Takes

The Pacers will fire their coach again next year after losing in the second round

You know what I'm really looking forward to is next year when the Pacers lose in the second round next year. They're going to make it to the second, and then they'll fire their coach again because the Pacers always think that they can do better at coach.

The Celtics look lost without a 100% focused Isaiah Thomas

But for Isaiah Thomas, who's clearly the Celtics' number one option in the heart and soul of the entire team, for him to not be 100% focused and 100% there for obvious reasons... it just makes the team look lost. You can just tell they're not fully in sync.

The Cavaliers are scared of the Bulls and punted the number one seed to avoid them

Are the Cavs scared of the Bulls? Because it all signs point to yes they have punted on the number one seed which means we have the inter podcast matchup Celtics-Bulls.

The Bulls will win exactly one game in their playoff series against the Celtics

They're [the Bulls] going to win one game. That was talking Bulls.

If forced to pick a sleeper team for the title, the Wizards are the only other option

If I have to name one [other team to win], Wizards.

LeBron James would not be an all-time great if you removed the 30 feet around the basket

If you took away the 30 feet around the basket, though, LeBron James would not be an all-time great basketball player. He relies way too much on driving and his jump shot... On the high percentage shots. And dunks and, yeah, anything inside the logo.

Jimmy Butler has only been the 23rd or 24th best player in the league this year

Jimmy Butler, he's played like a... 23rd, 24th best player in the league type this year, about exactly where I thought he would be.

The Bulls will beat the Raptors in the playoffs because they own them

The Bulls are going to beat the Raptors because they own the Raptors. I'm not saying the Bulls are a better team than the Raptors. The Raptors are a better team overall, but the Bulls, for some reason, just own the Raptors.

Derrick Rose will be playing in China with Stephon Marbury in a couple years

Except here's one silver lining I'll throw out there. Stephon Marbury versus Derrick Rose in China in a couple years. That'll be good.

The Golden State Warriors are a worse team with Kevin Durant.

I said that they were going to be worse with [Kevin Durant]. I said that. I was the only one. You called me an idiot. Guess what? The black hole is leaving Oakland, but he's the new black hole.

The Celtics can beat the Cavaliers in a seven-game series with home-court advantage.

Do you think the Celtics can beat the Cavs in a seven-game series? Yes. With home advantage? Yes.

The Wizards will win the Eastern Conference this year.

Do you think they [the Celtics] can beat the Wizards? No. Yeah. No, this is Wizards' year. It's all about D.C. this year. ... I don't know if you saw this, but the Wizards, they're wearing different jerseys in the playoffs this year. White with stars and stripes on it.

The Rockets could win the Western Conference, but the Thunder have zero chance.

I think Harden wants to win this, but the Rockets actually are a decent team. Things have to break well, but in a world, there's a theoretical world where they could win the West. The Thunder, no chance. Zero chance.

The Golden State Warriors are soft 'candy-ass'

If you can put a live cam on Steph Curry and the rest of the soft candy-ass Golden State Warriors watching the finals that they should be in. That would be great.

If they took away shots over 20 feet, Steph Curry would be an average player

If they took away the 20 to 50-foot shot, then Steph Curry would probably only average like 22 points a game.

It's time to start having the conversation: could Duke basketball beat the Brooklyn Nets?

In the year 2017... The Nets have won one single game at the Barclays [Center]. Duke has won now four games at the Barclays. So could Duke basketball beat the Nets? I think it's time to start having that conversation.

Magic Johnson was the absolutely right hire to lead the Lakers' front office

Absolutely. We love Magic... Everything Magic does is fit. Magic is one of those rare beacons of hope. He's just like—Magic is perfect. The best thing David Stern ever did was with Magic Johnson.

Kevin Durant is the real NBA MVP because the Warriors are struggling without him

But you forgot the dark horse, the guy who gets injured, and the team's not as good, Kevin Durant. When he gets his knee injury and everyone says, well look at the Warriors now. They're 2-2 since he got injured. Maybe he's the MVP, even though he's not going to play the entire season.

Michael Jordan could still average 15 points and 5 assists in the NBA right now

I don't want to say it, but I think he knows that I know that he knows he could probably still drop like 15 with maybe five assists a night in the NBA.

Kevin Durant will never be 100% for the rest of the season

I'm banking on Kevin Durant never being 100% for the rest of the year. Do you think the Warriors are now vulnerable, or is that just wishful thinking from someone who's a Warrior hater?

I want to see the Rockets and Warriors play in the playoffs

I have a lot of fun watching the Rockets play, so I'm kind of hoping that that matchup happens during the playoffs, in the second round, conference finals, whatever it is.

The New York Knicks are the NBA team I would coach (kidding)

[What NBA team would you coach?] The Knicks. Madison Square Garden. But we're kidding, of course, because I don't want to leave.

Buddy Hield should retire in a year or two because he is an old rookie

Buddy Hield is also, like, he's the Chris Weinke type, where everyone's like, oh, Buddy Hield's a nice young piece, and it's like, well, actually, he was a four-year starter, and he's like 25 years old. Oh, okay, well, Buddy Hield should retire in a year or two.

The Warriors vs. Pelicans first-round series will be lame because Draymond Green will just punch Boogie Cousins in the dick

So what you're going end up seeing here is the Warriors taking on the Pelicans in the first round... I'm here to tell you that it's not [going to be awesome]. It's going to be lame. Draymond Green, all he does is punch people in the dick, and getting punched in the dick is real weakness in [Boogie Cousins'] game.

Magic Johnson will be a successful Lakers president as long as they win games

The Lakers magic is going to do a good job if the Lakers win basketball games... I think he's also going to do a good job if he gets good players on the Lakers.

LeBron James is likely a member of the Illuminati

LeBron at this point, can we all just admit that he's probably part of the Illuminati? At least he's an ancillary part of the Illuminati with Jay-Z and all that shit.

The Cavaliers are now Kyrie Irving's team, not LeBron James'

Kyrie hit the big shot. You know why? So now here's the question. This is Kyrie's team.

The Celtics will win the title because Tom Brady texted Isaiah Thomas

He [Brady] went out of his way to text Isaiah Thomas... and say, it's your turn. ... I think when someone like Tom Brady can reach it out to you, that can really [lead to a title].

Kobe Bryant will return to play for an NBA team this season

It also brings back one of my favorite segments that we haven't done in a while. And that's which team is Kobe Bryant going to play for this year? So right now, I think the Bulls, they jumped to the top of the list. Kobe to the Bulls. Let's get that topic swirling out there. If not the Bulls, then you got to think about maybe the Knicks, too. We all know that Kobe's going to play this year.

Losing an eye is actually a performance-enhancing drug for basketball players

I'm going to go with hurt, not injured on this one. So if you lose an eye, you don't have to worry about depth perception. It's like when you're shooting a rifle, you close one eye... Losing an eye is a performance-enhancing drug.

John Calipari will leave Kentucky to coach the Lakers and reunite Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook

John Calipari to the Lakers, and then he's going to get those two [Durant and Westbrook] together. John Calipari is like a better version of Billy Donovan anyways.

Carmelo Anthony's destiny is to be carried to a title by LeBron James

Melo's destiny is to have LeBron carry him to a title. That really is his destiny.

Bet the Under on the first three NBA games on Christmas Day

So everyone remember, Christmas Day, my theory, the Unders in the NBA, if you bet the first three Unders, I think you've won every year in the last decade... The teams are going to take a little too long, eat a little food. It's only for the first three games, though.

LeBron James has an irrational fear of walking into new rooms

Do you know LeBron doesn't like to walk into new rooms? That's a fear of his, walking into rooms that he's never been in before... LeBron has an irrational fear of new rooms.

LeBron James sat out against Memphis just to distract people from his Photoshop hair fail

I actually think he did this purposely to get the story about him missing this game so people would stop talking about his Sportsman of the Year award where they forgot to Photoshop his hair back on.

Tim Duncan's massive back tattoo is a viral marketing stunt

To me, this screams viral marketing stunt... I would expect him to get such a lame back tattoo. But this is what happens when people retire from things. They end up falling into the first viral trap that their PR person brings in... We're going to get a big back tattoo that's fake. And then a week from now, you'll come out and be like... my tattoo artist has my back. You know who's got your back? It's Fidelity.

Being a father makes LeBron James' workload effectively 72-hour days

LeBron's a father. He's got three kids. Being a father is a 24-hour-a-day job. So really, LeBron James works, what, 72-hour days? He works every, yeah. Doesn't get paid for it? Yep. So I can understand why that would take a little bit out of you.

Brad Stevens is on the hot seat

My hot seat, Brad Stevens. He's 5-5. He's coming into the season, predicted to be number two. He's coaching for his job.

A team of college basketball players could beat an NBA team because they try harder

NBA players don't try. They don't try like the college kids... I can't be the only one who thinks that a team of college players could put together a team and beat an NBA team. At least they would try harder.

LeBron James is due to get busted for steroids at any time

And LeBron's due to get busted for steroids any time now.

Spencer Hawes is on pace to record 55 dunks this season.

I actually told Frank before the game I'm on pace for about 55 dunks.

LeBron James was hungover for the Celtics game after drinking a beer at the World Series

LeBron got caught on TV sipping a little beer... You should have bet on the Celtics last night because LeBron James was hungover. A little dinged up.

NBA teams should replace high-paid stars with soldiers and teachers for 100% win rate

The Oklahoma City Thunder, instead of signing Steven Adams, they could have signed 446 teachers a year to play basketball for them... Can you imagine an NBA team that was just soldiers and teachers? Never lose.

The Brooklyn Nets will win over 20.5 games because they are the type of team that will surprise people

Oh, like the Nets, 20 and a half... Over... They're the exact type of team that's going to surprise people.

The Clippers will win over 53.5 games because it is a contract year for Blake Griffin

I'm going to go with the Clippers over. Really? 53 and a half. Blake Griffin... he said that he's healthy and chomping at the bit. A little insider information for you. It's a contract year, too. I think they're going to be ready to go.

The Chicago Bulls will win under 38.5 games because Dwyane Wade and Rajon Rondo will get injured

Chicago Bulls under. I think they're going to be terrible even with their full healthy team. I think there's a chance Rondo and Dwyane Wade are going to get hurt.

The Celtics will win under 52.5 games because expectations are too high

I'm taking the under on the Celtics. 52.5 feels like too much. It feels like they're going to be a fine team, but it feels more like a 48-49 win team.

Dwight Howard will become lovable again during his time in Atlanta

I think Dwight Howard's going to get lovable again. I think he's going to be like the guy he was in Orlando. I think he's going to be chill. I think the Atlanta fans don't expect him to lead them to a title. So I think everyone's kind of on the same lily pad right now.

LeBron James is indestructible because he is using steroids

Well, if they somehow outlaw steroids in the next few months, LeBron... I mean, that's exactly what steroids would do, I think. When everyone's kind of out of gas and you have that extra gear... The hoop looks three times bigger when you're juicing.

Jimmy Butler is not a top 20 player in the NBA

PFT has a hot take that Jimmy Butler is not a top 20 player in the NBA. [PFT]: No.