Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports podcast

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NBA first round playoff series breakdowns Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

LeBron James' team looks to be in a battle royal in the first round — and they could lose. Miami is challenging the Sixers and shaking the faith of all those that just jumped on the bandwagon. Utah stole a game in Oklahoma City showing great grit and resolve, not to mention a lot of Donovan Mitchell. Anthony Davis has done everything but walk on water for the Pelicans. The first round of the NBA playoffs has been fascinating — and we are just two games into each series. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down all eight first round series in this podcast, starting in the East and the tight races there, then move into the West. There's even some "who wants to pay Jabari Parker this summer?" talk.

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Just how vulnerable are the Golden State Warriors? Apr 12, 2018

Show notes

Golden State seemed like the anointed one, the team destined to return to the NBA Finals and claim another crown before (and through much of) the season. Not any more. With Stephen Curry out until at least the second round, with other injuries to role players, and with some sloppy defense down the stretch (and some disinterested play), the Warriors look like they could be beaten. How vulnerable are they? Kurt Helin of NBC Sports brings in Mark Medina, Warriors beat writer for the San Jose Mercury News and Bay Area News Group, to talk about whether the Warriors can just flip the switch, or do the Spurs — and other teams down the line — have a shot? The two also get into the rest of the West playoff matchups, as well as what is in store for Paul George.

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Who should win NBA MVP? Rookie of Year? Our NBA awards episode Apr 10, 2018

Show notes

James Harden or LeBron James for NBA MVP? Donovan Mitchell or Ben Simmons for NBA Rookie of the Year? Out of a crowded field who should be the NBA Coach of the Year? It's a fascinating field and debate, and while the NBA will not announce the official winners until late June, Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports give you their picks and get into all of the NBA's postseason awards in this podcast. The tough debates include who is on the second and third team All-NBA, as well as second team Rookie of the Year. Kurt and Dan get into them in detail.

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NBA Draft prospects to watch in the NCAA Tournament Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

This will be the last chance to watch Trae Young before the draft — just how good is he?

Marvin Bagley and Wendell Carter Jr. are going to take Duke deep into this tournament (and maybe win it all), but how will their games translate to the NBA?

Does Deandre Ayton look like he deserves the No. 1 pick?

NBA scouts and GMs will be out at NCAA Tournament sites from San Diego to Pittsburgh this weekend to get one last look at potential draft picks playing in competitive college games. Kurt Helin brings in NBC's college basketball insider Rob Dauster to talk about a number of the potential top picks in this draft and what to look for from them during the NCAA Tournament. They cover the guys above, plus get into matchups to keep an eye on this first weekend of the tournament from an NBA perspective.

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What to watch in NBA season's stretch run Feb 22, 2018

Show notes

Are the Cleveland Cavaliers for real? And how are you going to define "for real?"

Who is going to make the playoffs in the West? Is Utah going to get in?

Is James Harden going to be MVP? Is it Ben Simmons or Donovan Mitchell for Rookie of the Year?

Those are just some of the storylines as the NBA races down the stretch run of the season (most teams have around 25 games left). Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down all the things to watch from the end of the season, including if Detroit can climb up into the postseason, and how the top of the East is going to shake out.

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NBA Trade Deadline Gone Wild, breaking down Cavaliers, others Feb 09, 2018

Show notes

Nobody saw this coming. The 2018 NBA trade deadline day turned into one of the most insane days in recent memory — and all because of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In an unprecedented couple of moves, the Cavaliers sent out six players they saw as part of the problem and brought in four players who are younger, more athletic, and might actually try on defense. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports break down what happened with the Cavaliers, where they go from here. They also get into Tyreke Evans, DeAndre Jordan and the guys not moved, what this means for Utah and their playoff chase, what it means for the Lakers and their cap space, and all-things trade deadline.

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Author Jonathan Abrams talks "The Wire," Cavaliers, more Feb 06, 2018

Show notes

Author Jonathan Abrams, who has written about the NBA for years, has a new book out, an oral history of the legendary HBO series "The Wire." Abrams joins Kurt Helin of NBC Sports to discuss how the book came about, what he learned about the show writing it, and the show's cultural impact now, many years after it shut down. The two also get into what is going on in Cleveland with LeBron James — Abrams previous book was about the "preps to pros" generation of the NBA — as well as whether the NBA should bring back high school players in the draft. There's even a little discussion of the tension between referees and players.

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Breaking down Blake Griffin to Detroit trade Jan 30, 2018

Show notes

Blake Griffin is headed to Detroit. Nobody saw this coming (not even the teams a week before). Griffin had just inked a $175 million deal with the Clippers months before, when Los Angeles told him he would be a "Clipper for life." But there is no loyalty in the NBA — Griffin was traded Monday to the Pistons for Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, a first and a second round pick. Why did Detroit go all-in on two big men? To win? To sell tickets? And for the Clippers how fast does the rebuild come and what should be their plans going forward. Kurt Helin in Los Angeles and Dan Feldman in Detroit, both of NBC Sports, break down the trade. They also discuss the John Wall injury and what that could mean in Washington and for the playoff race.

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Kidd firing, All-Star Game mock draft with Matt Moore Jan 25, 2018

Show notes

Our old friend Matt Moore of the Action Sports Network swings by to talk first about the firing of Jason Kidd in Milwaukee and what the Bucks do now. Then the topic shifts to the All-Star Game reserves, where Matt and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports conduct a mock draft of the All-Star starters and reserves, with Matt as LeBron James and Kurt as Stephen Curry. Unlike the real draft, we do ours in public.

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All-Star starters mock draft, who should be reserves? Jan 19, 2018

Show notes

The votes are in, and LeBron James and Stephen Curry are your All-Star captains — this year that means they are picking their own teams, playground style, first from the pool of starters, then the pool of reserves. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports take on the roles of LeBron and Curry and pick their All-Star starters, from James Harden through Kyrie Irving. Then the pair gets into who should be the All-Star Game reserves — and choosing among the Western Conference guards is brutal. Do they leave out Damian Lillard? Lou Williams? Klay Thompson? And that's not even getting into Paul George being a bubble All-Star in a deep West. Kurt and Dan break it all down, plus talk some Kemba Walker trade scenarios.

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