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Max Kellerman

Analyst · #9

Max Kellerman

NBA

Inside Ring

@maxkellerman
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TakeScoreC+#9

ACCURACY

37%

takes that landed

BOLDNESS

Meh Bold

VOLUME

31

graded takes

RECEIPTS

0

public flip-flops

THE HIGHLIGHT REELbest, worst, and most recent take — at a glance.
BEST TAKEAUG 6, 2021
ARIGHT

“Matthew Stafford is the QB under the most pressure this season. He’s the Dame Lillard of the NFL - Mr. 4th Quarter - clutch on decent teams. If Dame got traded to a power, we’d expect a title. Same goes for Stafford in 2021.”

Matthew Stafford delivered exactly what Kellerman predicted: a Super Bowl championship in his first season with the Rams. The Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI, with Stafford leading a clutch 15-play, 79-yard go-ahead drive in the final minutes — a performance that directly echoed the 'Mr. 4th Quarter' framing of the take. The Dame Lillard analogy also aged remarkably well, as Lillard would later be traded to the Milwaukee Bucks (a contender), mirroring the exact parallel Kellerman drew.

WORST TAKEMAY 17, 2021
FWRONG

“Nope. Playoffs will determine if LeBron still has the undisputed crown, or if James Harden can stake his claim. Harden will have to win Finals MVP to do it, and I like his odds.”

James Harden never won the NBA Finals MVP. From 2021 to 2025, the Finals MVPs were Giannis Antetokounmpo (2021), Stephen Curry (2022), Nikola Jokic (2023), Jaylen Brown (2024), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2025). Harden never even appeared in the NBA Finals during this period, bouncing between the Nets, 76ers, and Clippers without a deep postseason run.

MOST RECENTJUN 6, 2026
ARIGHT

“The Knicks are by far the best team in the NBA. On the road, Spurs getting every call, took San Antonio’s best shot and won anyway.”

The Knicks won the 2026 NBA Championship, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 4-1 in the Finals — clinching on the road in San Antonio with Jalen Brunson scoring 45 points in Game 5. The take was made on June 6 (during the Finals), referencing a road win over San Antonio, which aligns with Game 1 (105-95 Knicks win in San Antonio on June 3). The Knicks proved themselves the best team by winning the title, though the series was extremely competitive — every game was within five points in the final five minutes — so 'by far the best team' is a mild overstatement.

THE TAKE LOG

allrightwrongpending
Max Kellerman
Max Kellerman

Inside Ring

TAKE MADE JUN 6RESOLVED JUN 29, 2026
BGRADE
RIGHT ↗↗

“The Knicks are by far the best team in the NBA. On the road, Spurs getting every call, took San Antonio’s best shot and won anyway.”

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Max Kellerman
Max Kellerman

Inside Ring

TAKE MADE MAY 23RESOLVED MAY 22, 2023
B+GRADE
RIGHT ↗↗

“Absurd, and Bill James knows it. Munson was a demonstrably better player than Varitek. This is exquisite trolling.”

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Max Kellerman
Max Kellerman

Inside Ring

TAKE MADE MAY 15RESOLVED TBD
B−GRADE
RIGHT ↗↗

“Never said that. Implied he was a better clutch shooter in the playoffs on an open shot. Go ahead shot 45 seconds or less 4th Q and OT in the playoffs for his career: Steph 0-12.”

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Max Kellerman
Max Kellerman

Inside Ring

TAKE MADE OCT 30RESOLVED NOV 5, 2022
C+GRADE
RIGHT ↗↗

“#NYGiants due for a loss like this: 3rd road game in 4 weeks including one in London, west coast trip vs team with big home field advantage, not going to win every close one, Giants not a 13 win type team etc, etc. Predictable.”

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Grade Distribution

A
7B
9C
5D
5F
5

TakeScore · Lifetime

Current TakeScore: C+