Anticipation for the NBA’s reboot might reach playoff levels of excitement immediately upon the regular season’s return on July 31. That’s because there is still a chance for several teams to reach post-season play. The play-in period will highlight how some franchises have plenty to gain beyond just reaching the playoffs. But for some that…
We’re rounding the corner from the NBA All-Star Break and have less than two months from the playoffs. In the Western Conference, there’s a multi-team race for the final postseason spot that figures to go down to the wire. To prepare you for the final run of the regular season, I’m unveiling a scouting report…
This is a fun time of year if your franchise is in the thick of it, as “all the games matter” for seeding or even a spot in the postseason itself. If your favorite group has already dropped out of that race, you at least get the intrigue of watching rookies, G-League callups, 10-day contract…
The last time Team USA played in an international tournament was an embarrassment. The inaugural FIBA World Cup took place in China this past summer and, after taking home the gold in the previous five events, the Americans finished seventh. They lost back-to-back games against France and Serbia to close out the tournament. It was…
The Portland Trail Blazers’ season changed last year during a double-overtime game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 25. Starting center, Jusuf Nurkic suffered a compound fracture in his left leg with a little over two minutes left in the game. Nurkic watched the rest of the way as Portland made a valiant effort all…
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 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 past few weeks, we have examined one big question hanging over each team heading into the season. We’ll finish with the Northwest Division, where all…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Andy Bailey (@andrewdbailey) of the Hardwood Knocks podcast preview the Northwest Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. How much of a difference will Jerami Grant make with the Denver Nuggets? Is there any hope for Andrew Wiggins? How…
Coming out of the first heavy-spending summer since 2016, several teams are locked into their current core and will have trouble generating significant spending power over the next two offseasons. Of course, other teams are still riding out their own bad 2016 contracts and will look to get back in the game in 2020 and…
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…
