The season looks set to continue for 22 of the NBA’s 30 franchises, but competitive play is over for the eight that had zero chance of reaching the 2019-20 playoffs. Sure, not even receiving an invite to Orlando suggests that these teams’ end-of-season grades will be low, but for some, there is light at the…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest K.C. Johnson (@kcjhoop) of NBC Sports Chicago discuss the recent changes the Chicago Bulls have made to their front office. What is new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas’ vision for the team moving forward? How does…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the NBA’s possible return and the Chicago Bulls’ ongoing front office search. What will it take for the NBA to return this season? Is the quarantine/bubble solution realistic? What can the NBA learn from MLB’s proposal? When will fans be…
What does it mean to be aggressive? As with any adjective, too much or too little can be a detriment. Balance is necessary to ensure productivity and health. On a basketball court, the same can be said for a team’s philosophy. Coachspeak gets thrown around without regard for balance. “We want to be the most…
Before the first game of the season, I threw out 50 fairly bold predictions for the NBA season, all of which were rooted in optimism and belief. As always, one subtle action can change how the dominos fall, whether it’s an injury (here’s looking at you, Stephen Curry) or the unforeseen ascension of talent. We’re…
Our rankings of each team’s young prospects continue with teams 6-10. We only consider players who are entering their third season or younger, and players with a proven NBA track record are weighted quite heavily along with those who have proven collegiate production. While some rankings might seem surprising on the surface, this list’s criteria…
The Chicago Bulls’ start to the season has been __________. Go ahead and fill in the blank with whatever adjective you want because it’s been such a roller coaster ride, virtually any of them work. Promising, frustrating, disappointing, hilarious… Take your pick. Not to worry, though, because what we’ve been seeing is a team experiencing…
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…
A lot of times, the best way to judge international players is based on how they performed at FIBA events. Unlike AAU in America, playing for your country’s Junior National Team provides a more structured experience. Tournaments start at the under-12 level and go all the way up to the under-20. However, Lauri Markkanen didn’t start…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Duncan Smith (@duncansmithnba) of Forbes preview the Central Division ahead of the 2019-20 season. How will the Chicago Bulls’ point guard rotation shake out? Are Cleveland Cavaliers guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland compatible? Will this be Andre Drummond’s…
