PMT DB
PMT DB
Blake Griffin on Clippers Exit, Detroit, and Brad Stevens
The NBA playoffs are in full swing, and Big Cat and PFT are watching the 76ers trust the process right into a brick wall. Philadelphia celebrated a Game 3 buzzer-beater with premature confetti only to lose in overtime, proving that the Celtics are currently playing chess while the Sixers are playing checkers. Brad Stevens is officially a mad scientist, and the guys are starting to wonder if the "underdog" narrative in Boston is just a clever rouse to hide the fact that their roster is still loaded.
Big CatBrad Stevens is the best coach in the NBA
I mean, I think [Brad Stevens] is the best coach in the game. He's a mad scientist.
While Ben Simmons is struggling to find his jumper under the bright lights, Big Cat and PFT aren't ready to crown him just yet. The rookie-not-rookie debate has taken a turn as the pressure of the second round begins to mount.
PFT CommenterBen Simmons is playing like a rookie because he can't shoot
It's a real problem that [Ben Simmons] can't shoot. He's playing like a rookie. So this actually... I've changed my mind now. He is a rookie based on how he's been playing.
Then there is LeBron James, who is currently the Mayor of Canada after what he’s doing to the Raptors. Every time we think LeBron is ripe for an upset, he hits another impossible fall-away jumper and reminds everyone that the Eastern Conference runs through him. PFT has a theory that LeBron might actually be sabotaging his own rosters just to make his greatness look even more Herculean.
PFT CommenterLeBron James intentionally makes his teams worse as a GM so he can stand out more
One thing, we can actually make the argument that LeBron James is at his worst as a GM, but I think that he makes his teams... I think he makes his teams worse on purpose, so that he's the guy that stands out. And it's like, oh, look at these shitty teams.
Detroit Piston and Clippers legend Blake Griffin joined the show in studio to talk about the shock of being traded after the "Clipper for Life" ceremony. Blake handled the transition with class, but he didn't shy away from the awkwardness of having his jersey retired in a free agency presentation only to be shipped to Detroit months later. He also shared his thoughts on the current NBA landscape and why everyone is so obsessed with the coaching in Boston.
Blake GriffinBrad Stevens is a great coach who has no business being up on the 76ers without Kyrie Irving
You see Brad Stevens. That's a great coach... Not that those [Celtics] guys aren't good, but do they have any business being up 1-0 in the second round without Kyrie? Gordon Hayward, all those guys. The biggest thing for me... is the coach's adjustments game to game.
Blake also touched on the grind of developing a three-point shot, the reality of NBA group chats, and why he’s officially done jumping over Kias. He even defended the guys we usually love to hate, giving some perspective on why officiating 7-footers moving at full speed is actually a nightmare.
Blake GriffinBeing an NBA referee is an extremely difficult job
It's a very hard job, and they do their best. And one time I tried to ref one of my kids' camp games, and it was really hard, so I understand what they're going through.
On the ice, the Stanley Cup playoffs are getting weird. Brad Marchand is licking people, and while some are calling for a suspension, Big Cat thinks it’s the funniest psychological warfare in sports history. PFT is currently living in a state of perpetual fear that the Capitals will find a way to break his heart against the Penguins yet again.
PFT CommenterIf the Capitals don't win Game 6 in Pittsburgh, the series is over
I'm already looking at Wednesday in D.C. Game 7. I've seen this movie before. I know it's going to happen... If we don't win in Pittsburgh, we're fucked. We're fucked.
For Who's Back of the Week, the guys celebrate Albert Pujols joining the 3,000-hit club. Big Cat notes that Pujols is the quintessential Angel for life, even if he spent his best years in St. Louis. He also pointed out that Pujols' legal strategy is a foolproof way to clear your name in the steroid era.
Big CatIf you sue someone for steroid accusations, it proves you didn't do them
I think Albert Pujols like, if you sue the guy for saying you did steroids, then guess what? You didn't do steroids. That's very... Absolutely true.
The show wraps up with a look at the Dark Knight’s fall from grace in Queens. With Matt Harvey officially out with the Mets, Big Cat is certain that a change of scenery is exactly what he needs to return to All-Star form, mostly because the Mets are cursed.
Big CatMatt Harvey will regain his form and have a good season now that he's left the Mets
Matt Harvey's going to still have a good year in his career left simply because it's the Mets... If you're a team looking for a pitcher, you should probably take a flyer on Matt Harvey because it would just be so perfect Mets for Matt Harvey to regain his form.
Blake Griffin might be a Piston now, but he’ll always be a Mount Rushmore guest for life.
