Hardwood Knocks: An NBA Podcast

Latest Episodes:

2021 NBA Awards Picks May 17, 2021

Show notes

It's NBA awards time! With the regular season officially in the books, Adam and Dan go through their final picks—not to be confused with predictions—for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. While some of these races are fait accompli—thanks to Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, LaMelo Ball, Julius Randle and others—the second part of our ballots proved to be ultra-difficult. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Adam ruins his wife's office (0:57)🔘 East play-in matchups (1:30)🔘 Executive of the Year (4:31)🔘 Coach of the Year (10:52)🔘 Sixth Man of the Year (19:58)🔘 Defensive Player of the Year (27:36)🔘 Rookie of the Year (32:37)🔘 Most Improved Player (39:42)🔘 MVP (45:56) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

First Annual All-Hardwood Knocks Teams May 14, 2021

Show notes

Who needs All-NBA teams when you have All-Hardwood Knocks teams? Sure, we'll still discuss all the big names, a la Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, Zion Williamson, Stephen Curry and others. But we're not necessarily looking to identify the *best* players at each spot. Instead, we’re looking for the players who excited and entertained us—AND YOU—most during the 2020-21 season. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Criteria (0:47)🔘 First Team Guards (5:06)🔘 First Team Forwards (10:46)🔘 First Team Center (22:28)🔘 Second Team Guards (27:30)🔘 Second Team Forwards (34:20)🔘 Second Team Center (40:50)🔘 Third Team Guards (45:25)🔘 Third Team Forwards (52:13)🔘 Third Team Center (57:10)🔘 Full Fan Ballot (59:47)🔘 Adam's Full Ballot (1:04:53)🔘 Dan's Full Ballot (1:11:43) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAILBAG: NBA All-Rookie Picks, Tanking, Grizzlies, Nuggets, Julius Randle, MPJ, SGA May 10, 2021

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Hardwood Knocks drops their officially official 2021 NBA All-Rookie teams, an exercise that gets super interesting after going over LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards. Then, it's on to our weekly mailbag. This latest dive into listen questions covers the future of the Memphis Grizzlies, Julius Randle's improvement, Michael Porter Jr.'s stardom, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Denver Nuggets, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, historical MVP data, tanking, the MIP discussion and more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 All-Rookie Picks (0:48)🔘 Nuggets/Jokic (32:16)🔘 Grizzlies (41:09)🔘 Should All-Stars be disqualified from MIP discussion? (48:01)🔘 Julius Randle (51:20)🔘 Total Points Added (56:17)🔘 Second-year leaps (59:18)🔘 Better to build around SGA or MPJ? (1:00:29)🔘 Tanking (1:03:08)🔘 Fewest games played among MVPs (1:07:25)🔘 Most 27-point games in NBA history (1:09:30) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NBA Fact or Fiction: Pacers, Steph, Dame, Suns, Nuggets, Bulls, Bucks, KLOE, Porzingis May 07, 2021

Show notes

Dan is joined by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) to discuss the turmoil with the Indiana Pacers; the Phoenix Suns' chances of winning the Western Conference; the Devin Booker-Chris Paul debate; the Denver Nuggets' ceiling; the Los Angeles Clippers flying under the radar; the Chicago Bulls' precarious future outlook; Kyle Lowry's free agency; Kristaps Porzingis' future with the Dallas Mavericks; Kevin Porter Jr.; Damian Lillard; Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors; and much more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 WTF, Pacers? (3:16)🔘 Dame/Steph/Warriors (8:15)🔘 Suns(22:04)🔘 Bucks (25:03)🔘 Devin Booker/Chris Paul (27:34)🔘 Nuggets/Jazz (34:50)🔘 Terry Stotts (38:07)🔘 East Play-In Tournament (41:12)🔘 Nets/Sixers/Bucks (45:31)🔘 Kristaps Porzingis (47:51)🔘 Kyle Lowry/Raptors (50:31)🔘 Bulls (53:38)🔘 Kevin Porter Jr. (57:39) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAILBAG: Gobert, Jokic, Devin Booker, Hornets, Wizards, Cavs, Dubs, Heat May 03, 2021

Show notes

MAIL TIME. Our latest trip around the NBA covers LaMelo Ball's return and the impact it has on the Charlotte Hornets; the futures of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings; All-NBA picks; Devin Booker's defense; the viability of the Washington Wizards; the threat level of the Miami Heat; Rudy Gobert's defensive value; Nikola Jokic's dominance; the Denver Nuggets' ability to contend without Jamal Murray and much, much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Rudy Gobert's defense (1:29)🔘 Denver's threat level without Jamal Murray (4:31)🔘 The MVP discourse (8:10)🔘 Nikola Jokic's historic season (10:10)🔘 All-NBA forward picks (16:58)🔘 Hornets immediate potential with LaMelo back (25:07)🔘 Wizards ceiling (31:11)🔘 Cavs vs Kings outlook (34:10)🔘 Warriors defense (42:53)🔘 Devin Booker's value (45:11)🔘 Steph's three-point count (52:05)🔘 Should teams fear the Heat in the playoffs? (53:19)🔘 Are Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook make an All-NBA team (54:30)🔘 Most trade-ready rosters (57:21) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA's Most Underrated Players: Western Conference Apr 30, 2021

Show notes

POSITIVITY SEASON. Adam and Dan roll through their picks for the most underrated player on every Western Conference team. If you haven't listened to our Eastern Conference edition, you can find that here! TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Dallas Mavericks (7:01)🔘 Denver Nuggets (11:36)🔘 Golden State Warriors (18:17)🔘 Houston Rockets (21:22)🔘 Los Angeles Clippers (24:43)🔘 Los Angeles Lakers (31:17)🔘 Memphis Grizzlies (36:05)🔘 Minnesota Timberwolves (42:22)🔘 New Orleans Pelicans (46:05)🔘 Oklahoma City Thunder (52:57)🔘 Phoenix Suns (56:51)🔘 Portland Trail Blazers (1:02:21)🔘 Sacramento Kings (1:06:51)🔘 San Antonio Spurs (1:10:26)🔘 Utah Jazz (1:16:13) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAILBAG: Ranking Futures of NBA's Worst Teams Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

Adam and Dan rank the future outlooks for all seven NBA teams with sub-1 percent chances of making the playoffs this year: Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Sacramento Kings. After that, they answer questions from listeners that cover the New York Knicks, Stephen Curry, Charlotte Hornets and LaMelo Ball, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers and much more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Ranking futures of NBA's worst teams (1:36)🔘 Jae Crowder (43:47)🔘 Bam Adebayo (48:53)🔘 Julius Randle's All-NBA Case (53:20)🔘 The sustainability of the Knicks (59:31)🔘 Stephen Curry's MVP case (1:03:31)🔘 Dorian Finney-Smith/Maxi Kleber (1:06:50)🔘 The Hornets without LaMelo (1:09:15)🔘 Raptors (1:11:54)🔘 Stephen Curry's defense (1:15:17) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA's Most Underrated Players: Eastern Conference Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Let's spread some positivity shall we? Adam and Dan discuss their most underrated player for all 15 of the Eastern Conference teams. 🔘 Atlanta Hawks (4:00)🔘 Boston Celtics (8:51)🔘 Brooklyn Nets (11:46)🔘 Charlotte Hornets (18:13)🔘 Chicago Bulls (21:09)🔘 Cleveland Cavaliers (23:53)🔘 Detroit Pistons (29:36)🔘 Indiana Pacers (32:58)🔘 Miami Heat (39:12)🔘 Milwaukee Bucks (41:51)🔘 New York Knicks (45:01)🔘 Orlando Magic (52:10)🔘 Philadelphia 76ers (58:40)🔘 Toronto Raptors (1:02:18)🔘 Washington Wizards (1:05:54) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MAILBAG: Julius Randle vs Kristaps, Nuggets Future, East Playoff Predictions, Lu Dort Mania Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

MAIL TIME. This week, our wonderful listeners had us discuss the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Denver Nuggets' future post-Jamal Murray injury, the New York Knicks, Julius Randle's outlook, Kristaps Porzingis, the Charlotte Hornets, Richaun Holmes, Myles Turner, the Portland Trail Blazers and much, MUCH more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 🔘 Julius Randle, ASENDING (3:38)🔘 Eastern Conference playoff predictions (14:01)🔘 Significance of D-Wade becoming stakeholder in Jazz (33:03)🔘 How much better is Michael Porter Jr. compared to last year (35:45)🔘 Impact of Jamal Murray's injury on Nuggets' future (38:43)🔘 Clippers crunch-time numbers (42:19)🔘 Ja Morant, Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in the clutch (47:19)🔘 Is Mitch Kupchak an underrated executive? (50:24)🔘 Historically low-volume three-point shooters (54:00)🔘 The Blazers' path to title contention (55:45)🔘 Lu Dort comps (1:01:41)🔘 Would you rather overpay Richaun Holmes in free agency or trade for Myles Turner? (1:04:12) Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Impact of Jamal Murray Injury, Keeping NBA Season in Perspective, Raptors Future Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

First, Dan discusses Jamal Murray tearing his ACL and the impact it has on on the star point guard's career, the Nuggets' 2021 title push and the team's future. After that, Katie Heindl (@wtevs) from Dime UPROXX and Basketball Feelings, among many other places, joins Dan to talk about the challenges of the 2020-21 NBA season, how the league has often operated in opposition of its own supposed image and the impact this year could have on the Association long term. From there, she takes us through the Toronto Raptors' outlook, including the future of Kyle Lowry, Masai Ujiri and what she expects the team to do after this season. TIMESTAMPS 👉Jamal Murray's injury (1:35)👉Katie Heindl (@wtevs) on her 'Contact Tracing' Series🔘Accountability amid a rushed and truncated season (20:31)🔘Has there been an increase in injury risk this year? (31:55)🔘Preparing for potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on careers (39:18)🔘The importance of empathy in league coverage (45:19)🔘Could any elements of this season end up sticking long term? (48:49)🔘Getting beyond the "business" of basketball (56:51) 👉Future of the Raptors (1:09:58)🔘The implications of Kyle Lowry staying past the trade deadline🔘What are the chances Lowry is back next year?🔘Is Toronto closer to being really good than advertised?🔘Early impressions of Gary Trent Jr.🔘Toronto's biggest need moving forward Check out Katie's 'Contact Tracing' series below: Part 1 - What We Can Learn From The Challenges And Pitfalls Of Remote Sports MediaPart 2 - The Curious Case Of Soft Tissue Injuries In The NBAPart 3 - The NBA Has Spent This Season Caught Between Its Moral And Business Compass Please subscribe to Hardwood Knocks here. And if you're listening to us in Apple 's podcast player, please, please pretty please leave us a rating and write a review here. Host: @danfavaleHost: @fromal09Follow: @HardwoodKnocksFollow: @The_Sports_Math Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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