PMT DB
PMT DB
Mark Titus on NBA Finals, PFT's Stanley Cup Bender, and LeBron's Cast
The NBA season ended with a whimper as the Warriors swept the Cavs, but the real drama started the second the clock hit zero. LeBron James showed up to his post-game press conference sporting a massive cast, claiming he broke his hand punching a whiteboard after the Game 1 heartbreaker. Big Cat and PFT were not buying the theatrics, noting that the guy who never gets hurt suddenly needed a WWE-style prop the second the series was over.
PFT CommenterTeams should hesitate to sign LeBron James to a Supermax due to his whiteboard-punching 'hand injury'
how does lebron's like terrible terrible very very painful looking um displaced compound fracture hand injury affect his free agency status because if I was a team, I would hesitate against paying a guy with an injury like that a Supermax contract.
PFT is even starting to wonder if there’s a deeper spiritual issue at play for teams with that specific nickname. Between UVA’s historic collapse and Cleveland’s sweep, the evidence is mounting.
PFT CommenterThere is a 'Cavaliers Curse' affecting teams named the Cavaliers
We talk a lot about curses on this show. I think it's fair to ask, given the showing in recent basketball tournaments by teams named [Cavaliers], is there a Cavs curse? [UVA and Cleveland].
While the Warriors dynasty feels inevitable, Big Cat pointed out that they didn't even look like they were trying for most of the postseason. They have a gear that no one else can touch, which made the Finals feel like a foregone conclusion.
Big CatThe Warriors can play only 15 minutes of real basketball and beat anyone in the world
The Warriors can play 15 minutes of Warriors basketball and beat anyone in the world, and they just needed to be pushed a little. And even if you saw their body language going to that game six and seven in Western Conference rounds, they didn't care. They're like, yeah, we're going to still win.
PFT’s Vegas Bender with the Cup
While the NBA was boring, the NHL celebration has been anything but. PFT spent the weekend in Vegas following the Washington Capitals and eventually found himself in the middle of an Ovechkin-led bender. After a fashion disaster involving $95 oversized khakis from a hotel gift shop and a broken belt loop, PFT managed to talk his way onto a stage with the Stanley Cup. He ended up locking lips with the silver trophy, though he admits he probably contracted every known disease in the process.
PFT CommenterThe Capitals are going to win only nine games next year and I am fine with it
I wouldn't be surprised if the Washington Capitals won nine games next year. And I'm totally fine with that. I am 100% fine with them absolutely crapping themselves because it was all worth it.
Mark Titus on LeBron vs. MJ
Our good friend Mark Titus joined the show fresh off being in the arena for Game 4 in Cleveland. He described the vibe as a funeral where the billionaire Warriors owners were forced to give speeches to blue-collar fans who just watched their hero quit. Titus, a noted LeBron skeptic, leaned into the GOAT debate with Big Cat, much to PFT's mock chagrin.
Mark TitusPeople who think Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James have a real basketball mind
people that love Jordan, it makes it obvious that you're just into the memes and that sort of thing. And those are the people that side with LeBron. That's how I know who actually has a basketball mind. Oh, you're going to do that? Like LeBron. Yeah, if you think Jordan's better, that's cool. Listen, you're going to like Jordan. It just tells me where you're at intellectually on a basketball level.
Titus wasn't just there to troll; he had some thoughts on how the Finals would have gone if the superstars were swapped. Even with LeBron's greatness, the Warriors system seems unbreakable.
Mark TitusIf Kevin Durant and LeBron James switched teams, the Warriors would still sweep the Finals
I think the Warriors win the title and sweep in the finals.
Big Cat countered that the Cavs were really only one specific player away from making it a series. He thinks adding a certain defensive specialist would have fixed the Cavs' allergic reaction to playing defense.
Big CatThe Cavaliers would have beaten the Warriors if they had Draymond Green
I actually would say that if LeBron could even take Draymond Green from the Warriors, the Cavs would win. ... I think what [Draymond] does for the Warriors, and if you had a guy like that on the Cavs, I think they would have had enough to beat the Warriors.
The NBA Draft and the Death of Hope
Looking ahead to the draft, Titus is ready to blow the whole system up. He thinks the current model is broken and that we should just let these kids pick their own destinations from the jump.
Mark TitusThe NBA should abolish the draft and let college players become free agents immediately
Are we sure we need an NBA draft? Why not let the guys just become free agents? Like, they just graduated college, and now they're just free agents out of the gate. And it's like people just try to sign college players. Because it's going to happen anyway.
We also touched on the international man of mystery, Luka Doncic. While the draft community is falling over themselves for the EuroLeague MVP, Titus is staying skeptical of anyone who hasn't proven it on the college hardwood.
Mark TitusLuka Doncic is overhyped by 'nerds' and the EuroLeague is a garbage league
The nerds love Doncic, and it almost is offensive to me just how they talk about Doncic. There's like a slant against college basketball in how people talk about Doncic. I'm not going to pretend like I've watched the guy, but my problem is the beef I have is that everyone else is pretending like they've watched the guy... you go look at who's actually won EuroLeague MVPs and what it takes to win a EuroLeague MVP, and you're like, holy shit. That is a garbage league. These are not great players.
As for the rest of the class, Titus is high on the 'manalytics' of Colin Sexton while worrying about the hype surrounding Trae Young. He thinks one specific Villanova product is the safest bet to contribute to a winning team immediately.
Mark TitusMikal Bridges will be the 'Donovan Mitchell' of the 2018 draft who steps in and doesn't miss a beat
I would say Mikal Bridges is the best that could probably step in and he's not going to be like as good as Jason Tatum or Donovan Mitchell probably. But, uh, I don't know. He can give you something like right away and you can like see, see it right away... that guy could jump on an NBA court right this second and not miss a beat.
Who’s Back and Hot Takes
Who’s Back of the Week featured Andrew Luck finally being "close" to throwing a football and Lil Wayne getting his $10 million settlement. PFT also went out on a limb for the AFC South, suggesting that the Colts might actually be a threat to the reigning division champs.
PFT CommenterThe Colts are favorites to finish second in the AFC South behind the Jaguars
the Colts, just in general, are back this year. I think you've got to pencil them in as favorites to come in second in that division behind the Jaguars.
To wrap things up, Big Cat reminded everyone that despite Odell Beckham Jr. being a world-class athlete, his jump shot is absolute garbage. It only reinforces Big Cat's belief that he is the most well-rounded athlete on the planet when you combine every single sport into one competition.
Big CatThere is no one in the world who can beat me in a combined competition of every single sport
It also helps my longstanding theory that there is no one in the world who can beat me in every single sport. I'm talking every single sport, like darts, skiing... [Justify] can't beat me in basketball... I'll cross him up.
Just remember, if LeBron moves to the West, we’re doing this all again in ten months.
