Inside the NBA Finals Drama: Thibs’ Shocking Firing and the Draft Boards No One Saw Coming

Buckle up—this week on The Kevin O’Connor Show, longtime pal Mo Dakhil swings by with a sharper-than-ever take on the NBA Finals. Both Kevin and Mo zero in on why the Oklahoma City Thunder are poised to clean house in five games, but then they flip the script—mulling over the wildly improbable yet intriguing path the Indiana Pacers might take to snatch the crown. Meanwhile, just as they’re diving deep, breaking news shocks the basketball world: the New York Knicks are saying goodbye to Tom Thibodeau. Mo throws in a spicy suggestion—that the Knicks reunite with Jeff Van Gundy, stirring up some genuine MSG magic and nostalgia. And just when you think it’s time to breathe, Corey Tulaba and Kevin shift gears, assessing which NBA Draft hopefuls pack the grit and grind to survive the league’s brutal physicality—names like Kon Knueppel, Tre Johnson, and Cedric Coward get their moment in the spotlight. This isn’t just talk; it’s basketball’s raw edge dissected in real time. Trust me, you don’t want to miss a second. LEARN MORE

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Pascal Siakam #43 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during an NBA basketball game. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images)Advertisement

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(59:25) NBA Draft talk with Corey TulabaOld friend of the show Mo Dakhil joins KOC to preview the NBA Finals in full — how both guys landed on the Oklahoma City Thunder to take care of business in 5 games. BUT the guys play out the scenario, “what is the path to an Indiana Pacers Finals victory?” PLUS during the taping — the guys’ live reaction to the stunning breaking news that the New York Knicks were parting ways with Thibs! Dakhil says New York should reunite with Jeff Van Gundy to go for some real Garden Nostalgia.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts(0:20) NBA Finals Game 1 preview with Mo Dakhil(37:40) Knicks fire Tom Thibodeau(45:48) What went wrong for Ant & Timberwolves?