For years, we’ve been hearing how the basketball world is catching up with the USA. But is it time to stop couching that in “future-tense” logic and ponder whether it’s happened, even at the highest levels? In 1992, the USA sent hoops pros to the Olympics for the first time, as the “Dream Team” captured…
Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz is a transformative, world-beating defensive talent with two consecutive Defensive Player of the Year awards. Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks is coming off one of the most impressive rookie campaigns in recent memory as a two-way force on a rebuilding team. These two might be at different…
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) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their picks for all of the NBA’s major awards ahead of the 2019-20 season. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo repeat as MVP? Can anyone dethrone Rudy Gobert as Defensive Player of the Year? Is Zion Williamson a lock to win Rookie of…
After a summer of roster reshuffling that resulted in many players finding new homes, one thing has remained consistent, Vegas’ odds on the Defensive Player of the Year award. The same three players listed as the favorites for last year’s honor in mid-April, return as this season’s odds-on favorites: Rudy Gobert (+145), Giannis Antetokounmpo (+375)…
Rudy Gobert was once thought of as the last of a dying breed. As “small ball” became increasingly popular across the NBA, it seemed players like Gobert were getting played off of the court. At 7’1” and 245 pounds, how could the relatively range-less Frenchman be expected to hold his ground on the perimeter against…
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 past few weeks, we have examined one big question hanging over each team heading into the season. We’ll finish with the Northwest Division, where all…
China just served up one of the most entertaining and unpredictable FIBA Men’s World Cup (formerly “World Championship”) tournaments in recent history. There was a wide-open group of contenders, and a couple of the front-runners were toppled before the medal round. Leading up to Spain’s coronation against Argentina on Sunday, we witnessed aesthetically dazzling team…
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Andy Bailey (@andrewdbailey) of the Hardwood Knocks podcast preview the Northwest Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. How much of a difference will Jerami Grant make with the Denver Nuggets? Is there any hope for Andrew Wiggins? How…
Coming out of the first heavy-spending summer since 2016, several teams are locked into their current core and will have trouble generating significant spending power over the next two offseasons. Of course, other teams are still riding out their own bad 2016 contracts and will look to get back in the game in 2020 and…