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…
In this third episode of TBW’s Basketball by Association podcast, Joel C. Cordes and Arky Shea figure out which NBA teams are due for a coaching change, as well as those that will probably get them anyway. With Steph Curry returning for the Golden State Warriors, and next year;’s situation looking awfully rosy, what are…
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…
We like to get granular here at TBW, digging into the players and trends that help shape the NBA, WNBA, eSports and FIBA games we love so much. We also believe that irresponsible, clickbaity speculation is both out of control over the past few years and also not helping the game in the long run.…
The final part of our 50 Important Predictions series has a heavy focus on the Western Conference. Why? West Coast, Best Coast. There is so much drama and intrigue here; Almost six teams could legitimately win the conference, and therefore the title. It’s going to be a bloodbath. If you missed the first 33 predictions,…
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…
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup is almost here. As part of the event’s rebrand, the number of teams incorporated will expand from 24 to 32. The tournament is being held in China and will crown a champion of international basketball—with the added bonus of seven countries securing a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.…
So long as head coach Gregg Popovich remains in place, the San Antonio Spurs are a veritable lock to win 45-plus games and make the playoffs. After all, they’ve done so in each of the past 23 years (not counting the lockout-shortened 1998-99 campaign, during which they went 37-13 in the regular season). Although seven-time…
Normally when an NBA superstar falls from public grace, it’s due to something out of his control. His play slips as he ages, or his body breaks down after thousands of wild forays to the basket. Or a younger player at his position reinvents what we accept as possible and said superstar loses relevancy. (Hello…
