Takes

Riley Curry is a fraud for not facing the media after a loss

My problem with Riley [Curry] is she's always the first one to show up after a big win, and she never steps to the podium and faces the music after a loss... Like a fucking coward. Like a fraud. Riley Curry's a fraud.

Steph Curry is definitely hurt because he's incapable of having a bad game otherwise

Oh, he's definitely hurt. Because there's no way that Steph Curry could have a bad game. No, this is Steph Curry we're talking about. He doesn't play bad. If he plays bad, it's because he's got a messed up MCL or an ankle injury.

The Warriors will sweep the Rockets in the Western Conference Finals

Yeah, the series is over. I predicted a sweep, and I stand by that.

The Cavaliers will blowout the Celtics in Game 3

It's going to be a blowout in Cleveland. Yeah, by the Cavs. [Confident?] Yes.

LeBron James will not sign with the Utah Jazz in free agency

You heard it here first, on Pardon My Take, we are officially reporting LeBron James will not be signing with the Utah Jazz. Not enough wine out there.

LeBron James will not sign with the Orlando Magic in free agency

LeBron James also not going to sign with the Orlando Magic. Okay? I'm telling you, he has ruled it out. So please credit us.

I am a full-blown Manalytics guy now

I have to say, boys, I hate to do it, but I'm going to give a little hat tip to Colin Cowherd. Because I am a full-blown Manalytics guy now. It's all Manalytics in the playoffs.

The Celtics are just a better team than the Cavs

The Celtics are just a better team than the Cavs. I still think this is going to be a series because it's LeBron. LeBron has kind of got that Aaron Rodgers thing where when the Packers are eliminated from the playoffs, you're like, but he'll probably throw a Hail Mary and they'll end up in the playoffs.

LeBron James got a concussion in Game 2

I'm going to LeBron stand for real for a second because I think he did get a concussion. I think he did get knocked out. He got clipped on the jaw pretty good. He was definitely dinged up. He looked off when he first came back.

LeBron James might just quit on the Cavs

LeBron definitely is not close, but he's definitely got in his mind, like, I might just quit on these bums. Like, these guys stink. And, like, what do you even tell LeBron when you go, J.R. Smith went 0 for 7.

Warriors will sweep the Rockets

I'm going to be an overreaction guy, and I'm going to say I think it's going to be a sweep. I think that that third quarter stomped them so hard, and their manalytics are so subpar.

James Harden needs to get in shape

James Harden, he played his heart out in the first half... when is that guy going to get in shape? Because he was running – he was doing what I do... When I get really gassed and I just pass the ball and then stand as far away from the hoop as possible.

The Celtics will win the NBA Finals in 7 games

It's going to go six or seven in the finals. Celtics might win in seven. He's got to steal one. He's got to steal one at the Warriors.

Adam Silver is a narc for reporting email threats to the police

Adam Silver, he turns out he's a narc... Everyone thought that Adam Silver was the cool commissioner. But if he's so cool, how come he called the police on the guy that threatened to murder him? And had him arrested.

Kyrie Irving won't be happy that the Celtics are 'Brad Stevens' Team'

Kyrie's not going to be happy that this is Brad Stevens' team. Kyrie left Cleveland because it wasn't his team. And now he's gone somewhere else, still not his team. You think LeBron sends Kyrie a U-up text tonight?

The Celtics are a problem for the Cavaliers

I think it's a problem. I mean, everybody's saying, okay, LeBron's going to just snap back into LeBron. But Brad Stevens, the mad scientist, looks like he's just completely outmatching the Cavs. The Cavs suck, besides LeBron.

The Celtics are better off without Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward

They're a better team without Kyrie and Gordon Hayward. Yeah, everyone keeps saying, well, they'll have their two best players back next year. Well, do you really want that? No, you don't. You get rid of them. You dump those salaries. Yeah, you reload on draft picks. Yeah, you sign Terry Rozier to a 10-year contract.

James Harden will suck in the Western Conference Finals

I'm excited for James Harden to submit a James Harden full-on series. He is going to suck in this series. That's my prediction. He's going to have at least two or three games. You'll be like, is James Harden? Is he drunk?

Ty Lue is the worst coach to ever win an NBA championship

The biggest mismatch of the series is Brad Stevens versus Ty Lue. Like, Tyronn Lue is a terrible coach. He's the worst coach to ever win a championship, and the fact that he's got to match Brad Stevens, like, that sucks for the Cavs.

Clint Capela is the X-factor for the Rockets against the Warriors

The key to the series to you, I'm going to throw out a name... Clint Capela because he's like that extra dimension that could actually guard, you know, stop these guys attacking the rim and stop, you know, basically everything. And also he does really well with the pick and roll with Chris Paul and James Harden and then going to the hoop for lobs.

Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James will sign with Philadelphia, while Paul George goes to the Lakers

Kawhi Leonard will be playing for fill-in-the-blank. LeBron James will be playing for fill-in-the-blank. Paul George will be playing for fill-in-the-blank in 2018-19... Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Lakers.

I would trade Ben Simmons for Kawhi Leonard right now

I'd trade Ben Simmons for Kawhi. And I know Philadelphia won't like that because Ben Simmons is amazing until he faces the Celtics in the playoffs. But if you're giving me Joel Embiid for the next 10 years, LeBron for like three or four, Kawhi Leonard for like seven or eight, you can win three or four titles during that time.

The Raptors should hire LeBron's manager Maverick Carter as their next head coach

The only way that Dwane Casey could have kept his job is if he was somehow just really good friends with LeBron. They should name Maverick Carter their head coach.

The Celtics have a 60% chance of beating LeBron James and the Cavaliers to reach the NBA Finals.

I said it when the Celtics signed Kyrie that if they can run LeBron out of Cleveland in the beginning of his career and then run it out at the end, it would be the sweetest thing in the world... [I'd put the percentage at] 60% [of the Celtics winning].

The Cavaliers will win the Eastern Conference Finals in six games.

I think it's going to be 4-1. Cavs in six. Gentlemen sweep in six. I think the Celtics will win one of the first two. I think they'll win game five, and then they will lose in Cleveland in game six. That is my prediction.

The Chicago Bulls would have won the 2012 NBA Championship if Derrick Rose hadn't gotten injured.

If D. Rose doesn't get hurt, I think we break through that year... We had a roster where we could play. I think we were like the number one or two defensive team in the league. We were top five in offense. I mean, we were a very complete team that year. And then, boom, Derrick Rose gets hurt. And it just... It took the air out of the balloon for us, you know what I mean? Because we all thought that was our year to win the whole thing.

Joel Embiid runs out of gas every 4th quarter and should stop talking trash

Joel Embiid, I get it. You're funny. You're good on Twitter. The Rihanna thing. Cool. I actually like your game a lot. I think you're going to be a great player. But, dude, you run out of gas every fourth quarter. You can't talk shit when you can't even speak. Stop talking shit and worry about breathing through your nose.

Michael Jordan is definitively better than LeBron James

I'm exhausted by the debate too, but guess what? I'll still stand here and say MJ's better. I don't care.

Brad 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.

Ben 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.

Brad Stevens is a better coach with less talent than Gregg Popovich has ever been

I saw some people saying that Brad Stevens is doing more with less than Popovich ever has. [Big Cat:] I'd agree... Popovich had Tim Duncan, who's like a top 10 player of all time... People are pretending that [the Celtics] are not talented because they don't have their number one guy, but they still have a ton of talent.

I will not pick against LeBron James in the Eastern Conference until he actually loses

Looming is LeBron James, who I'm happy that I'm on the right side of history on this one because there was a lot of talk that he was ripe for an upset in the East this year, and I'm firmly in the I'm not picking against LeBron in the East until he loses, until I watch him lose in the East because it seems like it will never happen.

LeBron 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.

James Harden is officially on my enemy list

James Harden, he's got to be the most annoying player in the entire world to guard... He's infuriating to watch. You know what? I've turned the corner on James Harden. I used to like him. I don't even like watching him play basketball... I'm putting James Harden on my enemy list. There we go. I have a feud now.

If LeBron James didn't call 'bank' on his game-winner, it shouldn't count the same

If you don't call bank in a situation like that, I don't think it should count. [Big Cat:] I'd rather be good than lucky... [PFT:] It was a bad shot that happened to go in. Correct. Which doesn't count the same as a good shot.

LeBron James literally owns the entire nation of Canada and the city of Toronto

LeBron owns them. He literally owns the entire state of Canada and the city of Toronto.

The Indiana Pacers were the toughest competition for the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference

What if the Indiana Pacers were the toughest competition for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the East? I'm just saying. You can now say that.

Ben Simmons should be eligible for Rookie of the Postseason next year because he didn't show up for this one

Do you think Ben Simmons should be eligible for rookie of the postseason next year because he didn't show up for this one?

Terry Rozier is going to get a massive contract

Terry Rozier's going to get paid. [He]'s still got two more years left on his deal, I think. Can you pay everyone? No.

David Fizdale will win 32 games with the Knicks

He's going to get 30 wins. I'll go 32. I'm going to say he's going to be a little bit more successful... [based] on the fact that Porzingis is going to have one and a half healthy legs.

The Toronto Raptors are the softest team I've ever watched

The Raptors are the softest team I've ever watched. And having Fred VanVleet take the game-winning shot in overtime, how do you have DeRozan and Lowry and you have these guys... they shrink in every big moment. They're so soft that they made Kevin Love look like the tough guy.

The Celtics can't guard Joel Embiid

You're going to have to continue to get it to Embiid, who has moments in the game where he's like, enough of this crap. Like, none of you guys can guard me. I'm just going to do something stupid and get to the hoop and score.

Donovan Mitchell is the Rookie of the Year and it's not even close

Donovan Mitchell is my rookie of the year, and it's not even close. [Ben Simmons] is in his second year playing in the NBA. Second year in the organization.

Brad Stevens is the perfect personality to be a head coach in today's NBA

I think the most important attribute you can have as an NBA coach is your personality. Most of these guys do understand X's and O's. But if the team doesn't listen to you, you have to do it in a way now where the guys don't totally shut you off. And [Stevens] has this unbelievable passive confidence that it's like the perfect combination of personality to be a head coach in today's NBA.

Russell Westbrook's style of play keeps a franchise hostage

The style of play [Westbrook] has kept your franchise hostage. And for the most part, you weren't going to win. And now we've watched this two years in a row. You're lying to yourself if you see the same approach in Game 6 and go, 'yeah, this will work.' One team has a guy that runs isolation, the team passes it the least of any team in the NBA. Which team would you rather play? Of course they're going to pick the first team, and that's who their team is.

Cleveland is still a very likely scenario for LeBron James this summer

I have been probably one of the only people that still thinks Cleveland is a very likely scenario here. If anybody is telling you they know that LeBron's already decided that he's going to leave, then they may get it right, but they're guessing right now. As of now, the way I understand it is that Cleveland is very much still in play.

Nobody around the NBA thinks Kawhi Leonard is returning to the Spurs

No one around the league thinks [Kawhi] is coming back. Nobody. And the belief is that, oh, yeah, Kawhi Spurs away, team first, not having any individual brand. They're tired of this stuff. If those are the real things and the real resentment there, then the Spurs thing does sound like it's over.

LeBron James is now the fourth-best player of all time

I am now moving LeBron to fourth best all-time, right ahead of Kobe. So that's big of me. I've seen enough. You've got MJ, Magic, Bill Russell.

The first-round series against the Pacers was a negative mark on LeBron James's legacy

Yeah, so this series was a negative mark on LeBron's legacy, even though he averaged like 42 points and basically a triple-double.

The Wizards core needs to be blown up

The Wizards need to be blown up. We said this on the show. That core does not work.