In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen and Bryan Toporek take a mulligan on the 2014 NBA draft class. Who goes No. 1 overall, Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid? Where do the likes of Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon and Marcus Smart wind up? How far does Andrew Wiggins fall? Which real-life second-round picks…
COVID-19 unexpectedly forced the NBA season to a screeching halt. Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive, and the league and other sports leagues immediately shut down to protect players, coaches, employees and their fans’ health. The coronavirus’ specter continues its spread nationally and abroad, stressing hospitals, economies and communities to the brink. Without basketball,…
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…
Scouting reports are especially vital at the highest levels of basketball. They prepare players for personnel tidbits, identify an opponent’s best or most frequent sets, and unify the team in a direction for how to attack both. Those reports will have a video and written component most times, so different learners can digest the information…
In many ways, the 2019-2020 NBA season marks a new chapter for the Boston Celtics. Thanks to some high-profile free-agent departures and arrivals, coach Brad Stevens will have a noticeably different starting lineup and rotation. They’re past the point of “arriving” as contenders after their 2013-2016 rebuild, but they’re also no longer the young darlings…
After an entertaining, yet tumultuous pre-tournament schedule, Gregg Popovich’s men’s national squad arrived in China to defend its throne at the 2019 FIBA World Cup. He experimented with a variety of lineups throughout the exhibition slate, and it’s time to hone in on some optimal combinations. While the U.S. hasn’t lost a World Cup or…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Brandon Jefferson (@Jefferson_Hoops) of The Basketball Writers preview the 2019 FIBA World Cup. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Team USA’s roster? Which teams pose the biggest threat to the Americans? Is Team USA in legitimate danger of…
Team USA has been the single most dominant team in all of basketball over the last decade. In 2008, the “Redeem Team” won Olympic gold. They dominated the FIBA World Championship during 2010. 2012’s team was arguably more talented than the original 1992 Dream Team. By 2014, they claimed back-to-back FIBA World Championship victories. They…
These have not been a great eight months for the Boston Celtics. There was genuine excitement about this team back in October. Do you remember it? (It was soooo long ago, it seems.) A core of Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward was projected to run the Eastern Conference. Add…
Every year, a select group of media members, broadcasters, and analysts are handed the responsibility of voting for individual and team awards. It’s no small thing. These votes can enhance or limit earning potential, affect Hall-of-Fame resumes, and rob players of bragging rights. (Okay, maybe the last one isn’t super important, but you get my…
