Tag: NBA (Page 1 of 7)

Jake Fischer Explores the East

October 20, 2023 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Along with the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks are one of the favorites to win the East after trading for Damian Lillard this offseason (@Bucks/X).

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Jake Fischer, Yahoo! Sports senior NBA reporter and the author of Built to Lose, makes his fourth appearance to break down the Eastern Conference’s biggest storylines as the season approaches. Tune in to hear why he regards the Celtics as favorites, his thoughts on Evan Mobley’s next leap, rookies you should keep an eye on, Jake’s dark-horse team out East and so much more.

4:16-6:30: “I am pretty bullish on the Bucks. … but I think that Boston is the favorite. I’m not so certain that Milwaukee got so much better as opposed to how much better Boston got by adding Jrue Holiday to what they had. … I just think the Celtics’ top six is way better and stronger, and that’s kinda how I like to look at things, from a playoff standpoint. … The fact that Boston has its same core four basically of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Al Horford, you throw in Kristaps Porzingis and then Jrue Holiday, that’s a pretty strong, switchable, malleable group.”

10:18-10:58: “The Clippers haven’t put Terance Mann in any deal, and the draft capital that they’ve been able to figure out they could potentially send to Philadelphia in addition to the original offer of a first-round pick and a pick swap just hasn’t gotten there to close that gap for the Sixers, so I don’t think it will. The last call I had about this, before we were recording, was like 30 minutes ago, and my impression following that call is that [from] the Sixers’ side of things at least, they don’t seem to think much will change from a negotiation standpoint between now and the start of the regular season. So, if something were to happen, it would definitely be something out of left field.” Continue reading

John Karalis: Celtics “Cutting Durant’s Legs Off”

April 25, 2022 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Jayson Tatum celebrates with teammates after another dominant showing in Game 3 (@Celtics/Instagram).

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With the Boston Celtics (arguably) improbably leading the Brooklyn Nets 3-0 in an opening-round 2-7 matchup, we’re joined by John Karalis, host of Locked on Celtics, Celtics beat reporter for The Boston Sports Journal and author of The Boston Celtics All-Time All-Stars

5:07-5:45: Most importantly, defending at an extraordinarily high level; that’s what got them to this place. In this series, they are not letting Kevin Durant close out. They are not letting Durant get going and start to do all the things that Durant does. When the Nets are closing out teams, it’s Durant, just bucket after bucket after bucket, midrange after midrange after midrange. Unstoppable. In this series, they’ve frustrated the hell out of him, they’ve beaten him up, and he’s throwing passes to nobody now.”

6:47-6:52: “When he’s got it going, [Tatum] could be as deadly as anybody in the league.”

13:51-14:54: “The switching has, I think, taken them out of their rhythm. And when Kevin Durant is out of rhythm, then the whole thing starts to fall apart ‘cuz Kyrie [Irving] plays off Kevin Durant, and it’s not the other way around. Continue reading

Espo: “There’s No Asterisk” on Suns’ Finals Berth

July 3, 2021 / Loren Chen / 0 Comments

For the third time in franchise history, the Phoenix Suns have secured a berth into the NBA Finals (@Suns/Instagram).

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The Phoenix Suns are headed to the 2021 NBA Finals, and there absolutely should be no asterisk attached to their stellar run, according to guest Greg “Espo” Esposito, host of the Solar Panel Podcast. And why should there be? Phoenix bounced back from a 2-1 deficit to dethrone the defending champions before sweeping the MVP Jokic-led Nuggets. Then, the Suns took down a deep and resilient Clippers squad in a gritty series that could have gone either way. Espo breaks down how the Suns just keep on winning and provides a brief glimpse into their forthcoming Finals appearance against either the Bucks or Hawks.

6:05-6:20: “What you’ve seen is a maturation process for Devin [Booker]’s game. You’ve seen leadership. You’ve seen just the chance for him to finally on the NBA’s big stage, the playoffs, prove that he is not an empty calories guy.”

8:28-9:19: “Having grown up a big Charles Barkley fan, I’ve always taken issue with the ‘If a guy doesn’t win a championship, you have to kind of pooh-pooh his career and his legacy.’ … Basketball is a team sport. Individuals can have big games, but what you’re seeing with the Suns is proof yet again that nobody wins alone. This team is truly a team, and the thought that Chris Paul’s legacy or his career wasn’t impressive until Year 16 when he finally made it to the Finals just seems somewhat laughable. But that’s the storyline. That’s the way things are perceived nationally.” Continue reading

Sarah Spencer: Hawks Have “Caught Fire”

April 28, 2021 / Loren Chen / 0 Comments

Trae Young’s growth in his third year has propelled the Hawks to a top-five playoff seed. (AlexanderJonesi/Flickr)

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Going into the 2020-21 season, the Atlanta Hawks revamped their roster, hoping a few high-profile veteran additions would help their talented young core finally make the playoffs. The plan didn’t exactly work out as intended, as the team incurred a slew of key injuries and fell to 14-20, which triggered the firing of its head coach, Lloyd Pierce. Under Nate McMillan, however, the Hawks have completely turned it around, playing high-quality basketball that’s put them in prime position to achieve a top-five playoff seed. And their veterans are excelling, including Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari and Clint Capela, who was acquired via trade last year. In the process, they’ve learned how to close games, most recently registering a 41-point fourth quarter to defeat the Greek Freak-led Bucks Sunday night, all without the services of a banged-up Trae Young. Joining Aaron to discuss this spirited group, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Sarah Spencer makes her first appearance on the pod. Near the end, she also touches upon what beloved Atlanta-based journalist Sekou Smith meant to her and her paper.

18:26–20:02: “The biggest factor for them has been [Clint] Capela. He’s been a good fit on both sides of the ball too because he gives Trae Young another rim-running target. … They needed someone to kind of organize and get things moving. I remember having a conversation with Kevin Huerter about this, and he said, ‘We want Trae to do that on offense; we want Clint to do that on defense.’ That’s what you need. You need guys to be vocal. And this was a pretty quiet team last year.”

26:02-26:28: “In the first half of the season, the Hawks were really pretty dreadful in the fourth quarter – that’s how they lost a lot of games. In the second half, in the fourth quarter, it’s pretty much been the exact opposite, which has been crazy how dramatic that turnaround has been. And I think Trae’s been a part of that. He’s had a few games where he’s come alive and been really steady in the fourth quarter, and that’s what you want to see out of a guy like that.”

Tomer Azarly: Clippers “Still a Work in Progress”

January 27, 2020 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Patrick Beverley’s health, along with Leonard’s and George’s, will be critical to the Clippers’ postseason success, says Azarly (FrenchieInPortland/Creative Commons).

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Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points joins the show to discuss the state of the Clippers just past the season’s midway point. Enjoy these clips/Clips:

Time stamps may vary due to dynamic advertising:

7:04-7:42: “I just think it’s a work in progress. It’s a team last year that had an underdog mentality all season and now you add two superstars from two completely different programs in Kawhi and PG, and it just takes time to incorporate these guys. We haven’t even talked about the fact that they have one game healthy all year. That was the Laker game on Christmas Day. The following game, Trez missed because of the flu, and then Pat went out with the wrist injury. So they’ve only really had one game healthy, one practice the day before that healthy. We’ve really yet to see what this team can be. So I don’t think it’s time to overreact yet, but this team is still a work in progress.”

15:47-16:46: “Their numbers while [Ivica] Zubac is on the court have been pretty close to phenomenal. They’ve been a really good defensive team when Zubac on the court because he not only blocks shots, but he changes shots. He’s a really big guy inside. He takes up a lot of space. I’ve been saying this all year: play Zubac more. Get him more minutes. For whatever reason, the Clippers are not getting him more minutes right now. Maybe they’re showcasing Trez more. Maybe they feel like they can outscore teams and sort of be OK defensively, with Trez on the court. But I do think a bit of their defense always comes back to Zubac and having him on the court because inside, statistically, like blocked shots, he hasn’t been a crazy force, but he’s been a shot-changing force at the rim for the Clippers.” Continue reading

Eric Nehm: With Bucks, “Is There Anything That Really Needs Fixing?”

June 4, 2019 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is primed to handily win the 2018-19 MVP race, according to guest Eric Nehm (Keith Allison/Creative Commons).

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On the heels of a disappointing Eastern Conference finals exit at the hands of the Raptors, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm is here to talk all things Milwaukee Bucks, including Giannis Antetokounmpo’s MVP campaign, the Bucks’ spectacular season, Mike Budenholzer’s inaugural year at the helm and the significant offseason looming ahead.

Some noteworthy clips (Particular time stamps may vary due to dynamic advertising.):

9:02-9:15: “I guess a less mature 24-year-old would just be angry and not really thinking about exactly how he gets better, but here’s Giannis, two days later, saying, ‘You know, I gotta find a way to be more comfortable in the midrange.’”

14:58-17:04: “I think Khris [Middleton] just really understands Giannis, and Giannis really appreciates guys that play hard, show up every night and can go out and actually take care of business … Giannis can help out with some of the rim protection, Khris can switch a bunch of different things; he also can defend other team’s No. 1s. And because he can defend the league’s best wings, guys like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Giannis can stay on the back side and just be the free safety and attempt to just wreak havoc essentially. So it all just kind of works, and then on top of it, there’s just no frills. Khris doesn’t really have an ego. He doesn’t really go out there and demand more shots or anything like that.” Continue reading

Howard Beck: Small-Market GMs With a Star Are “Always on the Clock”

February 12, 2019 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Anthony Davis’ trade demand is the latest example of a changing paradigm involving NBA superstars, argues guest Howard Beck (Keith Allison/Creative Commons).

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Bleacher Report‘s Howard Beck has been covering the NBA full-time for the past couple decades, and he detects an unmistakable change in the way the league’s superstars are increasingly dictating where they play. He discusses this phenomenon with regard to Anthony Davis’ recent trade demand, Milwaukee’s ongoing efforts to retain franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo for the long haul and how the trend impacted this season’s awfully busy and entertaining trade deadline. Plus, the All-Star weekend is nearly upon us, providing an opportunity to touch on those festivities in Charlotte. Beck bites below:

12:54-14:52: “Tobias Harris, as a guy who’s in his prime who is a borderline All-Star, that’s, on its face, the flashiest acquisition of those contenders in the East. But it’s also the one that I think came with the most caveats and potential concerns. Because you already had a team with three stars, Embiid, Simmons, Jimmy Butler, where there are some tensions…there’s just some underlying tensions there about power dynamics and role and all this even though they [Simmons and Embiid] seem like they should fit together perfectly. And then you throw Jimmy Butler and all the volatility that can come with him on top of that…and now you throw [in] Tobias Harris who’s a high-usage guy…So, yes, the Sixers, their starting five might be the best starting five in the East now and may be the best starting five outside of Golden State, but that’s on paper, and the chemistry part of it I think has to be at least a little bit of a concern.” Continue reading

Coral Lu: Consuming NBA Now “Part of Daily Life” in China

January 14, 2019 / Loren Chen / 0 Comments

Coral Lu speaking with Blazers guard Damian Lillard, her favorite NBA player to interview (Corallulu/Instagram).

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From David Stern’s visits to China in the ’80s to every NBA Finals game being broadcast there live in 1994 to Yao Ming’s thrilling rookie season with the Rockets in 2002 to LinSanity 10 years later to the explosion of social media and the league’s recent rights deals (worth hundreds of millions of dollars) with Chinese tech giants, the NBA’s influence in China has skyrocketed. The one and only Coral Lu of ESPN China brings her unique perspective to help break it all down for us.

Here are some highlights (*Due to dynamic advertising, time stamps may vary per listener):

13:39-14:12: “I would say 90 percent or at least 85 percent of NBA fans from China are aged from 16 to 35 or late 30s, so that’s a really specific demographic. A lot of older Chinese people, they might like soccer, but they did not watch basketball [growing up]. But all the younger generation or the people around my age, we all kind of grew up with basketball, so it becomes part of our daily life.”

19:11-19:50: “I think it [Jeremy Lin’s massive popularity in China] is more about his story. So, Jeremy, we all know he is an underdog. We all know that he got cut by the Warriors, got waived by other teams, then you know he finally landed with the Knicks; he was about to get cut again. But he was coming from nowhere. An Asian kid, really, nobody knew him, and he was able to play at Madison Square [Garden], playing super-well, so that’s kind of leading to another hero type. The Chinese people, Chinese fans, they like underdogs. So, if you took a look right now, Steph Curry, he was an underdog too.”

Brad Botkin Previews West: Spurs “Not Good Enough” for Playoffs

October 16, 2018 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Gregg Popovich and the Spurs have appeared in the postseason for 21 consecutive seasons, but guest Brad Botkin doesn’t see a 22nd straight trip in their future (Mike/Wikimedia Commons).

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Brad Botkin, senior NBA writer for CBS Sports and co-author of Olympic gold medalist Dan O’ Brien’s memoir, “Clearing Hurdles,” has strong opinions about this season’s Western Conference, and he’s unafraid to share them. For example, despite the Spurs’ 21 consecutive playoff appearances, Brad is adamant San Antonio’s streak will come to a close this season.

Timing will vary due to dynamic advertising, but here are the approximate time stamps of some of our favorite clips (so many good ones to choose from):

7:06-7:28: “I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘Well that’s how Kobe led. That’s how Jordan led. He forced the best out of his guys.’ Listen, come talk to me when Jimmy Butler is Kobe or Jordan. Jimmy Butler is not the kind of guy that singlehandedly transforms your team. He certainly makes the Timberwolves better. They’re in no way a championship contender with him, nor do I think any team is a championship contender with him as a best player.”

14:42-15:15: “All these big-picture numbers about the Rockets, they’re going to look great on paper. Look, [in] playoff games, certainly against the Warriors, if they match up, or the Jazz, if they’re in a Game 6 and there’s three minutes left in the game, I don’t care what you did all year long. Continue reading

“It’s a Terrible (Eastern) Conference” With Kelly Dwyer

October 15, 2018 / Aaron Fischman / 0 Comments

Kelly Dwyer of The Second Arrangement does not shy away from offering his honest opinion about the Eastern Conference this season.

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In the wake of LeBron James’ departure, Kelly Dwyer discusses his Eastern favorites and why the conference is overall so bad. The online basketball writing pioneer who wrote for Yahoo!‘s Ball Don’t Lie blog for nearly a decade, among multiple notable gigs, is currently shining for The Second Arrangement, a project to which you can subscribe for as low as $5 per month.

Timing will vary due to dynamic advertising, but here are the approximate time stamps of some of our favorite clips (so many good ones to choose from):

7:29-7:39 on the Boston Celtics’ immense depth: “There’s so many arms on this monster that this could be something that lasts for a while, that really eases Kyrie [Irving] into his drop-off years.” Continue reading

Tag: NBA (Page 1 of 7)

Jake Fischer Explores the East

John Karalis: Celtics “Cutting Durant’s Legs Off”

Espo: “There’s No Asterisk” on Suns’ Finals Berth

Sarah Spencer: Hawks Have “Caught Fire”

Tomer Azarly: Clippers “Still a Work in Progress”

Eric Nehm: With Bucks, “Is There Anything That Really Needs Fixing?”

Howard Beck: Small-Market GMs With a Star Are “Always on the Clock”

Coral Lu: Consuming NBA Now “Part of Daily Life” in China

Brad Botkin Previews West: Spurs “Not Good Enough” for Playoffs

“It’s a Terrible (Eastern) Conference” With Kelly Dwyer

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