- 6/5/2025
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00:00Live right here on this Thursday on the early line on SportsGrid.
00:00:05It is finally here.
00:00:07For the first time in four full days,
00:00:10we have a playoff basketball game around the association tonight.
00:00:14And not just any playoff basketball game, the opening game.
00:00:18Game number one of the 2025 NBA Finals in Oklahoma City.
00:00:23It's the Thunder and the Pacers.
00:00:26In DRS, whether it's game number one or the entirety of this championship set in the NBA,
00:00:32we know that the Thunder are going to be expected to make this look rather quick
00:00:36and comfortable as a hefty favorite.
00:00:39But a small bit of change in the series' outright price
00:00:43here on the morning of the debut of the 2025 NBA Finals.
00:00:48As this series was set after Indiana won the Eastern Conference crown
00:00:53in six games on Saturday night,
00:00:55line opened up, Thunder a minus 750 outright favorite.
00:01:00We'll take that off by a half buck.
00:01:02Oklahoma City still a strong, strong favorite to be crowned an NBA champion,
00:01:07but now minus 700.
00:01:09Again, DRS, we're talking 50 cents.
00:01:12And it's still a minus 700 price.
00:01:14But does that line movement in the outright number
00:01:17to win a Larry O'Brien trophy here on the opening day of the NBA Finals
00:01:21mean anything to you?
00:01:22Not necessarily, because it's still a ridiculous favorite there.
00:01:26I think most people probably look and say,
00:01:27man, I'm going to get this much pricing here on the Pacers before we even get started.
00:01:31And maybe the Pacers can steal game number one.
00:01:33Then you have an automatic cash out ticket in your pocket.
00:01:36I get that.
00:01:37And also understand this from a public perspective.
00:01:39If you are the betting public where you're throwing in,
00:01:41let's just say $10, $50, $100, are you putting in that $50 on minus 700 on the Thunder?
00:01:47Or are you saying, you know what?
00:01:48I want to have a good time in this series.
00:01:49Let me put down $50 on a 5-to-1 price here and really start to cheer on the Pacers.
00:01:53Because if it loses, yes, you're out $50.
00:01:55But boy, you know, the exponential payout on the opposite end is probably worth that here.
00:02:00And that's where some of that money goes into it here.
00:02:02Or are the Sharps going to load up on the Thunder?
00:02:04Minus 700.
00:02:05That's crazy.
00:02:06I have them booked out at minus $950.
00:02:08Now I'm getting a positive price.
00:02:09I'm going to lay the wood here on the Thunder.
00:02:11We'll see where this is before the game actually starts.
00:02:13But I'm not surprised if that's come back lower.
00:02:15Because the casual fan is going to look at that and say, that price is ridiculous.
00:02:20I'm never betting the Thunder at minus $700.
00:02:21But hey, if I like the Pacers a little bit in this series to be competitive,
00:02:24why not take a 5-to-1 price or a plus $550 price there before it drops back down?
00:02:28So that's the reasoning behind it at this point.
00:02:31Nobody's taking the Thunder at that price.
00:02:32Yeah, and just a couple of updated odds perspectives as well.
00:02:37The results and the expectation the same.
00:02:40A couple of different cents here and there, right?
00:02:4350 cents off the outright price.
00:02:45But the Thunder being a minus 700 favorite in the NBA Finals is history in itself.
00:02:51OKC has won 80 games, regular and postseason.
00:02:55One of four teams in NBA history to complete that feat prior to the NBA Finals.
00:03:01OKC as a two-and-a-half game favorite in the series spread is still the expected outcome.
00:03:07That's minus 122.
00:03:09For the Thunder to catch that ticket, DRS, they have to win in at most five games,
00:03:14which is still the shortest correct score.
00:03:16Now at plus 225 for OKC in five, pulling off the gentleman's sweep.
00:03:22In the second shortest number, the second most likely outcome is the Thunder just in a straight sweep
00:03:28in only four games at plus 300.
00:03:30Yeah, and we'll get to a little bit later in the show, like what we think game one is actually going to be,
00:03:35where the money's going in that respect.
00:03:36But from like a gambling perspective, it's really hard to take and say we see that minus 700 price as,
00:03:43oh, I think the Pacers can win that series because it's a daunting number here, no doubt about it.
00:03:46But there are other ways that you can bet because we're trying to figure out what Indiana Pacers team we're going to get.
00:03:52But here's the problem with that.
00:03:53They look good in series one.
00:03:55They look good in series two.
00:03:55They look good in series number three.
00:03:57So it's almost where we're talking about the Pacers, like the little engine that could,
00:04:01and everybody just forfeited on their way and there's not supposed to be here.
00:04:04Like they didn't get a lot of respect from the regular season into the playoffs,
00:04:07but you sort of start to demand respect by saying we were supposed to lose multiple series this year,
00:04:12coming in now, and we're winning them.
00:04:14And in some frames here, handily winning this series.
00:04:16I don't care if a team's a little bit nicked up or not.
00:04:18You knock off the number one seed when they still have their best player on the court.
00:04:21Like, hey, that means something here.
00:04:23And OKC, yes, they swept in round number one.
00:04:25But in round number two, when they faced a formidable opponent in Denver,
00:04:28that still went to seven games at that point.
00:04:30Say what you want about Minnesota.
00:04:31Maybe not all that competitive.
00:04:32And we understand how good OKC is.
00:04:34But I think we're sort of feeling this as if it was the NCAA tournament,
00:04:38it's a one seed versus like a nine seed.
00:04:40Like I say, man, this can't happen.
00:04:41There's no way they can get by at this point when I don't really believe that's the case.
00:04:45I think the Pacers will be competitive,
00:04:46but competitive enough to make it a six-game series or, hey,
00:04:50they played well for five games and won one of those.
00:04:52But it was really a gentleman's sweep.
00:04:54And that's all you can do.
00:04:56Indiana, to get this to a sixth game, just over five and a half games,
00:05:00regardless of the result in those series odds, is still plus money, plus 112.
00:05:06Again, minus 140 to the under of five and a half games,
00:05:10expecting this to be done rather swiftly in only five.
00:05:15DRS, tail on the tape for these two teams when you compare, as we just showed,
00:05:19not the overall records, not just the point differential,
00:05:22but those preseason expectations.
00:05:24Despite the Pacers reaching the Eastern Conference Finals last season,
00:05:28still 50 to one before the year.
00:05:30They had the seventh best price to win the Eastern Conference crown
00:05:33before this year got underway.
00:05:36Oklahoma City, a different story.
00:05:38They were supposed to be on this significant stage,
00:05:40but that is a first for this crew, led by Mark Dagnall in his fifth year
00:05:46in Oklahoma City, and, of course, now the new MVP in Shea Gilgis-Alexander.
00:05:51That plus 650 preseason NBA championship price,
00:05:54second best only behind Boston,
00:05:57but the best number out of the Western Conference.
00:05:59This is the 17th season for the Thunder in OKC,
00:06:03since they just parted as the Supersonics from Seattle.
00:06:07The first NBA Finals appearance for Oklahoma City since 2012
00:06:11as a franchise in the overall lore, DRS,
00:06:14looking for that first Larry O'Brien trophy since 1979.
00:06:19This is just the second NBA Finals appearance for Indiana
00:06:23in their 49 full years as an NBA franchise,
00:06:27their first since the year 2000, two and a half decades ago.
00:06:31Now, the Pacers won four ABA titles in 1970, 72, and 73.
00:06:37They have never won a true NBA championship
00:06:40and a hefty underdog trying to overcome those odds
00:06:43entering the 2025 rendition.
00:06:46Yeah, and it'll be interesting to watch it play out,
00:06:48and you're right, for a basketball state
00:06:50that loves its basketball that much,
00:06:52it's got a lot of correlations, like, to the Mecca,
00:06:54like, basketball heaven is New York City.
00:06:56It's like, boy, they won 10 championships,
00:06:58and the last time, no, they haven't.
00:06:58They don't win anything over 50 years.
00:07:00So, for the Pacers to finally break through
00:07:02in that basketball Mecca, that would mean something here.
00:07:04But OKC, they've been through the fire.
00:07:06We doubted them the entire season, huh?
00:07:08Not ready to win, and we'll see how they hold up
00:07:09to the pressure.
00:07:10They've held up to the pressure perfectly in the playoffs
00:07:12and looking for a coronation now.
00:07:15We'll go game by game throughout the NBA Finals.
00:07:18Coming up next.
00:07:20The opening day of the 2025 NBA Finals.
00:07:24Tonight is game number one inside Oklahoma City
00:07:27between the Thunder and the Pacers.
00:07:29Of course, OKC is a hefty favorite,
00:07:32not just to win game number one from the very jump,
00:07:34but to take this series and be crowned an NBA champion.
00:07:38DRS, we have talked often about what the odds are saying
00:07:41for Oklahoma City,
00:07:43and us hoping this series is at least competitive,
00:07:47both in the individual games
00:07:49and in the distance of this championship set.
00:07:52We are hoping it gets to six.
00:07:54Here are the odds on both the Thunder and the Pacers
00:07:58in the series' correct score.
00:08:00That is the team to win and in how many games.
00:08:03Again, the most likely outcome is Oklahoma City in five
00:08:06at plus 225.
00:08:08To pull off the straight sweep,
00:08:09that is three to one.
00:08:11DRS, basically every price for the Thunder
00:08:14to win an NBA championship
00:08:15is half that of the Indiana Pacers.
00:08:18If I ask you to place a bet on the distance of this series,
00:08:24on the duration of this series,
00:08:26and you had to bet one thing,
00:08:28what would it be?
00:08:30It's probably, if I had to bet,
00:08:32would be game five,
00:08:33but if I was just being smart with my money,
00:08:35I'd bet five and six here,
00:08:36plus 225 and plus 410,
00:08:38and say to myself,
00:08:39I don't think there's going to be a sweep,
00:08:41and I don't think Indiana wins this,
00:08:43and therefore it's probably not going to go seven games,
00:08:45that I'll take my plus money there
00:08:47and hopefully root on a game six victory
00:08:49by Oklahoma City on the road
00:08:51to close out the Indiana Pacers.
00:08:53That's the way I would do it,
00:08:53because again,
00:08:55they're a good team.
00:08:55They're going to,
00:08:56I would be really surprised
00:08:57if we do get a sweep here,
00:08:59because again,
00:09:00Indiana's a good basketball team.
00:09:02Indiana's going to have two home games here.
00:09:03You know,
00:09:04OKC hasn't played great
00:09:05in every single game they played.
00:09:07I mean, heck,
00:09:07you even go back to,
00:09:08oh man,
00:09:08they easily dispatched to the Timberwolves.
00:09:10You see one of those games,
00:09:11they got absolutely slaughtered
00:09:12in one of those games.
00:09:13You do have an off night
00:09:15where the other team is better.
00:09:16We do know the ramifications
00:09:17of how good Indiana can be
00:09:19and run up and down the court.
00:09:20There are high totals for these games
00:09:22around 230 as we're pricing them.
00:09:24So Indiana's going to be in it.
00:09:25So for me,
00:09:25if I had to bet one,
00:09:27it's probably five,
00:09:28but if I had to be smart with my money,
00:09:30I'd bet five and six
00:09:31where the Thunder would win.
00:09:33If you're looking for the Pacers,
00:09:34I mean,
00:09:35good luck in four games
00:09:36where they reverse sweep per se,
00:09:3755 to one,
00:09:39but you could probably say,
00:09:40all right,
00:09:40I'll take a flyer a little bit
00:09:41on a game number seven.
00:09:43And if it gets there,
00:09:44maybe the Pacers say,
00:09:45you know what?
00:09:45We fought all the way through.
00:09:47Anything can happen
00:09:47in the game number seven.
00:09:49Halliburton's reigning in logo threes.
00:09:50Miles Turner's draining threes
00:09:52left and right.
00:09:52Neesmith is an absolute maniac
00:09:54on defense, right?
00:09:55That's how you play it.
00:09:56But for me,
00:09:56it would be game five
00:09:57for the Thunder,
00:09:58but I would like to bet games five
00:09:59and six in the fashion
00:10:01for the Thunder
00:10:01and just root on
00:10:02that it ends in six games
00:10:03at the higher price
00:10:04at plus 420
00:10:05or plus 410.
00:10:06And you'll make your money back
00:10:08even if it is five games,
00:10:09which is the drastically shorter price
00:10:11at plus 225.
00:10:14Again,
00:10:14if you are hoping Indiana
00:10:16is at least competitive
00:10:17throughout the entirety
00:10:18of the NBA finals,
00:10:20and that entirety
00:10:21is not just four or five games,
00:10:23over five and a half games
00:10:25in the series,
00:10:26total games over under
00:10:27would be the way that I do it
00:10:29at plus 112.
00:10:30I mean,
00:10:31heck,
00:10:31the Pacers could win in six
00:10:32and you would still cash that bet.
00:10:35Shea Gilgis,
00:10:36Alexander DRS,
00:10:37expected to add
00:10:38to the growing hardware shelf
00:10:40in his home
00:10:41if the Oklahoma City Thunder
00:10:43can win that NBA championship
00:10:45minus 550.
00:10:47We don't have to spend
00:10:48a ton of time here
00:10:49on the NBA finals odds
00:10:50because it's basically
00:10:51the same question
00:10:52as who wins
00:10:53an NBA championship.
00:10:54But is there any realm
00:10:55of possibility
00:10:56in your mind
00:10:57that OKC wins
00:10:58an NBA title
00:10:59and SGA does not go home
00:11:01in the NBA finals MVP?
00:11:03The outside of it
00:11:05would be a 4-0 series sweep
00:11:07and he plays 24 minutes a game
00:11:09because they're absolutely
00:11:10smashing the Pacers.
00:11:12So he doesn't have,
00:11:12he scores 15, 16, 17 points
00:11:15and leaves that door open.
00:11:16We get a five or six game series
00:11:17or at least Indiana wins
00:11:18a game or two.
00:11:19Yeah,
00:11:19SGA is going to be floating
00:11:20in the high 20s
00:11:21and early 30s.
00:11:22So for me,
00:11:23I say it's really hard to see.
00:11:25You might as well
00:11:26just be looking at a sweep
00:11:27where he doesn't have
00:11:27to play all that much.
00:11:28Then they probably just say,
00:11:29well,
00:11:29we're not going to give it
00:11:30to a bent like Isaiah Joe
00:11:31because he had a good
00:11:32bench performance
00:11:33in four straight games
00:11:34in an easy win.
00:11:35So I would be looking
00:11:36and say it's hard pressed,
00:11:37but it's minus 550.
00:11:38Like,
00:11:39he could twist an ankle
00:11:40and miss a game here
00:11:41and you can have
00:11:41great performances
00:11:42by Chet Holmgren
00:11:43or Williams at that point.
00:11:44So it's hard to say that.
00:11:46Same thing with the start
00:11:46of the series.
00:11:47Hey,
00:11:47who do you think
00:11:47is going to win the Thunder?
00:11:48All right,
00:11:48we'll lay the seven to one.
00:11:49Man,
00:11:50minus 700.
00:11:50I don't know about that.
00:11:51Well,
00:11:51SGA is the best player
00:11:52in the series.
00:11:52Oklahoma City wins.
00:11:53Yeah,
00:11:53that's easy,
00:11:54but wait,
00:11:54it's minus 550.
00:11:55Am I laying money out for that?
00:11:57That's what makes it hard
00:11:58to bet at this point.
00:12:04On the 25 to one price
00:12:05of Jalen Williams,
00:12:07I could get behind that.
00:12:09Do I think you are going
00:12:10to have a realistic chance
00:12:11of cashing that ticket
00:12:12or even getting a cash out option
00:12:15on the FanDuel Sportsbook
00:12:16throughout the NBA finals?
00:12:19Not really.
00:12:20Truthfully,
00:12:21it's the narrative behind it.
00:12:22And really,
00:12:22when you think about
00:12:23Oklahoma City
00:12:24winning this series quickly
00:12:26or winning the series at all,
00:12:28that happens
00:12:29because Shea Gilgis Alexander
00:12:30is performing at the MVP level.
00:12:32He has displayed
00:12:34throughout this season.
00:12:35Hour number two,
00:12:36fire saw around the NBA finals
00:12:38and a look at game one next.
00:12:41Hour number two,
00:12:42live right here on this Thursday
00:12:44on the early line
00:12:44on Sports Grid.
00:12:46He is Donnie Wright's side.
00:12:47I am Ben Stevens.
00:12:48It is day number one
00:12:50of the 2025 NBA finals.
00:12:52And in this second hour,
00:12:54we are fully dedicated
00:12:56to hoops.
00:12:57The coach,
00:12:57J.Y.
00:12:58James Young,
00:12:58will join us later on
00:13:00in this second hour
00:13:01for his full preview
00:13:02breakdown and prediction
00:13:04for the 2025 NBA finals
00:13:07who is crowned
00:13:08an NBA champ
00:13:09and in how many games
00:13:10here in this championship
00:13:12set between the Thunder
00:13:13and the Pacers.
00:13:14To start off
00:13:15this second hour
00:13:16with the biggest storylines
00:13:18and topics
00:13:18around the NBA finals,
00:13:20DRS and I play
00:13:21our favorite game.
00:13:22It's by herself.
00:13:25Love it.
00:13:26I love it.
00:13:26But I was waiting
00:13:26for a stinger
00:13:27to pop up right there
00:13:28for some reason
00:13:28the way you set that up.
00:13:29Like,
00:13:29do we have a stinger
00:13:30for buy or sell?
00:13:33Buy or sell.
00:13:34There you go.
00:13:35Now I'm ready.
00:13:36There used to be
00:13:37a buy or sell stinger.
00:13:38I think it's still
00:13:39probably somewhere
00:13:39deep in the archives
00:13:41of the Sports Grid Network,
00:13:43but we don't
00:13:44really use it anymore.
00:13:46Again,
00:13:47just an update here.
00:13:48Very hot here
00:13:49in the New York City area.
00:13:51The studio AC
00:13:52not working great
00:13:53here in New York.
00:13:54That's why
00:13:55I'm not in a jacket.
00:13:56The professional one,
00:13:57Donnie Wright side,
00:13:58but I will keep
00:13:59the professionalism
00:14:00throughout the entirety
00:14:01of this second hour
00:14:02and our two hours
00:14:03up until 11 a.m.
00:14:06Eastern time
00:14:07as we get you ready
00:14:08for the NBA Finals.
00:14:09We're DRS entering
00:14:11game number one tonight.
00:14:12A large conversation
00:14:13already.
00:14:14It's not on the actual
00:14:16basketball,
00:14:17but the market size
00:14:18of both of our
00:14:19NBA championship teams.
00:14:21Indianapolis
00:14:22is TV and media market
00:14:24number 25
00:14:24in this country.
00:14:26Oklahoma City
00:14:27is media market
00:14:28number 47.
00:14:30We have already
00:14:30seen people bemoan
00:14:32the very idea,
00:14:33oh, the TV ratings
00:14:35are going to suck.
00:14:36Oh, it's an indication
00:14:37when you don't have
00:14:38a West Coast team
00:14:39or a team like
00:14:40the New York Knicks
00:14:41or the Boston Celtics,
00:14:43you're never going
00:14:44to have a successful
00:14:45audience for the
00:14:47NBA Finals.
00:14:48Here are the lowest
00:14:49rated NBA Finals
00:14:50since 1986.
00:14:52The bubble here
00:14:53between the Lakers
00:14:54and the Heat
00:14:547.45 mil
00:14:57back in 07
00:14:58Spurs and Cavaliers.
00:14:59That was LeBron James.
00:15:01That was that lowly
00:15:02rated 929
00:15:04in terms of
00:15:05million Spurs
00:15:06and Nets
00:15:069.86 mil
00:15:08the Bucks
00:15:09and the Suns
00:15:10back in 2021.
00:15:11That was also
00:15:12sub 10 million
00:15:13even last year
00:15:14DRS
00:15:15because we did not
00:15:16expect it to be
00:15:17all that competitive
00:15:18despite Luka Doncic
00:15:20and the Dallas Mavericks
00:15:21and the Celtics
00:15:22getting back
00:15:23to an NBA championship
00:15:25and their 18th
00:15:26and record-setting banner
00:15:2711.31 million viewers
00:15:31on average
00:15:32throughout that series.
00:15:34So the buy or sell
00:15:35question to you DRS
00:15:36the NBA Finals
00:15:37TV ratings
00:15:38are not
00:15:40a big deal.
00:15:41They're apparently
00:15:42not a big deal
00:15:43because the NBA ratings
00:15:44have been drastically
00:15:45dropping for years
00:15:46but also the payrolls
00:15:47have been going up higher
00:15:48and the ratings
00:15:49for the TV
00:15:50don't really matter
00:15:51to how much money
00:15:51the NBA is making.
00:15:53So I always like
00:15:53to make a big deal
00:15:54out of it
00:15:54because I always
00:15:55expect me
00:15:56like Donnie's
00:15:56the common man
00:15:57watching sports
00:15:58at times.
00:15:58Like I love the NFL
00:15:59so does everybody else
00:16:00we all watch it.
00:16:01College football
00:16:02when it heads
00:16:02and you have big games
00:16:03on a Saturday night
00:16:03we all watch that
00:16:04we get it.
00:16:05But the NBA
00:16:05has done this
00:16:06to themselves
00:16:06because it's
00:16:07oversaturation
00:16:07of the marketplace
00:16:08and also the players
00:16:10understand that
00:16:10nothing is about
00:16:11the regular season anymore
00:16:12which is where
00:16:13you're supposed to
00:16:13build the momentum
00:16:14and the hype
00:16:14all the way through
00:16:15and then you just
00:16:16get dropped into the playoffs
00:16:17where teams
00:16:17and players
00:16:18start to care.
00:16:19But I do look at that
00:16:20and I think it's interesting
00:16:21because like the Spurs
00:16:22like going back
00:16:23Ben you know
00:16:24me being in
00:16:26like my prime
00:16:26like in 07 right
00:16:27like not old yet
00:16:29at this point
00:16:29still living out
00:16:30some fun fantasies
00:16:31over here.
00:16:32The Spurs were
00:16:33so damn boring.
00:16:34They were like
00:16:34they had
00:16:35even Donnie
00:16:35with that
00:16:35Tim Duncan
00:16:36Mano Ginobili
00:16:37they were so damn
00:16:38boring that nobody
00:16:39wanted to watch
00:16:39which is exciting
00:16:40because you say
00:16:41that the Cavaliers
00:16:42and that has
00:16:43LeBron James
00:16:43so that's why
00:16:44those numbers
00:16:44were low.
00:16:45The Spurs
00:16:45were the most
00:16:45boring team
00:16:46in the NBA
00:16:46and they were
00:16:47tiresome
00:16:48because they
00:16:48weren't villainous
00:16:49like you want
00:16:50a villain
00:16:51you want
00:16:51to have half
00:16:52the country
00:16:52hate that team
00:16:53who hated
00:16:54the Spurs
00:16:54like they're
00:16:55all likable
00:16:55guys
00:16:56they played
00:16:56a boring
00:16:56ass band
00:16:57of basketball
00:16:57that's why
00:16:58those numbers
00:16:58were lower
00:16:59really
00:16:59growing up
00:17:00growing up
00:17:00I hated
00:17:01the Spurs
00:17:02as a Lakers
00:17:03fan for the
00:17:03entirety of
00:17:04my life
00:17:05in the Kobe
00:17:05and Shaq
00:17:06era
00:17:06I hated
00:17:07San Antonio
00:17:08I hated
00:17:09Tony Paquette
00:17:10and Manu Ginobili
00:17:11and Tim Duncan
00:17:12I loved
00:17:13but their brand
00:17:14of basketball
00:17:14was beautiful
00:17:15the efficiency
00:17:16the passing
00:17:17Greg Popovich
00:17:18and the mastermind
00:17:19that he is
00:17:20San Antonio
00:17:21also
00:17:21not the largest
00:17:23TV market
00:17:24I do believe
00:17:25it is top 20
00:17:26it's a good one
00:17:26that's a little bit
00:17:27surprising
00:17:27I mean New Jersey
00:17:29and LeBron
00:17:29and also
00:17:30that one with
00:17:31the Cavaliers
00:17:31that one with
00:17:33the Cavaliers
00:17:33series too
00:17:34I think that was
00:17:34over quickly
00:17:35was that LeBron's
00:17:35first trip to the
00:17:36finals I want to
00:17:37say back in
00:17:3707
00:17:38they got wiped
00:17:39out pretty quickly
00:17:40he had a nice
00:17:41run through the
00:17:42Eastern Conference
00:17:43and a lot of fun
00:17:44beating Detroit
00:17:44once they got there
00:17:45they were out of
00:17:46gas
00:17:46and I think
00:17:46everybody knows
00:17:47like yeah
00:17:47I like LeBron
00:17:48James
00:17:48but this isn't
00:17:49all that competitive
00:17:50at this point
00:17:50but it is
00:17:51interesting to see
00:17:52some of those
00:17:52numbers of where
00:17:53they were back
00:17:53in the 80s
00:17:54and 90s
00:17:54but that's
00:17:56like the Super Bowl
00:17:57right
00:17:57most ratings
00:17:58are dropping
00:17:59at that point
00:17:59but I do blame
00:18:00this on the
00:18:01overall product
00:18:02of the NBA
00:18:02you keep people
00:18:04away as opposed
00:18:05to draw them in
00:18:06and it's going
00:18:06to hurt you
00:18:07when you get
00:18:07to the finals
00:18:07it just does
00:18:08do we add
00:18:10another note
00:18:11to the GOAT
00:18:11debate between
00:18:12LeBron James
00:18:13and Michael Jordan
00:18:14the two lowest
00:18:15rated NBA
00:18:16finals since
00:18:171986
00:18:18both featured
00:18:19LeBron James
00:18:20in 2020
00:18:21as a Laker
00:18:22in 2007
00:18:24as a Cavalier
00:18:26just something
00:18:26to be noted
00:18:28there
00:18:28the buy or sell
00:18:29question
00:18:29the NBA
00:18:30finals TV
00:18:31ratings
00:18:31are not
00:18:32a big deal
00:18:33I'm actually
00:18:34going to sell
00:18:34that slightly
00:18:35although I do
00:18:36not believe
00:18:36in the sports
00:18:37fan that yells
00:18:38ah the ratings
00:18:39the ratings
00:18:40the ratings
00:18:40and still ends
00:18:42up watching
00:18:42the NBA
00:18:43finals
00:18:43for the league
00:18:44it doesn't
00:18:45really matter
00:18:45there is already
00:18:46a set amount
00:18:47of money
00:18:48based on the
00:18:49most recent
00:18:50TV contract
00:18:51that the NBA
00:18:51knows they are
00:18:52getting paid
00:18:53out
00:18:53which has
00:18:54basically been
00:18:54the case
00:18:55since the
00:18:56last decade
00:18:56did it hurt
00:18:57the NBA
00:18:58in their
00:18:59negotiations
00:18:59of their
00:19:00newest TV
00:19:01deal
00:19:01starting next
00:19:02season
00:19:02no
00:19:03not really
00:19:04the TV
00:19:05ratings
00:19:06overall
00:19:06for the
00:19:07NBA
00:19:07dropping
00:19:07throughout
00:19:08the entirety
00:19:09of the
00:19:09regular season
00:19:10that's probably
00:19:11a different
00:19:11conversation
00:19:12for a
00:19:13different
00:19:14time
00:19:14I think
00:19:15the issue
00:19:15though
00:19:16DRS
00:19:16in terms
00:19:17of the
00:19:17overwhelming
00:19:18volume
00:19:18of audience
00:19:19really is
00:19:20based not
00:19:21on the
00:19:21media markets
00:19:22or the
00:19:22teams
00:19:23or where
00:19:23they play
00:19:24it's the
00:19:25competition
00:19:25level
00:19:26of this
00:19:26series
00:19:27so that
00:19:27is the
00:19:28critical
00:19:28nature
00:19:29of game
00:19:29number
00:19:30one
00:19:30tonight
00:19:30that of
00:19:31course
00:19:31features
00:19:32a nine
00:19:32point spread
00:19:33in favor
00:19:34of OKC
00:19:36the odds
00:19:36for tonight's
00:19:37opening game
00:19:38of the NBA
00:19:39finals
00:19:40now at
00:19:40nine and a
00:19:40half
00:19:41in favor
00:19:42of the
00:19:42Thunder
00:19:42with a
00:19:43total
00:19:43of 230
00:19:44and a
00:19:46hook
00:19:46so as
00:19:46we look
00:19:47at the
00:19:48game one
00:19:48in series
00:19:49parlay
00:19:50you pick
00:19:51the winner
00:19:51of the
00:19:51opening game
00:19:52and the
00:19:53winner
00:19:53of this
00:19:53series
00:19:54of course
00:19:54Oklahoma
00:19:55City
00:19:55nine and a
00:19:56half point
00:19:56favorite
00:19:57tonight
00:19:57minus 700
00:19:58to be crowned
00:19:59an NBA
00:19:59champion
00:20:00for them
00:20:01to win
00:20:01both
00:20:01this game
00:20:02in the
00:20:03entirety
00:20:03of this
00:20:04series
00:20:04is minus
00:20:05290
00:20:06and you
00:20:06see the
00:20:07very lofty
00:20:08plus money
00:20:09prices
00:20:09in any
00:20:10different
00:20:11iteration
00:20:11so buy
00:20:12or sell
00:20:12DRS
00:20:13the series
00:20:14is already
00:20:15over
00:20:16if the
00:20:16Thunder
00:20:17win
00:20:17if the
00:20:17Thunder
00:20:18excuse me
00:20:18win game
00:20:19number one
00:20:19yeah I
00:20:20think the
00:20:20series is
00:20:21already
00:20:21over
00:20:21where
00:20:21Oklahoma
00:20:22City
00:20:23wins
00:20:23either
00:20:23way
00:20:23so if
00:20:24you
00:20:24are
00:20:24betting
00:20:24to say
00:20:25you know
00:20:25what
00:20:25why would
00:20:26I take
00:20:26a series
00:20:26price
00:20:27right now
00:20:27of minus
00:20:28700
00:20:29when you're
00:20:29a 10
00:20:30point
00:20:30favorite
00:20:31give or take
00:20:31you're in
00:20:31game number
00:20:32one
00:20:32and the
00:20:33expectations
00:20:33you're going
00:20:33to win
00:20:34that game
00:20:34and also
00:20:34the series
00:20:35that is a
00:20:36great discount
00:20:37and a great
00:20:37way to bet
00:20:37it because
00:20:38those people
00:20:38as I said
00:20:39most people
00:20:40aren't looking
00:20:40to bet
00:20:40a minus
00:20:40700
00:20:41you might
00:20:41get some
00:20:42people to
00:20:42bite
00:20:42it a
00:20:42minus
00:20:43290
00:20:43going
00:20:43like
00:20:43I'm
00:20:44getting
00:20:44a
00:20:44money
00:20:44line
00:20:45game
00:20:45number
00:20:45one
00:20:46on a
00:20:46nine
00:20:46and a
00:20:46half
00:20:46point
00:20:47spread
00:20:47and then
00:20:47if they
00:20:48win that
00:20:48game
00:20:48which you're
00:20:48supposed to
00:20:49I'm
00:20:501-0
00:20:50in a
00:20:50series
00:20:50I already
00:20:51thought I was
00:20:51going to win
00:20:52before entering
00:20:53into game
00:20:53number one
00:20:54that's a
00:20:54great bet
00:20:55at minus
00:20:55290
00:20:55that's
00:20:56definitely
00:20:56the way
00:20:57I would
00:20:57go
00:20:57that's
00:20:59a really
00:20:59good bet
00:21:00at minus
00:21:00290
00:21:01money line
00:21:02price
00:21:02currently on
00:21:03the Thunder
00:21:03minus
00:21:04420
00:21:05NBA
00:21:05finals
00:21:06price
00:21:06on the
00:21:07Thunder
00:21:07minus
00:21:08700
00:21:08now you
00:21:09can't
00:21:09combine
00:21:10those
00:21:10two
00:21:10options
00:21:11on the
00:21:12FanDuel
00:21:12sports book
00:21:13but that
00:21:13minus
00:21:13290
00:21:14price
00:21:14is an
00:21:15absolute
00:21:16gem
00:21:16is it
00:21:16still
00:21:17chalky
00:21:17is it
00:21:17nearly
00:21:18three
00:21:18dollars
00:21:18of
00:21:18minus
00:21:19money
00:21:19absolutely
00:21:20but in
00:21:21relative
00:21:21comparison
00:21:22based on
00:21:23value
00:21:23really good
00:21:24number
00:21:24on OKC
00:21:26more around
00:21:26the NBA
00:21:27finals
00:21:27next
00:21:28it is
00:21:29the opening
00:21:30night of
00:21:30the 2025
00:21:31NBA
00:21:31finals
00:21:32tonight
00:21:32in Oklahoma
00:21:33City
00:21:34the Thunder
00:21:34back in
00:21:35the championship
00:21:35series
00:21:36for the
00:21:37first time
00:21:37since
00:21:382012
00:21:38for the
00:21:39Indiana
00:21:39Pacers
00:21:40they're
00:21:40back
00:21:41in the
00:21:41NBA
00:21:41finals
00:21:42for the
00:21:42first time
00:21:43in two
00:21:43and a
00:21:44half
00:21:44decades
00:21:44since
00:21:45the year
00:21:452000
00:21:46and for
00:21:47OKC
00:21:47the last
00:21:48time they
00:21:48played
00:21:49in the
00:21:49NBA
00:21:50finals
00:21:50it was
00:21:50guys
00:21:51like
00:21:51Kevin
00:21:51Durant
00:21:52Russell
00:21:52Westbrook
00:21:53and James
00:21:54Harden
00:21:54leading the
00:21:54way
00:21:55now it's
00:21:56Shea Gilgis
00:21:56Alexander
00:21:57the NBA
00:21:58MVP
00:21:58this season
00:21:59for the
00:21:59first time
00:22:00in his
00:22:00career
00:22:01the Western
00:22:01Conference
00:22:02finals
00:22:02MVP
00:22:03winner
00:22:03as well
00:22:04all
00:22:05NBA
00:22:05first team
00:22:06he was an
00:22:06all-star
00:22:07starter
00:22:07led the
00:22:08league
00:22:08in points
00:22:09as well
00:22:10the scoring
00:22:10champion
00:22:11at nearly
00:22:1233 points
00:22:13per game
00:22:1432.7
00:22:15to be
00:22:16exact
00:22:17he is also
00:22:18with his
00:22:18Thunder
00:22:19team
00:22:19a minus
00:22:20700
00:22:20series
00:22:21outright
00:22:21favorite
00:22:22the minus
00:22:22550
00:22:23favorite
00:22:24to win
00:22:24NBA
00:22:24finals
00:22:25MVP
00:22:25we all
00:22:26anticipate
00:22:27DRS
00:22:27that if
00:22:28Oklahoma City
00:22:29is being
00:22:29crowned
00:22:29NBA
00:22:30champion
00:22:30that
00:22:31Gilgis
00:22:31Alexander
00:22:32is adding
00:22:32to the
00:22:33trophy
00:22:33shelf
00:22:33as well
00:22:34with that
00:22:35finals
00:22:35MVP
00:22:36hardware
00:22:36so
00:22:37with that
00:22:38in mind
00:22:38buy or
00:22:39sell to
00:22:39you
00:22:39with an
00:22:40NBA
00:22:40title
00:22:41SGA
00:22:42is
00:22:42officially
00:22:43the best
00:22:44player
00:22:44in the
00:22:45world
00:22:45nope
00:22:46because if
00:22:47you had
00:22:47a draft
00:22:47that said
00:22:48I want
00:22:48to start
00:22:48my
00:22:48franchise
00:22:49tomorrow
00:22:49SGA
00:22:50probably
00:22:50wouldn't
00:22:50be
00:22:50taken
00:22:51number
00:22:51one
00:22:51overall
00:22:52and
00:22:52that's
00:22:52how I
00:22:52would
00:22:52grade
00:22:52it
00:22:53is he
00:22:53the best
00:22:53based on
00:22:54the accolades
00:22:54this season
00:22:55with his team
00:22:55winning a
00:22:56championship
00:22:56absolutely
00:22:57it's easy
00:22:57to say
00:22:58but for me
00:22:58to be the
00:22:58best player
00:22:59in the
00:22:59world
00:22:59you have
00:22:59to actually
00:23:00be the
00:23:01best player
00:23:01in the
00:23:01world
00:23:02which means
00:23:02when the
00:23:03money is
00:23:03there
00:23:03and the
00:23:04other teams
00:23:04have their
00:23:05say
00:23:05he's probably
00:23:06not going
00:23:06to go
00:23:06number one
00:23:07maybe
00:23:07Nikola Jokic
00:23:08maybe even
00:23:08Giannis
00:23:08Antetokounmpo
00:23:09creeps up
00:23:09in there
00:23:10but I don't
00:23:10think SGA
00:23:10would be
00:23:11number one
00:23:11overall
00:23:12and also
00:23:12if you
00:23:13just left
00:23:13it up
00:23:13to the
00:23:14public
00:23:14there's
00:23:14a lot
00:23:15of people
00:23:15that don't
00:23:15like SGA's
00:23:16game
00:23:16how could
00:23:17that be
00:23:17MVP of
00:23:18the league
00:23:18he's sensational
00:23:19the team
00:23:19is fantastic
00:23:20they're about
00:23:20to win a
00:23:21championship
00:23:21oh he
00:23:22gets to the
00:23:23foul line
00:23:23he's one
00:23:23of those
00:23:24merchants
00:23:24there that
00:23:25just lives
00:23:25off of that
00:23:26and tilts
00:23:26his head
00:23:26back at
00:23:27every point
00:23:27of contact
00:23:27here
00:23:28I'm not
00:23:28saying I
00:23:29do that
00:23:29but that's
00:23:29just the
00:23:29relativity
00:23:30of what
00:23:31the masses
00:23:31are talking
00:23:32about
00:23:32but for
00:23:32me SGA
00:23:33is a great
00:23:34player
00:23:34this isn't
00:23:35a knock
00:23:35but no
00:23:36I'm not
00:23:36going to give
00:23:37him the title
00:23:37of the best
00:23:38player in the
00:23:38world
00:23:39yeah me
00:23:40neither
00:23:41I'm selling
00:23:41that notion
00:23:42as well
00:23:42the accolades
00:23:43are there
00:23:44is Shea
00:23:44Gildress
00:23:44Alexander
00:23:45a surefire
00:23:46top five
00:23:47top three
00:23:47player in
00:23:48the NBA
00:23:48even if the
00:23:49Pacers pull
00:23:50off a mighty
00:23:51upset
00:23:51here in the
00:23:52NBA finals
00:23:52no doubt
00:23:53about it
00:23:54the best
00:23:54player in
00:23:55the world
00:23:55when it
00:23:55comes to
00:23:56basketball
00:23:56is still
00:23:57Nikoli
00:23:57Okic
00:23:57until that
00:23:58is proven
00:23:59otherwise
00:23:59he has
00:24:00won three
00:24:00NBA
00:24:01MVPs
00:24:02in the
00:24:02last five
00:24:03years
00:24:03he is one
00:24:03of nine
00:24:04players
00:24:04ever
00:24:05in the
00:24:05history
00:24:05of the
00:24:06association
00:24:06with three
00:24:07MVP
00:24:08awards
00:24:09and he
00:24:09also has
00:24:10an NBA
00:24:10championship
00:24:11to boot
00:24:11as a part
00:24:12of his
00:24:12career
00:24:13accolades
00:24:13SGA
00:24:14top three
00:24:15no doubt
00:24:16about it
00:24:16does that
00:24:16resume
00:24:17get solidified
00:24:18with a
00:24:18Larry O'Brien
00:24:19trophy
00:24:20and an
00:24:20NBA
00:24:20finals
00:24:21MVP
00:24:21award
00:24:22for sure
00:24:23best player
00:24:23in the
00:24:24world
00:24:24because of
00:24:25it
00:24:25nope
00:24:25selling
00:24:26that
00:24:26notion
00:24:27as well
00:24:28it's
00:24:28funny
00:24:29DRS
00:24:29that you
00:24:30mentioned
00:24:30the idea
00:24:31of Shea
00:24:31Gildress
00:24:31Alexander
00:24:32and his
00:24:33style of
00:24:33play
00:24:34often times
00:24:35when he
00:24:35has been
00:24:36in prime
00:24:36time
00:24:37in the
00:24:37national
00:24:37landscape
00:24:38here
00:24:38throughout
00:24:39this
00:24:39postseason
00:24:40one of
00:24:40the first
00:24:41topics
00:24:41when it
00:24:42comes to
00:24:42SGA
00:24:43on the
00:24:43hardwood
00:24:44is being
00:24:45labeled a
00:24:45foul merchant
00:24:46foul baiting
00:24:47getting a ton
00:24:49of fouls
00:24:49called
00:24:50against him
00:24:50when the
00:24:51defense is
00:24:52trying to
00:24:52play with
00:24:53that intensity
00:24:53and physicality
00:24:55throughout the
00:24:55postseason
00:24:56free throw
00:24:57attempts both
00:24:57for teams
00:24:59in the
00:24:59regular and
00:25:00postseason
00:25:01and for
00:25:02Shea
00:25:02Gildress
00:25:02Alexander
00:25:03individually
00:25:04shout out
00:25:04our guy
00:25:05Andrew
00:25:05Nembhardt
00:25:06making the
00:25:06graphic here
00:25:07Oklahoma City
00:25:08their average
00:25:09free throw
00:25:09attempts per
00:25:10game in the
00:25:10regular season
00:25:1120.4
00:25:12Indiana
00:25:13even more
00:25:1420.6
00:25:15but here
00:25:15in the
00:25:16postseason
00:25:16OKC
00:25:1724.1
00:25:18the Pacers
00:25:19on the
00:25:19other side
00:25:2023.8
00:25:22you see it
00:25:22there at
00:25:23the bottom
00:25:23SGA's
00:25:24regular
00:25:25in postseason
00:25:26free throw
00:25:26attempts
00:25:27has increased
00:25:28here in
00:25:29the playoffs
00:25:30so buy
00:25:30or sell
00:25:31DRS
00:25:32free throws
00:25:33in quote
00:25:34foul baiting
00:25:35will be a
00:25:36major storyline
00:25:36of the
00:25:37NBA Finals
00:25:38I'm going
00:25:38to sell
00:25:39it's just
00:25:39it's a
00:25:40minor caveat
00:25:40there
00:25:41maybe foul
00:25:41baiting
00:25:42would have
00:25:42been like
00:25:42if one
00:25:42team really
00:25:43gets the
00:25:43line the
00:25:44other team
00:25:44doesn't but
00:25:45they both
00:25:45get to the
00:25:45free throw
00:25:46line so I
00:25:46don't see
00:25:46what the
00:25:46issue is
00:25:47going to
00:25:48be like
00:25:48me growing
00:25:49up in
00:25:49the late
00:25:501980s and
00:25:51early 1990s
00:25:52and talk about
00:25:52all those
00:25:53Jordan runs
00:25:54just go back
00:25:54to YouTube
00:25:54you could
00:25:55probably type
00:25:55in like
00:25:55Jordan
00:25:56foul calls
00:25:56here
00:25:56it was
00:25:57hilarious
00:25:57how many
00:25:58calls he
00:25:58got that
00:25:58weren't even
00:25:59like at
00:25:59the rim
00:26:05that as
00:26:05well
00:26:05we don't
00:26:06want to
00:26:06see it
00:26:07being
00:26:07uneven
00:26:07the only
00:26:08way that
00:26:09we start
00:26:09to talk
00:26:09about it
00:26:10is if
00:26:10SGA is
00:26:11scoring 35
00:26:11points getting
00:26:1217 or
00:26:1318 from
00:26:14the free
00:26:14throw line
00:26:15and not
00:26:15actually happen
00:26:16to be
00:26:16challenged
00:26:16it's like
00:26:17I don't
00:26:17even see
00:26:17that foul
00:26:18this call
00:26:18and they're
00:26:18calling it
00:26:19I don't
00:26:19think that's
00:26:20the case
00:26:20here so
00:26:20for me
00:26:21both teams
00:26:21like to
00:26:21get to
00:26:22the free
00:26:22throw
00:26:22line I
00:26:23don't
00:26:23think that's
00:26:23going to
00:26:23be a
00:26:24big
00:26:24discrepancy
00:26:24between
00:26:25one team
00:26:25to the
00:26:26other so
00:26:26I don't
00:26:26think it's
00:26:27going to
00:26:27be a
00:26:27big deal
00:26:28overall
00:26:28in the
00:26:29series
00:26:29itself
00:26:29yeah
00:26:31DRS
00:26:31it is
00:26:32interesting
00:26:32that you
00:26:33bring up
00:26:33MJ
00:26:33right
00:26:34and you
00:26:34bring up
00:26:34the likes
00:26:35of the
00:26:35hand-checking
00:26:36era
00:26:36and what
00:26:37we all
00:26:37know
00:26:38Shea Gildas
00:26:38Alexander
00:26:39now averaging
00:26:409.2
00:26:41free throw
00:26:41attempts
00:26:42throughout
00:26:42this playoff
00:26:43run
00:26:44that's not
00:26:44even top
00:26:45200
00:26:46in the
00:26:46history
00:26:47of the
00:26:47NBA
00:26:48for an
00:26:48individual
00:26:49player
00:26:49in the
00:26:50postseason
00:26:51does it
00:26:51look a little
00:26:52bit different
00:26:52can you
00:26:53label him
00:26:53a foul
00:26:54merchant
00:26:54if you
00:26:55care to
00:26:55do so
00:26:56is it
00:26:56anything
00:26:57out of
00:26:58the
00:26:58ordinary
00:26:58in the
00:26:59history
00:26:59of the
00:26:59NBA
00:27:00not
00:27:01necessarily
00:27:02and listen
00:27:03it is a
00:27:03part of
00:27:04his game
00:27:05it is one
00:27:05of the
00:27:05reasons
00:27:06that he's
00:27:06the scoring
00:27:07champion
00:27:07in the
00:27:08NBA
00:27:09does it
00:27:09take away
00:27:10from the
00:27:10beauty
00:27:10of
00:27:11basketball
00:27:11not in
00:27:12my
00:27:12estimation
00:27:13however
00:27:14I think
00:27:15I'm going
00:27:15to buy
00:27:16that free
00:27:17throws
00:27:17and foul
00:27:18baiting
00:27:18and foul
00:27:19merchanting
00:27:20are going
00:27:21to be a
00:27:21storyline
00:27:22here in
00:27:23the NBA
00:27:23finals
00:27:24because
00:27:24we have
00:27:25seen it
00:27:26be a
00:27:26storyline
00:27:26for
00:27:27Shea
00:27:27Gilgis
00:27:27Alexander
00:27:28in
00:27:28Oklahoma
00:27:29City
00:27:29throughout
00:27:30their
00:27:30playoff
00:27:31run
00:27:31is it
00:27:32fair
00:27:32perhaps
00:27:33not
00:27:33will it
00:27:34be
00:27:34discussed
00:27:34I would
00:27:35say so
00:27:36but I think
00:27:36Donnie's point
00:27:37is the key
00:27:38for how we
00:27:39recap these games
00:27:40for how we react
00:27:41to the outcomes
00:27:42that we see
00:27:43and as we are
00:27:44following the
00:27:44games live
00:27:45if there are
00:27:46balanced free
00:27:47throw attempts
00:27:48on both sides
00:27:49for the Pacers
00:27:49as a whole
00:27:50for the Thunder
00:27:51as a whole
00:27:52it is a
00:27:53non-issue
00:27:54and to me
00:27:54that balanced
00:27:55DRS
00:27:56is going
00:27:56to be key
00:27:57and also
00:27:58I always love
00:27:59this too
00:27:59like oh man
00:28:00he gets to the
00:28:01line
00:28:01well why doesn't
00:28:02everybody do it
00:28:02because they can't
00:28:03that's why you
00:28:03can't just be a
00:28:04normal point guard
00:28:05like I'm just
00:28:05going to drive
00:28:05through the room
00:28:06and get fouled
00:28:06that's a unique
00:28:07skill requirement
00:28:08that allows you
00:28:09to not only
00:28:09beat your man
00:28:10at the top
00:28:10of the key
00:28:11go toe-to-toe
00:28:12with a 6-9
00:28:136-8 player
00:28:14in the low block
00:28:14and convert
00:28:15with contact
00:28:16and get the layup
00:28:17and get to the
00:28:17free throw line
00:28:18he does that well
00:28:19oh James Harden
00:28:20set the league
00:28:21back 30 years
00:28:21why didn't
00:28:22everybody else
00:28:22do it then
00:28:23because he had
00:28:23a unique skill
00:28:24that he used
00:28:24to an advantage
00:28:25that's what
00:28:25SGA does
00:28:26we'll talk more
00:28:28about this
00:28:29Oklahoma City
00:28:29core because
00:28:30of course
00:28:31they are one
00:28:31of the youngest
00:28:32teams in the
00:28:33NBA
00:28:33and a hefty
00:28:34favorite to win
00:28:35the NBA
00:28:35championship
00:28:36this season
00:28:37as well
00:28:38is it the start
00:28:39of quite a
00:28:40dynastic run
00:28:41coming in
00:28:42OKC
00:28:43we'll discuss
00:28:44next
00:28:44the Oklahoma
00:28:46City Thunder
00:28:47are a minus
00:28:48700 favorite
00:28:49to win the
00:28:49NBA championship
00:28:51to be crowned
00:28:51an NBA champion
00:28:52for the first
00:28:53time in their
00:28:5417 seasons
00:28:55in Oklahoma City
00:28:57for the second
00:28:58time as a
00:28:58franchise
00:28:59when you combine
00:29:00their years
00:29:00in Seattle
00:29:01as the
00:29:02Supersonics
00:29:03dating back
00:29:03to 1978
00:29:0479
00:29:05the first
00:29:06NBA title
00:29:07in the history
00:29:08of this
00:29:09organization
00:29:09and not only
00:29:10DRS
00:29:11are the Thunder
00:29:12a minus
00:29:12700 outright
00:29:13favorite
00:29:13to win that
00:29:14Larry O'Brien
00:29:15trophy
00:29:15the Oklahoma
00:29:16City Thunder
00:29:17are the youngest
00:29:17team
00:29:18on average
00:29:19age
00:29:19in the NBA
00:29:21you look at
00:29:21their starting
00:29:21five
00:29:22the MVP
00:29:22Shea Gildas
00:29:23Alexander
00:29:2426
00:29:25Lou Dort
00:29:26also 26
00:29:27Jalen Williams
00:29:2824
00:29:29Chet Holmgren
00:29:3023
00:29:31in his second
00:29:32fully healthy
00:29:33year
00:29:33in the NBA
00:29:34and even
00:29:35the offseason
00:29:35acquisition
00:29:36of the big
00:29:36man Isaiah
00:29:37Hartenstein
00:29:38he's only
00:29:3927
00:29:39years old
00:29:41with that
00:29:41on paper
00:29:42and Oklahoma
00:29:43City expected
00:29:44to win
00:29:44this NBA
00:29:45championship
00:29:45again a
00:29:46minus 700
00:29:47favorite
00:29:47to do
00:29:48exactly
00:29:48that
00:29:49are we
00:29:50seeing
00:29:50the start
00:29:50of a
00:29:51special
00:29:51and
00:29:52significant
00:29:52run
00:29:53for this
00:29:53Thunder
00:29:54franchise
00:29:54so buy
00:29:55or sell
00:29:55to you
00:29:56Donnie
00:29:56right side
00:29:57the Oklahoma
00:29:58City
00:29:58Thunder
00:29:58Corps
00:29:59will win
00:29:59three plus
00:30:00NBA
00:30:01championship
00:30:02I'm selling
00:30:03that
00:30:03I'm selling
00:30:04that too
00:30:04because there
00:30:05is a salary
00:30:05cap
00:30:06not necessarily
00:30:06a cap
00:30:07but how much
00:30:07you want
00:30:08to spend
00:30:08for a small
00:30:08market team
00:30:09but also
00:30:09how hard
00:30:10is it to
00:30:10win
00:30:11championships
00:30:11look at
00:30:12the Boston
00:30:12Celtics
00:30:13and their
00:30:14payroll
00:30:14and the amount
00:30:14of talent
00:30:15they have
00:30:15they must
00:30:16have five or
00:30:16six
00:30:17championships
00:30:17with Jason
00:30:18Taylor
00:30:18they got
00:30:18one
00:30:19and that
00:30:19might be
00:30:19all the
00:30:20Celtics
00:30:20get
00:30:21which is
00:30:21incredible
00:30:21because
00:30:22you can
00:30:22never
00:30:23plan
00:30:23for the
00:30:23future
00:30:24of you
00:30:24being
00:30:25healthy
00:30:25and everybody
00:30:26playing the
00:30:26exact same
00:30:27way
00:30:27it's hard
00:30:28to go
00:30:28through an
00:30:28entire season
00:30:29understand this
00:30:29when we talk
00:30:30about the NFL
00:30:31it's like boy
00:30:31one team
00:30:32plays in week
00:30:32one one
00:30:33team goes
00:30:33all the way
00:30:34to the
00:30:34Super Bowl
00:30:34now that
00:30:35all season
00:30:36is even
00:30:36shorter
00:30:36at that
00:30:37point to
00:30:37try to
00:30:37get ready
00:30:38for next
00:30:38year
00:30:38then you
00:30:39have the
00:30:39target
00:30:39on your
00:30:40back
00:30:40other
00:30:40teams
00:30:41are going
00:30:41to
00:30:41retool
00:30:41so you
00:30:42have to
00:30:42be not
00:30:42only as
00:30:43good
00:30:43but probably
00:30:44even better
00:30:44just to
00:30:45get back
00:30:45to the
00:30:46NBA
00:30:46finals
00:30:46in the
00:30:47next
00:30:47year
00:30:47you might
00:30:48have
00:30:48changed
00:30:48my
00:30:49opinion
00:30:49if it
00:30:49said
00:30:49okay
00:30:50have a
00:30:50two
00:30:51plus
00:30:51NBA
00:30:51championships
00:30:52which
00:30:52the score
00:30:53because we're
00:30:53counting one
00:30:54for this
00:30:54year
00:30:55which means
00:30:55maybe we
00:30:55can steal
00:30:56another
00:30:56one
00:30:56in the
00:30:57next
00:30:57three
00:30:57to
00:30:57four
00:30:58years
00:30:58which
00:30:58would
00:30:58be
00:30:58amazing
00:30:59to have
00:30:59two
00:30:59championships
00:31:00within
00:31:00five
00:31:01years
00:31:01in the
00:31:01NBA
00:31:02but for
00:31:02me
00:31:03I'm
00:31:03gonna have
00:31:03to sell
00:31:04that
00:31:04because
00:31:04three
00:31:05plus
00:31:05championships
00:31:05is hard
00:31:06enough
00:31:06for any
00:31:07group
00:31:07non-salary
00:31:08cap
00:31:08everybody's
00:31:09young
00:31:09I don't
00:31:10care
00:31:10it's
00:31:10almost
00:31:11impossible
00:31:11to do
00:31:11in this
00:31:12day and age
00:31:12without maybe
00:31:13the best
00:31:13player
00:31:14of all
00:31:14time
00:31:14let's
00:31:14talk
00:31:15about
00:31:15maybe
00:31:15a
00:31:15Michael
00:31:15Jordan
00:31:16back
00:31:16in the
00:31:1690s
00:31:17did it
00:31:17twice
00:31:17three
00:31:18and
00:31:18three
00:31:19having
00:31:19a year
00:31:19off
00:31:20there
00:31:20with
00:31:20retirement
00:31:20here
00:31:21so
00:31:21for
00:31:21me
00:31:21it's
00:31:21a
00:31:22great
00:31:22basketball
00:31:22team
00:31:22they
00:31:23might
00:31:23get
00:31:23two
00:31:23but
00:31:24I
00:31:24got
00:31:24to
00:31:24sell
00:31:24three
00:31:25that's
00:31:25a lot
00:31:25I
00:31:27think
00:31:27we're
00:31:27kind
00:31:27of
00:31:27looking
00:31:28for
00:31:28that
00:31:28dynasty
00:31:29of
00:31:29course
00:31:29in
00:31:30the
00:31:30NBA
00:31:30in
00:31:31the
00:31:312020s
00:31:32in
00:31:32this
00:31:32decade
00:31:33of
00:31:33course
00:31:33in
00:31:33the
00:31:332010s
00:31:34it
00:31:35was
00:31:35the
00:31:35Golden
00:31:35State
00:31:35Warriors
00:31:36the
00:31:36decade
00:31:37prior
00:31:37the
00:31:37Los
00:31:37Angeles
00:31:38Lakers
00:31:38of
00:31:39course
00:31:39a
00:31:39couple
00:31:40of
00:31:40times
00:31:40both
00:31:40in
00:31:40the
00:31:40early
00:31:412000s
00:31:42and
00:31:42later
00:31:42with
00:31:42Kobe
00:31:43Brian
00:31:43and
00:31:44Paul
00:31:44Gasol
00:31:44but
00:31:45DRS
00:31:45we
00:31:45are
00:31:46seeing
00:31:46something
00:31:46here
00:31:47that
00:31:47regardless
00:31:47of
00:31:48who
00:31:48ends
00:31:48up
00:31:48hoisting
00:31:49that
00:31:49Larry
00:31:49O'Brien
00:31:50trophy
00:31:50at
00:31:51the
00:31:51end
00:31:51of
00:31:51this
00:31:51NBA
00:31:52finals
00:31:52we
00:31:53are
00:31:53going
00:31:53to
00:31:53see
00:31:53our
00:31:53seventh
00:31:54different
00:31:55NBA
00:31:55champion
00:31:56in
00:31:56the
00:31:56last
00:31:57seven
00:31:57years
00:31:57it's
00:31:58probably
00:31:58a
00:31:58stat
00:31:58you
00:31:58have
00:31:59all
00:31:59well
00:31:59seen
00:31:59publicized
00:32:00the
00:32:01idea
00:32:01of
00:32:01parody
00:32:01now
00:32:02in
00:32:02the
00:32:03association
00:32:03the
00:32:04super
00:32:04team
00:32:04era
00:32:05kind
00:32:05of
00:32:06on
00:32:06its
00:32:06decline
00:32:07the
00:32:07homegrown
00:32:08stars
00:32:08of
00:32:08trusting
00:32:09what
00:32:09you
00:32:10have
00:32:10done
00:32:10and
00:32:10slugging
00:32:11through
00:32:11some
00:32:11difficult
00:32:11years
00:32:12is
00:32:13what
00:32:1840
00:32:19and
00:32:1942
00:32:19before
00:32:20they
00:32:20won
00:32:2057
00:32:21games
00:32:21a
00:32:21season
00:32:22ago
00:32:22was
00:32:23the
00:32:23West
00:32:23number
00:32:23one
00:32:24seed
00:32:24and
00:32:24now
00:32:24for
00:32:24a
00:32:24second
00:32:25consecutive
00:32:25year
00:32:26of
00:32:26course
00:32:26the
00:32:27number
00:32:27one
00:32:27seed
00:32:27in
00:32:27the
00:32:27Western
00:32:28Conference
00:32:2868
00:32:29and
00:32:2914
00:32:2980
00:32:30wins
00:32:31in
00:32:31total
00:32:31regular
00:32:32and
00:32:32post
00:32:33season
00:32:33fourth
00:32:33team
00:32:34in
00:32:34NBA
00:32:34history
00:32:34to
00:32:35do
00:32:35that
00:32:35joining
00:32:36the
00:32:36Golden
00:32:36State
00:32:36Warriors
00:32:37in
00:32:372015
00:32:3816
00:32:38in
00:32:39the
00:32:39Chicago
00:32:39Bulls
00:32:40led
00:32:40by
00:32:40MJ
00:32:41in
00:32:4195
00:32:4296
00:32:4296
00:32:4397
00:32:43of
00:32:44course
00:32:44the
00:32:45end
00:32:45of
00:32:45the
00:32:45last
00:32:46dance
00:32:46in
00:32:47Chicago
00:32:47am
00:32:48I
00:32:48going
00:32:48to
00:32:48buy
00:32:48three
00:32:49plus
00:32:49no
00:32:50for
00:32:51the
00:32:51same
00:32:51reasons
00:32:52that
00:32:52Donnie
00:32:53just
00:32:53highlighted
00:32:54now
00:32:54you'll
00:32:54hear
00:32:54about
00:32:55aprons
00:32:55which
00:32:56took
00:32:56effect
00:32:57in
00:32:57the
00:32:57NBA
00:32:57last
00:32:58offseason
00:32:59in
00:32:592024
00:33:00the
00:33:00first
00:33:00apron
00:33:01in
00:33:02the
00:33:02second
00:33:02apron
00:33:02that
00:33:03once
00:33:03you
00:33:03go
00:33:03through
00:33:03that
00:33:04second
00:33:04apron
00:33:04threshold
00:33:05based
00:33:06on
00:33:06spending
00:33:07intense
00:33:08penalties
00:33:08for
00:33:09roster
00:33:09construction
00:33:10exceptions
00:33:11both
00:33:11in
00:33:11salary
00:33:12and
00:33:12trades
00:33:13and
00:33:13how
00:33:14you
00:33:14are
00:33:14able
00:33:14to
00:33:14build
00:33:15out
00:33:15your
00:33:15team
00:33:16and
00:33:16as
00:33:16DRS
00:33:17alluded
00:33:17to
00:33:17is
00:33:18Oklahoma
00:33:19City
00:33:19as
00:33:20one
00:33:20of
00:33:20those
00:33:20smaller
00:33:20markets
00:33:21willing
00:33:21to
00:33:22spend
00:33:22on
00:33:22the
00:33:23luxury
00:33:23tax
00:33:23dollars
00:33:24that
00:33:24are
00:33:24needed
00:33:25to
00:33:25maintain
00:33:26all
00:33:26of
00:33:26these
00:33:26guys
00:33:27that
00:33:27should
00:33:27see
00:33:28the
00:33:28highest
00:33:29of
00:33:29dollars
00:33:30in
00:33:30their
00:33:30salaries
00:33:31when
00:33:31those
00:33:31second
00:33:32deals
00:33:32are
00:33:32coming
00:33:33for
00:33:33Jalen
00:33:33Williams
00:33:34and
00:33:34Chet
00:33:34Holmgren
00:33:35that
00:33:35is
00:33:36going
00:33:36to
00:33:36be
00:33:36the
00:33:36question
00:33:37so
00:33:37I
00:33:37am
00:33:37going
00:33:37to
00:33:37sell
00:33:38three
00:33:38plus
00:33:38and
00:33:39a
00:33:39lot
00:33:39of
00:33:39that
00:33:39DRS
00:33:40is
00:33:40the
00:33:41Western
00:33:41Conference
00:33:41is
00:33:42going
00:33:42to
00:33:42be
00:33:42loaded
00:33:42year
00:33:43in
00:33:43year
00:33:43out
00:33:44that's
00:33:44probably
00:33:44for
00:33:45me
00:33:45first
00:33:45and
00:33:45foremost
00:33:46yeah
00:33:47there's
00:33:47still
00:33:47business
00:33:47man
00:33:48look at
00:33:48Wick
00:33:48Grossbuck
00:33:48and why
00:33:49would
00:33:49he
00:33:49sell
00:33:49the
00:33:49Celtics
00:33:50at
00:33:50this
00:33:50point
00:33:50you
00:33:50see
00:33:50what
00:33:51their
00:33:51salary
00:33:51cap
00:33:51number
00:33:51is
00:33:52going
00:33:52to
00:33:52be
00:33:52same
00:33:52thing
00:33:52in
00:33:53Minnesota
00:33:53do
00:33:53you
00:33:53see
00:33:53what
00:33:54their
00:33:54salary
00:33:54cap
00:33:54going
00:33:54to
00:33:55be
00:33:55in
00:33:55a
00:33:55couple
00:33:55years
00:33:55some
00:33:56guys
00:33:56like
00:33:56hey
00:33:56get
00:33:57in
00:33:57while
00:33:57getting
00:33:58this
00:33:58good
00:33:58but
00:33:58I'm
00:33:59getting
00:33:59out
00:33:59once
00:33:59it
00:33:59gets
00:34:00expensive
00:34:00it's
00:34:01about
00:34:01to
00:34:01get
00:34:01expensive
00:34:01in
00:34:02OKC
00:34:02it
00:34:03certainly
00:34:04is
00:34:04the
00:34:04coach
00:34:05it
00:34:05is
00:34:07the
00:34:08opening
00:34:08day
00:34:08of
00:34:08the
00:34:082025
00:34:09NBA
00:34:10finals
00:34:10so
00:34:11for
00:34:11the
00:34:11remainder
00:34:11of
00:34:12this
00:34:12second
00:34:12hour
00:34:13the
00:34:13coach
00:34:13J.Y.
00:34:14James
00:34:15Young
00:34:15is
00:34:15here
00:34:16to
00:34:16preview
00:34:16the
00:34:17entirety
00:34:17of
00:34:18this
00:34:18series
00:34:18who
00:34:19wins
00:34:19and
00:34:19in
00:34:24a
00:34:25hefty
00:34:25favorite
00:34:25J.Y.
00:34:26not
00:34:26just
00:34:27in
00:34:27game
00:34:27one
00:34:27but
00:34:28the
00:34:28entirety
00:34:29of
00:34:29the
00:34:29NBA
00:34:30finals
00:34:30more
00:34:30likely
00:34:31than
00:34:31not
00:34:31to
00:34:32be
00:34:32crowned
00:34:32an
00:34:33NBA
00:34:33champion
00:34:33we
00:34:34appreciate
00:34:34your
00:34:35insight
00:34:35and
00:34:36your
00:34:36full
00:34:36NBA
00:34:36final
00:34:37scouting
00:34:37report
00:34:38here
00:34:38on
00:34:38this
00:34:38Thursday
00:34:39good
00:34:40to
00:34:40be
00:34:40all
00:34:40with
00:34:40you
00:34:41let's
00:34:41just
00:34:41hope
00:34:41that
00:34:41we
00:34:42get
00:34:42a
00:34:42little
00:34:42bit
00:34:43of
00:34:43a
00:34:43series
00:34:43game
00:34:44one
00:34:44should
00:34:44be
00:34:44a
00:34:44pretty
00:34:45good
00:34:45indicator
00:34:45of
00:34:46that
00:34:46so
00:34:47as
00:34:48we
00:34:48look
00:34:48at
00:34:48the
00:34:49odds
00:34:49J.Y.
00:34:49a
00:34:50small
00:34:50bit
00:34:50of
00:34:50market
00:34:51movement
00:34:51on
00:34:51this
00:34:52Thursday
00:34:52morning
00:34:53as
00:34:53we
00:34:53get
00:34:53ready
00:34:54for
00:34:54game
00:34:54one
00:34:55on
00:34:55this
00:34:55Thursday
00:34:56night
00:34:56in
00:34:57OKC
00:34:57the
00:34:58Thunder
00:34:58remain
00:34:58a
00:34:59very
00:34:59hefty
00:34:59favorite
00:35:00minus
00:35:00700
00:35:01is
00:35:01that
00:35:01series
00:35:02outright
00:35:02price
00:35:03but
00:35:03for
00:35:03most
00:35:04of
00:35:04the
00:35:04buildup
00:35:04in
00:35:05this
00:35:05week
00:35:05leading
00:35:06into
00:35:06the
00:35:06NBA
00:35:06championship
00:35:07set
00:35:08that
00:35:08was
00:35:08minus
00:35:09750
00:35:09but
00:35:10again
00:35:10Oklahoma
00:35:11City
00:35:11to pull
00:35:12this
00:35:12off
00:35:12rather
00:35:13quickly
00:35:13uncomfortably
00:35:14in
00:35:15five
00:35:15games
00:35:15still
00:35:16the
00:35:16most
00:35:16likely
00:35:16scenario
00:35:17OKC
00:35:18laying
00:35:18two
00:35:19and a
00:35:19half
00:35:19games
00:35:19on
00:35:19the
00:35:20series
00:35:20spread
00:35:20to
00:35:21cash
00:35:21that
00:35:21ticket
00:35:22it
00:35:22is
00:35:22in
00:35:23at
00:35:23most
00:35:23five
00:35:24games
00:35:24is
00:35:25still
00:35:25the
00:35:25expected
00:35:26outcome
00:35:27so
00:35:27J.Y.
00:35:28I
00:35:28ask
00:35:29you
00:35:29about
00:35:29the
00:35:29series
00:35:30advantage
00:35:30that
00:35:31allows
00:35:31Oklahoma
00:35:32City
00:35:32to be
00:35:33this
00:35:33large
00:35:34of
00:35:34a
00:35:34favorite
00:35:35are
00:35:35the
00:35:36Thunder
00:35:36that
00:35:36much
00:35:37better
00:35:37than
00:35:37the
00:35:37Pacers
00:35:38to
00:35:38be
00:35:38this
00:35:39strong
00:35:39of
00:35:39a
00:35:39favorite
00:35:40entering
00:35:43Indiana
00:35:44it's
00:35:44kind
00:35:44of
00:35:44good
00:35:45that
00:35:45it's
00:35:45coming
00:35:45down
00:35:46a
00:35:46little
00:35:46bit
00:35:46but
00:35:46if
00:35:47you
00:35:47really
00:35:47look
00:35:47at
00:35:47the
00:35:48way
00:35:48Oklahoma
00:35:49City
00:35:49has
00:35:49been
00:35:49they've
00:35:50been
00:35:50dominant
00:35:50throughout
00:35:51the
00:35:51entire
00:35:51season
00:35:52first
00:35:52team
00:35:52NBA
00:35:53history
00:35:53to
00:36:13not
00:36:13this
00:36:14much
00:36:14so
00:36:15why
00:36:15does
00:36:15Oklahoma
00:36:16City
00:36:16have
00:36:17this
00:36:17advantage
00:36:18in
00:36:18regards
00:36:18to
00:36:19what
00:36:19people
00:36:19think
00:36:20number
00:36:20one
00:36:21is
00:36:21when
00:36:21you
00:36:21look
00:36:22at
00:36:22the
00:36:22way
00:36:22Indiana
00:36:23got
00:36:23better
00:36:23defensively
00:36:24right
00:36:25particularly
00:36:25the
00:36:26last
00:36:26two
00:36:26series
00:36:27guarding
00:36:27guards
00:36:28well
00:36:28what do
00:36:29they have
00:36:29in common
00:36:29folks
00:36:30the
00:36:30three
00:36:30primary
00:36:30scorers
00:36:31being
00:36:32Donovan
00:36:32Mitchell
00:36:33Darius
00:36:34Garland
00:36:34and of
00:36:35course
00:36:35Jalen
00:36:35Brunson
00:36:35all
00:36:36are
00:36:366'2
00:36:37or
00:36:37shorter
00:36:38now
00:36:39you're
00:36:39going up
00:36:39against
00:36:40SGA
00:36:406'5
00:36:416'6
00:36:42Jalen
00:36:42Williams
00:36:436'5
00:36:436'6
00:36:44Lou
00:36:45Dort
00:36:456'5
00:36:46they're
00:36:46far
00:36:47taller
00:36:48and more
00:36:48aggressive
00:36:49in regards
00:36:49to the
00:36:50fact
00:36:50that you
00:36:50can't
00:36:50just
00:36:50bump
00:36:51them
00:36:51off
00:36:51so
00:36:52guys
00:36:52like
00:36:52Naismith
00:36:53are
00:36:53going to
00:36:53be at
00:36:53a
00:36:54disadvantage
00:36:54more
00:36:55in this
00:36:55series
00:36:55because
00:36:55of
00:36:56the
00:36:56height
00:36:56number
00:36:57two
00:36:57Oklahoma
00:36:58City
00:36:58with their
00:36:59bench
00:36:59has the
00:36:59ability
00:37:00to get
00:37:01up and
00:37:02down
00:37:02with
00:37:02Indiana
00:37:03now
00:37:03is that
00:37:03the way
00:37:04Mark
00:37:04Dagnall
00:37:04is going
00:37:04to want
00:37:05to play
00:37:05may
00:37:05not
00:37:06but will
00:37:06they
00:37:06willingly
00:37:08do so
00:37:08to do
00:37:09it
00:37:09in the
00:37:09series
00:37:10yes
00:37:10they
00:37:11will
00:37:11so
00:37:12to me
00:37:12when you
00:37:12look at
00:37:13those two
00:37:13factors
00:37:14and then
00:37:14you look
00:37:14at the
00:37:15flip side
00:37:16and guarding
00:37:17someone like
00:37:17Tyrese Halliburton
00:37:18no disrespect
00:37:19to Mikel
00:37:20Bridges
00:37:21but
00:37:21Lou Dort
00:37:22and
00:37:23you know
00:37:24Alex Caruso
00:37:24are better
00:37:25on ball
00:37:26defenders
00:37:26let's be
00:37:27very honest
00:37:27and then
00:37:28you can even
00:37:28put SGA
00:37:29on him
00:37:30as well
00:37:30so
00:37:31because
00:37:31of the
00:37:32depth
00:37:32because
00:37:33of the
00:37:34offensive
00:37:35flexibility
00:37:36and height
00:37:36advantage
00:37:37that a
00:37:38team
00:37:38like
00:37:39OKC
00:37:39has
00:37:40and the
00:37:40number
00:37:41of
00:37:41bodies
00:37:41that they
00:37:42can
00:37:42throw
00:37:42at Tyrese
00:37:43Halliburton
00:37:43yeah
00:37:44they should
00:37:44be favored
00:37:44I just
00:37:45don't know
00:37:46by this
00:37:47much
00:37:47coach
00:37:48on an
00:37:49ebb and
00:37:49flow
00:37:49let's
00:37:49say
00:37:50have
00:37:50an
00:37:50NBA
00:37:50season
00:37:50you're
00:37:51in
00:37:51one
00:37:51city
00:37:51and 24
00:37:52hours
00:37:52to 48
00:37:52hours
00:37:53you're
00:37:53in
00:37:53another
00:37:53NBA
00:37:54city
00:37:54coaching
00:37:54staff
00:37:55only
00:37:55has
00:37:55limited
00:37:55time
00:37:55to get
00:37:56his
00:37:56team
00:37:56ready
00:37:57for
00:37:57a
00:37:57playoff
00:37:58game
00:37:58or
00:37:58excuse
00:37:58me
00:37:58a
00:37:58regular
00:37:59season
00:37:59game
00:37:59as
00:37:59opposed
00:38:00to
00:38:00a
00:38:00playoff
00:38:00game
00:38:00so
00:38:01we
00:38:01had
00:38:01extended
00:38:01layoffs
00:38:02for both
00:38:02teams
00:38:03here
00:38:03number
00:38:03one
00:38:03who do
00:38:04you
00:38:04think
00:38:04that
00:38:04helps
00:38:04and
00:38:04number
00:38:05two
00:38:05what are
00:38:05these
00:38:06coaching
00:38:06staffs
00:38:06probably
00:38:07working on
00:38:07getting ready
00:38:08for each
00:38:08one of
00:38:08these
00:38:08teams
00:38:09well
00:38:10Donnie
00:38:10the good
00:38:11thing
00:38:11about
00:38:11this
00:38:11is
00:38:11with
00:38:12the
00:38:12number
00:38:12of
00:38:12video
00:38:13coordinators
00:38:13scouting
00:38:14staff
00:38:14so on
00:38:14and so
00:38:15forth
00:38:15if
00:38:16you're
00:38:16a
00:38:16team
00:38:16like
00:38:16Oklahoma
00:38:16City
00:38:17and
00:38:17you
00:38:17win
00:38:17they're
00:38:18probably
00:38:18taking
00:38:29major
00:38:29college
00:38:29basketball
00:38:30team
00:38:30and
00:38:30NBA
00:38:31you've
00:38:31heard
00:38:31me
00:38:31talk
00:38:31about
00:38:31it
00:38:32the
00:38:32ability
00:38:33Donnie
00:38:33to
00:38:33extract
00:38:34information
00:38:35and
00:38:35extract
00:38:36plays
00:38:36extract
00:38:37tendencies
00:38:37is a lot
00:38:38quicker than
00:38:39people think
00:38:40this is not
00:38:40the old
00:38:41school way
00:38:41of putting
00:38:42a VHS
00:38:42tape in
00:38:43and then
00:38:43watching it
00:38:44to scout
00:38:44you can
00:38:45just say
00:38:45I want
00:38:46every time
00:38:47Tyrese
00:38:47Halliburton
00:38:47to the
00:38:47ball screen
00:38:48click it
00:38:49there's all
00:38:49the clips
00:38:50easy to
00:38:50break down
00:38:51so it's
00:38:52a lot easier
00:38:53than what
00:38:53people think
00:38:54when it
00:38:54comes to
00:38:55the layoff
00:38:55I actually
00:38:56thought that
00:38:57this
00:38:57if Indiana
00:38:58would have
00:38:59went to
00:38:59a game
00:38:59seven
00:38:59with New
00:39:00York
00:39:00it would
00:39:01have
00:39:02benefited
00:39:02them
00:39:02more
00:39:02because
00:39:03they
00:39:03would
00:39:03have
00:39:03been
00:39:03kept
00:39:03playing
00:39:04now I'm
00:39:05a little
00:39:05worried
00:39:05about how
00:39:06stale
00:39:06could they
00:39:06look coming
00:39:07out the
00:39:07game
00:39:07but Donnie
00:39:08let's be
00:39:09honest
00:39:09they want
00:39:10if I'm not
00:39:10mistaken
00:39:11every game
00:39:11won on the
00:39:12road already
00:39:12so they're
00:39:14going to be
00:39:14ready to
00:39:14play the
00:39:15question is
00:39:15how much
00:39:16can Indiana
00:39:17stay in the
00:39:18game can
00:39:18they do it
00:39:19the whole
00:39:19game can
00:39:20they do it
00:39:20half the
00:39:21game a
00:39:21quarter but
00:39:22you will
00:39:23get Rick
00:39:24Carlos
00:39:25ready to
00:39:25go
00:39:25throwing a
00:39:26punch early
00:39:27because that's
00:39:28the way they
00:39:28like to start
00:39:29series try to
00:39:30play with the
00:39:30lead the
00:39:32Pacers have
00:39:32won each of
00:39:33their three
00:39:34opening games
00:39:35of their
00:39:35three series
00:39:36first one
00:39:36against Milwaukee
00:39:37was in
00:39:38Indianapolis
00:39:38but the
00:39:39Pacers have
00:39:40been incredible
00:39:40on the road
00:39:41and as an
00:39:42underdog
00:39:42throughout this
00:39:43playoff run
00:39:44again the
00:39:45minus 700
00:39:46price in
00:39:47favor of the
00:39:48Thunder just
00:39:48historical
00:39:49context since
00:39:502014 in the
00:39:51last 11
00:39:52NBA finals we
00:39:54have only seen
00:39:55one team
00:39:56greater than a
00:39:57minus 500
00:39:58series outright
00:39:59favorite to win
00:40:00that Larry O'Brien
00:40:01trophy it was the
00:40:03Golden State Warriors
00:40:04back in 2016
00:40:0517 exacting their
00:40:06revenge against
00:40:07LeBron and the
00:40:08Cavs they were
00:40:09minus 2000 and
00:40:11won that series in
00:40:12a gentleman's
00:40:13sweep in only
00:40:14five games
00:40:16JYU have broken
00:40:17down the matchups
00:40:17we have talked
00:40:18about the
00:40:18advantages we
00:40:19have looked at
00:40:20the tail of the
00:40:21tape between the
00:40:22Thunder and the
00:40:23Pacers OKC
00:40:24making history
00:40:26already the
00:40:26fourth team in
00:40:27NBA history to
00:40:28win 80 games
00:40:29regular and
00:40:30postseason combined
00:40:31before the NBA
00:40:33finals gets going
00:40:34the Indiana Pacers
00:40:35a 50 win team
00:40:36the fourth seed in
00:40:38the Eastern
00:40:38Conference we
00:40:39will dive into
00:40:40the reasons why
00:40:41J.Y.
00:40:42and how this
00:40:43series plays out
00:40:44in just a matter
00:40:45of moments but
00:40:46let's get this out
00:40:47of the way right
00:40:48here right now the
00:40:49coach J.Y.
00:40:51James Young his
00:40:52NBA finals
00:40:53prediction is
00:40:54what who wins
00:40:55and in how
00:40:56many games
00:40:56Oklahoma City
00:40:58Thunder win this
00:40:59in five games
00:41:00or less I
00:41:01Ben I wish
00:41:03and I pray that
00:41:04this is going to
00:41:05be a series and
00:41:06it's you know
00:41:07I'm probably
00:41:08disrespecting Indiana
00:41:10again because I
00:41:12took Cleveland
00:41:12against them I
00:41:13took New York
00:41:14against them and
00:41:15I'm going against
00:41:16them again but
00:41:17this is a different
00:41:18animal Ben we
00:41:19got to be
00:41:19completely honest
00:41:20here with the
00:41:20offensive and
00:41:21defensive versatility
00:41:22the coaching the
00:41:23match advantages
00:41:24up and down
00:41:25where you can see
00:41:27the ability to
00:41:28guard the ability
00:41:28to score the
00:41:29diversity at which
00:41:31they can play
00:41:32under five and a
00:41:34half games I
00:41:35think it's actually
00:41:36over in five
00:41:37because I think
00:41:38Indiana will find
00:41:39a way to get
00:41:40one because they'll
00:41:41just explode one
00:41:42game offensively
00:41:44but to me just
00:41:45way too much and
00:41:46this Oklahoma City
00:41:47team they you
00:41:49know I think I
00:41:50used the term
00:41:50Larry Holmes you
00:41:52know I think
00:41:52during the
00:41:53Western Conference
00:41:53finals right they
00:41:54just jab you jab
00:41:55you jab you and
00:41:56then they find the
00:41:57window and they
00:41:58always seem to hit
00:41:59the knockout punch
00:42:00whether it's late
00:42:01second quarter
00:42:01third quarter
00:42:02fourth quarter
00:42:02they kind of feel
00:42:04the game out I
00:42:05just think that's
00:42:05what's going to
00:42:06happen Oklahoma
00:42:06City Thunder
00:42:07win it in five
00:42:08games or less
00:42:09if you do look
00:42:11from an Indiana
00:42:11perspective because
00:42:12they have gotten a
00:42:13lot of disrespect
00:42:13not because people
00:42:14don't think they're
00:42:15good we just
00:42:15haven't talked about
00:42:16them that much
00:42:16out regular season
00:42:17we'll see what
00:42:17they get there
00:42:18it's really Cleveland
00:42:19it's really going to
00:42:19be Boston and maybe
00:42:20the Knicks can
00:42:21surprise they're the
00:42:22last team standing
00:42:22here talk to me
00:42:23about the motivational
00:42:24factors though for
00:42:25the Indiana Pacers
00:42:26where you come into
00:42:26again like wait a
00:42:27second we just won
00:42:28three series here
00:42:29against teams you
00:42:29didn't think we
00:42:30could beat now
00:42:30another team you
00:42:31don't think we
00:42:32can beat how does
00:42:33that sort of use
00:42:33that as that
00:42:34bulletin board
00:42:34material like and
00:42:35we didn't come
00:42:36here to say let's
00:42:37make it five games
00:42:37we came here to
00:42:38win coach hey
00:42:39listen that's what
00:42:40you say if you're
00:42:41Rick Carlos say no
00:42:42one expects us to
00:42:42win the pressures on
00:42:44Oklahoma City
00:42:44especially in game
00:42:45one let's see if
00:42:46we can go win a
00:42:47game remember we
00:42:48talked about this in
00:42:492004 when you had
00:42:51Kobe and Shaq and
00:42:52Gary Payton and
00:42:53Carmelo they walked
00:42:54in a series against
00:42:55the Pistons and
00:42:56they'll give the
00:42:56Pistons a shot in
00:42:57hell well Larry
00:42:58Brown had something
00:42:59for him can Rick
00:43:00Carlos the veteran
00:43:01coach feel here is
00:43:03again he's done it
00:43:04three times maybe a
00:43:06fourth the Pacers the
00:43:08underdog in both their
00:43:09second round against
00:43:10the Cavs who were
00:43:11greater than a five
00:43:12dollar outright
00:43:13favorite to advance to
00:43:14the Eastern Conference
00:43:15finals and of course
00:43:16Indiana a slight
00:43:18underdog in that
00:43:18round as well before
00:43:20pulling off the upset
00:43:21against the New York
00:43:22Knicks the stars on
00:43:24the biggest stage of
00:43:24the year next the
00:43:26significant players are
00:43:27the most significant
00:43:28stage of the season in
00:43:30the NBA finals that
00:43:31begins tonight in
00:43:32Oklahoma City between
00:43:34the Thunder and the
00:43:35Pacers of course Jay
00:43:36wise we start this
00:43:37conversation first and
00:43:39foremost you go to
00:43:40Oklahoma City and the
00:43:41NBA MVP the Western
00:43:43Conference finals MVP and
00:43:45if Oklahoma City wins
00:43:46an NBA championship the
00:43:48expected NBA finals MVP
00:43:50as well in Shea
00:43:51Gilgis Alexander with
00:43:53his team a minus 700
00:43:54favorite to be crowned
00:43:56an NBA champ SGA's
00:43:57price to win the MVP
00:43:58hardware is minus 550 his
00:44:01stats throughout this
00:44:02playoff run in comparison
00:44:04to the star on the other
00:44:05side that's Indiana's
00:44:07Tyrese Halliburton both
00:44:09are stars SGA a top three
00:44:12top five player in the NBA
00:44:14Halliburton voted by his
00:44:16peers as the most
00:44:17overrated player in the
00:44:19NBA this year I think
00:44:21he's kind of debunked that
00:44:22philosophy but J.Y. will
00:44:24both of the superstars step
00:44:26up throughout the entirety
00:44:27of this series for both
00:44:29the Thunder and the
00:44:30Pacers if you're asking me
00:44:32which one is more likely to
00:44:33step up I'm going to go
00:44:34with the one that's the
00:44:35MVP and should lead his
00:44:37team to a championship I
00:44:39just you look at you
00:44:40know people are people
00:44:42have complained about so
00:44:43much particularly of Jalen
00:44:44Brunson about how he
00:44:45generates fouls but here
00:44:47comes Jalen Brunson on
00:44:48steroids the free throw
00:44:50merchant who just gets
00:44:51people into jail you blow
00:44:54on him and there's a foul
00:44:55call we'll be interested
00:44:56to see how the NBA and
00:44:57referees handle him but the
00:45:00fact that six foot six 215
00:45:02pounds is ability to create
00:45:03off the bounce scored all
00:45:05three levels and be able to
00:45:06not be knocked off the ball I
00:45:08just look at the height
00:45:09advantage they have and
00:45:10don't see anyone in Indiana
00:45:12that can check him in
00:45:13regards to guarding him
00:45:14101 now that opens up an
00:45:17interesting take is does
00:45:18Rick Carlisle send a double
00:45:20team does what does he do
00:45:21because they got to get the
00:45:22ball out of his hands the
00:45:23problem is you got another
00:45:24guy like Jalen Williams that
00:45:26can create his own shot
00:45:26himself the concern I have
00:45:28with Halliburton is not his
00:45:29game okay my concern is
00:45:32you're going to get one maybe
00:45:35two stinkers out of him
00:45:37because he does it every
00:45:38series and he really Ben
00:45:40can't afford to give you one
00:45:43stinker if they're going to
00:45:44have a shot because if that
00:45:46one game's a stinker that's
00:45:47probably a 30 40 point win so
00:45:48Tyrese Halliburton's got to
00:45:50bring it Ben let's be honest
00:45:51from game one being extremely
00:45:53aggressive my concern is like
00:45:55I said last segment the number
00:45:57of defenders that Mark
00:45:58Dageno can throw at Halliburton
00:46:01is going to be an issue and
00:46:03it's also why people talk about
00:46:04how great Oklahoma City is
00:46:06offensively they're metric wise
00:46:08the best defensive team I do
00:46:10believe in the playoffs and
00:46:11during the regular season so
00:46:13that bodes major problems to
00:46:14Halliburton so I trust SGA more
00:46:17than Halliburton but it's no
00:46:18disrespect to Tyrese
00:46:20secondary options of course the
00:46:22superstars we expect to be
00:46:24dominant forces after the ball in
00:46:25their hand but sometimes these
00:46:26series come down to who is going
00:46:28to play better off the ball and
00:46:30that includes Jalen Williams and
00:46:31Pascal Siakam game number one
00:46:33we'll get to their props here but
00:46:34if you look for the series in
00:46:36total what do we need out of
00:46:37Jalen Williams for OKC what do
00:46:39we need out of Pascal Siakam for
00:46:41the Pacers well for Jalen
00:46:42Williams I don't think he needs
00:46:44to be Batman he's just got to be
00:46:46a capable Robin and he's had his
00:46:48struggles sometimes shooting the
00:46:49ball in the NBA playoffs so just a
00:46:52little bit more consistency out of
00:46:53him Pascal Siakam just got to be a
00:46:55guy that's got to step up so if I
00:46:57look at Halliburton being put
00:46:59arguably in jail the advantage if
00:47:02you think you have one is probably
00:47:03Siakam versus Chet Holmgren the
00:47:05ability of Siakam to bring him to
00:47:07the outside which takes Chet
00:47:09Holmgren away from the basket when
00:47:11Indiana played their best against
00:47:12the Knicks and even though he had
00:47:15the best game in Halliburton in that
00:47:17in that triple-double game four their
00:47:20best player was Pascal Siakam you know
00:47:22what he was able to do in creating
00:47:24mismatches and particularly Donnie the
00:47:26thing that was most shocking out of
00:47:28Pascal was honestly his ability to
00:47:30shoot the ball from three in the last
00:47:32series was very very key because now
00:47:34if Pascal can knock down the three
00:47:37now Chet's got to really guard him on
00:47:39the perimeter which opens up driving
00:47:41lanes he's got to shoot the ball off
00:47:42from three but the last thing is this
00:47:44he did struggle in the playoffs he's a
00:47:4770% free throw shooter I do believe he
00:47:49struggled from the free throw line
00:47:50during the playoffs when you're playing
00:47:52Oklahoma City when you go to the foul
00:47:55line you got to go get two out of two
00:47:56you can't have one out of two out of two
00:47:58you can't leave points off the board
00:48:01from the free throw line so Pascal Siakam
00:48:03must shoot it well from the free throw
00:48:05line this series Pascal Siakam the only
00:48:08guy for Indiana in all six games of the
00:48:11Eastern Conference Finals to score in
00:48:13double figures in all six 15 plus in all
00:48:17six and of course not Tyrese Halliburton but
00:48:19Siakam crowned Eastern Conference Finals MVP
00:48:22we looked at Jalen Williams following that
00:48:25dismal game six performance against the
00:48:27Denver Nuggets that led us to a game
00:48:29seven he was great in game seven he was
00:48:32great throughout the entirety of the five
00:48:34games in the Western Conference Finals
00:48:36against Minnesota as well so we know
00:48:39Shea Gilgis Alexander and Tyrese Halliburton
00:48:41we know Pascal Siakam and Jalen Williams
00:48:44maybe for the casual basketball fan for the
00:48:47person consuming the NBA throughout this
00:48:50postseason who is a player on either side
00:48:53that you would point to that will impact the
00:48:55outcome the most throughout this series
00:48:57I'm gonna give you one from each Ben let's
00:49:00start for Indiana Miles Turner has got to
00:49:03bring it this is a guy that is capable and
00:49:06stretching the floor from three-point line
00:49:07which could bring out Isaiah Hartenstein to
00:49:10guard him he's also a pretty good rim
00:49:12protector sneaky bet on FanDuel player series
00:49:15special is Miles Turner to score 10 plus
00:49:18points in every game at plus 240 this is
00:49:21something that they're gonna have to get
00:49:22the double figures they got to find that
00:49:25third score and I don't know if it's
00:49:27Emberhard or or if it's Naismith because
00:49:29my concern Ben is the foul trouble they
00:49:32will get on the other side because they're
00:49:35not gonna put Halliburton on either
00:49:37Jalen Williams or SGA for obviously
00:49:41um Oklahoma City I'm going with the guy
00:49:44thinking it's the most threes that's Lou
00:49:46Dort if I if I'm the coach if I'm Rick
00:49:49Carlisle and I'm saying okay who do I
00:49:52want to beat me or try to beat me it's
00:49:55Lou Dort you got to catch someone's got to
00:49:57got knocked down threes and load up on
00:50:00Williams and SGA I think it's Lou Dort
00:50:02that's why I like Lou Dort to make the
00:50:04most threes in a series at five to one he's
00:50:07got the second most attempts out of
00:50:09anybody in the finals and he's got the
00:50:11most attempts on OKC Lou Dort leads
00:50:13the series in threes at five to one
00:50:14the torture chamber he is a lockdown
00:50:17defender and a pretty good three-point
00:50:19shooter from beyond the arc as well we'll
00:50:22talk about the props for all of those
00:50:24impactful players in game number one on
00:50:27the other side of the break JY will
00:50:29tell you how the NBA finals starts tonight
00:50:31inside the paycom center in Oklahoma City
00:50:34between the Thunder and the Pacers again
00:50:37Shea Gilgis Alexander minus 550 favorite to
00:50:40win that NBA finals MVP award because his
00:50:43Thunder are a hefty favorite all throughout
00:50:45more on that now
00:50:46game number one of the 2025 NBA finals on
00:50:51this Thursday night in Oklahoma City between
00:50:54the Thunder and the Pacers the coach JY is
00:50:57here to deliver that scouting report for the
00:50:59opening night of the NBA finals on this
00:51:02Thursday and JY the theme is pretty
00:51:04similar both in the overall series and in
00:51:07tonight's debut game the Thunder really good
00:51:10team really strong favorite now a nine and a
00:51:13half point spread in favor of OKC at home
00:51:16230 and a half is that total I think we all
00:51:20want to see competitive basketball each in
00:51:23every game and throughout a series that we
00:51:26hope probably gets to at least six so how does
00:51:30this series start tonight and how competitive
00:51:32is game number one well if you really look at
00:51:36what we've talked about Ben the last couple of
00:51:38seconds we talked about how good Indiana has
00:51:40been particularly in game ones on the road in
00:51:42the last two series but I've also talked about
00:51:44how good Oklahoma City is to adjust particularly
00:51:47in the second half so I like the Pacers plus the
00:51:51points I think it's five and a half in the first
00:51:53half I think Rick Carlisle is going to try and
00:51:55throw the first punch I think he knows the
00:51:57importance of being in the game early and trying to
00:52:00steal game one so you're not going to be able to be
00:52:03down by 15 20 and make a run versus OKC and I think
00:52:07OKC is okay enough with letting the game be close and
00:52:10then trying to find that matchup or whatever they need in
00:52:13the second half so I like oh sorry the Indiana Pacers plus
00:52:17the five and a half in the first half therefore that will
00:52:19bring the spread down then if I want to I'll jump on OKC in
00:52:23the second half because that's when they tend to adjust you
00:52:26look at that over under at 230 and a half I know you have a
00:52:29really strong defense but Rick Carlisle is going to do what
00:52:32Rick Carlisle is going to do which means he's going to try and
00:52:35get this game up and down and test how much in shape and if
00:52:39the rust is going to affect the legs of Oklahoma City I like
00:52:43over 230 and a half in this first game I think this game
00:52:47sales over probably gets 240 plus maybe yeah it looks like just in
00:52:52the number itself coach from the side perspective nine and a half
00:52:55really you know the public can say 10 points where do I sign up
00:52:59here the Pacers good team maybe they can hang around maybe they can
00:53:01even steal it here which brings me to my next point we're trying to
00:53:04take a look and say who are those points props we're going to go
00:53:06after because I do think like there's no traps right the numbers are
00:53:10the numbers the sports book doesn't go ah this is going to really confuse
00:53:12the public here but Tyrese Halliburton look at his points profit 17 and a
00:53:16half it just feels like they are begging you to take that out at 17 and a
00:53:19half for Tyrese Halliburton where do I sign up at this point here are we
00:53:23looking for a game because we know the defenders are very good for Oklahoma
00:53:26City are we going to struggle a bit on offense for Indiana's Rick Carlisle
00:53:30good enough to say you know what we got time off here we got the appropriate
00:53:32place put in here we're rested and we're ready for this one for me with
00:53:35Tyrese Halliburton how do you play that 17 and a half
00:53:38I stay away I think it's really sharp and I think there's too many defenders
00:53:42if you want to ask me lean either way I would lean under but I'm not playing
00:53:46either uh but if you're a guy I'm going to take I'm going to take SGA over to
00:53:5033 and a half 33 and 45 uh versus um you know Indiana during the regular
00:53:56season uh at 32.7 during the regular season listen if if three out of four
00:54:02games he went over this number it me it's about you know if it's a blowout
00:54:06like a 30 40 point blowout he's not going to get there but if I expect
00:54:10the name to be in the game for the first half he should be able to get
00:54:13himself to 18 almost 20 points in the first half I like SGA to go over 33 and
00:54:17half and another bet that I saw in Fano this morning series but
00:54:20SGA 25 plus in every game minus 115 12 out of 15 games went over that
00:54:26during the playoff so far in the 16 playoff games for Oklahoma City
00:54:32Shea Gilgis Alexander the NBA MVP has scored at least 31 points
00:54:37the interesting thing is if he goes under 33 and a half you don't think he goes
00:54:42under by much but you are certainly paying a premium
00:54:45JY if you were to look at one prop above all else here in the opening game
00:54:50of the 2025 NBA finals what is that favorite bet of the night on this
00:54:56Thursday in OKC you know I talked about Miles Turner
00:54:59getting you 10 plus points every game of the series but Miles Turner
00:55:03over five and a half rebounds is that plus money when you think about it he's got
00:55:0711 point 11 rebound game versus Oklahoma City this uh this year he went under in
00:55:13every game but he was guarding cat who was at the perimeter the three-point line
00:55:18so now you're going against Isaiah Hartenstein who they may put at the
00:55:21pinch post but it's going to probably be also in that dunk spot a lot
00:55:25over five and a half rebounds or Miles Turner with guarding Hartenstein that should
00:55:29be a number he should be able to get to and I love it at plus money
00:55:32Miles Turner's points prompt tonight is 13 and a half one of the key stories for
00:55:38Indiana is the balance in depth that Rick Carlisle's crew possesses in their 12
00:55:43victories throughout this playoff run 10 of the 12
00:55:46six players playing for Indiana have reached double figures
00:55:50Pascal Siakam has the highest points prop for Indiana
00:55:54it is 19 and a half 22 and a hook on the other side
00:55:58for JW Jalen Williams JY a fade away to the break
00:56:02a fade away to our three and a fade away to game number one of the NBA
00:56:06five we welcome you to our number three our third and final live right here on
00:56:13this Thursday morning on the early line on Sports Grid he is Donnie right side I
00:56:17am Ben Stevens this Thursday morning is also the morning of the opening game of
00:56:22the 2025 NBA finals tonight in Oklahoma City between the Thunder and the Pacers
00:56:28plenty of previews plenty of breakdowns throughout the entirety of this third
00:56:33hour including the prop perspective from TV Tom Vecchio later on in this third and
00:56:40final hour we'll get to some baseball on this Thursday pretty large Thursday slate
00:56:45DRS I guess when you only have seven games on a Monday that you have a lot more teams
00:56:49playing later in the midweek on this Thursday 13 total games 24 stadiums or 24 teams I should say
00:56:57in 12 spots because of a scheduled double header in St. Louis so plenty of baseball to break down
00:57:04around the diamond here in this third and final hour as well
00:57:07yeah I'll certainly be able to take a look at that you know the weather starting to change
00:57:11hot here in studios and outside in the northeast no question about that so we'll go over a lot of
00:57:17these spots in Major League Baseball but we finally get a game tonight in the NBA that we've been
00:57:21setting the table feels like for an entire week we'll watch you play out and then we can actually
00:57:25react to what's actually taking place as to oh I wonder what will take place no we're going to watch
00:57:31you play out tonight have some fun hopefully get a competitive game but the way we bet these in a
00:57:36competitive environment we'll find out in this hour yes we certainly will DRS and we'll find out in
00:57:42this hour from the very start how the people are feeling about game number one of the 2025 NBA finals
00:57:49again the consistent theme throughout this series at least before it fully tips tonight the Thunder
00:57:54are a hefty favorite to win an NBA championship it's minus 700 to win game number one they're a nine
00:58:00and a half point favorite and minus 420 on that updated money line price on the FanDuel
00:58:05sportsbook do the people agree what's the best bet for game number one of tonight's NBA finals
00:58:13beginning that was the question to all of you and fade the public
00:58:16nine and a half points spread in favor of the Thunder at home a total north of 230 at 230 and a hook so
00:58:32at sports grid what is the best bet for game one of the 2025 NBA finals the Thunder winning by double
00:58:41digits as a nine and a half point favorite the Pacers keeping things close and tightly contested as a
00:58:48solid underdog a total skying to the over and a ton of offense to open up the NBA championship set
00:58:56or staying under that lofty number of 230 and a hook most of the public DRS nearly 36 percent of our
00:59:05fade the public poll now in those updated numbers backing Oklahoma City laying nine and a half I said
00:59:11that and then we saw a little bit of movement as we speak now just over 34 percent backing OKC but
00:59:19most of the votes backing the Thunder even as a nine and a half point home favorite tonight
00:59:24I'm surprised by that because earlier on this morning checking in with it was the Pacers by an
00:59:29overwhelming majority at that point said ah I got him right where I want him here because I did vote
00:59:33for the Thunder at minus nine and a half along with the other 34 percent which is now the favorite here
00:59:38which I'm kind of confused by because everything we typically hear is that's too many points for the
00:59:43Pacers there's a lot of rest there they don't have to win the game they just have to keep it a little bit
00:59:47close there heck they can even win fantastic but just play with OKC and that will be enough but it's
00:59:52interesting to see now the poll that we're putting out fading the public I'm with the public now because
00:59:57again I voted on the minus nine and a half I think it's going to be a double digit victory here but I
01:00:01think when we get closer to game time I'm interested to see we're not going to see tens pop up on the
01:00:05board I want to see if we get back down to the nines and maybe a little bit later when the public
01:00:10starts to get involved later in the day and more bets come in as we get closer to game time that's
01:00:14something to watch but for me being on the public side here I'm going to ride with it not an
01:00:18overwhelming majority but I actually thought more people would be on the Pacers nine and a half than
01:00:22the Thunder here. Me as well DRS just based on what we have seen throughout this postseason run
01:00:29and again when you think of the trends here's where both teams stand both teams have played
01:00:3416 playoff games 5-5 then 6 for Indiana 4-7 then 5 for Oklahoma City the Thunder have been booked
01:00:44as at least a five point favorite and every single game throughout this NBA postseason
01:00:49and DRS Oklahoma City is seven and nine against the spread not only was OKC the best team in the
01:00:57NBA this season with 68 wins they were by far the best cover team in the association as well
01:01:03covering in 68 percent of their games the overall ATS record for Oklahoma City throughout this regular
01:01:12season was absolutely astounding 53 25 and four against the number but in the playoffs DRS seven
01:01:21and nine against the spread all seven covers coming at home which if you're getting ready for tonight
01:01:26where OKC is playing at home inside the Paycom Center that's a pretty good thing because the overall
01:01:32record for the Thunder at home this playoff run eight and one straight up again all seven of their
01:01:39covers coming at home so seven of their eight home victories they have covered the number the
01:01:44average margin of victory for the Thunder at home 24.6 points per game and in five of those eight home
01:01:52wins DRS OKC is won by at least 25 points that is why if you believe the Thunder is the right side
01:02:01if you believe the Thunder should be a strong favorite throughout the NBA championship set
01:02:06you can kind of talk yourself into even laying a nine and a half point spread
01:02:11yeah exactly and tonight you're just and also understand this having a full week off having to
01:02:16get ready two good coaching staffs are we in for surprises and the thought process behind the
01:02:21surprises would have to be well the surprise is going to be the Thunder winning by 20 points tonight
01:02:25the surprise is going to be the Pacers coming in and shocking the world saying no we're here
01:02:28we're competitive we played very good in the Eastern Conference and right through the Eastern
01:02:32Conference Finals what are we just going to stop once we get to the NBA Finals and the bright lights
01:02:36are turned on that's what I'm looking forward to and understand this too from a public perception
01:02:41value of we talked earlier about where these ratings are going to be don't let it happen with
01:02:46the Thunder win this game 121 to 107 like they said well that's not that bad no the double digit
01:02:52victory tonight because everyone said well why would I invest and tune in and another day because
01:02:56I think this series is over you need to have an unbelievable performance by Indiana which
01:03:01doesn't even equate to a victory for them just play it down to a final possession or two to say
01:03:05you know what I'm going to tune back in on Saturday to watch this game play out because I think Indiana
01:03:09might be able to give them trouble worst case scenario would be a loss of 125 let's just say 105
01:03:16where OKC really runs away with this thing but I just would love to see it again me betting I do think
01:03:21that Oklahoma City wins by double digits same way I thought in the past years like I'll close out but you
01:03:26know what just for the betterment of the environment and talking about like what we can do on a day-to-day
01:03:30basis come on Pacers show up and get a victory here let us buy into the series and have fun we
01:03:35don't want to see a runaway freight train because people are going to tune in for game number one you
01:03:39have our attention you'll lose it quickly with a double digit victory here for OKC tonight
01:03:44content perspective competitive perspective notoriety perspective I think we all want Indiana to keep
01:03:53this game close could be different than our handicapping perspective as well Donnie I knew
01:03:59that based on a total north of 230 most of the public would be on the over so my bet by the way
01:04:05or my vote for the fade the public poll under 230 and a hook we know how quickly the Pacers want to play
01:04:12that might work against New York I'm not sure it works against Oklahoma City so we'll see the
01:04:17adjustments that Rick Carlisle one of the great coaches in the association makes I actually lean
01:04:23under 230 and a half tonight and the Pacers have been a great underdog throughout this playoff run
01:04:30seven and three straight up and against the number seven and three outright as an underdog and on the road
01:04:36Indiana is six and two outright in underdog in eight of those away games for the Pacers throughout this
01:04:45playoff run there will be plenty more from game number one in Oklahoma City of the NBA Finals
01:04:51later in this third hour the opening night of the 2025 NBA Finals it is game number one on this
01:04:58Thursday in Oklahoma City the Thunder hosts the Indiana Pacers and DRS as we have shared numerous
01:05:05times in the build-up to this game the theme is consistent when you look at game one and it's spread
01:05:11in the series outright price the Thunder are a large favorite both to win an NBA championship
01:05:17and game number one and maybe make this NBA Finals a rather quick affair nine and a half point spread
01:05:24now in favor of OKC 230 and a half is that total I think is basketball fans from a content perspective
01:05:33to make this Finals feel significant we all want to see it go the distance we want to see it even get
01:05:40two six games but when you truly dive into the odds is that how we anticipate the NBA Finals
01:05:46playing out Donnie right side in your estimation how does game number one start tonight in Oklahoma City
01:05:53I'm hoping maybe a lot of people out there feel stupid when they wake up tomorrow like what kind
01:05:57of bet did I lay in this game because me taking Oklahoma City which I think they win by double digits
01:06:02I put it this way Ben I don't think this game plays out this way oh man what a close victory for
01:06:08OKC they won it at the end on a great defensive play by Chet Holmgren to preserve a one point victory
01:06:14like it feels like to me it's Pacers outright or Thunder by double digits like no in between at this
01:06:20point because if it does play out where okay look at that Pacers lost by seven and covered that's like
01:06:24you know what that's exactly probably what the books don't want because the majority of the bets
01:06:28still coming in from a Pacers perspective here but starting out in game number one I'm buying into it
01:06:34I'm buying into the disrespect of the Indiana Pacers I like the Pacers they're a good ball club
01:06:38but I don't think there's any in between tonight and if we're hanging nine and a half out there it's
01:06:42just so easy to look at that number and say I'll take the Pacers with double digits and live with
01:06:47it because quite frankly Ben if they get deep by 25 and you take the nine and a half you go hey
01:06:51give it my best effort at this point like I wouldn't be that mad but for me I'm looking at from
01:06:55an OKC perspective if there's enough respect out there in the marketplace to hold an NBA Finals game
01:07:01number one at nine and a half without an avalanche coming over from the one side pushing that number
01:07:06lower and lower I'm just going to read the line and I'm going to take OKC in a runaway victory tonight
01:07:11DRS we are obviously had to fade the public poll to start off this third and final hour around 34%
01:07:18of the updated vote actually lay in the nine and a half expecting Oklahoma City to win of course to
01:07:24cover that number by double digits but it is interesting comparing our fade the public poll
01:07:30to the betting statistics on the FanDuel Sportsbook right now 57% of the bets backing Indiana as the
01:07:38underdog to keep this game within a single digit margin and cover as a nine and a half point dog
01:07:44that's the volume of bets 58% of the money on the spread lay in the number with the thunder that's a
01:07:53dichotomy that's a disparity is more money meaning more sharp is more bets meaning more public I guess
01:08:02that ultimately is for all of you to decide Oklahoma City throughout this playoff run eight and one
01:08:08straight up at home seven and two against the spread they have been at least a five point favorite
01:08:14and every single home game all seven of their covers overall in the 16 games DRS throughout this
01:08:21postseason march for Oklahoma City back to the NBA finals for the first time in more than a decade
01:08:26have come at home where the average margin of victory inside the paycom center for the thunder
01:08:3224.6 points per game five of those eight wins by 25 points at least if Oklahoma City is winning
01:08:40tonight there's your track record for the thunder to make it look lopsided but on the other side
01:08:46the Pacers have been undervalued throughout this postseason run as well Indiana an underdog 10 times
01:08:53seven outright wins Indiana playing eight away games six outright wins as well the Pacers have been that
01:09:00overlooked side in each of their last two series it is a calling card for Indiana Pascal Siakam saying in
01:09:07the lead-up to this game we don't expect anybody to pick us to win the NBA championship we know that
01:09:13Pacers have thrived with the underdog mentality throughout this NBA postseason yeah and a big
01:09:19underdog in game number one a minus 450 price on the money line here as a favorite towards OKC and
01:09:24again like because I love the talking points on this though because it is the fact that it's the
01:09:28Indiana Pacers and they wasn't a ping pong ball that just kept coming up Pacers Pacers Pacers and that's
01:09:34how they got to the NBA finals where everybody else had to earn it here like they had to go out and beat
01:09:38a formidable opponent even though it was injured a bit there in the Milwaukee Bucks then they had to go out
01:09:42and beat the number one overall seed who did get injured a little bit but they dispatched up I'm
01:09:46like man thank goodness we got that lucky break and won in seven games easily beat them then beat up on
01:09:51the New York Knicks and won that game in game number six and move forward to the finals where they have
01:09:55ample time to rest and we're not worried about oh I wonder if Tyrese Halliburton's ankle is up to it
01:09:59here in the finals no they're healthy and ready to go the same thing with OKC so we should get a pretty
01:10:04clean outcome and also both of these teams getting extended periods of time off there might be the rust
01:10:09factor that we talk about if there is a game to steal it better be game number one because once you get
01:10:13back on even footing which would be game number two on Saturday night you better have that series
01:10:18because if you don't and OKC runs away with it the expectations again will be OKC to win in game number
01:10:23two if everything stays equal and probably a line similar to the nine and a half that we're looking at
01:10:28right now so for my money if you want the Pacers to win this series if you think the Pacers best shot is going
01:10:33to come it's probably in game number one so if they don't show out in game number one okay let's
01:10:38rebrand rebuild for game number two those vibes aren't going to be the same as way they are now
01:10:43I want to see how this first quarter plays out if it's an avalanche toward Oklahoma City are the
01:10:47Pacers running down three point shots are the Oklahoma City Thunder saying hey we're a great defensive
01:10:51team but the Pacers are now out running us and pushing the tempo we don't have an answer I need to
01:10:55find that out I just don't want to find out based on my bet yes a double digit victory for OKC but all of
01:11:02our worst fears are coming true nobody wanted this finals and nobody now is going to watch the finals
01:11:06Indiana has won each of its opening three games to start every one of its playoff series here in
01:11:13this postseason the last two of course has a hefty underdog on the road in Cleveland and inside
01:11:19Madison Square Garden Oklahoma City has been a little bit tripped up DRS in their opening games of
01:11:25the last two rounds they lost to Denver although they did have a 13 point fourth quarter lead and they
01:11:31were down by four against the Timberwolves at the break in game number one of the Western Conference
01:11:36finals before they won the second half by 30 points in game number one by 26 you have heard Indiana plus
01:11:43five and a half in the first half that could be a way to think the Pacers keep this game competitive
01:11:48tonight frankly for me DRS we had the conversation earlier by yourself outcome of game one really changes
01:11:56your overall outlook of the NBA finals not so much I think the Pacers could cover this game
01:12:02heck the Pacers could even win outright and I still believe the Thunder are going to be crowned an NBA
01:12:07champion hoisting that Larry O'Brien trophy it may be in five games yet let's talk about the superstars
01:12:15in the points props tonight Jay Gilgis Alexander death taxes somewhere between 29 and 35 points his
01:12:22points prop reflecting that for the MVP 33 and a half but only 17 and a half on the other side for
01:12:28Tyrese Halliburton DRS how do you approach those two numbers yeah if I'm going with a win and a
01:12:34convincing win for Oklahoma City I'm going to correlate that now granted SGA is always going to be around
01:12:38that number values in the eye of the beholder I understand that but when I look at the number for SGA
01:12:42and you see Ben the 33 and a half what do you say to yourself and that sounds about right like he's
01:12:46always in that range he'll probably get there the Tyrese Halliburton entering into game number one when
01:12:51you know he needs to be a focal point and really step his game up I would have thought that would
01:12:55have been 19 and a half 20 and a half 21 and a half so I see the 17 and a half in the same way I
01:13:00talked when JY was on it's like boy that number is really low but again it's not there for a reason
01:13:05to trip you up and say hey he's supposed to get 25 we'll put it at 17 and a half but we won't let you we
01:13:10won't let the public know but if you want to bet it go ahead that's a number that's crazy no I'm
01:13:14correlating it to a big win for Oklahoma City which means Tyrese Halliburton is going to struggle
01:13:18that number looks a little bit fishy so I'm buying into that as well under on Tyrese Halliburton for
01:13:24me tonight at 17 and a half points Halliburton 20 plus in four of the six against the New York
01:13:30Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals and five times previously in those opening two series
01:13:36Tyrese Halliburton doesn't necessarily need to score 30 like SGA probably does for Oklahoma City
01:13:42to have success he can do it in other ways the leading score in the Eastern Conference Finals
01:13:47MVP of course for Indiana was Pascal Siakam he has the highest points prop for the Pacers tonight
01:13:53it's 19 and a half Jalen Williams on the other side for OKC 22 and a hook
01:14:00I'll see you there I will see you there
01:14:09it's a little bit so I'm sure you want to start right now
01:14:13you
01:14:15there
01:14:17yeah
01:14:18yeah
01:14:19yeah
01:14:23yeah
01:14:24yeah
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