, 30, 40 years ago, they were up over 40. That is not the case anymore. Yes, all true, Frank, but still in this context of today, this is a discussion about Tom Thibodeau coach teams. We both love and respect Tom Thibodeau. But you know what goes back and forth? Opposing coaches and teams are betting that his guys are going to be tired deep into the playoffs. They're betting on it.
Frank Isola
Yeah. I'm not buying it. For this reason, how do you explain the Dallas Mavericks? Their entire team is hurt. The, the Sixers right now, all their main guys are hurt. And if minutes is the key, how would you explain Zion Williamson, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid? Those guys never play. They're always hurt. So if you're saying playing minutes is what leads to.
Mike Wilbon
I'm not. But you know the conversation.
Frank Isola
Even Kyrie said don't go down that road because everyone was trying to kill Jason Kidd. Yeah, he stepped on like Jonas.
Mike Wilbon
I love that Kyrie turned his ankle. Said that even though his minutes were up slightly and they needed to be, but they're not historically up. Nobody on the is playing historic minutes.
Frank Isola
Guess who plays almost as many minutes a night as Mikel Bridges? 36 year old Kevin Durant, who has had an Achilles injury in his career. He's had a foot surgery, had that Jones fracture. He's out there playing.
Mike Wilbon
He wants to.
Frank Isola
And Mikel Bridges wants to play. That's why the Knicks traded for him. Because he plays all the time.
Mike Wilbon
Every game in his career. That's right. It's the game. He's Cal Ripken. Let's take a break. Coming up, Arkansas Ole Miss. Go down to the wire.
Frank Isola
And Rutgers landed two of the top three recruits. So why weren't they better?
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Tony Kornheiser
In case you didn't know, these young men are driven. They are prodigies, the savants, the ones we've been waiting for. Like Damian Lillard, for instance. He doesn't seek guidance or mentorship. He's a leader. He isn't waiting for the baton to be passed to him. He's taking it for himself. He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness, always pushing to one up himself. He is accomplished, but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaken up the status quo in their community and beyond. And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here. And they want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive.
Mike Wilbon
Time to go word for word with Philly and Frank. What's first?
Frank Isola
Arkansas's loss to Ole Miss today was blank.
Mike Wilbon
Man, Frank, we got to set this up a little bit. Tied game in this SEC tournament contest. 7.9 seconds left. Arkansas misses two free throws. You're gonna see them miss the second free throw. Ole misses. Sean Pedula winds up with the ball and a pull up. Bang. Now it seems the game is instantly over. Wait a minute. There's still a chance for Arkansas to win. They don't. Okay, but my word is irrelevant. Thrilling but irrelevant because both these teams are going. Yeah, right. I mean, Arkansas is in ninth place. I got 11 going from the SEC, 20 and 13 regular season. Ole Miss is in sixth place, 22 and 10 again. I got 11 minimum from the SEC going. So they're both going to the dance.
Frank Isola
I'm going to say it's excruciating. This is going to happen all tournament long, especially when we get to the NCAA tournament. You got to make free throws. It always comes down to that. And even if you make the second one, obviously they can beat you on a two point shot, but it gives you a chance to kind of set up your defense. You're missing that second one. It's a scramble situation. Ole Miss comes down, hits the shot. John Calipari has done a good job in his first year at Arkansas. I always wonder though, when you get to this time of year before the tournament, would you rather have that extra practice time and maybe your team comes in with a little bit of an edge when you get knocked out of your own tournament or. I'm not talking about rest, I'm talking about just Getting enough practice time before what really matters. Fancy tournament, you can have a week.
Mike Wilbon
You can have more than a week remaining between getting knocked out. That's a lot. That's like in college football when somebody goes a month and people don't seem to acknowledge the fact that you're almost a different team. When you go to the bowl game and you've missed, you haven't played in 27 days or whatever it is. We just saw that in the playoffs. So I wonder about that. I don't think you want to be knocked out this long. But they're both going. Don't you think they have to go?
Frank Isola
Did that, did that shot remind you A little bit. Gordon Hayward against Duke. Gordon Hayward, half court shot. That this close? Just a little bit this close.
Mike Wilbon
What's next?
Frank Isola
Rutgers season has been blank.
Mike Wilbon
Okay. We go to Rutgers because they lost in double overtime to Southern Cal last night in the Big Ten tournament. I'm still getting used to saying that for both these teams on coastal situations and their season, it's over at 15 and 17. Even though in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, Rutgers has what we're told. You and I both listen to guys talking about this. Scouts say two of the top five players in the upcoming draft. To me my word is a mystery. Cause if you have two players that good, high school, college, in the NBA until recently, you're gonna go away. And particularly in college. So it's a mystery to me that these two kids are really good, really put up numbers and yet Rutgers, eh, season over.
Frank Isola
Yeah, my word is failure. And for, you know, Tony Soprano University, where my tax dollars go to, I expect something better. When you have the two of the top recruits in the country, you know what, they played well this year. Even last night. Dylan Harper finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, eight assists. Ace Bailey 17 points, seven rebounds. So earlier this season I went to a game, that traditional rivalry between UCLA and Rutgers, a Big Ten game. Yeah. Down in Piscataway. And they played really well that night. They actually won the game. UCLA was in a bit of a tailspin and Dylan Harper is a tremendous player. Ron Harper, he can get to the basket at will. But come on now, when you have two players like that, I think about Ben Simmons his freshman year at lsu. That's just one guy.
Mike Wilbon
That's one guy.
Frank Isola
They didn't make the tournament. They declined to go to the nsf.
Mike Wilbon
It's just one player. I don't know, two in the tournament. By the way, not often did you see two players go in the top five. Kentucky, by the way, has done it a couple of times. One with Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd Gilchrist, one with Boogie Cousins John Waugh in reverse. John Waugh was number one. Boogie Cousins like is fifth. Yeah, still.
Frank Isola
Can I give you my favorite Big Ten?
Mike Wilbon
They won 15 and 17.
Frank Isola
Can I give you my favorite big ten game of the year? What UCLA, USC, Women Big Ten Championship in Indianapolis.
Mike Wilbon
Why was that the second game?
Frank Isola
That's where that game belonged.
Mike Wilbon
That's the middle game. That is the final word. We're going to take one last break, but still to come, the Steelers sign a quarterback, but is it the one just sort of hogging all the headlines? I guess not.
Frank Isola
And it's Mac Jones. Remember him as he finally found a team where he can thrive. Good pull on Kentucky. That was good, by the way.
Mike Wilbon
I'm told now Oladipo and Cody Zeller from iu.
Frank Isola
Wow.
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Mike Wilbon
Time to get Happy, people. Happy 37th birthday tomorrow to Stephen Curry. Steph got an early birthday gift with the trade for Jimmy Butler. The warriors are 12 and one with buckets in the lineup and Curry's been averaging nearly 30 a game in that span. An increase of more than five per game. With two three pointers tonight, Curry will be the first NBA player player to 4,000 threes and he could also end up being the first player to 5,000. He told the radio station 95.7 the game yesterday he'd like to outplay his contract with ends in two seasons.
Frank Isola
You know, I think he's the best thing about the NBA. Last week Golden State comes to Brooklyn. He puts on a show in pregame, he puts on a show during the game, after the game, he's signing autographs, shaking hands, kissing babies. And he never seems to be in a bad mood.
Mike Wilbon
LeBron and Steph. Steph and LeBron.
Frank Isola
That's the deal.
Mike Wilbon
Happy anniversary, Bryce Drew. On this day 27 years ago, Drew hit a shot that will go down in NCAA tournament lore. Thirteen seeded Valparaiso trailed fourth seeded Ole Miss by two with less than three seconds left. Bill Jenkins caught and redirected the long inbounds pass to Drew, who hit a three at the buzzer to win the game for Valpar. Well, bang. The moment was a Drew family affair. Father Homer Drew called the play. Brother Scott was an assistant on the team. Of course, Scott went on to coach Baylor to a national championship while Bryce has coached three schools to the dance. Valpo, Vandy and Grand Canyon, which is in the wack semis tomorrow night.
Frank Isola
Frank, that was Jamie Sykes on the long inbounds pass, tight. Robinson was calling the game on cbs. He called it an absolute miracle. Bryce Drew, by the way, played 243 games in the NBA.
Mike Wilbon
Part of the magic of March. You want to see stuff like that? More of it. A melancholy trails to John Feinstein, who died suddenly today at the age of 69. John was one of the most successful and consequential sports writers of the last 50 years, with bestsellers like A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled. He was also a columnist at the Washington Post, where Tony and I were colleagues along with him for decades. He was a summer intern immediately before me, after his three children. The great love of John's life was Duke basketball. After that, ACC basketball. After that, college basketball and golf. It's sadly poetic that John died at the gateway to March madness and the first day of the players since covering golf was his other great obsession. He was a complicated man, brimming with opinions. And anyone who knew John held an opinion about him.
Frank Isola
You know, going to school here at Maryland. Love college basketball. So Michael Wilbon is covering Georgetown. Sally Jenkins is covering Maryland. I got John Feinstein constantly writing about college basketball. And I loved Season on the Brink. What an unbelievable book about Bobby Knight.
Mike Wilbon
People should pick it up and read it. I've known John since I was 20. I was an intern the summer after he was an intern. And so my life was very much directed by my relationships with John Feinstein and Anthony Kornheiser.
Frank Isola
Yeah.
Mike Wilbon
And so you look at that all these years later and it's hard to put into. And we just get this word about John suddenly passing away this morning. And the coaches, everybody's calling each other in the industry to talk, to tell stories about John. And again, they're complicated because he could be the most charming guy in the room and the guy you wanted to throw out the room. But he was always a compelling figure. We are running out of show. Could talk about John forever. Let's go to the big finish. Russell Wilson left the Browns facility without a deal. Headed for a visit with the Giants tomorrow. What does that mean?
Frank Isola
Frank, you know, he met with the Giants last year, didn't sign. I think he's going to end up on the Giants this year. Mac Jones joined the Niners. He wanted to play for Kyle Shanahan. Does that make sense?
Mike Wilbon
Yeah. And I keep thinking maybe he'll play more than he thinks he'll play.
Frank Isola
Yeah.
Mike Wilbon
Paul George is meeting with doctors this weekend to figure out his route, the best route his future can take regarding groin and knee injuries. You want to shut him down? Because I do.
Frank Isola
Absolutely. And B. Jones. And you need. If you could fall out of the top six, that pick goes to your OKC Thunder. Rafael Devers says he's open to leaving third base and DHing for the Red Sox. You surprised by that?
Mike Wilbon
No. This is the way he had to go. Last one. NWSL season kicks off Friday. Who the favorites? Frank?
Frank Isola
I'm going to say Washington with the great trinity, Rodman. But, you know, I have to say Gotham fc, that's. That's in my neighborhood.
Mike Wilbon
They won't let you back in.
Frank Isola
Boston's got its team coming in next year. The league is growing.
Mike Wilbon
Is it going to. The Red Sox going to own that, too.
Frank Isola
We're out of time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isolo.
Mike Wilbon
I'm Mike Wilbon. We are off until Monday. Knuckleheads. You can get the PTI podcast on the ESPN app or Apple Podcast. And now your Sports.
Tony Kornheiser
Pti.
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Tony Kornheiser
In case you didn't know, these young men are driven. They are prodigies, the savants, the ones we've been waiting for. Like Damian Lillard, for instance. He doesn't seek guidance or mentorship. He's a leader. He isn't waiting for the baton to be passed to him. He's taking it for himself. He's relentless in a pursuit of greatness, always pushing to one up himself. He is accomplished, but far from satisfied. He embodies what it means to have an unstoppable drive and are shaking up the status quo in their community and beyond. And Damian Lillard drives a Toyota. A new generation of Toyota drivers are here and they want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive.
PTI Episode Summary: "Cooper Flagg Injury Impact + OKC Statement Win" Released on March 13, 2025
Hosts: Michael Wilbon and Frank Isola
Guest: Frank Isola
Podcast: PTI by ESPN
Duration: Approximately 24 minutes
The episode opens with a focused discussion on Cooper Flagg, Duke’s highly touted freshman and presumed top pick in the upcoming NBA draft. Flagg suffered a left ankle injury during a game against Georgia Tech, leading to concerns about his availability for the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
Frank Isola’s Analysis: Frank Isola expresses skepticism about Flagg’s return for the ACC tournament, drawing parallels to previous Duke freshmen like Kyrie Irving and Zion Williamson who faced similar injury setbacks. He states:
“[Isola, 01:51] I think he's going to be okay... but I don't think he's going to be 100% for the rest of the tournament.”
Isola emphasizes Flagg’s competitive nature and leadership, suggesting that while Flagg may not be fully fit, his determination will play a crucial role in Duke’s performance without him.
Michael Wilbon’s Perspective: Wilbon concurs with Isola, highlighting the evolution of college basketball where tournament success no longer hinges solely on conference performance. He notes:
“[Wilbon, 03:24] Coaches and programs no longer rely solely on winning the conference tournament to secure NCAA bids.”
The hosts discuss the potential impact of Flagg’s injury on Duke’s seeding and performance in the NCAA tournament, acknowledging his significant role as a leader and scorer.
A major highlight of the episode is the Thunder’s unexpected victory against the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics. Despite missing their second-leading scorer, Jalen Williams, due to a hip strain, the Thunder showcased exceptional defense and team synergy.
Key Highlights:
Frank Isola’s Insights: Isola praises coach Mark D'Antoni and the Thunder’s defensive strategies:
“[Isola, 06:15] When you get to the playoffs, no team is going to have more pressure on them because it's going to be the second straight year they come in as the top seed in the Western Conference.”
He also highlights key players like Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, emphasizing their versatility and defensive capabilities.
Michael Wilbon’s Observations: Wilbon underscores the Thunder’s growing recognition and potential in the NBA:
“[Wilbon, 05:03] They're deep, they're talented, they're tough, they defend. They don't care if it's Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown... they're the number one defensive team in the league.”
The discussion anticipates the Thunder’s continued rise and impact in the playoffs, suggesting that their recent performance signals a formidable presence in the Western Conference.
The conversation shifts to the strategic management of player minutes, particularly under coach Tom Thibodeau. The hosts debate the balance between keeping players fresh for the playoffs versus pushing them to perform consistently during the regular season.
Frank Isola’s Stance: Isola defends Thibodeau’s approach, arguing that managing minutes is not inherently detrimental:
“[Isola, 11:04] Frank Isola: ...how do you explain the Dallas Mavericks? Their entire team is hurt. The Sixers right now, all their main guys are hurt...”
He points out that elite players like Kevin Durant continue to perform despite injuries, suggesting that effective minute management can coexist with maintaining player health.
Michael Wilbon’s Counterpoints: Wilbon acknowledges the historical context of minute management but questions its effectiveness in the modern game:
“[Wilbon, 10:35] Historically, minutes leaders from 25, 30, 40 years ago... but in this context today, there's a conversation about Tom Thibodeau coach teams.”
The exchange highlights the ongoing debate about the best practices for player management to optimize team performance during critical playoff runs.
The episode celebrates Stephen Curry’s 37th birthday and his recent trade to Jimmy Butler, which has revitalized his performance. Since the trade, Curry has been averaging nearly 30 points per game, marking a significant increase from his previous statistics.
Frank Isola’s Praise: Isola lauds Curry as the “best thing about the NBA,” highlighting his consistent high-level performance and positive demeanor:
“[Isola, 20:15] I think he's the best thing about the NBA... he never seems to be in a bad mood.”
Michael Wilbon’s Remarks: Wilbon acknowledges Curry’s impact on the Warriors’ success since the trade:
“[Wilbon, 19:41] Steph got an early birthday gift with the trade for Jimmy Butler. The Warriors are 12 and one with buckets in the lineup...”
The hosts anticipate Curry reaching significant milestones, including potentially becoming the first NBA player to make 5,000 three-pointers, underscoring his enduring legacy and influence in the league.
Reflecting on a historic NCAA tournament moment, Wilbon and Isola reminisce about Bryce Drew’s buzzer-beater three-pointer that sent Valparaiso to the Sweet 16 twenty-seven years prior.
Frank Isola’s Nostalgia: Isola recounts the play-by-play and its emotional significance:
“[Isola, 21:25] Bryce Drew hit a three at the buzzer to win the game for Valpar.”
He connects the moment to current NCAA tournament excitement, expressing a desire for similar thrilling finishes in upcoming games.
Michael Wilbon’s Tribute: Wilbon honors Drew’s coaching career and his family’s legacy in basketball:
“[Wilbon, 20:34] The moment was a Drew family affair... Bryce has coached three schools to the dance.”
The segment celebrates the enduring impact of iconic NCAA moments and their place in basketball lore.
The hosts pay tribute to the late John Feinstein, a respected sports writer and colleague. Feinstein was renowned for his insightful books and coverage of college sports, particularly basketball and golf.
Michael Wilbon’s Eulogy: Wilbon shares personal reflections on Feinstein’s influence and character:
“[Wilbon, 21:14] He was a complicated man, brimming with opinions. Anyone who knew John held an opinion about him.”
Frank Isola’s Reminiscence: Isola recounts their shared experiences covering college basketball and commends Feinstein’s work:
“[Isola, 22:44] I loved Season on the Brink. What an unbelievable book about Bobby Knight.”
The hosts acknowledge Feinstein’s legacy and the profound impact of his contributions to sports journalism.
The conversation transitions to the NFL, focusing on Russell Wilson’s recent activities and Paul George’s injury status.
Russell Wilson’s Potential Move: Wilson has reportedly left the Browns’ facility without a contract and is expected to visit the New York Giants:
“[Wilbon, 23:14] Russell Wilson left the Browns facility without a deal. Headed for a visit with the Giants tomorrow. What does that mean?”
Paul George’s Injury Management: Paul George is consulting with doctors to determine the best course of action for his groin and knee injuries, with implications for his availability:
“[Wilbon, 23:35] Paul George is meeting with doctors this weekend to figure out his route...”
The discussion touches on the uncertainty surrounding these players’ futures and the potential impact on their respective teams.
The hosts briefly cover the commencement of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season, discussing favorite teams and key players.
Frank Isola’s Predictions: Isola expresses his confidence in Washington’s team due to their strong trio, while also rooting for Gotham FC:
“[Isola, 23:55] I'm going to say Washington with the great trinity, Rodman. But... Gotham FC, that's in my neighborhood.”
Michael Wilbon’s Comment: Wilbon humorously notes the local favoritism:
“[Wilbon, 24:02] They won't let you back in.”
The segment highlights the growing enthusiasm and competitive spirit surrounding the NWSL season.
As the episode draws to a close, Wilbon and Isola reflect on the topics discussed and express anticipation for upcoming sports events.
Michael Wilbon’s Sign-Off: Wilbon emphasizes the magic of March in sports and the importance of memorable moments:
“[Wilbon, 21:25] Part of the magic of March. You want to see stuff like that? More of it.”
Frank Isola’s Farewell: Isola wraps up the conversation with a nod to the hosts and the audience:
“[Isola, 24:08] We're out of time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isola.”
The episode concludes with standard podcast farewells, encouraging listeners to access the PTI podcast via the ESPN app or Apple Podcasts.
Frank Isola on Cooper Flagg’s Future:
“[01:51] I think he's going to be okay... but I don't think he's going to be 100% for the rest of the tournament.”
Michael Wilbon on OKC Thunder’s Defense:
“[05:03] They're deep, they're talented, they're tough, they defend... they're the number one defensive team in the league.”
Frank Isola on Stephen Curry:
“[20:15] I think he's the best thing about the NBA... he never seems to be in a bad mood.”
Michael Wilbon on John Feinstein’s Legacy:
“[21:14] He was a complicated man, brimming with opinions. Anyone who knew John held an opinion about him.”
Conclusion:
This episode of PTI delves into significant sports narratives, from college basketball injuries and NBA upsets to memorable NCAA moments and tributes to influential figures in sports journalism. Hosts Michael Wilbon and Frank Isola provide insightful analysis and engaging commentary, enriched by notable quotes and personal reflections, making the episode a comprehensive overview of the day’s hottest sports topics.