Hang up | Finals Week

Slate News

Slate Podcasts

News, News Commentary, Politics

4.6 • 6K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh and Lindsay Gibbs break down the NBA Finals and the savvy draft and trade decisions that led to this year’s showdown between two small-market teams. They also unpack the NHL Finals rematch between Edmonton and Florida and whether a Canadian team can finally reclaim glory. Finally, they speak with New York Times sports business reporter Ken Belson about looming tax code changes proposed by the Trump administration that could spell major headaches for NFL owners. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the vibe-crushing “foul up 3,” strategy plaguing the end of high-stakes NBA games. NBA Finals (4:41): Pacers vs. Thunder NHL Finals (19:49): Panthers vs. Oilers Sports Tax Issues (31:10): Will Trump kneecap sports team owners? (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen. You can email us at [email protected]. Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Ben Richmond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Every runner knows the moment when everything clicks.
0:04.0	When your legs lock into a rhythm, the aches float away and doubts fade.
0:08.0	Replaced by a feeling of euphoria.
0:12.0	It's why you lace up at dawn.
0:15.0	Why little rain doesn't stop you.
0:17.0	Why one run turns into a habit.
0:20.0	So next time you go for a run, chase that runs high. why one run turns into a habit.
0:24.3	So next time you go for a run, chase that runs high.
0:28.1	Learn more about running and go wild at puma.com.
0:55.3	It is Monday, June 2nd, 2025. Welcome back to Hang Up and Listen, the sports podcast here at Slate. Back with you yet again this week. I am Alex Kershner, a contributing writer for Slate, and co-host of College Football Podcasts split zone duo. This week, I hope you like finals. The Stanley Cup final begins Wednesday in Edmonton. It's a rematch of last year's match between the Oilers and the Panthers. The NBA finals
1:00.0	start Thursday in Oklahoma City, Pacers Against Warriors. Also, congrats to all of our college and high
1:05.7	school students who are probably taking their own finals right about now, or if taking them in the last
1:10.2	few. It's
1:11.0	really, it's a very final time of year and we love that. We'll talk about those series in our
1:15.6	special hang-up kind of way. We do know exactly who will win and in how many games, but we'll
1:20.3	withhold that information and talk you through some other angles that we find interesting
1:23.9	about the NBA and NHL's last series of the year. Then we'll have an
1:28.3	informative interview with Ken Belson, a sports business reporter for the New York Times,
1:32.8	about a little tax code issue that is threatening to become a big pain for owners across professional
1:37.6	sports, but might be targeted, maybe, in particular, at the NFL. As usual, joining me this
1:43.2	week is Lindsay Gibbs, the publisher of
1:44.8	PowerPlays, a newsletter that covers the key stories of the moment in women's sports.
	...

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