PMT DB
PMT DB
NBA Finals Recap, Cal Raleigh, and Hank’s Pebble Beach Return
The NBA season has officially come to a close, and the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached the mountaintop. While Game 7 was marred by the absolute tragedy of Tyrese Haliburton tearing his Achilles, Big Cat and PFT were quick to give Sam Presti his flowers. Presti has been playing the long game since the Sonics days, and seeing his vision of a young, pick-loaded roster come to fruition is a masterclass in front-office patience.
Big CatSam Presti is one of the best GMs in any sport
This guy [Sam Presti] is one of the best GMs in any sport. And it's cool that he finally like 18 years, I think it's, he's been there and he just won with the second youngest team his way and a pocket full of picks going forward.
While the Thunder are celebrating, the rest of the league is already looking at them as a potential dynasty. The terrifying part for the rest of the NBA is that this squad hasn't even hit its prime yet. Big Cat thinks the parity we’re seeing is great for the sport, but it’s going to be a nightmare trying to knock Shai Gilgeous-Alexander off his perch.
Big CatThis 2025 Thunder team is the worst version we will see during their upcoming dynasty
This is the worst Oklahoma City Thunder team that will win a championship during this dynasty run. They had to go to seven against the Nuggets. They had to go to seven against the Pacers. I don't expect that to happen ever again for them.
The Pacers, on the other hand, are entering an all-time "what if" scenario. Haliburton was playing out of his mind before the injury, and losing your franchise player to a year-long recovery in the final game of the season is the ultimate sports gut punch.
Big CatThe Pacers' season-ending loss in the 2025 Finals is one of the greatest gut punches in sports history
For the Pacers, I think that's gotta be one of the all time gut punch like end of seasons. Considering the fact it was a magical ride. They've never won a title as a franchise. Tyrese Haliburton gets hurt there and he's gonna be out for a year. It sucks.
KD on the Move and Golf Chokes
In typical NBA fashion, the Thunder’s title win was immediately shared in the headlines by Kevin Durant getting traded yet again. This time he’s headed to the Houston Rockets to join a young core. While Big Cat likes the fit for a team needing a pure scorer, PFT is more concerned with Durant’s eternal search for a basketball soulmate.
PFT CommenterKevin Durant is perpetually unhappy and his quest to find happiness only makes him more miserable
I think this means that Kevin Durant is perpetually unhappy and is made more unhappy in his quest to find happiness.
Over in the golf world, Keegan Bradley took home the title at the Travelers, but the story was really about Tommy Fleetwood failing to close the deal. Fleetwood has more top-ten finishes without a win than almost anyone in history, and PFT wasn't offering any sympathy for the Englishman's latest stumble.
PFT CommenterTommy Fleetwood choked at the Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood, I don't really feel bad for [him]. He choked bad. He did choke. Like that's a choke that I... I was yelling USA at my TV.
Cal Raleigh in Studio
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh—affectionately known as Big Dumper—joined the show to discuss his insane power surge and the art of catching. The guy is on an absolute tear, and Big Cat is ready to start printing the MVP posters. Cal talked about the physical toll of being behind the plate in the most intense environments in baseball.
Cal RaleighPlaying in Houston, Boston, and New York takes a greater physical and mental toll on players than other cities
Games in Houston, Boston, New York, playing in the places like that, where you feel like the team's, the pressure's constantly on and the fans are on top of you and it's hot. Those take a little more outta you.
Cal also got into the weeds on the new technology in the game. While PitchCom has changed how catchers communicate with pitchers, Cal admitted that sometimes the old-school way is just more efficient when there aren't runners lurking on second base.
Cal RaleighIt is faster for a catcher to call pitches with finger signs than with PitchCom when no one is on base
With nobody on base, you don't really need the pitch column. Nobody's out there. So it's honestly quicker to do it with the fingers than I think the pitch column.
He also shared the story of the Mariners' clubhouse soft-serve machine mutiny, proving that professional athletes are really just big kids who want their ice cream. Cal is firmly against the "Robot Ump" era, wanting to keep the human element of the game alive, even if it means getting a face full of dirt or an occasional bad call.
Cal RaleighRobot Umpires should stay out of baseball to preserve the human element of arguing and ejections
Out on Robot Umps. I mean, don't you wanna keep a little bit of the baseball in it? You wanna see managers and guys getting ejected, like that's part of the game. ... If you take that away, it's like there's not, you know, you need a little bit of excitement in the game.
Who’s Back and Hank’s Return
Who’s Back featured a heavy dose of nostalgia with Jonathan Toews signing in Winnipeg and Sammy Sosa returning to Wrigley Field. Big Cat also noted that "World War III" seems to be back in the news for the fifth time this week, though he's starting to think the term has lost its punch.
Big CatWorld War III is overrated and the term is being overused
My Who's Back of the Week is World War III. We're doing it again, boys. I think this is the fifth World War III that's happened in the last four years. ... I'm so sick of everyone saying World War III just started.
The show wrapped up with the return of Henry Lockwood. After Big Cat and PFT sent him on an all-expenses-paid trip to Pebble Beach, Hank returned with a bag full of "thoughtful" gifts. While Zach scored a high-end winter jacket, Max was treated to a tin of breath mints—a move that Big Cat and PFT definitely didn't suggest behind the scenes.
Hank might have shot a 94 at Pebble, but he's already planning the 2026 trip.
