Takes

The Knicks have 1986 Mets magic to beat Boston

Very reminiscent of the 86 Mets. And how they, and how they beat the Boston Red Sox. It really is reminiscent of that. A New York team just rising from the ashes, like a phoenix to destroy Austin sports. It is, it was so much fun.

The Cavaliers will still win the series against the Pacers despite losing Game 1

I don't think the Cavs should panic... I think the Cavs are still gonna win the series.

LeBron James should opt out and take a pay cut to help the Lakers build a better roster

He could opt out and then take less. He can opt out and then willingly take a pay cut and say, I would like to get paid 35, $40 million next year. Which would be smart. Use that money to get a center, fill the roster around, get someone over seven feet.

It is a foregone conclusion that Giannis Antetokounmpo will never wear a Bucks jersey again

The Bucks maybe if you're a Bucks fan, this is the last time you see Giannis in a Bucks jersey, which sucks... I feel like it's a foregone conclusion [he is gone].

The Cavaliers will sweep the Pacers

Yeah. I'm gonna say Cavs in four. Yeah. This Cavs team is fucking legit.

The Lakers vs. Timberwolves series is going seven games because Adam Silver wants LeBron's numbers

I think that this is gonna go to the distance though... I think that this is an Adam Silver situation. Oh, interest LeBron game seven numbers. If it goes seven, that means that LeBron is still the face of the league.

The Thunder will come back from 26 points down to beat the Grizzlies

Thunder are getting killed. 77 to 51. ... Just wait. I think the Thunder are gonna come back. You heard it here first.

The Clippers are better than the Nuggets and I'm calling the series for LA early

I'm gonna say right now the Clippers are up 2-1 calling it. Putting a pin in it, making it an early call. They're better than the Nuggets. It's, it's just, I think they are... We're calling this fight. The Clippers are up 2-1 and the Clippers are good.

The Lakers versus Timberwolves series will be a battle that goes six or seven games

I think the Lakers Wolves is gonna be a, a six or seven game series and I, I expected the Lakers to win tonight and I expected what we saw.

The Thunder will lose a home game specifically because one front-row fan refuses to wear the giveaway shirt

I'll tell you what, the Thunder are going to lose a playoff game at home in this run, and it's because this guy's not wearing the shirt. You look out, there's this intimidating crowd, everyone's wearing the shirt, and that guy's not wearing the shirt. He's peacocking out there.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will not lose a single home game in the 2025 playoffs

They're not going to lose a game at home. [The fan's shirt] doesn't matter. They're that good. I'm a PFT guy here, why conform? Free country. They're not going to lose a game at home.

The Celtics are a lock to repeat as NBA champions if they stay healthy

This team is better than the team last year that won the championship. And if they stay healthy, they will repeat. That is my wholehearted belief... I'm happy that we, it's called confidence.

The Celtics will lose fewer than three games total before the NBA Finals

I would say two and a half. I mean, I would take the under, I would set the line at two and a half. I personally take the under.

The Los Angeles Clippers are more likely to win the West than the Lakers

I favor the Clippers to do it [win the West] more than the Lakers.

Jalen Brunson is the next 'Can't Win The Big One' guy in the NBA

How about this one? Hank, you're gonna like this one. Jalen Brunson. Mm. Does that do anything for you? Yeah. Not clutch at all... I'm trying to predict where the narratives are gonna go next... The Knicks were built to beat the Celtics this year.

Steph Curry enters the Kobe realm of the GOAT conversation if he wins a 5th title this year

If the Warriors go on a run, which they could... Steph Curry goes, lights out. Is Steph Curry, does he enter the Kobe realm of the goat conversation?... If the Warriors win the NBA title this year, Steph Curry wins finals MVP, I feel like you're gonna have the Jordan, LeBron, Kobe Curry conversation.

The Bulls are trending upward and are a legitimate threat to beat the Cavaliers in a playoff series

Bulls are about to go on a run. Keep saying, I think they can beat the Cavs. It starts on Wednesday night... I'm not worried about the Cavs. I didn't say I want them to. I'm just saying like the bulls are trending. Cavs are overrated.

Anthony Edwards will win the NBA Clutch Player of the Year award

Steven [Cheah] thinks that they just decided on who scores the most clutch points. And Anthony Edwards is only four points behind in the clutch points scored... I have Anthony Edwards to win Clutch Player of the year.

The 2025 Cleveland Cavaliers can make a run at the NBA Finals

Darius Garland has taken that next step. Evan Mobley is a defensive specimen who's evolved offensively as well. Jared Allen is Mr. Leader. The Cleveland Cavs can make a run at this thing. And I'm telling you right now, if there's an Eastern Conference finals, I will have my wine and gold ready to go.

If the Celtics are healthy, they are not losing

If we're healthy, we're not losing. That's, it's really, it's just health. I, it's like the calves are a good team, good season. Sure. But... if we're healthy, we're not losing.

Cooper Flagg should go back to college for another year if the Wizards or Hornets get the #1 pick

I did see something very mean from front of the program Andy Staples... He said if I was Cooper Flagg and the Wizards or the Hornets got the number one overall pick, I'd go back to college... I thought about it and he's not he's not wrong, but it hurt for me to hear him say that.

I'm officially opting out of all Philadelphia 76ers news for the rest of the season

I don't care. I'm opting out of all Sixers news... I just wanna fast forward to the end of the season.

Joel Embiid should retire from the NBA

He [Joel Embiid] should just retire.

The NBA internally sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers to stop LeBron James from starting a rival league

What if the NBA forced Luka [Doncic] to the Lakers to basically like forced LeBron to stay? Because the Luka thing still doesn't make any sense. ... LeBron is clearly like doing something, like something's going on where he is protesting... And maybe the NBA knew about this internally and they tried to send Luka to LA to, to somehow stop LeBron from doing what he's trying to do [starting a new league].

The Philadelphia 76ers will lose in the NBA play-in tournament

How do you think the sixth or season ends this year bad... They're gonna losing the plan, losing the plan prediction.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will defeat the Boston Celtics in seven games to win the NBA Finals

Thunder over Boston in... would be seven thunder. Get it at home.

The Lakers are Austin Reaves' team, not Luka's or LeBron's

I'll tell you what, I think it might be Austin Reaves team. Mm.

The Spurs trading for De'Aaron Fox is a massive win that allows Victor Wembanyama to play serious playoff basketball

Sacramento is finalizing a trade to send De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs... That's great for the Spurs. I wanna see [Wembanyama] in some actual serious playoff time this year.

The 76ers are back and Caleb Martin is a 'Celtics killer'

Sixers are back. Everyone knows the NBA starts on Christmas... Caleb Martin might be the Celtic killer. That might be the difference... He has been horrendous this year and all of a sudden shows up on Christmas Day goes seven of nine from three and just buries every single shot against the [Celtics].

The Denver Nuggets will win the NBA title this season

Nuggets [will win the title].

Ben Simmons will have a great season because he is finally healthy

I think the work has been working. He just has to stay healthy. I think he can impact the game so many ways... some guys, you just don't need to be a shooter... Ben Simmons just needs to be healthy, period. He's healthy, he's gonna have a great season. It's that simple.

I am 100% confident the Washington Wizards will get Cooper Flagg

All I'm saying is I've never been as confident. I've never been as confident in my life of anything as the fact that the wizards are gonna get Cooper Flagg. I'm willing to tell you right now, I will stand on this hill and I will plant my representative banner to say that we're getting Flagg.

Karl-Anthony Towns is a terrible fit for the Knicks

Was your initial reaction like mine, which was basically that KAT could not be a worst fit for this team?

New York is going to eat Karl-Anthony Towns alive

I think Knicks fans are going, I mean they were really mean to Julius Randall and if KA... I just don't think [New York] is going to eat him alive.

Ben Simmons is back to playing at an All-Star level and is set for a massive bounce-back season

Ben Simmons reportedly is in camp and or at least training. He says Ben Simmons is back to playing all star talent level basketball. Get ready for this boys big season loading. This is the year for Ben.

Angel Reese will be a 20 and 10 player every day and is the WNBA Rookie of the Year

Angel Reese. Yeah. Angel. I love Angel Reese. I think she has like Rodman level rebounding. I fucking love her. If I had to [vote Rookie of the Year], yeah. She'll be a 20 and 10 every day.

The Denver Nuggets will win the 2025 NBA Championship

I think it's really, really tough to repeat. So I'll just say Nuggets.

LeBron James is on steroids because of his size and longevity

I will go with LeBron James. I mean, how is he not on steroids? That big. I'm not throwing a flag. That's probably an honorable mention. I mean there's, that's probably an honorable mention.

Steve Kerr purposefully played bad lineups to make the Serbia game more dramatic

Credit Steve Kerr for making it an interesting game and one of a highlight Olympic basketball game because that was more fun than the US just killing everyone. If he had just kept with his best players the whole second half, we probably would've won by double digits.

The Celtics are set for a repeat because Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are motivated by Olympic disrespect

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, they're gonna have all the motivation the world. I'm rooting for America, but after this is over the Celtics, like they're gonna be set up for a repeat.

Joel Embiid is still a top three player on Team USA

He's still the top three player on this team. Steve Kerr has said that himself. Sometimes there's matchup things and guys who don't know Ball are going to try and criticize Joelle Embiid... he's gonna drop 30 against Puerto Rico.

Joel Embiid will force a trade to the Knicks after the 76ers implode

The 76ers will implode with Paul George. And Joel Embiid will force himself to the Knicks.

Joel Embiid is the worst player in the entire Olympics

[Joel Embiid] is the worst player on the fucking team, probably in the whole Olympics.

The Celtics will be the most motivated championship team ever because of the Olympic snubs

The Celtics are gonna be the most motivated championship winning team of all time coming into next year. It's gonna be great for Jason Tatum to be back on a team in an organization that actually appreciates him.

Kevin Durant is currently unhappy and looking to be traded to France

Maybe he's unhappy. Isn't that what we heard about Kevin Durant? Yeah. He could be. He's unhappy and he is looking to be traded to France.

The WNBA's momentum will be killed by its four-week Olympic break

My Hot Seat, coincidentally... The WNBA. They won't be playing basketball for four weeks. So imagine if, like the 1988 dunk contest. It was incredible. And then the NBA just didn't happen for four weeks. All the momentum they've gained, just nothing's gonna happen.

I will not celebrate a Team USA gold medal if the semi-final or final games are within 10 points

I'm gonna say right now I will not, I'm not okay with just a gold medal. I want domination. I want utter domination... I will not be celebrating a gold medal if we win the semi-finals—if the semi-finals or the finals games are within 10 points. Either of them. I will not be celebrating this gold medal.

I want to see the US Men's Basketball team dominate the Olympics like the 1992 Dream Team

I want to see domination. Like the original dream team. That's the statement. Where you don't use a timeout at all. Just mow them down.

Kevin Durant is unhappy and wants to be traded

Kevin Durant is unhappy and request a trade... I think he will. Oh, he will. I think Kevin Durant is unhappy. We, we've been talking to some league sources.

Klay Thompson will be rejuvenated and excel in Dallas

I'm buying Klay Thompson stock. I think he's gonna be, I think you're gonna get like a rejuvenated Klay Thompson hitting wide open threes because Luka's gonna take all the pressure off him. I'm buying Klay Thompson. I don't think this is the end of Klay Thompson.