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…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen and Bryan Toporek discuss the top small forwards in the 2020 NBA free-agent class. Should DeMar DeRozan decline his $27.7 million player option? How much should the Sacramento Kings be willing to spend on Bogdan Bogdanovic? Which contenders should go after Joe Harris? Who should take…
We’re rounding the corner from the NBA All-Star Break and have less than two months from the playoffs. There’s a multi-team race in the Western Conference for the final postseason spot that figures to go down to the wire. After twenty-two straight playoff berths, six 60-win seasons and five NBA Championships, the San Antonio Spurs…
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…
It has become the stuff of local legend: a glorious annual stretch in the San Antonio Spurs’ season, during which the team will learn a lot about itself, catch its rhythm and build momentum for yet another successful playoff run. Ever since the Spurs went 8-1 during their first Rodeo Road Trip in 2003 (and…
All good things eventually must come to an end. Yes, even the San Antonio Spurs’ 22-year playoff streak. Prior to Tuesday’s double-overtime win against the Houston Rockets—the results of which are now under protest after referees incorrectly failed to count a James Harden made dunk in the fourth quarter—the Spurs were 7-14 and had lost…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) of Mavs.com preview the Southwest Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. What should we expect from Kristaps Porzingis this year? How will Russell Westbrook and James Harden fit together? How will the Memphis Grizzlies move on from…
As soon as Twitter knew Jayson Tatum was training with Kobe Bryant, alarm bells went off. It was the 2018 offseason, months after the youngster had helped the Boston Celtics to within one game of the NBA Finals during his rookie season. Celtics fans already didn’t like Kobe. But the idea of the Black Mamba…
For a team with as low-key a reputation as any in the league, the San Antonio Spurs have had a pair of eventful offseasons in 2018 and 2019. 2018 was dominated by the Kawhi Leonard trade request and eventual deal with the Toronto Raptors, while 2019 brought with it the Marcus Morris commitment and reversal,…
All the Denver Nuggets need is one stop to have a chance. The Portland Trail Blazers, on the other hand, need one more score to give themselves some breathing room. It’s amazing the Blazers are even in this game, much less leading. Damian Lillard has been flinging bricks all day, and his Blazers trailed by nearly…
