Never underestimate the value of a great backup point guard. Having a reliable floor general to lead the second unit—or step into a starting role when necessary—is a luxury most NBA teams don’t have. At first glance, the Philadelphia 76ers have questionable depth at point guard, but that shouldn’t be a problem for this title…
The second-most valuable player on an NBA contender holds a vital and often tricky role. They must be comfortable living in the shadow of the top dog while typically catering to his preferred playing style. When called upon, they must carry the team when the premier star is having an off night. Who are the…
There was a lot of talk heading into the 2019-20 NBA season that, thanks to parity, there would be a newfound interest in the sport. After half a decade of the Golden State Warriors storming / sleepwalking their way to the NBA Finals, this year is supposed to be different. Multiple all-star players changed teams…
The 2019-20 season is almost here, so it’s time to be bold about what we think will actually happen. For some, these predictions may not seem incredibly bold while they may be preposterous to others. But basketball is back, and that in itself is worth celebrating: 1. Ben Simmons makes 11 three-pointers Let’s dive right…
Ben Simmons has always had it easy on the basketball court. From grade school to college he was either the tallest, fastest, most skilled or most knowledgeable player—oftentimes more than one of those things—on any team he played for. In high school, he worked his way to being the top overall recruit in the 2015…
The bloated contracts handed out in 2016 are almost at their merciful end. However, several teams are still plagued by that fateful summer while several more have pushed these contracts from club to club like the saddest possible pieces on a chessboard. Thankfully for many teams, most of these deals will expire next July, giving…
The 2019-20 NBA season is just around the corner. After an offseason chock-full of player movement, the title race appears as wide-open as it has been in years. Over the coming weeks, we will examine one big question hanging over each team heading into the season. We’ll start today with the Atlantic Division, where the…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) rank the top 10 duos in the NBA today. Where do Russell Westbrook and James Harden rank after joining forces this summer? How high are Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the wake of the former’s Achilles injury? Which L.A. duo…
Offense will always be king of the NBA. It creates superstars, packs arenas and boosts television ratings. There’s something captivating about how the sport’s top-scoring wizards make plays and create shots. Thus, it’s exceptionally difficult to play defense at a high-level thanks to the abundance of offensive talent and game rules that cater to scorers.…
The biggest theme of the 2019 offseason was an unprecedented deluge of blockbuster trades and monstrous free agency moves. Unlike some recent offseasons, this year’s shuffling produced a slew of new dynamic duos rather than trios or superteams. Now that the dust is starting to settle, it’s time to examine exactly how impactful these new…
