Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.

 

🏆 NBA Finals Recap
Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder win the 2024–2025 NBA Championship in Game 7 over the Indiana Pacers.
MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)

29 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover in Game 7
Joins elite company as MVP, scoring champ, and NBA champion in the same season
Thunder’s Core:

Jalen Williams (J-Dub), Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein
Deep bench with Wiggins and Wallace
Second-youngest championship team in NBA history

💔 Tyrese Haliburton Injury
Suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7
Was off to a hot start before going down
Emotional moment as he greeted teammates on crutches post-game
His absence shifted the momentum of the game and series

🏀 Indiana Pacers’ Future
Despite the loss, the Pacers showed promise:

Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner, and others showed flashes
TJ McConnell praised for his gritty performance—nearly MVP-worthy if Pacers had won
Haliburton’s injury likely sidelines him for the 2025–2026 season

🚑 Injury Crisis in the NBA
Major stars out for next season:

Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles)
Jayson Tatum (Achilles)
Damian Lillard (Achilles)
Kyrie Irving (ACL)
Raises concerns about the toll of modern pace-of-play on players’ bodies
JJ Redick’s comments on modern wear-and-tear vs. old-school physicality are echoed

🔁 Blockbuster Trade: Kevin Durant to Houston Rockets
Trade Details:

KD to Houston
Phoenix receives: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 2025 #10 pick, five second-round picks
Houston’s New Core:

KD joins Fred VanVleet, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr.
Rockets now seen as legit contenders in the West

🔥 Phoenix Suns Fallout
KD’s age (36) and contract limited trade return
Suns now focused on offloading Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause
Beal’s value has plummeted—team may pay him to stay home

🧠 Stephen A’s Takeaways
OKC is the team to beat, but Houston is coming
KD still elite: 27 PPG, 50/39/88 shooting splits
Miami Heat missed a huge opportunity by not pursuing KD harder
Pat Riley may need to step back and let Erik Spoelstra take over full control

 

Stephen A. Smith is a New York Times Bestselling Author, Executive Producer, host of ESPN's First Take, and co-host of NBA Countdown.
&nbsp;
<hr>
🏆 NBA Finals Recap
<ul>
<li>Champions: Oklahoma City Thunder win the 2024&ndash;2025 NBA Championship in Game 7 over the Indiana Pacers.</li>
<li>MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)
<ul>
<li>29 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover in Game 7</li>
<li>Joins elite company as MVP, scoring champ, and NBA champion in the same season</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Thunder&rsquo;s Core:
<ul>
<li>Jalen Williams (J-Dub), Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein</li>
<li>Deep bench with Wiggins and Wallace</li>
<li>Second-youngest championship team in NBA history</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
💔 Tyrese Haliburton Injury
<ul>
<li>Suffered an Achilles injury in Game 7</li>
<li>Was off to a hot start before going down</li>
<li>Emotional moment as he greeted teammates on crutches post-game</li>
<li>His absence shifted the momentum of the game and series</li>
</ul>
<hr>
🏀 Indiana Pacers&rsquo; Future
<ul>
<li>Despite the loss, the Pacers showed promise:
<ul>
<li>Bennedict Mathurin, Myles Turner, and others showed flashes</li>
<li>TJ McConnell praised for his gritty performance&mdash;nearly MVP-worthy if Pacers had won</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Haliburton&rsquo;s injury likely sidelines him for the 2025&ndash;2026 season</li>
</ul>
<hr>
🚑 Injury Crisis in the NBA
<ul>
<li>Major stars out for next season:
<ul>
<li>Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles)</li>
<li>Jayson Tatum (Achilles)</li>
<li>Damian Lillard (Achilles)</li>
<li>Kyrie Irving (ACL)</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Raises concerns about the toll of modern pace-of-play on players&rsquo; bodies</li>
<li>JJ Redick&rsquo;s comments on modern wear-and-tear vs. old-school physicality are echoed</li>
</ul>
<hr>
🔁 Blockbuster Trade: Kevin Durant to Houston Rockets
<ul>
<li>Trade Details:
<ul>
<li>KD to Houston</li>
<li>Phoenix receives: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 2025 #10 pick, five second-round picks</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Houston&rsquo;s New Core:
<ul>
<li>KD joins Fred VanVleet, Alperen Şeng&uuml;n, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr.</li>
<li>Rockets now seen as legit contenders in the West</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
🔥 Phoenix Suns Fallout
<ul>
<li>KD&rsquo;s age (36) and contract limited trade return</li>
<li>Suns now focused on offloading Bradley Beal, who has a no-trade clause</li>
<li>Beal&rsquo;s value has plummeted&mdash;team may pay him to stay home</li>
</ul>
<hr>
🧠 Stephen A&rsquo;s Takeaways
<ul>
<li>OKC is the team to beat, but Houston is coming</li>
<li>KD still elite: 27 PPG, 50/39/88 shooting splits</li>
<li>Miami Heat missed a huge opportunity by not pursuing KD harder</li>
<li>Pat Riley may need to step back and let Erik Spoelstra take over full control</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith gives you his renowned point of view, breaking barriers beyond the world of sports, and tackling pertinent issues across entertainment, pop culture, society, business, and politics. Three times a week, you'll hear his unfiltered opinions on the day’s biggest headlines as well as straight-shooting interviews with top celebrities, game-changers, and thought leaders across the societal arena. The Stephen A. Smith Show is sure to entertain, inform, and motivate anyone who tunes in.

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith gives you his renowned point of view, breaking barriers beyond the world of sports, and tackling pertinent issues across entertainment, pop culture, society, business, and politics. Three times a week, you'll hear his unfiltered opinions on the day’s biggest headlines as well as straight-shooting interviews with top celebrities, game-changers, and thought leaders across the societal arena. The Stephen A. Smith Show is sure to entertain, inform, and motivate anyone who tunes in.

The Stephen A. Smith Show

Stephen A's Take: SGA joins elite company as MVP | Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles injury was heartbreaking.

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/db2a9c09-ed60-45c3-aacf-b305016988b2/transcript