What Dan Katz has said about 2026 NBA playoffs
7 quotes · 6 episodes · Apr 27, 2026 – Jun 3, 2026
Dan Katz, Barstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take, has been quoted on 2026 NBA playoffs 7 times in 6 episodes of Pardon My Take, most recently on June 3, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.
In their words
- Came true
Katz predicts the Knicks will win the Finals, arguing the Spurs have faced offensively limited opponents.
“I think the Knicks are going to win this series”
Pardon My Take: NBA Finals With Kirk Goldsberry, FSU Head Coach Luke Loucks, Myles Garrett To The Rams + Memes Vs Zac (Jun 3, 2026) · Listen from 1:25:16
- Didn’t happen
Katz predicts the Thunder will probably win Game 7 against the Spurs.
“if you had to go gun to your head, I think the Thunder probably win game seven because it is like”
Pardon My Take: TJ Oshie, Spurs Force A Game 7, Baseball and Presidents + Fyre Fest Of The Week (May 29, 2026) · Listen from 9:31
Katz argued NBA teams must endure playoff losses before winning titles, which hurts San Antonio's chances.
“I really do think the NBA is the one league where you have to go through the wars to to get over to the top of the mountain”
Pardon My Take: Tracy McGrady, Knicks Go Up 2-0, James Harden Is Still James Harden, Boat Pictures And Fyre Fest of The Week (May 8, 2026) · Listen from 1:32:32
- Came true
Katz predicted the Oklahoma City Thunder would beat the Los Angeles Lakers decisively in their second-round series.
“The Thunder are better than the Lakers. They throttled them in the regular season, and I just expect them to throttle them again in this series”
Pardon My Take: Dan Soder, Knicks Whomp The Sixers, The Hungover Episode, Hot Seat/Cool Throne + FAQ’s (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 28:55
Katz observed that recent NBA champions such as the Bucks, Nuggets and Celtics failed to build expected dynasties.
“The last five years have been very weird when you look back where – Giannis and the Bucs win one”
Pardon My Take: Live From Max's Bachelor Party, Sixers Take Down Celtics, Jerry O'Connell And Dante The Don Join The Show, NBA/NHL Playoffs Plus Max's Brothers (May 4, 2026) · Listen from 47:01
Katz marvels at LeBron James leading the Lakers past the favored Rockets at age 41 without Luka Dončić.
“The fact he's doing it at 41 is just absolutely nuts. The Rockets were favorites in this series, and LeBron, with no Luka, it just defies all logic”
Pardon My Take: NHL Playoffs With Ryan Whitney, NFL Draft Recap, NBA Playoffs, Who’s Back Of The Week + We Get Involved In The Press Off (Apr 27, 2026) · Listen from 40:33
- Didn’t happen
Katz predicts the eighth-seeded Magic will beat the Pistons because of matchup advantages.
“I do think they're going to beat the Pistons because the Pistons don't have, like, the Magic are just bigger and stronger”
Pardon My Take: NHL Playoffs With Ryan Whitney, NFL Draft Recap, NBA Playoffs, Who’s Back Of The Week + We Get Involved In The Press Off (Apr 27, 2026) · Listen from 47:49
Predictions
- Came true
Katz predicts the Knicks will win the Finals, arguing the Spurs have faced offensively limited opponents.
“I think the Knicks are going to win this series”
Pardon My Take: NBA Finals With Kirk Goldsberry, FSU Head Coach Luke Loucks, Myles Garrett To The Rams + Memes Vs Zac (Jun 3, 2026) · Listen from 1:25:16 · 2026 NBA playoffs
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 4–1 in the 2026 NBA Finals, clinching with a 94–90 Game 5 win in San Antonio on June 13, 2026. It was their first title since 1973, and Jalen Brunson was named Finals MVP. This happened well before the June 30, 2026 deadline.
Sources: 2026 NBA Finals - Wikipedia · 2026 NBA Finals: Biggest takeaways from Knicks-Spurs Game 5 - ESPN · Trending Topics: What is your biggest takeaway from the 2026 NBA Finals? - NBA.com · New York Knicks beat Spurs in Game 5 to win the NBA Finals, first title since 1973 - ABC7 New York
Checked Oct 6, 2026
- Didn’t happen
Katz predicts the Thunder will probably win Game 7 against the Spurs.
“if you had to go gun to your head, I think the Thunder probably win game seven because it is like”
Pardon My Take: TJ Oshie, Spurs Force A Game 7, Baseball and Presidents + Fyre Fest Of The Week (May 29, 2026) · Listen from 9:31 · 2026 NBA playoffs
Katz predicted the Thunder would probably win Game 7 of the 2026 Western Conference Finals against the Spurs. On May 30, 2026, the Spurs beat the Thunder 111-103 in Oklahoma City and advanced to the NBA Finals against the Knicks.
Sources: Spurs vs Thunder box score, results: Full stats from NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals Game 7 - Yahoo Sports · 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 7: Spurs vs Thunder, May 30, 2026 | Basketball-Reference.com
Checked Sep 30, 2026
- Came true
Katz predicted the Oklahoma City Thunder would beat the Los Angeles Lakers decisively in their second-round series.
“The Thunder are better than the Lakers. They throttled them in the regular season, and I just expect them to throttle them again in this series”
Pardon My Take: Dan Soder, Knicks Whomp The Sixers, The Hungover Episode, Hot Seat/Cool Throne + FAQ’s (May 6, 2026) · Listen from 28:55 · 2026 NBA playoffs
The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0 in the 2026 Western Conference semifinals, clinching with a 115-110 Game 4 win on May 11, 2026, to go 8-0 in the playoffs. Game 4 was close, but a four-game sweep matches the prediction of a decisive series win.
Sources: Thunder 115-110 Lakers (May 11, 2026) Game Recap - ESPN · 4 takeaways: Thunder guards push OKC to sweep over Lakers · LeBron, Lakers swept by Oklahoma City Thunder as questions turn to James's future · 2026 NBA Western Conference Semifinals Game 4: Thunder vs Lakers - Basketball-Reference
Checked Oct 6, 2026
- Didn’t happen
Katz predicts the eighth-seeded Magic will beat the Pistons because of matchup advantages.
“I do think they're going to beat the Pistons because the Pistons don't have, like, the Magic are just bigger and stronger”
Pardon My Take: NHL Playoffs With Ryan Whitney, NFL Draft Recap, NBA Playoffs, Who’s Back Of The Week + We Get Involved In The Press Off (Apr 27, 2026) · Listen from 47:49 · 2026 NBA playoffs
The Magic led the first-round series 3-1, but the Pistons won the last three games. Detroit won Game 7 116-94 on May 3, 2026, taking the series 4-3 and moving on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Sources: Pistons 116-94 Magic (May 3, 2026) Game Recap - ESPN · 4 takeaways: Tobias Harris steadies the ship, Paolo Banchero exits on great effort | NBA.com
Checked Sep 30, 2026
Episodes
NBA Finals With Kirk Goldsberry, FSU Head Coach Luke Loucks, Myles Garrett To The Rams + Memes Vs ZacPardon My Take · Jun 3, 2026 · 2 h 56 min
The Pardon My Take crew covers the Zach–Memes feud, the Myles Garrett and A.J. Brown trades, and NBA Finals picks, with guests Kirk Goldsberry and FSU coach Luke Loucks.
TJ Oshie, Spurs Force A Game 7, Baseball and Presidents + Fyre Fest Of The WeekPardon My Take · May 29, 2026 · 2 h 30 min
The Pardon My Take crew previews Spurs–Thunder Game 7, debates Pochettino and Christopher Sanchez, and hosts TJ Oshie on playoff hockey, Olympic shootouts and golf.
Tracy McGrady, Knicks Go Up 2-0, James Harden Is Still James Harden, Boat Pictures And Fyre Fest of The WeekPardon My Take · May 8, 2026 · 2 h 19 min
Big Cat, PFT Commenter and crew break down the 2026 NBA second round, the Vrabel boat photos, and interview Tracy McGrady about his one-on-one league.
Dan Soder, Knicks Whomp The Sixers, The Hungover Episode, Hot Seat/Cool Throne + FAQ’sPardon My Take · May 6, 2026 · 2 h 45 min
Hungover in Los Angeles, the Pardon My Take crew recaps the Knicks' rout of the Sixers and Wolves-Spurs, then talks football, comedy, and video games with Dan Soder.
Live From Max's Bachelor Party, Sixers Take Down Celtics, Jerry O'Connell And Dante The Don Join The Show, NBA/NHL Playoffs Plus Max's BrothersPardon My Take · May 4, 2026 · 2 h 15 min
From Max Delente's Las Vegas bachelor party, the Pardon My Take crew recaps the 76ers' Game 7 win over the Celtics, the NBA and NHL playoffs, and weekend stories with Jerry O'Connell and Dante the Don.
NHL Playoffs With Ryan Whitney, NFL Draft Recap, NBA Playoffs, Who’s Back Of The Week + We Get Involved In The Press OffPardon My Take · Apr 27, 2026 · 2 h 39 min
Big Cat and PFT Commenter recap the 2026 NFL Draft and NBA playoffs, stoke a fan 'press off,' and talk Stanley Cup playoffs with Ryan Whitney.
Others on 2026 NBA playoffs
- Bill Simmons · 10 quotes
- PFT Commenter · 6 quotes
- Zach Lowe · 5 quotes
- Kirk Goldsberry · 3 quotes
- Hank Lockwood · 3 quotes
- Rob Mahoney · 2 quotes
- Mike Breen · 1 quote
- Ben Soffer · 1 quote
Dan Katz on other topics
- 2026 Major League Baseball postseason · 5 quotes
- New York Knicks · 5 quotes
- LeBron James free agency · 4 quotes
- 2026 FIFA World Cup · 4 quotes
- Houston Texans · 4 quotes
- 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament · 4 quotes
- Oklahoma City Thunder · 3 quotes
- Los Angeles Lakers · 3 quotes