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Ric Bucher

Analyst · #1

Ric Bucher

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TakeScoreB+#1

ACCURACY

100%

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THE HIGHLIGHT REELbest, worst, and most recent take — at a glance.
BEST TAKEMAY 18, 2026
ARIGHT

"It's not even close! The Knicks are the favorite to come out of the East"– jumps in the SPEAKEASY to give us his ECF prediction and says the Knicks are the guaranteed victorWE ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ➡️

The New York Knicks won the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 with a dominant 130-93 victory in Game 4. Jalen Brunson was named ECF MVP, and the Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 — exactly as Ric Bucher predicted.

WORST TAKEMAY 1, 2025
BPARTLY RIGHT

Ric discusses why the Indiana Pacers could make the NBA Finals vs. the heavily favored Oklahoma City Thunder more competitive than expected, why Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be in the conversation for top 5 point guards of all-time if he wins this year's title and Finals MVP, and why rumors that the Lakers are hoping guard Bronny James -- son of LeBron -- can be in their playing rotation next season has to happen -- for Bronny's sake.

Sub-take 1 (Pacers make it competitive): TRUE — the Pacers reached the NBA Finals and pushed OKC to a full seven games, far exceeding most expectations given the massive regular-season gap between the teams. Sub-take 2 (SGA wins title + Finals MVP): TRUE — SGA won both the NBA championship and Finals MVP, becoming the first player in 25 years to win the scoring title, regular-season MVP, and Finals MVP in the same year. Sub-take 3 (Bronny in rotation for 20+ games): UNCERTAIN/LIKELY FALSE — Bronny spent much of 2025-26 shuttling between the G League and the NBA roster, averaging only 2.9 points in limited minutes; he does not appear to have cracked a stable 20-game rotation role.

MOST RECENTJUL 5, 2026
PENDING

The narrative of Rich Paul contacting every team about LeBron is a facade. This signals a struggle with LeBron's diminished leverage as he approaches 42. The only logical destination appears to be a return to Cleveland.

Awaiting result — this take gets a grade once it resolves.

Ric Bucher
Ric Bucher

FS1

TAKE MADE MAY 18RESOLVED JUN 14, 2026
BGRADE
RIGHT ↗↗

"It's not even close! The Knicks are the favorite to come out of the East"– jumps in the SPEAKEASY to give us his ECF prediction and says the Knicks are the guaranteed victorWE ARE LIVE RIGHT NOW ➡️

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Current TakeScore: B+