Blazer's Edge: for Portland Trail Blazers fans

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WHAT Podcast Ep 13 with @its_whitney, SB Nation's Whitney Medworth May 03, 2018

Show notes

The Trail Blazers may be out of the playoffs but there is plenty still to talk about on the Women’s Hoops and Talks podcast! Join Tara and Kendyl to talk about what lies in store for the Blazers and meet the woman behind one of the most entertaining NBA Twitter accounts, @its_whitney, SB Nation’s, Whitney Medworth.

Tara and Kendyl put the 2017-18 season behind them and start talking about the future. What lies in store for the team? What are the off season goals? When is it too late to add something new to your game? What will the summer bring?

Then, Whitney Medworth (@its_whitney) of SB Nation joins the podcast to talk about the world of NBA social media, favorite non-basketball stories of the season, and chasing down players at All Star weekend to ask them who they would pick to be on their bobsled team?

1:00 What happened to the Trail Blazers in the first round? The Blazers were not able to adjust when Dame was not available.

3:00 Off season goals.

5:00 Is Zach Collins ready to start?

6:30 Is Ed Davis the new Brian Grant in terms of fan appreciation? Importance of having veterans on the roster.

11:50 What are you most excited about?

13:20 Last summer was too quiet, but something must happen this summer. Will it be exciting or a whole lot of nothing?

15:20 Stretching players is worse than unexciting, its anti-exciting.

16:00 Aminu is so valuable and his salary is actually going down next year.

15:00 Toronto vs Cavs and please let there never be a playoff round without LeBron.

20:30 A little bit about the OKC Jazz Series

24:15 Trading Evan Turner and Moe Harkless to OKC for Melo who we let start with Jake Layman as backup (ok, it was getting late . . . )

28:00 Whitney Medworth on fan perspective

29:00 Checking in on how the Pacers season went

33:22 From sports management to event management to social engagement

35:12 Winning free tickets to Pacers games by being all in on Danny Granger

38:00 Running and coordinating social media for SB Nation during the season

41:40 The NBA never stops

43:00 NBA B-Sides column

46:30 Did a truck crashing into Evan Turner’s pool make it into a B-Sides column?

48:00 For those who are not yet into it, how would you suggest people get started with Twitter?

49:24 Going to the All Star Game as a media member

52:00 Get excited about the new, young players in the league

52:45 Will older players ever be more like elder statesmen laying the groundwork for the rising stars?

55:10 What will happen with LeBron, Paul George and other free agents this summer?

58:00 A woman Whitney admires is WNBA player and studio analyst Candace Parker.

Get Social

Follow Blazer’s Edge on Twitter @blazersedge, WHAT Pod @HoopsAndTalks, Tara @tcbbiggs, and Kendyl @kendylbennett16.

Join the Women’s Hops And Talks Facebook group to talk about Trail Blazers with others who identify as women who love basketball.

Music used in the episode: "Happy Alley" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Who has the most to prove this offseason? Apr 30, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast, Kendyl Bennett and Isaiah De Los Santos of Blazer's Edge lower the average age of the podcast roster but bring in a new and fresh perspective with grizzled veterans Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang. On the slate this week, coaching carousels, biggest surprises and disappointments, making the right decisions in free agency, debate the finer points of Iso vs team basketball, styles of playmaking, making improvements in the offseason, who has the most to prove and more on this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast!

IntroGuestsKendyl Bennett and Isaiah De Los SantosCoaching circles and vacanciesThe coaches are coming, the coaches are comingIs it good that the Portland assistants’ names are out thereReading the tea leaves around Terry StottsIf an assistant leaves is that a signal that Stotts is on his way outSweeping changes? What sweeping changes?Biggest surprises and biggest disappointments this seasonMaurice Harkless and CJ McCollumJusuf Nurkic and the ups and downsTwo years later, the Blazers still don’t know who the 3rd option isWho has the most to prove next year and how do they do it?Nurkic and making the right decisionsCJ McCollum, rounding out his gameIsolation scoring vs Team scoringHow do the Blazers evolve from one to the otherThe differences in playmaking between Damian Lillard and CJ McCollumIf you’re the GM, what’s your first priority on Day 1 of free agencyThe ghosts of 2016, will they haunt this free agency periodIf you had to pick, would you rather be in Portland’s position or the OKC With the Blazers season over, what or who are you watching in NBA nowClosing commentsOutro

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Where Does the Blame Fall? Apr 23, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang review (begrudgingly) Game 4 and the series as a whole between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans, wonder if the Blazers forgot how to play the game they dedicated their lives to, analyze where the Blazers went wrong (and where Damian Lillard didn't), sing the praises of Al-Farouq Aminu, and put a final bow tie on the playoffs before taking a deep dive into the exit interviews.

IntroOpening commentsReviewing Game 4, regrettably Did the Blazers forget how to play basketballPelicans ability all series to break and build momentum easilyDrive. Kick. Score. Repeat.Difference between passing to a player and passing a player openDamian Lillard in this series- piece by pieceAl-Farouq Aminu showed up big timeWhere does the blame fall? Players, coaches and/or match up?How do you figure out Anthony Davis?Will what the Pelicans do next round change how you feel about the Blazers?Zach Collins the enforcerExit InterviewsWade BaldwinZach Collins, professional question answerer Meyers LeonardEvan Turner, knows not to get as thick this summerTurner: we have to be more consistent…building an identity outside of our two strong scorersCJ McCollum and allergiesNeil OlsheyThe irony of back handed complimenting Al-Farouq AminuOlshey on the defensiveOlympic analogies“C’mon Joe”Overall takeaway from Olshey’s interviewThe need for “sweeping changes”“Nobody was talking about sweeping changes 10 days ago”Evaluating this team for what they did during the regular season and not for their playoff performanceBridging the talent gap between Dame and everyone elseNurkic disappoints in the playoffsThe awkwardness of the Nurkic press conferenceNBA purgatory Favorite moments from the seasonClosing commentsOutro

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What went wrong in Game 1 and how does Portland fix it? Apr 16, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang breakdown Game 1 of Trail Blazers v. Pelicans, diagnose what went wrong, how to adjust in Game 2 and the rest of the series, what happened to the Blazers offense, analyze the last two possessions of the game, discuss what happened to Jusuf Nurkic, try to figure out what happened to Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum and much more!

IntroTaking in the game while travelingHighlights from the first quarterLowlights the rest of the nightBlazers bench tries to save the dayBlazers trying to control the paceThe Pelicans almost make a fatal errorJrue Holiday steals the show on both ends of the floorPlayoff Nurkic wasn’t a thing yet, whyHow did Nurkic look in his first real playoff gameThe Blazers not getting Nurkic involvedThe disappearance of the pick and rollBlazers deep rotation v Pelicans short rotationOfficiating in Game 1-not badPortland failed to adjust and capitalize to NOPs game planBlazers offense disappears with the startersWill things look different with Maurice Harkless backBlazers bench v Pelicans benchBreaking down & understanding the final possessions for the BlazersJrue Holiday makes game saving playsWho was the Game 1 MVPWhy couldn’t the Blazers executeHow did the Blazers close the gapPelicans putting on the breaks too soonSilver liningsModa Center crowd, please do betterTaking a look around the leagueSurprises so farHow can the Blazers capitalize in Game 2Establishing your game planNurkic needs to show up big timeClosing commentsOutro

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The Importance of Pace, Jusuf Nurkic and Establishing Dominance Apr 13, 2018

Show notes

It's a a playoff version of the Blazer's Edge podcast with Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang talking Trail Blazers v. Pelicans in the first round. Topics include:

IntroReviewing match ups vs PelicansPlaying with paceCan the Blazers play at the Pelicans' paceWhat’s the right pace to play at

Damian Lillard, master of paceWhen will Maurice Harkless returnCould Wade Baldwin have an impact in the seriesHow will the Pelicans use Anthony DavisDavis did his damage at the rim during the regular seasonAlvin Gentry is a troll, here’s whyDictating your opponents game planWill Zach Collins spend time on Anthony DavisJusuf Nurkic’s importance in this seriesNurkic establishing control offensivelyPlayoff Nurkic needs to be a thingWhat are the keys to winning Game 1Asserting dominanceNurkic needs to be the jerkClosing commentsOutro

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WHAT Podcast Ep 12: Talking Dirk, Tanking, and the Mavericks' Harassment Scandal with Rebecca Lawson Mavs Moneyball Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

Rebecca Lawson is the Editor-in-Chief of Mavs Moneyball, the SB Nation site covering the Dallas Mavericks. She joined the Women's Hoops And Talks (WHAT) Podcast to talk about a variety of topics including the Mavericks 2011 Championship team, what it is like to cover Dirk Nowitzki, and how to keep everyone’s interest when the team is tanking.

Then we talked about the harassment charges against the Dallas front office and writer Earl Sneed, as reported in Sports Illustrated. How did these allegations appear to impact the players, how did she decide if she would still be a fan, and how did she choose to cover the team and follow the developing story during this time?

Finally, Rebecca has some fun stories about covering the team including breaking news that Monte Ellis’s son had won the Dance Cam contest and what it was like to be face-to-face with a frustrated Mark Cuban right after a bad Dallas loss.

Check out the WHAT Podcast to hear Rebecca’s interesting stories and insight about covering an NBA team and being a female fan.

1:30 Intro to Rebecca, following Kawhi Leonard at San Diego State and then following the 2011 Dallas Mavs4:00 What does she think will happen to Kawhi?6:00 Memories of the 2011 Dallas Championship run, a team that always had another comeback with a different hero every night. Brandon Roy’s comeback game in the Portland vs Dallas series. 9:45 How does sports create community for you? 13:30 What is it like having a player like Dirk Nowitzki who has played for the team for his entire (long) career? Would Dirk have stayed if he hadn’t won a championship?16:50 Unique NBA fan involvement and great writers19:00 How do you cope when your team is tanking? Finding entertainment in the little things.23:27 Was she surprised about the front office sexual harassment and Earl Sneed story in Sports Illustrated, Inside the Corrosive Workplace Culture of the Dallas Mavericks? How have the players reacted?31:31 How did she as the editor of Mavs Moneyball handled coverage during this time? 35:55 What is coming up this summer for the Mavs?38:20 Wesley Matthews update40:50 Favorite stories from being on the beat: breaking a story about Monte Ellis and catching a heated Mark Cuban in the hallway after a bad loss.45:10 NBA 101 Basketball for Women, the Dallas Mavericks women only event. What is the real story? Is it a fun event? What did the Mavs do well and what could they have done better?54:20 Women you admire: mom who was always learning and doing something new, and Sarah Melton, Mavericks Director of Communication.

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How Confident Are You In This Blazer's Team Right Now? Apr 09, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Danny Marang is joined by two guests, former Chicago Bulls beat reporter, Blazers fan and all around good guy Sean Highkin as well as the illustrious Dave DuFour, host of "On the NBA with Dave DuFour." It's a little different this time around as they're all in the same room and it's a roundtable discussion at a rectangular table where the topics range from; reviewing the Trail Blazers v Spurs game, the return of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum struggling with efficiency, locking up the 3-seed, rating the confidence level on the Blazers, playoff Jusuf Nurkic, properly rating Zach Collins and more!

IntroGuest hostsReviewing Spurs v BlazersSean Highkin is dead insideHow important was that Spurs gameHow do you balance resting Dame and going after the 3 seedHow the Lakers are still finding ways to do Laker thingsDamian Lillard returnsRamping up Lillard for the playoffsWinning the first seriesIs there a good match up for the BlazersWhen will Harkless returnManaging injury expectationsKawhi LeonardPlayers returning from injuries and the inherent risk managementCJ McCollum’s struggles over the last 10 gamesHow important it is to get to the free throw lineGetting Dame and CJ on track at the same timeHow confident are you in this team right nowMVP DameWhy are we still wondering who the 3rd option isHow likely are the Blazers to get the 3-seedHot take alert- playoff Nurkic will be a thingCoach of the Year votesPlayer-coach relationshipsThe coaching carouselDo the Blazers have to win a first round seriesThe next step in the team building processIf Portland fails to advance what does that meanRick Kamla tweet reactionIs Zach Collins overratedWho do the Blazers want to avoid in the first roundClosing commentsOutro

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Do the Blazers have to win a series to call this season a success? Apr 02, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang review the past week's games, conspiracy theories surrounding Maurice Harkless' injured knee, discuss whether or not the Blazers need to win a playoff series to call this season a success, who slots in best for Ed Davis while he's out, Jusuf Nukic's unseen contributions, the Blazer's 3-point woes and more! All on this week's episode of the Blazers' Edge podcast!

IntroKevin Durant hates blog boysClinching the playoffsMemphis Grizzlies rematchMeyers Leonard flexNew Orleans Pelicans reviewDo you want to see Anthony Davis in a 7 game seriesDamian Lillard and Baby DameMaurice Harkless knee surgeryConspiracy theories and secret MRIsCJ McCollum coming up short at the free throw lineDoes that bother you at allThere isn’t a good time for injuriesMissing Ed Davis and Maurice HarklessPreviewing some playoff match upsIf Harkless is out what could that mean for the playoffsHarkless playing his best basketball as a BlazerFilling in the hole alongside Zach CollinsWho fits bestMeyers Leonard stepping upCaleb Swanigan makes an appearanceSwanigan’s passing prowess The Blazers side pick and roll with Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic Collins and the dunk party for the LA ClippersSimplifying things for Collins and letting him succeedPortland is missing Davis’ offensive reboundsAn opportunity for Collins to expand his gameHow players being out forces the “next man up” responsibilityDon’t throw passes to 7 footers below their waistBlazers three point shooting falling off a cliffShabazz Napier, Pat Connaughton, Evan Turner and Collins can’t buy a threeWhen taking the right shot is no longer the right shotScouting the Blazers what do you take awayHouston’s defensive game planNurkic and screen assistsThe Blazers and moving screens- who’s the worst (best)Taking a look at the final 5 gamesWill the Blazers reach 50 winsIf the Blazers don’t win a series is that a disappointmentClosing commentsOutro

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WHAT Podcast Talking Playoffs with Indy Cornrows' Caitlin Cooper Mar 29, 2018

Show notes

The NBA Playoffs are fast approaching so we talked to Caitlin Cooper of Indy Cornrows about which teams in the Eastern Conference to watch. Then we debated who would be more deserving of Coach of the Year between Portland Trail Blazers’ Terry Stotts and Pacers’ Nate McMillan.

We also asked Caitlin about how she approaches writing about basketball, what are some tips for people who want to study the game, and what resources she uses to research and learn more.

Finally, she recommends two women whose work she admires, SB Nation’s Whitney Medworth (@its_whitney) and The Ringer’s Haley O'Shaughnessy (@HaleyOSomething)

1:15 Growing up the coach’s kid in Indiana and being a girl who knew sports6:00 What has been happening with the Pacers, Victor Oladipo's growth, and being a fan of an Eastern Conference teams. 9:00 How the 76ers are shaking things up with Markel Fultz entering the lineup10:15 How seeding in the East might shake out and what series are you looking forward to?13:00 What would a Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs series be like? Will the Portland role players continue to keep up their strong performances of late? What is a successful season?18:15 Discussing Terry Stotts and Nate McMillan as Coach of the Year candidates.24:45 Watching the playoffs and seeing how teams adapt from game-to-game, enjoying maximum effort in each game, coaches head games, not overreacting32:30 Advice for watching a player or a game in order to analyze what is happening. How she wrote The Pacers need better solutions when teams trap Victor Oladipo.38:00 Favorite sites: 3ball, nba.com box scores, Basketball Immersion, Basketball Dictionary

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Is CJ McCollum Clutch? Mar 26, 2018

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Blazer's Edge podcast Tara Bowen-Biggs and Danny Marang review the past week's games against the Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, evaluate where Portland sits right now, good losses vs. bad losses, how the Blazers are generating more free throws, ask whether CJ McCollum is clutch, discuss whether McCollum is overrated, discuss what has happened to the Blazers bench lately and more!

Topics

Intro

WHAT meet up

Reviewing Blazers v. Rockets

Good Loss or Bad LossGameplans and execution

Aminu shining- Favorite Play of the Season

Moda Center atmosphere

Disappointment v. Celtics

What went wrong v. Celtics

Is Baby Dame weighing on Lillard’s mind

Reviewing Blazers v. Thunder

Russell Westbrook loses his mind, again

Evan Turner mixing it up

Steven Adams as the peacemaker

What is a flagrant foul

Blazers losing a firm grip on the game

Blazers offense overpassing the ball

Drawing fouls like James Harden

How is Lillard getting to the line so much

Campaigning for calls v. working for calls

Is CJ McCollum clutch

What’s different this year

Where does McCollum rate as a closer

McCollum’s opportunities in the clutch

Is McCollum overrated

Understanding role and responsibility

Where does McCollum fall in the pecking order

Rating where McCollum fits in the league as a second option

What has happened to Blazers bench

Zach Collins and the rookie wall

Raymond Felton shows why he’s still boo’d

Closing comments

Outro

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