What matters in an NBA Playoff series when momentum and homecourt advantage no longer hold as much weight? Which teams in the Eastern Conference want to avoid matching up against one another? Which Western Conference squads have a chance of forcing a play-in series between the No. 8 and 9 seeds, and who could be…
Sometimes it’s the big numbers that shape NBA history. Other times, it’s the big moments. Such was the case when Ray Allen hit only one three-point shot in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. But you already know which shot it was: “The one” that sent the contest between his Miami Heat and the…
As anticipation and excitement build for the NBA’s 22-team, late-July return in Orlando, Florida, we’re still left with more questions than answers. And we’re not the only ones: Both the league and the NBA Players’ Association have not even finalized terms yet and continue to debate the details. So what are the long-term ramifications and…
Most of us enjoyed watching The Last Dance, which recounted the great Chicago Bulls teams of the 90s. The show went extensively into Michael Jordan’s struggle to get past the Detroit Pistons to win a championship. While it’s not a perfect comparison, there are a lot of similarities to LeBron James and his struggle to get…
“I was extremely exhausted going into that game. I tried to shoot around that morning, but I was feeling light-headed so I went to the hospital for an IV.” This was Connecticut Sun forward Theresa Plaisance, who played in China during the WNBA off-season. She could barely breathe in the week leading up to her…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the top offseason questions for every team in the Pacific Division. How much should the Los Angeles Clippers pay to re-sign Montrezl Harrell? What should the Sacramento Kings’ walk-away price be for Bogdan Bogdanovic? Is Anthony Davis a lock to…
I was too young to appreciate the 1992 USA Olympic Men’s Basketball Dream Team. And although I was old enough to enjoy the 1996 and 2000 American gold medalists, I took their success for granted. It wasn’t until the disappointment of the 2004 bronze and the ensuing 2008 “Redeem Team” campaign that I understood the…
I had watched several NBA Drafts before this. But there was something special to me, and to a lot of people, about the 2003 version. It changed the way I view the draft as well as the way I look at prospects and their NBA potential. It was also a big part of the reason…
The fate of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo had been hanging in the balance ever since the COVID-19 outbreak began in China months ago. However, pressure truly began to mount on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the virus rapidly spread throughout the world. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced last weekend that they…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Kenny Atkinson’s departure from the Brooklyn Nets, whether LeBron James has overtaken Giannis Antetokounmpo in the MVP race as well as the NBA’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. Why did Atkinson and the Nets mutually decide to part ways? Who…
