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- [00:01]
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- [00:27]
Mike Wilbon
Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. What an amazing 23 year run by around the Horn Tone. What do you have to say to Tony Reali today?
- [00:39]
Tony Kornheiser
I'm Tony Kornheiser. How do you still have your hair?
- [00:43]
Mike Wilbon
Huh?
- [00:43]
Tony Kornheiser
We don't have any hair. How do you have your hair?
- [00:47]
Mike Wilbon
I just saw Reali's hair. I saw him in person here in New York City. Reality looks great. Sounds great, you know.
- [00:56]
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, I had him on my pod this morning. He was terrific.
- [00:59]
Mike Wilbon
Did you?
- [00:59]
Tony Kornheiser
Absolutely terrific. Yeah, I did. Welcome to pti, boys and girls. In today's episode, the Knicks try to bounce back. The Panthers shut out the Canes and a few words about the end of around the horn. But we begin today with the Oklahoma City Thunder cruising through the second half last night and beating Minnesota by 15, 118, 103. Once again, it was Oklahoma City's defense leading the way, creating 14 turnovers resulting in 22 points. The series is now 2 0, Oklahoma City. Wilbon, is this just two home wins or does it feel different?
- [01:31]
Mike Wilbon
Tony, it's the second home win to me that feels different that when J Dub and Chet Holmgren play like that in support of the mvp. And I know they were jazzed last night. You know, Shai Gilgeous Alexander said that aloud afterward. He was juiced. But when his particularly those two teammates and then everybody just falls in line, you get these contributions from, from the likes of Dort and they, I, I think then they look like what they were all season. You know, a 68 win team and the best team in pro basketball. And look at the beginning of this. I wasn't convinced they would look like this. They've winning, they've been winning games. They've been learning on the fly. They had a couple of tough losses where it looked like they were shaky and young and didn't know enough against Denver. But, but these again, it's not the two games, maybe the accumulation, it's the one game. It's the game two last night when Shay Gilgeous Alexander is moving around in the mid range like he was and you get J. Dub Doing some of everything, including some outside shooting in Holmgren. Not just offensively, which is what I'm referring to first, but defensively as well, being a menace. Oklahoma City's the best team. Then they're a better, better team than Minneapolis. I'm not going to say I'm expecting a sweep. Not. But I think OKC really announced itself last night.
- [03:01]
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah. Don't you feel silly being on the Oklahoma City Express all year and then saying, no, I'm going to pick Minnesota. Don't you feel silly about that? Look, we both know the rule. The rule is the playoff series does not start until the home team loses. And that is why the hockey series between Florida and Carolina feels over. And that is why this one does not feel over. But as I told you the other day after game one, if the way Game one was won by Oklahoma City represented a pattern, then this series was not going to go any more than five games. You know, Oklahoma City won 19 more games in the regular season than Minnesota. That is a lot of games. And Oklahoma City has a defense that forces turnovers and gets points off Turnovers. Mike, in two games, it's 53 points off turnovers. In the battle of the great stars, Gilgeous Alexander is totally outdoing Anthony Edwards, who last night, I believe was one for nine from three. So we are on the verge of seeing that Oklahoma City is a significantly better team. You took the position a couple of days ago that Julius Randle was going to be the key for Minneapolis. Minneapolis, what you said before Minnesota, we had six points last night on 2 for 11 shooting. He was, Mike, as you know, three, okay, in the negative way. Three of their starters had six points or fewer because Mike Conley had three and Rudy Gobert had five. And you can't win that way. I know you want every series to go seven. It doesn't look like this is going seven. So we move on to the other series. Wilbaughn, you're in New York City. You're there for game two with the Knicks and the Pacers. Like many others, millions, probably. You couldn't believe what happened in game one. You said yesterday you could not make any sense of it. So tonight they go again. How significant is tonight's game for the Knicks? For the Knicks?
- [04:50]
Mike Wilbon
Huge, Tony, huge. And I'm going to stop short of saying a must win, even though they are at home. You know, I mean, this is different, you know, than the Oklahoma. Minnesota series. And Minnesota haven't been home yet and down 02. Okay, but the Knicks, if they Go down to losing two at home. I don't know that they're going to recover from that, even though they're a really good road team. So, Tony. But I expect the Knicks, I think with the Knicks are not. Is fragile at all. I think the toughness of the Knicks, even though we're talking regular season proof, that's all. The toughness was proven in part last year, playing injured the way they did bravely, if I can use that word, in the playoffs. And then what we know about Jalen Brunson and their coach, Tom Thibodeau and then Josh Hart, and this is just, you know, you know, they're. They're tough physically and mentally. And I expect the Knicks to bounce back. I expect them to find a way to, if they have a lead, hold on to it, enough of it. And by the way, a lot of it just starts with how about making some free throws? Because if they'd done that and not missed, I think 12 of them in game one, we wouldn't even be having a conversation in the same direction. So I'm expecting the Knicks, yes, to win. I'm going to stop short of saying convincingly, but I don't think this ought to be a nail biter. I think the Knicks ought to sort of impress upon, you know, Indiana, who is a real team in this series, who the better seed is and who had expectations coming into this series.
- [06:26]
Tony Kornheiser
Yeah, this is an easy question for me. I believe if the Knicks lose tonight, they're done. I believe they could go around the courtside seats and they could find Bill Bradley and they could find Walt Frazier and Bernard King and Carmelo Anthony and Patrick Ewing and hand them their old jerseys and say, you go out there and play because we're done with this thing. But like you, I expect the Knicks to bounce back. I expect Jalen Brunson to lead them. And I will say this to a convincing win. And I expect the Indiana Pacers to walk out of Madison Square Garden quickly and quietly grinning to themselves because they stole Game one. But I do expect the Knicks to win with this, with this small caveat. And I'm going back to something I said the other day. Karlie Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson had 78 points between them in game one and they lost. The other players on that team have to score more points. Bridges and Anunobe and Hart, they combined among themselves they had 40. They're going to have to do more than that. And the reason is because the Knicks bench, because Thibodeau doesn't play anybody. The knicks bench had 17 points. The Indiana bench had 31. He plays his starters an average of 42 minutes in the last game. Now you gotta do that again if you need it. You gotta play it like you're on maneuvers for the army. You can't worry about being tired for game three if you don't win game two. But you know they're in a bind. But I do like you. I think they'll win and I think it'll be convincing.
- [07:52]
Mike Wilbon
Bridges, Anunoby and Hart. Gotta be an ensemble effort for the Knickerbockers tonight, not just two dudes. And now to the Stanley cup playoffs. The Panthers crushed the Hurricanes 5 Zip last night to take the two games to none lead in their Eastern Conference final series. Both wins have been in Raleigh. Tone, are you now counting out the Hurricanes?
- [08:20]
Tony Kornheiser
Am I counting them out? I'm like mills lane going 6, 7. This series feels like a no home. It does at this point. This is an amazing stat I'm going to give you. The Carolina team is 0:14 in their last 14 Eastern Conference final playoff games. 0:14. They were swept by Pittsburgh in 2009. They were swept by Boston in 2019. They were swept by Florida two years ago, 2023, and are down.02 now. They actually won the cup in 2006. So they had to win the Eastern Conference finals, and they did over Buffalo. Four, three. And I don't think Buffalo's been in the playoffs since then. Right. I mean, so I'm watching last night. I'm watching the Nats against the Braves. I'm watching the basketball. I'm jumping around, I'm checking in on the hockey at some point early on, it's three nothing. Florida. I go, whoa, this is over. Not just this game, this series is over. PK Subban told us the other day that Florida and Carolina play the same game and Florida plays it better. And that's what we're seeing. But Mike, their last four road games in the playoffs, I assume against Toronto for Carolina, 22 to 4.
- [09:33]
Mike Wilbon
22 to 4. So, Tony, that's like, listen, I was taking the train, taking the Acela last night from Washington to New York to be here. As you mentioned, the game tonight. And I run off the train. I go, okay, this should be, you know, we're first period. It can't be that deep in, you know, Carolina's going to stand up as I challenged yesterday. Except I walk in, I click it on, it's two nothing. And quickly, like you, it's three nothing. And it was just a no hoper. There's this One line from Mr. Tkachuk who always seems to be in the middle of describing everything and in the action and maybe knocking people out too, where he says, quote, I think that's about as good as it gets. And he's talking about not just the score. And he was very careful to specify just the way his team played. This was a kill shot. This wasn't just like Mills Lane. This is like Mills Lane. If he was in the ring counting out your boy Michael Spinks when he got laid out by Mike Tyson, it was like that. It's like really, Carolina is this toothless where it can't do anything. He can't mount a challenge. And against the Panthers, they're defending champs and playing like it.
- [10:44]
Tony Kornheiser
Last week Carolina was getting 40 and 50 shots on goal. Against the Washington Capitals last night they had 17. Florida has completely figured out how to stop that team. They have. And by the way, they got Bobrovsky back there if they need it. So let's take a break. Coming up, the Rockies are having an historically bad season. Do you want to see that trend end or continue?
- [11:09]
Mike Wilbon
We've got two huge auto races this weekend, but which one is more iconic?
- [11:17]
Tony Kornheiser
Do you ever wonder how come Florida didn't win the east like you see them in the playoffs? You say, well, what is this?
- [11:24]
Mike Wilbon
Maybe they weren't paying attention. You know, sometimes teams get bored.
- [11:28]
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- [11:35]
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- [12:04]
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- [12:38]
Tony Kornheiser
It's time for toss up. Two men enter. One man leaves, finishes the show, faces himself in the bathroom mirror and says, still got it kid. What's first Toss up. The Yankees and Rockies begin a three game series tonight. Would you like to see the Rockies start winning or keep losing? So I was a Mets fan. As you know, Mike, I was not a Yankees fan. So I know all about teams that lose. Colorado is awful. I got some numbers here. They have the worst ERA in baseball.582. They've made the most errors in baseball, 45 already. They're tied for the second worst in run production and batting average. They are 8 and 42. They have not won a single series. They are on pace for 26 and 136, which would make last year's White Sox look like the 27 Yankees. Right. They've already fired their manager. The new manager is one in nine. I don't know his name. It doesn't matter because he's not going to be there long because he's already 1 and 9. Here is my feeling. I would actually like to see the Colorado Rockies win a couple of games for the Yankees. I think it's good for baseball and I don't think it's going to keep the Yankees from being in the playoffs. I don't.
- [13:53]
Mike Wilbon
That's very nice and it's charitable and it's a reasonable position you just took. Except the Chicago Cubs play in Chicago against the Rockies Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I. I ain't ready for the Rockies to win, Jack. I want them to keep losing. I want them to limp out of Chicago to wherever they're going. Right out of Wrigley Field to o' Hare Signature Airport and then get out of Dodge because we're playing for something. I do feel bad for him, but. Tony, if you lose 15 games more than last year's White Sox, you need to be relegated. Isn't there a like a trip triple in Albuquerque? You got to go to the promoted.
- [14:37]
Tony Kornheiser
Syracuse. Syracuse, New York. Triple A in Syracuse. I know the gm. No, you gotta get out.
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Good.
- [14:42]
Tony Kornheiser
It's terrible.
- [14:44]
Mike Wilbon
You shouldn't even be able to be that bad and remain in the bigs. But for now, cheers. Keep losing.
- [14:53]
Tony Kornheiser
Okay, what's next? Toss up more iconic race on Sunday. The Monaco Grand Prix or the Indy 500. Okay, so this is a real big day for auto racing. You got the Formula One people in the Grand Prix, you've got the IndyCar people. Obviously in Indianapolis you got the NASCAR people. After that at The Coca Cola 600, people are calling this Motorsports Christmas. My feeling about this is the Grand Prix, which has now been around almost 100 years in Monaco. It has elegance and it has history. You Know, it's a lot. I remember when I was a kid reporter at Newsday, I covered a Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, New York, and I thought it was sexy. I mean, it was a different kind of racing that I had ever been around. But I leaned towards the Indianapolis 500. I think that it is really the great American race and not necessarily Daytona. I think the cars are cooler. I have been there. I've covered it a few times. I was around Roger Penske. I was around A.J. foyt. I was around Mario Andretti. You know, to me, you know, it's the milk at the end. The milk at the end is just. It's just a cool ending just for me.
- [16:09]
Mike Wilbon
Listen, I've covered three of those races. I too, in Indianapolis, loved going there, loved being there. But Tony, just listen to the people who have won in Monaco. And I've been to Monaco. I've actually. Sounds just like I'm trying to flex. I've been in Monaco when that race has been staged. It's unbelievable. Ayrton Senna has won six times. Lewis Hamilton three times. Michael Schumacher five times. Jackie Stewart three times. Elaine Pro five times. I mean, you got. If you're anybody, you've won it and not just once. You got to walk away with multiples. I mean, that list is so impressive. You. The Coca Cola 600. Get out of here.
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Tony Kornheiser
No, no.
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Mike Wilbon
Between Monaco and Indy. And Monaco is just.
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Tony Kornheiser
I will concede, right, That's. I will concede that it's hard to say. I prefer Indianapolis to Monaco. I can't see that.
- [17:07]
Mike Wilbon
That's the race.
- [17:08]
Tony Kornheiser
So I'm just talking about the race. Yeah, that's it. Let's take one last break. Still to come, Ronald Acuna Jr. Returns to the Braves. What should we expect? Good.
- [17:17]
Mike Wilbon
And the Oilers try to get even with the stars. Also, we're gonna have some thoughts on around the horn.
- [17:25]
Tony Kornheiser
Those cars, the F1 cars, they are oldest cars. Yeah. Yeah.
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Mike Wilbon
Let me just say, you want sexy be in Monaco when that race is going on. You know what I'm saying?
- [17:36]
Tony Kornheiser
You know, right? It's not on an oval.
- [17:40]
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- [18:07]
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- [18:25]
Tony Kornheiser
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- [18:40]
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- [18:48]
Tony Kornheiser
Happy time people. Happy 69th birthday Buck Showalter William Nathaniel Showalter has 1727 wins as a manager and 1665 losses over 22 seasons. His first major league managerial turn was with the New York Yankees from 1992 to 1995. He was succeeded by Joe Torrey, who won four championships in the Bronx. Show Walter then managed Arizona from 1998 to 2000. He was succeeded by Bob Brinley, who won the World Series the next year. Showalter then managed Texas from 2003 to 2006, then managed the Orioles from 2010 to 2018 and most recently managed the Mets in 2022 and 2023. Showalter has been to the playoffs six different times, but he never got to the World Series.
- [19:37]
Mike Wilbon
Tony Doesn't Show Walter seem like a bridge between that generation of guys represented by Billy Martin and Earl Weaver and then your new school managers. But he wasn't gonna let some gm I can't believe he would tell him when to take a picture out. He's a real manager. Real manager?
- [19:55]
Tony Kornheiser
No, that's a managed by the seat of your pants guy. He's not playing that game. No no no no no. Happy Anniversary, Hakeem Olajuwon around this day 31 years ago, the Dream was named NBA MVP, making him the first Farnborn player to earn the honor. In what was indeed a Dream season, the Nigerian native became the first player ever to win mvp, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. You may remember game five of those Finals when almost everyone in Madison Square Garden left their seat to find a TV and follow the OJ Slow. Eleven years after Elijah won one mvp, Steve Nash became the second non American to win. Two years later, Dirk Nowitzki won. Now Shay Gilgis Alexander has won, making it seven straight seasons an International player has won mvp.
- [20:43]
Mike Wilbon
Wow. You didn't have to leave your seat, by the way, in Madison Square Garden that night. I know because I was there. You can watch it on the screen above the court. It was put up there. The chase was put up by mistake and we were all captivated. Akeem Olajuwon, as great as he was, and people still go to him, like LeBron and say, show me that in the summer. He's still underrated. Akeem doesn't get enough love for being as great as he was.
- [21:13]
Tony Kornheiser
Happy trails. Around the horn for nearly 23 years, around the Horn has led into PTI and we could not have asked for a better partner program. ATH built up an audience and handed it off to us so we could hit the ground running. Every weeknight, 17 different around the Horn panelists have substitute hosted this show at one time or another, and so many people behind the scenes have worked on both shows. We are so proud in particular of Tony Reali, who started here on PTI as a researcher in 2001 and continued as our beloved stat boy for so many years, even while hosting a show of his own. We love you, Tony. Thanks to you and around the Horn for everything.
- [21:54]
Mike Wilbon
Tony, I just ran into Reali a couple hours ago outside the Seaport studio and I didn't want to get emotional. We had a big hug and he kissed me on my head. But it was just great to see him. I'm sorry that everybody else isn't going to see him as frequently. Reali is so great at this. He hosted more shows than Oprah. Okay, so we love Tony Reali. We are friends with a great many of the guests as you mentioned on around the Horn. Cheers. Forever and ever and evermore.
- [22:26]
Tony Kornheiser
Let us go to the big finish if we could, but I need prompter to see the questions. Of course. So I'll wait for a while. Ronald Acuna Jr is back with the Braves tonight. Is that a big deal?
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Mike Wilbon
Yay. Torde. While he was the reigning NL mvp, you want to see him back at that level as soon as he can get there. Angels, Phillies have both won seven in a row.
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Tony Kornheiser
Which is the bigger deal we expected from the Phillies. Nobody expects that from the Angels. The New York Liberty sold a small stake that values the team at $450 million. Your thoughts?
- [22:58]
Mike Wilbon
Just won the record valuation for women's professional sports franchise into more things. I hope Novak Djokovic made the final in Geneva. Is that significant?
- [23:09]
Tony Kornheiser
Winning it would be more significant, but it's on Clay. Just like Paris on Clay. Last one. Oilers at Stars, game two tonight. Who you got?
- [23:18]
Mike Wilbon
Okay, the Oilers are not the Hurricanes. I really do expect the Oilers not to let this go. 02 to even this series at one tonight.
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Tony Kornheiser
We're out of time. We'll try and do better the next time. Congratulations to Binghamton in the softball.
- [23:34]
Mike Wilbon
I'm Mike Wilbon. Have a great weekend, knuckleheads. You can get the podcast on the app or Apple podcast. Northwestern women's lacrosse playing for the Final Four. Let's beat Boston College.