📰🏟️ How the NBA Finals teams were built

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🏀 “HOW I BUILT THIS”

Both NBA Finals teams are brought to you courtesy of Paul George

The NBA Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder hasn’t even started. 

But in a bit of sweet serendipity, the series MVP could already be awarded to someone not on either squad—Paul George, currently of the Philadelphia 76ers, who both teams previously traded for players crucial to their respective championship runs.

• The Pacers traded George to the Thunder in 2017 for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Five years later, the Pacers dealt Sabonis to the Kings for a package that netted Tyrese Haliburton, a key cog who’s since become a two-time All-Star with Indiana.
• The Thunder moved George in 2019 for Danilo Gallinari, Tre Mann, Jalen Williams, five other first-round picks, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the contact-drawing, reigning NBA MVP whose name barely fits on the back of his jersey.

Regardless of which franchise takes home the trophy, however, it’ll mark a milestone victory. 

Neither the Pacers or Thunder have won a championship under their current monikers, and when all’s said-and-done the NBA will have also crowned seven different champions in seven years for the first time in league history (s/o Paul George, whose name will soon appear on Pacers and Thunders uniform tags instead of “Built in China”).

Meanwhile…While it’s unclear which former team PG is rooting for in the Finals (maybe whichever promotes his podcast as a thank you), it’s clear who sportsbooks want to win—the OKC Thunder, or “BigOKCthaPlug.”

This is because the Thunder’s odds of winning were not really long enough at any point in the season to warrant a major liability for sportsbooks, while bets on Indiana carry much better odds (and bigger potential payouts). BetMGM has "a couple" of Pacers futures wagers with a chance to win six figures at 125-1 odds, with others that can win smaller amounts at 150-1 odds.

• When it comes to the Finals matchup, the Thunder are a lopsided favorite, at -700 vs. +500.
• Likely due to the larger potential payout, 92% of bets and 91% of total dollars have been wagered so far on the Pacers to win the ‘ship. And if Indiana pulls off a series victory, it would be the biggest NBA Finals upset since 2004, when the Detroit Pistons (+500) beat the LA Lakers in five games.

Looking ahead: Game 1 tips tonight at 7:30 CT, with one big question on the minds of sports execs and broadcasters—will people actually tune in to watch this smaller-market matchup?

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⏱️ Catch Up Quick

Headlines de la semaine

🏟️ Chicago is getting a new MLS stadium. The Chicago Fire unveiled 🔥 plans to build a new $650M soccer-specific stadium in the heart of the city. The privately financed project also includes an entertainment district with restaurants, retail and office space, residential buildings, and an extension of the Chicago Riverwalk, club owner Joe Mansueto said. The franchise named after its city’s biggest disaster currently plays at the Chicago Bears’ Soldier Field, which the NFL team plans to replace by 2033 (though it’s struggled to find a replacement location). Both teams are part of a larger trend—across North America, franchises are carrying out plans to build or renovate at least 39 major sports venues. 

🀄 A major printing error has the Mahjong world abuzz. Since 1937, the American playerbase for Mahjong—a 19th-century Chinese tile-based game whose popularity has exploded across the US in recent years—has relied on an officially printed card to identify the tile pattern combinations they need to declare “Mahjong!” and win the game, which changes annually. But this year’s edition has a misprint where the visual signal (typically used by experienced players who scan the card) doesn’t line up with the printed description. Players say the mistake has “stir[red] up rage among the old guard,” though reprinted cards are expected to arrive in the coming days.

🎾 The French Open’s iconic clay courts are a product of exact science. The red clay surface at Roland-Garros will be heavily featured on TV screens over the next few days, as the French Open champions are decided. But what viewers at home won’t see is the precise alchemy and dedication that goes into shaping and maintaining the courts. The daily maintenance involves frequently watering the clay—which is ~2.5 feet thick and made from five different substances—as well as monitoring forecasts for rain, wind, temperature, and sunlight, as weather can impact each court differently even at the same time of day (think: shade vs. sun).

🏆 FROZEN IN TIME

The Oilers could snap Canada’s Stanley Cup drought

While maple syrup may be flowing north of the border, Stanley Cups are not. But with a thrilling 4-3 OT victory over the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final last night, the Edmonton Oilers moved one step closer to changing this for Canada. 

The country synonymous with hockey hasn’t seen a team located within its borders hoist the Cup since 1993, after dominating in the previous 41 seasons.

• Between 1953-1993, a Canadian NHL team won the championship 28 times.

It’s come close a few times, though. Five Canada-based teams have lost in Game 7 of the Cup final over those 32 years, including the Canucks in 1994 and 2011, the Flames in 2004, and Oilers in 2006 and 2024 (to the same Florida Panthers team they’re facing this year).

Reasons for the drought include periods of economic challenges in Canada, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s, when relocations were prevalent and the Canadian dollar hit an all-time low of less than 62 cents vs. the US dollar. 

Front-office struggles haven’t helped either. And over the past decade, Sun Belt teams are also to blame, according to many analysts, who point to players wanting to play in warm-weather climates with more favorable tax situations. 

Looking ahead…The Oilers will have a chance to extend their series lead tomorrow night, when the puck drops for Game 2.

💬 Word on the Street

Overheard

"We taped a pilot about a month ago, and it was the stupidest s**t I've ever seen in my life."

While Chuck, Shaq, and the Inside the NBA crew are moving their live NBA coverage from TNT to ESPN next season, the network that shares its name with an explosive compound still wants a piece of the action.

On The Dan Patrick Show this week, Barkley revealed that TNT is attempting to broadcast a separate show featuring the same cast and name as Inside the NBA, since the crew is “probably going to work on ESPN one-third or half the time” compared to previous years on TNT.

But there’s a major catch: TNT’s new program wouldn’t have the ability to show any NBA highlights or other game action due to the network losing media rights—essentially turning it into Outside the NBA, where “four dudes sit around and talk about nothing,” Barkley said.

Maybe studio execs do actually listen: The Round Mound of Rebound also gave TNT a little bit of credit: “The first thing they said after the pilot [was], “Yeah, that was really stupid. We gotta figure something out.’”

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📰 News

What else is happening

• Tour players, a 17-year-old, and a dentist are among those who qualified for the US Open on golf's longest day.
• It’s not just ticket prices—betting volume on Indiana Fever games is down since Caitlin Clark’s injury, too.
• Peyton Manning made an investment in Denver’s future NWSL team, coming in 2026. It sets up a rivalry with his brother Eli, who has a stake in New York’s Gotham FC.
• MLB TV ratings are up so far this year, according to data from broadcast partners.
• 2026 CFB Hall of Fame nominees include Mark Ingram, Cam Newton, RG3, and Ndamukong Suh.
• The College World Series super regionals kick off tomorrow, while Texas topped Texas Tech in Game 1 of the best-of-three Women’s College World Series final yesterday.
• The New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five seasons, despite the team making its deepest playoff run in 25 years.

🤔 Trivia

The Rockies are headed to the World Series

…psych. But things are looking up. 

Colorado’s MLB team swept a three-game series against the Marlins this week, snapping a 22-series losing streak dating back to last season. However, at 12-50, the mountain-themed franchise is still on pace to turn in the worst regular-season record in MLB’s modern era (since 1901).

Can you name the three current worst MLB teams in the modern era, by number of losses in a season? We’re looking for team + year (Ex: “the 2025 Rockies”).

🌐 Web Gems

Cool things to click

🤑 Explore: The 2025 NFL All-Paid Team, aka the league’s top earners by position.

⚾ Remember: Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima, who passed away this week at 89.

🥊 Read: The moment a 14-year-old Mike Tyson nearly quit in the ring. 

💪 Got me feeling nicey: Watch Travis Hunter make a wild interception at Jaguar OTAs.

🎾 Better than Zendaya: Loïs Boisson, a 22-year-old French women’s tennis player ranked #361 in the world and playing in her first Grand Slam, reached the French Open semis yesterday following her second-straight major upset.

💪 Yoked: Take your gym routine to the next level with The Ripped Report, a free bodybuilding newsletter filled w/ exclusive training tips and workout plans.* 

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🤔 Answers

1. The 2024 Chicago White Sox, who went 41-121 (winning percentage: .253) 
2. The 1962 NY Mets: 40-120
3. The 2003 Detroit Tigers: 43-119

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