Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports podcast

Latest Episodes:

NBC's NBA Play-in/playoff preview May 17, 2021

Show notes

The first-ever play-in tournament at the end of a regular season (as much as you can call this season regular) starts off with a showstopper: Warriors at Lakers. We delve into why the Lakers are no lock in that game, plus look at the other play-in games: Spurs at Grizzlies, and in the East Washington at Boston and Charlotte at Indiana. From there, Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports look at all the matchups in the first round, including why the Bucks facing the Heat is the most intriguing first-round series.

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Which peaking players have improved most during their NBA careers? May 11, 2021

Show notes

David Thorpe of TrueHoop is NBA media's foremost expert on player of development.

So, he was the perfect person for discussing Dan Feldman's new concoction – Utmost Improved Player.

Utmost Improved Player honors the player who has improved the most since his rookie season. The only ground rule: He must be having a career year.

On the latest PBT Podcast, Thorpe and Feldman discuss their top five UIP candidates (Feldman wrote about his top 10 here).

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Debating Russell Westbrook's legacy, loving play-in tournaments May 06, 2021

Show notes

Wizards coach Scott Brooks said Russell Westbrook would go down as the second-best point guard of all-time (behind Magic Johnson).

That seemed extreme.

But Westbrook is posting historic numbers, building his resume and helping Washington surge into the postseason.

Dan Feldman and Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington discussed Westbrook's legacy and the NBA's hotly contested play-in tournaments on the latest ProBasketballTalk Podcast:.

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Bubbleball with Ben Golliver May 03, 2021

Show notes

There has never been and will never be anything again like the 2019-20 NBA season. From Kobe Bryant's death through the pandemic shutting down the league to the season being resurrected in "the bubble" on the Walt Disney campus in Orlando, it was unique. Ben Golliver of the Washington Post was on the inside and wrote about his bubble experiences in a new book, "Bubbleball," which covers basketball, mental health, social justice, and Kawhi Leonard in a golf cart. Ben joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to talk about the book, his experiences, and what we can take away from the bubble into the coming playoffs (will the Clippers fold again, or are they different?).

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Jazz and Suns appreciation episode Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

The Nets, Lakers and Clippers are deservedly championship favorites.

But this isn't just a three-horse race.

The Jazz and Suns – who've been the NBA's best teams so far this season – absolutely have title chances. Even if they fall short of that ultimate prize in the playoffs, Utah and Phoenix deserve even more commendation for their overall success this year.

Dan Feldman talked with Jazz beat writer Tony Jones of The Athletic and Suns beat writer Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic about these high-quality teams.

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Celtics questions, Wizards run and East playoff chase Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

Teams have about 10 games left and the Eastern Conference playoff chase is still both wide open and confusing. Can anyone explain Boston's ups and downs? How has defense fueled the Wizards' recent run? Did the Bulls miss on Daniel Gafford? Of the Bucks, Nets, and 76ers, which one comes out of the East? The Knicks turnaround has been brilliant, but are they are playoff threat this year? Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington and Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports and Celtics Blog join Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to break down the East playoff chase over the final 10 games of this condensed season.

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What's left to learn the rest of this NBA regular season? Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

The NBA regular season is about 80% complete. Some teams have established themselves as much as possible in the regular season and are just biding their time until an opportunity to prove themselves in the playoffs. Other teams are tanking strategically emphasizing resting good veterans and developing bad young players.

But the regular season isn't over.

There are still at least a few things to learn the rest of the regular season.

Dan Feldman and J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star discuss with an emphasis on the Celtics, Mavericks, Raptors, Bulls and Warriors and MVP and Sixth Man of the Year races.

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Talking Stephen Curry, West playoff chase with Drew Shiller Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

Stephen Curry is on the kind of roll that is getting the attention of fans, MVP voters, and opponents alike. What does that mean for the Warriors' playoff chances, and what does it mean for the franchise going forward as it looks ahead to next season and beyond? Drew Shiller, the Warriors outsider from NBC Sports Bay Area, joins Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports. The trio also discusses the wide-open playoff chase in the West, not sleeping on Utah or Phoenix, and does the entire conference come down to the health of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

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NBA Trade Deadline winners and losers Mar 26, 2021

Show notes

Who came out on top in a hectic NBA Trade Deadline day where we saw 16 deals in a span of hours? Did Denver make itself a legit title contender by adding Aaron Gordon to the mix with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray? What about Chicago, picking up All-Star center Nikola Vucevic? Miami landed Victor Oladipo, but both it and Philadelphia struck out with Kyle Lowry, who stayed in Toronto. How much will Rajon Rondo help the Clippers? Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down all the big trades plus get into a discussion about the upcoming buyout market.

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NBA trade deadline preview with USA Today's Mark Medina Mar 16, 2021

Show notes

Who is likely to be on the move at the NBA trade deadline? LaMarcus Aldridge? Kyle Lowry? Aaron Gordon? Will Atlanta decide to move on from promising young player John Collins? Where will players such as P.J. Tucker or George Hill land? Kurt Helin from NBC Sports and Mark Medina of the USA Today talk about all of that, whether this is going to be an active trade deadline at all, which players are more likely to be bought out, and who will be buyers at the deadline.

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