The upside down NBA Finals

Post Reports

The Washington Post

Daily News, Politics, News

4.4 • 5.1K Ratings

🗓️ 4 June 2025

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This year’s NBA Finals will see the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Indiana Pacers. The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, a trio of up-and-coming stars. Meanwhile the Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton feature a potent offense and a deep bench. Both teams have rabid fan bases, craving an end to a championship drought.

Guest host Ava Wallace is joined by The Washington Post’s national NBA writer, Ben Golliver. They discuss the changing landscape of the NBA and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver’s quest for parity across the league.

Today’s episode was produced by Lucas Trevor, Josh Carroll and Jonelle LaFoucade. It was mixed and edited by Ted Muldoon.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	What are the flights like? Because I know Oklahoma City is an American hub, and I know
0:07.8	Indianapolis is an American hub. So it can't be that bad, right? Well, I don't fly America,
0:12.5	and I fly Delta and United any emergencies only. Oh, my God. That is such a West Coast
0:19.6	NBA reporter thing of you to do. I mean, I, yeah, you can stereotype it how you want it. I just, it's been... My God, that is such a West Coast NBA reporter thing of you to do.
0:21.6	I mean, yeah, you can stereotype it how you want it.
0:24.2	I just think it's by far the best airline.
0:26.1	We could throw stats at each other all day long.
0:27.9	It is definitely the best airline, but that's like so, like, anytime I'm with a Western Conference NBA reporter,
0:33.8	they're like, oh, it's Delta all day.
0:35.1	The flights are so good.
0:36.1	Everything's nice. And I'm like, yes, I'm stuck on American all the time in the Eastern Conference.
0:42.7	From the newsroom of the Washington Post, this is Post Reports.
0:46.5	It is Wednesday, June 4th.
0:48.5	And I'm Ava Wallace, a sports reporter from the Washington Post.
0:51.6	Today, I'm joined by Ben Gulliver.
0:53.5	We're going to talk a little
0:54.2	NBA finals. Ben is our national basketball reporter for the Post, a certified ball-knower,
0:59.6	and he's going to break down why you should fall in love with both the Thunder and the Pacers.
1:03.5	You don't have to choose. You can do both.
1:08.5	The NBA Finals begin this week between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
1:12.7	Two kind of smaller market teams.
1:14.4	It's a really interesting time to be watching the NBA.
	...

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