Takes

The European basketball development system is superior to the US AAU system

Great development system out there [in France]... They coach it as a team sport. It's not the superstar thing. And if you have a shot to be an NBA prospect, you have like the top French general managers coming to your house... For the development of the game, there needs to be a change [in the US].

The Celtics are the heavy favorites in the East, but the Cavaliers will make it a battle

Boston is definitely the heavy favorite. Until somebody beats Boston, they're the team to beat... but do not disrespect the Cleveland Cavaliers because they're ready to rock and roll. And if you think there's gonna be an easy sweep, no, no, no, no. Don't get it twisted. You're in for a real battle.

This is likely the last time Giannis Antetokounmpo will be seen in a Bucks jersey

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... This is the perfect exit point for him.

Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Thunder would ruin the NBA

I heard people talking about Giannis to the Thunder that would, that might ruin the NBA. Well, if Giannis goes to the Thunder next year, they would have to trade players.

The Cavaliers will beat the Pacers in six games

I'm gonna say Cavs in six Cavs are really good. I think the Cavs I respect the hell out of the Cavs.

The Cavaliers will sweep the Pacers

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

Tobias Harris is a pussy

Tobias Harris is a pussy. The amount of people that are pussies that can't play in Philadelphia is disgusting.

Tom Thibodeau is an idiot for his clock management in the Pistons loss

I think Tibs is an idiot. He should have called the time out... You have to fucking get those guys in the game. You can't let a minute and a half go by with both those guys standing and watching at the scorers table.

Steph Curry demolished and ruined the Houston Rockets franchise twice in two different eras

Steph Curry broke and demolished the rockets. The James Harden Rockets... The Rockets then bottomed out three years in a row... And guess who's still there demolishing these new rockets, Steph Curry. Yeah. It's very, that's so brutal. They literally went through an entire rebuild and the guy who who who, who tore them down the first time is still standing there tearing them down this time.

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 NBA needs to cut its regular season in half and own specific days of the week

The NBA needs to be half the games. Yep. And they need to pick like, you know, Wednesday or Thursday and Sunday or something like that. Own one day of the week... it breaks my heart that basketball is just hard to follow when you have responsibilities.

Jalen Green eating chicken alfredo before a game is the worst pregame meal ever

Jalen Green was incredible... but the big story about Jalen Green, it was shared during the broadcast. His pregame meal is chicken alfredo. I can't think of a worst game meal to have before playing a basketball game... Still a belly of chicken alfredo at any point is not physical activity... I can't think of maybe gnocchi... creamy alfredo and glass of red wine before I get out there on the court. Yeah, that'll do it.

The Clippers are better than the Nuggets and will win their playoff series

I'm gonna say right now the Clippers are up 2-1 calling it. 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. And we'll see.

The NBA should stop the Eastern Conference playoffs because the Celtics are just going to eat everyone

Can we just stop with the Eastern conference playoffs? Can we just not do 'em? Because what's happening is every team is just kind of getting fattened up to get eaten by the Celtics and a delicious snack. Like that's what's gonna happen.

I would not be shocked if Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn't finish his career in Milwaukee if they don't make a deep run

He said that he would not be shocked if Giannis doesn't finish his career in Milwaukee and that this is a very pivotal playoff for them. And if they don't make a finals run or win the finals, there could be a big wholesale change in Milwaukee.

The Pistons finally winning a playoff game signals that all of Detroit sports are trending in the right direction

This is something that Pistons fans should enjoy and revel in and be like, yes. Like it is now trending towards the right way. All of Detroit sports, by the way, besides the Red Wings... the lions have been bad forever. They've obviously the last few years have been really good. The Tigers were bad for a really long time. They've been good. And now the Pistons.

Jalen Brunson's foul baiting has made him hard to watch as a basketball fan

The foul baiting has gotten to a point where it's just hard to watch. And it's not just the foul baiting... the Knicks in this fourth quarter, they just go to straight iso ball foul baiting. No one else touches the ball. Jalen Brunson just trying to score. And it's bad basketball to watch.

Kawhi Leonard is the Brooks Koepka of basketball

Kawhi is is the Brooks Koepka of basketball. He, when, his peers will be like, he's the best. Like he can be the best. He can beat the best when he is on his a-game. He just doesn't care about like, you know, maybe like starts or, you know, playing the regular season. It's just when the time matters the most.

NBA teams should not wear alternate or city edition jerseys in the playoffs

I think that you shouldn't wear your alternate jerseys. Especially like, I think those are the city version for the Pacers in the playoffs. Because someday you will look back and if like the Pacers go to the NBA finals and they have a historic run in 20 years from now, you'll be like, man, I wish they were wearing the old school like pin stripes.

The Bucks are in serious trouble after their Game 1 loss to the Pacers

I don't wanna overreact to game ones. I think the bucks are in a lot of trouble. I think the Pacers are really good... Halliburton was not good shooting and they still blew him out and it was never really close.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will ask for a trade out of Milwaukee

I feel like the bucks are just kind of a bummer now. 'cause I, I, I like Giannis... and maybe honest in in Milwaukee... Probably. He might, he might ask out. I don't know.

Kawhi Leonard is officially back to his dominant self

But bad news for the rest of the NBA is Kawhi looks back... I feel like he, he could have asserted himself a little bit more. I mean this, they, they kind of, the Clippers should have won this game... It is fun to watch Kawhi when you know that he cares and that he's trying so hard.

New Rule: If you win Game 1 of a playoff series by 50 points, the series should immediately end

If you win a game one by 50 points, a series should be over. Okay. 'cause when this game was such a blowout, it was like 30 points in half. How much more exciting would it be in the second half if the Grizzlies were literally fighting to keep the series alive... If you win the game one by 50 series over, we've seen enough.

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 Cleveland Cavaliers are significantly better than the Miami Heat

The Cavs are so much better than the heat. I would take the under on two [Heat wins]... I think the calves are a lot better than the heat and they've been very good all year. And the heat are not, I mean they're just not a very good team.

Rudy Gobert's defensive value to the Timberwolves cannot be overestimated

Rudy Gobert is just so impactful on both sides of the ball. I think, you know, Rudy is a very polarizing player in the league, but, having been with him now for three years, like he just, his value cannot be overestimated. It's just so important to everything that we do.

Paying Josh Giddey $35 million a year would be a massive mistake for the Bulls

They also have a guy named Josh Giddey who they're gonna probably pay $35 million to, which would be a very big mistake... Josh Giddey is just good enough to get you in the play-in game and not the playoffs.

The Chicago Bulls are a joke of an organization with no path forward

This franchise [the Bulls] is a joke and it should be called out as a joke and stop pretending that March and April basketball means something and actually pick a lane and go for it. They do not know how to tank. They do not know how to win.

A 71-47 score is the largest possible 24-point deficit in basketball

The halftime lead for the Heat was 71-47 and that is pretty much the largest 24-point deficit you can have... It feels like 30. If you can jump over multiple digits of 10, that's when it appears so much larger.

Kawhi Leonard is currently playing like a machine

I watched Kawhi go through some pre-game shooting routines where he was as impressive... all Kawhi does is look like a machine. I remember watching him make like 96 out of a hundred 17-footers. That's what Kawhi looks like right now.

Oklahoma City and Boston are the clear favorites for the NBA Finals

I booked a certain hotel that I want in Boston. I booked it in October for the finals. And Oklahoma City... I booked that sucker. If you had to pick one from the west, Oklahoma City and Boston [for the finals].

Amen Thompson is a 'freak amongst freaks' and will soon be a household name

I feel like the basketball public is going to figure out who Amen Thompson is over the next two, three weeks. This guy is an absolute freak amongst freaks. Like all the great athletes that you see in the NBA, he's like the great athlete's great athlete.

The Bulls are currently rebuilding and don't even realize it

The Bulls are in a rebuild and they don't know they're in a rebuild. And that's almost the worst position to be in... If you don't have the dude, you're not going anywhere. You gotta kill yourself to get the dude and the Bulls aren't doing things to get the dude.

Zach Edey needs to stop bringing the ball down on rebounds to avoid being stripped

Zach Edey, he shows me like he's improved still... but that guy, somebody needs to pull him aside and be like, youngster, you need to quit taking the ball down on rebounds. You put that ball up higher, you're taller than everybody else. 'Cause he's addicted to it. He does it every single time to get stripped.

NBA divisions are completely useless and should be abolished

Divisions in the NBA are, there's literally no reason for 'em. It's meeting, there's... Just get rid of them. Get rid of them. So stupid. No one cares about the divisions.

Nico Harrison is 'so lost' and delusional as the Mavericks GM

He's [Nico Harrison] so lost. It's insane. Yeah... Such a coward move to do. No, no video, no no recordings. What a fucking loser. And we stand with Mavs fans. The guy's a fucking loser. He needs to get outta town.

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.

Paige Bueckers will be a better WNBA player than Caitlin Clark

I do think that she [Paige Bueckers] might be a better WNBA player than Caitlin Clark. I think she's more athletic. She's more explosive. Caitlin Clark obviously shoots better from the outside and she's like a once in a generation talent. But in terms of, I'm talking about winning.

He woke up every day in January convinced he was going to be fired

When we were that, that stretch in January where we weren't playing well, I was woke up every day and told myself I'm getting fired if we don't turn. I'm, I'm, I'm done... and I would tell the staff too, I'm like, guys, we're done. Like, you know, we don't figure this thing out, you know, like we, we just, we don't deserve to coach here.

Soccer cutting and spacing tactics translate directly to basketball

Cutting a place. You know, the way you cut can open up a two on one, you know, for the guy next to you... to move the defense. That stuff comes from soccer. That's my favorite sport to watch.

The Bulls are trending and could beat the Cavaliers in the playoffs

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.

The NBA Play-In tournament is a ploy for owners to convince fans they made the playoffs

I've said from the beginning it is a ploy for the Jerry Reinsdorf type owners to convince their fan base that they've made it to the playoffs when they have not. I hate the playing tournament... it sucks.

The Clippers are a threat as long as Kawhi Leonard is healthy

The Clippers scare me as a Nuggets Fairweather fan. Anytime Kawhi is healthy. Yeah. You have to be scared of the Clippers because he still will like the Clippers could absolutely beat the nuggets.

Stan Van Gundy is wrong about Knicks and Sixers fans being fairweather

I couldn't disagree more living in New York for whatever we did, six, seven years. Knicks fans love their team. They just fucking expect, they want them to be good... what Stan Van Gundy is describing. That's just fans.

Mavericks GM Nico Harrison is a coward for not sitting in his real seats since trading Luka Doncic

I also was made aware that Nico Harrison has not sat in his real seats since the trade. You fucking coward. Go back and sit in your seats... You can't make that trade. And they'd be like, oh, I don't sit in my seats anymore.

You cannot fire Michael Malone if he wins two NBA titles in three years

If he then comes back and wins a second NBA championship in three years and your team's never won one before... That is a good thing. Yeah. No matter what like concerns you have about his coaching style or whether it's built for long-term success. If he wins two in three years, you cannot fire him.

The Nuggets firing Michael Malone right before the playoffs makes no sense

I would keep the coach that you're winning right before the Playoffs... your NBA title coach, the only one you have in your history of your franchise Right before the Playoffs. Makes no sense.

Paige Bueckers will be a better pro than Caitlin Clark

I still think Paige Bueckers gonna be a better pro. I know, I know, she, I think Paige is gonna be better.