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Breaking Down the Surprising Success of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament Dec 07, 2023

Show notes

The NBA In-Season Tournament has had its fair share of criticism ever since the idea was first floated by Adam Silver. Everything from its merits, the timing and even the bold, colorful court designs drew the ire of basketball purists across the nation. But now, as the tournament heats up in its final stretch, people seem to get it.

Four teams are left standing as the setting shifts to Las Vegas for the semifinals tonight. The Lakers have a chance to add more hardware to the Lakers’ trophy case, but first they’ll have to get past the finally healthy New Orleans Pelicans. And in the East, it’s a clash of two red-hot offenses in the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers.

So today, our friend Ramona Shelburne joins the show to tell us what her biggest takeaways from the tournament are, who she thinks has the best chance to bring home the inaugural In-Season Tournament title and how this is exactly what the league wanted all along.

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Why Mark Cuban Sold the Mavericks Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

No owner in sports has his identity as closely tied to a team like Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks. When he bought the Mavs in 2000, he was an unknown, newly-minted billionaire. But his outspoken, passionate, and innovative approach shook up the NBA and helped him become one of the most well-known businessmen in America.

So the news last week that Cuban was selling a majority stake in the team to the Adelson and Dumont families shocked the basketball world. So why did he do it? Longtime Mavericks reporter Tim MacMahon explains Cuban’s thinking, how he was able to keep control of basketball operations, and why the move could have major implications throughout all of Texas.

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What Makes a Player a ‘Bust’? Brian Windhorst Explains Dec 05, 2023

Show notes

For fans of teams who didn’t have much to play for in the previous season, the NBA Draft represents a hopeful outlook towards the future; the chance to find their franchise cornerstone who can change their misfortunes and lead them to glory in the years to come. Or at least, that’s the ideal.

Now, six weeks into the NBA season, we’ve reached the point in the calendar where certain rookies start to get called the B-word: busts.

But do some players earn this moniker unfairly? Recent chatter around rookie Scoot Henderson, who is a mere ten games into his NBA career, got us wondering why fans and commentators can be so quick to trot out this label. So what is the actual definition of a bust? Who qualifies and who doesn’t? And how often are players, eventually, able to shed this unfortunate distinction? Brian Windhorst joins the show to explain.

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49ers Ground Eagles, Jordan Love Arrives in Lambeau: Andrew Hawkins Recaps NFL Week 13 Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

There are just five weeks left in the regular season, but the playoff picture only seems to be getting more muddied at this stage. There are teams like the Green Bay Packers, young and led by an inexperienced QB in Jordan Love, who are finding their stride and clawing into the wild card hunt after knocking off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in Lambeau on Sunday night.

At the top of the NFC, the 49ers came into Philadelphia, and left no doubt that they are the favorite, regardless of where they are playing. And over in the AFC wild card picture, the Texans continue to impress behind rookie signal caller CJ Stroud.

So today, Andrew Hawkins explains what he was looking for on the field on Sunday, and tells us why the margins in the NFL are razor thin.

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Jeff Passan Previews Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

The winter meetings mark the traditional beginning to Major League Baseball’s offseason. And this year, with three huge names on the market, including Shohei Ohtani, the best baseball player on the planet, the hot stove is sure to heat up.

So today, Jeff Passan tells us who is available, who is buying, and how smart teams should approach the free agent market this winter.

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Bill Barnwell Explains the NFL Playoff Picture Nov 30, 2023

Show notes

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and that means the playoff push is here. After 12 weeks of competition, the wheat is separating itself from the chaff. Some teams that got off to slow starts have turned their season around, and others with strong starts have fallen down the pecking order. Over the next six weeks, the field will narrow more and more as each team fights for a shot to win Super Bowl LVIII.

Our NFL expert Bill Barnwell joins the show to tell us who he thinks clinches their spots in this year’s playoffs.. and who gets sent home come December.

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Ryan McGee Breaks Down a Chaotic Conference Championship Weekend Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

While the College Football Playoff technically doesn’t start for another month, if you look closely you can see that in many ways it already has. Look no further than the fireworks of Rivalry Week: while appearing to keep up with decades old traditions, they are actually setting the table for the win-or-go-home repercussions of this weekend's conference championships.

So today, Ryan McGee joins us to talk about the chaos of this unofficial bracket, and then dares to take a look at the unpredictable future of college football – our favorite Saturday pastime.

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Is Draymond Ready to Change? Taking Stock of His Latest Suspension Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

The past two seasons have been tumultuous, to say the least, for Draymond Green. Throughout the Warriors dynasty of the past decade, Green has been the enforcer of the team, playing a crucial role in bringing four NBA championships to the Bay Area, pushing the envelope on league rules in the process. But now, Green’s latest suspension – for putting Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold – has everyone questioning where he currently stands with the team.

Marc J. Spears has covered the NBA and Bay Area sports for decades, so he takes us inside the mind of Draymond Green – and inside the Warriors franchise – as all parties figure out how to move forward.

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A Mother’s Vow, a Worldwide Search, and the Mystery of the Dallas Mavericks Barbie (ENCORE) Nov 27, 2023

Show notes

Throughout human history, the allure of rare and mysterious artifacts has always summoned our bravest and most intrepid explorers to scour the ends of the earth. The Ark of the Covenant. The Holy Grail. And now, the Dallas Mavericks Barbie.

The ultra-rare Mavs Barbie, the product of a late 90’s collaboration between Mattel and the NBA, has given collectors everywhere headaches for years as the missing piece to their Barbie collections. She is so hard to find, in fact, that some collectors have even questioned her existence.

So today, as the holiday gift-giving season kicks into full gear, we revisit a conversation between Jeremy Schaap and Dave Fleming on his quest for Mavericks Barbie, why she’s so hard to find…and how Dave helped put an end to one collector’s 25-year pursuit.

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The Lions Look to Flip Their Thanksgiving Day Script Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

It’s that time of year, America. It’s time to grab a plate and have a seat for Thanksgiving dinner.

And while we may not have the same foods on our table, there is one dish we all get to dive into: the Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving day.

If you’re a Lions fan, most of those Thanksgiving games this century have sat in your stomach like leftovers gone bad…but as a quick look at the standings show, it’s a new day in Motown.

So today, Eric Woodyard, our Michigan native and Lions insider, shares his experience growing up around this tradition, tells us where this first-place team is going and what you can expect to eat if you stop by Mama Woodyard’s house.

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