Austin and Pausha kick things off this week with a discussion about De’Aaron Fox’s ridiculous scoring binge and compare him to the likes of Damian Lillard and Tyrese Maxey (5:25). Then, they hit on the Bucks-Rockets game as Austin reflects on his experience playing against Giannis (13:46), and then highlight how defensively elite the Houston Rockets are (18:42). Later, they give James Harden his flowers for moving into second place on the all-time 3-pointers made list (31:42), and dive into Jare...
Nov 19, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Austin and Pausha are back and reflect on Wednesday night’s game Pausha attended between the Magic and the Pacers (3:00). They discuss another underwhelming Tyrese Haliburton performance and how this compares to other teams with star players that aren’t quite living up to expectations (5:07). Then, they hit on rookie Ron Holland missing two free throws and ultimately costing the Pistons the game vs. the Bucks, and the shift in momentum both ways (12:34). Later, they break down Klay Thompson’s re...
Nov 14, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Austin and Pausha kick off the week by talking about the surprising 8-2 Golden State Warriors. They discuss what exactly is working for Steph and the squad right now and why their depth has seemingly reinvigorated Steve Kerr’s love for coaching (1:15). Then, the guys break down the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Jaylen Brown beef (18:00), and try to figure out if Nikola Jokic’s fourth MVP is really in play this season (23:35). They wrap the show by hitting a plethora of topics, including sorting through ...
Nov 11, 2024•1 hr 13 min
Austin and Pausha kick things off by talking about Ja Morant’s ridiculous layups against the Lakers last night, which reminded us why we’ve missed him so much (1:16). Then, they discuss Darius Garland and the surging Cleveland Cavaliers (11:59), the surprising start for Cam Thomas and the Brooklyn Nets (14:48), and Zaccharie Risacher, who's providing even more hope for the Atlanta Hawks (22:55). Finally, with the Warriors’ early-season success, they break down how much depth is necessary for tea...
Nov 07, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Austin and Pausha revisit the Haliburton-LaMelo viral conversation from last week and discuss Melo’s cultlike fan base (3:00). Then, they weigh in on Grant Williams's weirdly aggressive foul on Jayson Tatum (12:42), talk about the Bucks starting the season off at the bottom of the East (28:50), and give flowers to Dennis Schröder and Buddy Hield for their recent play. Plus, the guys give their early thoughts on the teams Cooper Flagg might end up on (54:44). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghi...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Austin and Pausha return to the mics to discuss an action-packed second week of NBA. They start by discussing the complexity surrounding the Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton (0:00), then talk through the beginnings of the Paolo Banchero Year 3 leap (13:53). Later, Austin gets into why he isn’t a big fan of Anthony Edwards shooting mostly 3s this season (28:07), before he and Pausha get into an interesting Karl-Anthony Towns–Nikola Jokic debate (34:30). The guys wrap things up with talk of th...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Austin and Pausha are back and will be coming to you twice a week, and the guys kick things off with their reactions to the Dwyane Wade statue that left everyone speechless (8:05). Then, they test a new segment for the start of the season that has us reviewing teams and whether we “Buy In” or decide it’s “Way Too Early.” They start off with the Bucks (17:26), then discuss what Denver might be missing compared to a stacked Thunder roster (30:22). Then, they touch on the Lakers’ chances at a title...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Austin and Pausha share all their opening day overreactions, starting with the Celtics’ stacked lineup and the Knicks’ reliance on Jalen Brunson (1:53). Then they hit on the iconic LeBron-Bronny moment and Austin reflects on his first game playing for his dad in the league (24:14). Lastly, they hit on what we saw from Clippers-Suns at the Intuit Dome debut and what this could mean for both teams heading into season (53:00). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Addit...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Austin and Pausha share their final regular-season predictions for both the Eastern and Western Conferences (14:00) before reacting to The Ringer’s Top 100 Players in the NBA and discussing where they personally would’ve ranked certain players (42:52). https://nbarankings.theringer.com/ Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Oct 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Austin and Pausha revisit their now semi-viral pickup hoops conversation (4:45) and highlight preseason play with a shout-out to first pick Zaccharie Risacher (17:10). Then, they jump into the GM survey and evaluate who will be MVP, breakout player of the season, favorite team to watch, and more (21:31)! Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Austin and Pausha offer some closing thoughts on the Karl-Anthony Towns trade and discuss what exactly needs to happen in order for the Knicks to come out on top (8:36). Then, they discuss media day chatter, including Joel Embiid’s comments, LeBron and Bronny’s photo op, Chris Paul and Wemby as teammates, and a “low-key” Jimmy Butler (33:49). Then, they hit on their top picks for Defensive Player of the Year (52:30)! Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional P...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Austin and Pausha send their farewells to the youngest MVP in NBA history, Derrick Rose, upon his retirement and share their favorite memories looking back at his career (18:00). Then, they jump into way-too-early predictions and decide which players already belong in the MVP race, like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and SGA. Later, they discuss Jokic’s potential for a fourth MVP award (43:36). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Erika Cervantes Additional Production Support: Ben Cruz...
Sep 27, 2024•1 hr 9 min
Austin and Pausha discuss their top questions heading into the preseason and kick things off with talk of ‘Starting 5’ on Netflix (8:07). Then, they get into Giannis’s future in Milwaukee (20:04), the importance of the point guard position (28:46), which teams are destined for the play-in games (35:16), and more! Later, they say their farewells to Adrian Wojnarowski after his shocking retirement, and share their favorite Woj bomb moments (51:41). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 5 min
Austin and Pausha are back to share their final summer thoughts from the offseason and kick things off by trying to figure out what exactly the Cleveland Cavaliers’ plan is with their current roster construction (9:22). Then, they break down the Knicks’ approach to next season with an emphasis on Julius Randle (14:58), discuss Luka’s legacy if he never receives an MVP (30:12), and then rank the top cores in the league, before answering whether or not they would trade Chet Holmgren for Cooper Fla...
Sep 11, 2024•1 hr 24 min
Austin and Pausha are joined by Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.! They kick things off by discussing the Olympics and the potential that MPJ will play in 2028 (3:52). Then, they talk about MPJ’s shooting skills and why he’s received nicknames like Michael "The Possession Ends Here" Porter Jr. (8:50). Later, they touch on playing alongside Nikola Jokic (12:52) and the pressures of playing elite ball while juggling family demands (28:20). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Guest: Mi...
Aug 28, 2024•59 min
Austin and Pausha take one last look at Team USA’s Olympic run, starting with the close call against Serbia (16:10). Then, they hit on the gold medal game against France (22:13) and address the top five takeaways from the games, including Steph’s ridiculous 3s, LeBron adding to his GOAT résumé, the Jayson Tatum controversy, and more (34:54)! Later, they play a game of Whose Career Would You Rather Have: Jrue Holiday vs. Damian Lillard edition (56:36). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Pro...
Aug 15, 2024•1 hr 11 min
Austin and Pausha are back to break down Team USA and what they’ve seen thus far. They discuss the importance of Derrick White’s role (6:30), give Bam Adebayo his well-deserved flowers, and preview what Team USA could look like in 2028 (13:28). Later, they highlight the top three players leading the team, with a special shout-out to the GOAT, LeBron James, before touching on what’s happened to the Summer of Tatum after he got a DNP (33:31). Plus, they answer a few league questions (43:05) before...
Aug 01, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Austin and Pausha evaluate what we’re seeing from the exhibition games played by Team USA so far (3:46), discussing why Kevin Durant could take the fourth spot in the starting lineup, and how they could use Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum. Then, Austin reflects on his experience playing in the NBA Summer League against players like Damian Lillard. They wrap up by highlighting which players have stood out so far in Las Vegas (32:07). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cerv...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 19 min
Austin and Pausha react to free agency moves, starting with DeMar DeRozan heading to the Kings (3:36), then talk through the Spurs’ additions with Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes (6:45). Later, they discuss why high profile teams are missing out on big name players (22:58), and then share what lineup they want to see for Team USA (58:14). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.c...
Jul 10, 2024•1 hr 29 min
Austin and Pausha break down the biggest story lines during this free agency period, starting out with Donovan Mitchell’s extension with the Cavs (01:34). Then, they discuss if the Sixers have surpassed the Knicks with the addition of Paul George (12:10) and how Isaiah Hartenstein helps OKC's title chances (26:00). Plus, Austin explains why the Warriors made a mistake not keeping Klay Thompson and the Warriors (33:54) and Boston's consistency (61:00). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Pro...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 17 min
Austin and Pausha return to ‘Off Guard’ to dive into the 2024 NBA draft. The duo share their insights on the league's current landscape, favorite picks, plus, the most and least surprising moments. Finally, they weigh in on the nepotism debate surrounding Bronny James. Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producer: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Austin and Pausha are joined by Charlotte Hornets guard (and Austin’s brother-in-law), Seth Curry, to discuss the NBA Finals! They dive into another dominant performance by the Celtics that resulted in a gentleman’s sweep and the Larry O’Brien trophy (3:05). Then, they talk through Jaylen Brown getting named Finals MVP (13:23), Jayson Tatum almost being crowned King of the Summer, and what they want to see at the parade. Later, Seth dives into his time playing with the Mavs and compares playing ...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr 15 min
Austin and Pausha recap Game 3 of the Finals with the Celtics now within reach of their 18th franchise championship (0:40), and then they discuss the pride the Mavericks will play with in Game 4 despite facing insurmountable odds. Then, they discuss Jayson Tatum's and Kyrie Irving’s on-court responses to criticism in the media and talk through Luka’s seeming lack of effort on defense (17:30). Later, they touch on trends they identify as major components to building a successful team (43:20)! Hos...
Jun 13, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Austin and Pausha are back to talk Game 2 of the Finals and start by discussing the controversial block made by Derrick White and Jaylen Brown, which helped seal a huge win for the Celtics (0:45). Later, Austin shares his thoughts on why Game 3 means more for Kyrie Irving specifically (20:02) and then shouts out Jrue Holiday for being an absolutely vital piece of Boston’s roster (26:52). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn...
Jun 10, 2024•53 min
Austin and Pausha fire up the mics following Game 1 of the NBA Finals and kick things off discussing just how different the Boston Celtics look with Kristaps Porzingis officially back in the mix (0:45). They then talk through the adjustments the Mavericks can make in Game 2 to flip the series (19:02) before reacting to the latest reports of the Lakers’ interest in Dan Hurley to be their next head coach (33:24). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Soci...
Jun 07, 2024•50 min
Austin and Pausha are back for the official ‘Off Guard’ Finals preview! They run through top story lines that include expectations for the Mavs and the Celtics, discuss who’s the best third player in the series, predict who takes home the win, and more! Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 04, 2024•58 min
Austin and Pausha are back to recap the Timberwolves’ disheartening Game 5 loss, which also sent the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals (1:02). Then, they highlight the top story lines between Dallas and Boston, with an early Finals preview (14:10). Later, they talk through the Western and Eastern Conferences and how they could potentially stack up next season (24:17). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad...
May 31, 2024•48 min
Austin and Pausha break down Game 4 in the Western Conference finals, with the Timberwolves taking their first win of the series (0:45). They discuss the adjustments Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns made, and talk through the chances that Minnesota can push the series to Game 7. Later, they touch on how to identify solid players in not-so-great situations, and tip their hat to the Mavs for their “risky” additions this season (6:58). Then, they preview what a hypothetical Finals series woul...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Austin and Pausha are back to discuss the devastating loss for the Pacers in Game 2 against the Celtics, and emphasize the dominant Tatum-Brown duo (11:05). Then, they hit on Kyrie and Luka’s epic performance in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, before addressing adjustments the T-Wolves have to make for the rest of the series (44:40). Plus, the guys take a quick look back at LeBron’s best years. Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Social: Keit...
May 24, 2024•1 hr 10 min
Austin and Pausha are back to break down the Timberwolves’ huge Game 7 win over the Nuggets (1:12). Then, they share a trend they’ve observed that emphasizes the importance of having depth on your roster versus star power (17:31). Later, they make predictions for the Wolves-Mavs Western Conference finals, and give a shout-out to Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers for moving on to the Eastern Conference finals (45:32). Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz...
May 20, 2024•1 hr 12 min
