In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Dave DuFour (@DaveDuFourNBA) of The Athletic go through their League Pass rankings for the 2019-20 NBA season. Which teams are must-watch this season? Which teams can you safely ignore? Do either of the L.A. teams top the list? Where…
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has some critical decisions to make around his starting lineup. LeBron James and Anthony Davis unquestionably have first-unit spots locked up. Danny Green, a low-usage three-and-D wing who fits perfectly alongside those two, should likewise be guaranteed to start. That leaves the point guard and center spots up…
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…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Gerald Bourguet (@geraldbourguet) of The Step Back preview the Pacific Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. How will D’Angelo Russell fit next to Stephen Curry? Who starts alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Los Angeles Clippers? Can Dwight Howard…
If you’ve played youth basketball, you know how frequently coaches at any level bemoan getting beat with a basket cut. Hell, even if you’ve watched enough basketball, you probably notice a clear distaste for letting players go wherever they want. Defenders have the primary responsibility of preventing their opponent from getting open to a point…
Giannis Antetokounmpo will enter the 2019-20 NBA season as the odds-on favorite to repeat as the league’s Most Valuable Player at +300, and it isn’t difficult to see why. During his age-24 season, the Greek Freak erupted for a career-high 27.7 points on 57.8 percent shooting to go along with 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5…
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 coming weeks, we’ll will examine one big question hanging over each team heading into the season, continuing with the Pacific Division where a dynasty will…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Dwight Howard signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Caris LeVert’s extension with the Brooklyn Nets and whether Joe Johnson is worthy of an NBA roster spot. Will Howard actually embrace a smaller role with the Lakers, or will he become…
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…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the impact of DeMarcus Cousins’ torn ACL and make their picks for every Eastern Conference team’s over/under. With Cousins likely to miss the 2019-20 season, how should the Los Angeles Lakers react? Will the Milwaukee Bucks or Philadelphia 76ers win…