The Bill Simmons PodcastNBA Day One Reactions, Plus Blake Griffin and Peter Berg (Two Interviews!)
Standings
How each person’s takes from this episode have turned out. Click a column to sort.
| BGBlake Griffin | 0 | 0 | 1 | — | 4.8 | 0 |
 Bill Simmons | 0 | 1 | 15 | .000 | 5.4 | 0 |
- The Thunder beat the Pacers in the NBA Finals.
His final title pick, chosen partly for the 31-1 odds.
“i'm going to take okc over indiana it's going to be my final pick”
- The Spurs don't catch the Thunder again this season.
The Spurs beat OKC in last year's West finals.
“And I don't think they're going to catch them again.”
- The 76ers finish under their preseason win total.
His preseason over-under bet on the Sixers.
“I went slightly under on the Sixers for their over -under total”
- The Rays win the World Series over the Brewers.
Rays-Brewers World Series. The Rays were +148.
“fyi i'm picking the reins anyway”
The Brewers beat the Rays 4-1 in Game 5 on Oct 28, 2026, and won the World Series 4-1. Simmons picked Tampa Bay at +148, which lost.
- Source: CBS Sports ↗ 2026 MLB playoff bracket: Schedule, scores as Guardians force Game 5 vs. White Sox in ALDS
- The Knicks finish under their preseason win total.
His preseason win-total bet on the defending champion Knicks.
“i went under on them for the season”
- The Knicks win in the high 40s.
“be in the high 40s”
- The Knicks don't have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
“i don't think they're gonna have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs”
- The Celtics may not win four playoff rounds with Joe Mazzulla's constant lineup shuffling.
Criticizing Mazzulla's hockey-style lineup changes in the opener against Detroit.
“I just don't know that you win 4 straight playoff rounds that way”
- The Celtics win in the mid-50s.
“And I still think this team will be in the mid fifties.”
- The Celtics win 50 or more games.
His favorite preseason win-total bet.
“50 plus bets for the wins for the Celtics”
- The Pacers could be a one seed.
Said while puzzling over the Pacers' 43.5-win total.
“I thought to me they were like a possible one seed”
- This isn't LeBron James's last season.
“I would say, I don't think this will be his last year.”
- The Hornets can make the playoffs.
“I'm higher on them the most though.”
- The Pistons probably finish ahead of the Heat.
He had Miami above Detroit preseason and would now flip it.
“i had miami higher than them and i think i would flip that”
- The Thunder come out ahead of the Spurs this season.
Picking between OKC and San Antonio for this season.
“I've been saying Oklahoma City.”
- LaMelo Ball probably plays fewer than 2,400 minutes this season.
Why he's less bullish on Minnesota.
“I don't trust him to play 2,400 minutes.”
- Tom Cruise gets an Oscar nomination for Digger and could possibly win.
On Tom Cruise in 'Digger'. He also said Cruise could 'possibly win one'.
“he's gonna get nominated for an Oscar possibly win one”
Thunder
Pacers
Spurs
76ers
Rays
Brewers
Knicks
Celtics
Hornets
Pistons
Heat
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