Tony Kornheiser (3:24)

Yeah. So I think that this is more about the Knicks than it is about the Pacers. The Knicks have been a very good team all year. The Knicks were slightly better than the Pacers. They had one more win in the regular season, and then the Pacers were went into Madison Square Garden and won games one and two, which was tremendously embarrassing for the Knicks. So by coming back from 20 points down and winning a game, the Knicks are saying, we're not dead yet.

Mike Wilbon (3:48)

Right?

Tony Kornheiser (3:49)

Right. I found out today it's the third time in the playoffs so far in this season that the Knicks have come back for 20 or more on the road. So they're not going to be an easy out. But I have this one caveat. This is exactly what happened in the last series that Indiana played when they played Cleveland. They went into Cleveland, they won games one and two, they came home for game three, they got blowed out by 22, and then they won game four, and then they won game five and the series. So this could be deja vu all over again. I don't. Mike, I don't know what this game means for the series, but if you surmise, and you surmise correctly, that the Knicks showed us what they had in game three, I think it's particularly appropriate to think that the Pacers will show us what they have in game.

Mike Wilbon (4:42)

Tony. And that's perfectly fair. It is. It turned this into a series, by the way. So you're not one of the New Yorkers, native New Yorkers, going around saying Knicks and six. You're not doing that like the fan base I know. Okay.

Tony Kornheiser (4:56)

Not me. No, no.

Mike Wilbon (4:57)

Cause you and I have seen decades and decades of basketball. Nothing's decided yet over in the West. The Thunder and Timberwolves are back on the floor tonight for game four in mini. The T Wolves won on Saturday by 42, a huge turnabout from the opening two games in OKC, which the Thunder just dominated. Tone, do you like Minnesota's chances of tying the series tonight?

Tony Kornheiser (5:23)

All right, so bear with me on this rant of sorts.

Mike Wilbon (5:26)

Okay?

Tony Kornheiser (5:27)

I think that in many series, the most important game is game four. Now, not in a series like we have in the NHL with Florida and Carolina. That's three. Oh, wow. And it's certainly not as important as a game seven. But in a series like this, in a 2:1 series like this, you know, I think that it goes a long way to determining who wins. If you get it to 2 2, then you've held serve, then the home court advantage exists again. And then it's like the first four games didn't get played at all. But if it goes to three one, that's different. That tilts the playing field. You can get to 32 from 31 easily, but it's very hard to get from 31 to 3 wins in a row than win the series. That's a hard thing to do. I like Oklahoma City. I think they were significantly better during the regular season than Minnesota. I am mindful, Mike, that that's a 42 point win. It's an enormous win, but a lot of coaches will tell you I'd rather get beat by a lot than get beat late by a little. Minnesota is at home. You and I both know the old cliche, which is true. The series doesn't start until the home team loses. So do I think Minnesota is going to win this one? I don't, but I think you do.

Mike Wilbon (6:42)

I do.

Tony Kornheiser (6:43)

I think you do.

Mike Wilbon (6:44)

I do. We have honest disagreement here. I'm not about to get chesty about it. I mean, the playoffs have been fairly unpredictable for the NBA, where usually you're looking to have your beliefs confirmed. Not necessarily so. In these series we've seen so far, Tony, Oklahoma City is not yet a great team. They're trying to become one. And if they win one with this personnel and they keep most of these guys together, the nucleus, they're going to become a great team. Whereas a year from now, they will take people out and there will be no times where they appear vulnerable. But they're not there yet. And Minnesota may be as close to that point as OKC Because Minnesota did this last year. They beat the defending champs Denver and then they got to the conference finals and lost obviously to Dallas. Tony, I think, I think Minnesota at home will win. I think that when you have Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle playing effectively together at home, they can pile up another big win. I think I do believe that.

Tony Kornheiser (7:48)

So here's, here's my feeling. I understand my exposure here because I'm tossing away game three.

Mike Wilbon (7:54)

Yes.

Tony Kornheiser (7:54)

I'm tossing away a 42 point game. I'm tossing away the fact that the, collectively the starters on Oklahoma City, I believe totaled 49 points in game three and shot something like 15 for 39. Like it wasn't good at all. So I understand my exposure. I just have liked Oklahoma City for a long time. We moved to hockey where Edmonton beat Dallas 6 to 1 yesterday to take a 2 to 1 lead in their series. Florida is up 3 nothing over Carolina and can sweep that series tonight at home. Wilburn, does the Stanley cup final rematch now feel inevitable to you?

Mike Wilbon (8:28)

Yeah, half of it feels more than inevitable. Half of it is like, can we just call this, you know, like in the Little League we get a 10 run slaughter rule or AAU basketball where you get whatever points you. That's it, game's over. Now that appears to be the case with the Panthers. I mean, unbelievable, Tony. They've, and I don't use this word, they've humiliated Carolina. They really have.

Tony Kornheiser (8:51)

That's right.

Mike Wilbon (8:52)

They smacked them, they beat them in terms of just on the scoreboard and then smack them around like a rag doll and say, we're tired of you people. Get out of here. And Carolina goes whimpering back to the bench. And it's really, I would think if you were part of that organization, embarrassing, or it ought to be. That is not the case with the Edmonton series. But Edmonton does feel in control right now. And when they scored those goals, bang, bang, bang, bang last night. And you have Connor McDavid where he doesn't even have to score the goal. He doesn't have to be the play's finisher. He can start it and he can still have great goals. Like that short sighted shot he put in the net last night at 100 miles an hour. Yeah, it feels inevitable to me.

Tony Kornheiser (9:34)

Yeah. So I don't know if it feels inevitable to me, but I do know that that is the series I would like to see. These are explosive teams. They score a lot of goals over the course of the season. I believe that Florida scores 4.07 goals, Edmonton 3.97. Florida is crushing Carolina. That score is 164 in three games. That +12 is the widest margin and ever in a conference final. And Edmonton in the last two games has outscored Dallas nine to one. So I mean, I don't, this doesn't happen that often. You have to go back to 2008 and 2009 when the Red Wings and the Penguins went back to back in the Stanley cup finals series. It's a long time. So I think it's a pretty big deal. And it's a really big deal because you get in Florida, the defending champions, and you get in Edmonton, a team with the greatest player in the league. So I mean, I, to me, if I'm the NHL, that's the final I want without question. Right.

Mike Wilbon (10:37)

I want that the final you want and it's the final you're going to get. I, I, I don't see either one of the teams over. Look, Dallas has a much better chance of climbing back. Yes. There's only one game difference.

Tony Kornheiser (10:47)

Sure.

Mike Wilbon (10:47)

And, and challenging Edmonton and winning that, there's no doubt about that. But Tony Carolina, wow. Talk about dead in the water.

Tony Kornheiser (10:55)

Carolina, for those of you keeping score, has now lost 16 straight 15.

Mike Wilbon (11:02)

Conference Final.

Tony Kornheiser (11:03)

Straight conference final games. Let's take a break. Coming up, Ronald Acuna Jr. Makes a remarkable return to the Braves.

Mike Wilbon (11:10)

And two days, in just two days, three big names are already out of the French Open. Might surprise you.

Tony Kornheiser (11:18)

Small point about Edmonton. Remember when they gave up power play goals bang, bang, bang in the first game to Dallas?

Unknown Speaker (11:24)

Yes.

Tony Kornheiser (11:24)

Nonsense, nonsense. They worked on that. They seem to have solved that.

Mike Wilbon (11:29)

They better have solved it. Can't play like that and win.

Unknown Speaker (11:33)

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Tony Kornheiser (13:22)

It's time to find out what's poppin with the populace. Let me see. First, put on my glasses. What's the word for Ronald Acuna Jr's return to Baseball weekend?

Mike Wilbon (13:33)

Okay, Tony, to recap for people who might have been paying attention to something else on Friday versus the Padres, the first pitch as he leads off the bottom of the first, a 467 foot home run. This comes almost 12 months to the day after he tears up his knee, has to miss the year and then on. And by the way, he also threw out a runner. Second. I mean, take a look at this throw. Are you kidding me? This has Roberto Clemente written all over it. Then on Saturday, Acuna hits another home run and that at Batman. And on Sunday there's a near outfield assist. We're going to see that coming up where he throws just a bullet and almost throws a guy out. I mean, Tony, my word is fictional. You don't have this kind of return. It's a script. It's written. It doesn't seem real. And yet in that uniform, by the way, the Braves should wear those all the time. The guy is so spectacular. He's a superhero. So far in that first weekend.

Tony Kornheiser (14:34)

Yeah. So I have three words, and my words are where you've been because Acuna came back and started to play like his hair was on fire. Yeah, as you mentioned, first pitch, home run, which I got used to seeing from Shohei Otani, but I hadn't seen it in a long time from Acuna because he'd been out for a whole year. First pitch, home run, 467ft, throws a guy out, hits the home run the next day. I think you may have shortchanged the throw yesterday that almost got Manny Machado. It's the second highest velocity of any throw on an assist situation right all year. And it is a great, great throw. So here's, here's the thing. I pay attention to this division because the Nats are in this division. When the Braves don't have Acuna. They're an okay team. They're a.500 team. They're not a great team. If you give him a full year, they are a perennial playoff team. He is a difference maker. Ohtani is a difference maker. Judge is a difference maker. You know, Mookie Bess, like he's on the short list of actual difference makers.

Mike Wilbon (15:38)

Former mvp, very recent, by the way. Cubs and Gnats, I think next week I'm going to your ballpark and I'm wearing an Ernie Banks jersey and I dare anybody to say anything to me.

Tony Kornheiser (15:50)

No one's going to say anything to you because they expect you to do that.

Mike Wilbon (15:53)

Good.

Tony Kornheiser (15:53)

That or a Northwestern jersey. Here's the next question. Biggest first round exit at the French Open. Taylor Fritz, Emma Navarro or Naomi Osaka?

Mike Wilbon (16:03)

Okay, to recap, again, Taylor, Fritz, the number four seed, goes out to an unseeded player. Number four seed, boom, right out of there. Then also you've got Emma Navarro, who is the number nine seed, doesn't just go out, goes out in 57 minutes. Love and wonder to an unseated player. And then Naomi Osaka, of course, a four time slam winner. She loses, but she loses to the number 10 seed, Badoza. That's hardly an embarrassing loss, even though she seemed crushed by losing in the first round later because she's used to playing deeper in the tournament than the other two, than Fritz and Navarro. And it's a tough comeback, Tony, but I mean, just say this real quickly. This reminds me of when Monica Sellers came back. It took a while, took a long time. And Monica never really got all the way back, but she got the finals, I think a couple of times. And Osaka is going to have to be patient with herself in this comeback. I love seeing her, you know, she's my favorite player out there, but I know this was difficult for her to internalize.

Tony Kornheiser (17:08)

I know she's your favorite player out there. You don't get a lot of chance to see her because she's out all the time. She's out early. She has not been past the third, third round in a major since she won her last major, the Australian Open of 2021, so her going out is not a big deal. Emma Navarro, as you say, love and won in 57 minutes. I think maybe she got an hour of free parking and saw she only had three minutes left to go get the car, so she got out of there. The answer here is Taylor Fritz. And I keep wanting to say Taylor Swift, but it's Taylor Fritz because he's the four, which means they projected him into the semifinals. He went out to the number 66 player in the world, Daniel Altmire. When a four goes out on the first day, it's different than a nine. It's somebody who used to be good.

Mike Wilbon (18:00)

That guy beat center. That guy beat center covers a real quickly. Who's the biggest star of the three people? Taylor Fritz, who's never won squad douche.

Tony Kornheiser (18:09)

As he used to say.

Mike Wilbon (18:11)

Emma Navarro or Naomi Osaka. Thank you.

Tony Kornheiser (18:14)

Osaka is the biggest star. You know who's a bigger star than she is? Venus Williams. Serena Williams. And she's not playing anymore. Just can't go by star. It's not how it works. Enough. Female. Let's take one last break. Still to come, Tyrese Halliburton's father learns whether he'll be able to watch games in person again.

Mike Wilbon (18:32)

Maybe lucky I'm not the commissioner. Team USA in hockey, that's something it hasn't accomplished in 92 years. There was Team USA. There was national hockey 92 years ago. Really?

Unknown Speaker (18:46)

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Unknown Speaker (19:16)

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State Farm Ad (19:44)

Pardon the Interruption is brought to you by Popeyes.

Tony Kornheiser (19:48)

Love that chicken from Popeyes. Oh, send us some chicken. I like that. Happy time, people. Happy 26th birthday. Micah Parsons. The Cowboys great linebacker, was the 12th pick in the 2021 draft out of Penn State, where he won the Butkus Award. Parsons was defensive rookie of the year when he had 13 sacks and was first team all pro. Parsons has made four pro bowls, has twice been first team all pro. The Cowboys tend to invent stars, but Parsons is legit, as are CD Lamb and Dak Prescott and maybe George Pickens. Is this finally the year the Cowboys live up to their own hype? By the way, Parsons has not yet signed an extension with the Cowboys, which could make this the year. When First Take asks, will Micah get his money every day?

Mike Wilbon (20:37)

Every single day, Tony. I'm not putting him in the Same paragraph as 56. Taylor Lawrence Taylor. Until they win something, playoff games, something, you got to at least advance. So I realize he's a great individual player. But the Cowboys got to deal with the Eagles and the Commanders in their own division, so I don't know if this is their year or not.

Tony Kornheiser (20:57)

Happy anniversary, Robert Horry. On this day 23 years ago, Horry gathered a ball tipped by Vladi Divac of Sacramento and drilled a three at the buzzer to give the Lakers the win and tied the Western conference finals at 2 2. This was one of many playoff buzzer beaters that earned Horry the nickname Big Shot. Bob Horry made them for the Lakers, the Rockets and the spurs, all teams he won championships. Ori has seven rings. That's more than anyone who wasn't on the Celtics in the 50s and 60s. Fun fact. From 1994 to 2003, either Ori or Steve Kerr won the championship every year, and neither player ever played on the same team. Well, Von Rudy Tamjanovich thinks Ori should be in the hall of Fame. Do you?

Mike Wilbon (21:40)

Tony? I realize that Robert Horry was never an all Star, but there are exceptions to be made. I am totally biased in favor of. Of Robert Horry, who's just one of my favorite people ever in covering sports, Robert Horry. So I. Yes, I lean that way. He embraced a role, a difficult role, and he fulfilled it time after time after time, no matter how much pressure. So I'm. I'm a total Robert Ory guy.

Tony Kornheiser (22:05)

Happy trails to the ban on John Haliburton. Tyrese's dad had missed eight Pacers games since he got into it with Giannis ont de Queen Kumpo following the elimination of the Bucks. But tomorrow night, the Pacers will allow the elder Halliburton to watch game four against the Knicks from a suite. In his apology following the incident John Halliburton posted quote. This was not a good reflection on our sport or my son. And I will not make that mistake again. Unquote.

Mike Wilbon (22:33)

John Halliburton owes Charles Barkley a dinner in St. Elmo's. All right. Because Charles went on many times and said, free John Halperdon. And it was funny, but it was also. Charles knew exactly what he was saying. Clemency. It's fine. Some lenience in a suite is fine. I'm for doing that. But he owes Chuck a night at St. Elmo's. And if Charles wants to include me, I'm happy to go too. Like John 1 era.

Tony Kornheiser (23:00)

Michael Parsons, this is for you. Wilbon. Micah Parsons won one playoff game with the Cowboys. One omission. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark will miss at least two weeks with laugh quad strain. There go the TV ratings running out of show. We go to the big finish. Team USA won the World Ice Hockey Championship for the first time since 1933. Your thoughts?

Mike Wilbon (23:19)

I mean, is Connor McDavid playing of the big stars? Kachuk. Alex Palau. I think Palau is right below. Won the Indy 500. Lando Norris won the Monaco Grand Prix. Ross Chastain won the Coca Cola 600. I know you watched some of this stuff which was the biggest deal.

Tony Kornheiser (23:40)

Yeah, I'm partial to the Indy 500. Tarek Skubal to a 13 strikeout complete game and 94 pitches yesterday. You impressed?

Mike Wilbon (23:48)

Kind of. In the context of now is his first one in his career. Shohei faced three hitters in batting practice yesterday. Is that significant?

Tony Kornheiser (23:59)

Most thrilling thing I saw all weekend was watching those clips. Last one. North Carolina top Northwestern for the women's lacrosse title. How you feeling, Pookie?

Mike Wilbon (24:07)

I'm proud of Northwestern's team for getting to the final again. Congratulations. Chariots. Cornell beat Maryland this afternoon in the men's final. Get these things into appropriately smaller stadiums instead of caverns.

Tony Kornheiser (24:18)

Time, time, Tony.

Mike Wilbon (24:20)

I'm Mike Wilbon. Same time tomorrow, knucklehead. TI.