In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) preview all four Game 5s for the second round of the 2019 NBA playoffs. How can the Philadelphia 76ers slow Kawhi Leonard down? What can the Portland Trail Blazers do against Nikola Jokic? Are the Boston Celtics drawing dead against the Milwaukee Bucks? Do the Houston Rockets have a real shot to topple the Golden State Warriors? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Fo...
May 07, 2019•1 hr 5 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss their major takeaways from all four of the conference semifinals thus far. What adjustments should Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse make after their Game 3 shellacking? How can the Boston Celtics get Jayson Tatum going? Could Moe Harkless' sprained ankle help swing the Blazers-Nuggets series? Will the Houston Rockets stop complaining about officiating enough to win Game 3? Check out the episode...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 5 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) bid farewell to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic. How can the Thunder build a contender around Russell Westbrook? Should the Jazz be looking to move on from Ricky Rubio? Should the Nets match a max offer sheet for D'Angelo Russell? How much should the Magic be willing to spend on Nikola Vucevic? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more....
Apr 29, 2019•59 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) preview the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and discuss whether it's time to be worried about the Golden State Warriors. If Kawhi Leonard shuts down Ben Simmons, how can the Philadelphia 76ers get their offense going? Where will the Toronto Raptors hide Kyle Lowry on defense? How can the Boston Celtics slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo? How much will they miss Marcus Smart in this series? Are ...
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 2 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) say farewell to the Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets. Are Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis compatible long term? Should the Detroit Pistons consider trading Andre Drummond and/or Blake Griffin this summer? How can the Miami Heat dig themselves out of salary-cap hell? Is there anything the Charlotte Hornets can do between now and July 1 to retain Kemba Walker this summer? Ch...
Apr 23, 2019•1 hr 11 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) do deep dives into the three most competitive first-round series before touching on the remaining five series. Which version of Russell Westbrook should the Oklahoma City Thunder expect moving forward? Should Jared Dudley or Jimmy Butler face additional discipline for their roles in the Game 4 skirmish? Will Torrey Craig remain in the Nuggets' starting lineup after his breakout Game 4? Why did the Detroit P...
Apr 21, 2019•1 hr 17 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss their biggest takeaways from the first few games of the 2019 NBA playoffs. Did Jamal Murray save the Denver Nuggets' season in Game 2? Are the Golden State Warriors at risk of an upset? How confident should the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors feel moving forward? Can the Oklahoma City Thunder get back into their series against the Portland Trail Blazers? Check out the episode to hear Morten a...
Apr 17, 2019•1 hr 15 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) preview the 2018-19 NBA playoffs and make their picks for each first-round series. Can the Brooklyn Nets upset the Philadelphia 76ers if Joel Embiid misses time? Are the Denver Nuggets in danger against the San Antonio Spurs? Can the Portland Trail Blazers stave off the Oklahoma City Thunder sans Jusuf Nurkic? Who will emerge from the Houston Rockets-Utah Jazz bloodbath? Check out the episode to hear Morten...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Magic Johnson's abrupt resignation and what it means for the Los Angeles Lakers moving forward. Was Magic's decision to step down as Lakers president of basketball operations a blessing in disguise? Will general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Luke Walton survive the fallout? Who should the Lakers target to replace Johnson? Can they rebound from this disastrous season? Check out the episode to he...
Apr 10, 2019•48 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their award picks for the 2018-19 NBA season. Did Trae Young overtake Luka Doncic for Rookie of the Year? Is Pascal Siakam a shoo-in for Most Improved Player? Who should take home Coach of the Year in a wide-open field? Will Rudy Gobert repeat as Defensive Player of the Year? Who's the MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo or James Harden? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and mor...
Apr 08, 2019•1 hr 27 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) say farewell to the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings. Where is Anthony Davis going to wind up this summer? If the Lakers whiff on Davis, will they land a superstar sidekick for LeBron James? How can the Timberwolves get more out of Andrew Wiggins? How much should the Kings be willing to spend to retain Willie Cauley-Stein? Check out the episode to hear Mo...
Apr 04, 2019•1 hr 17 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) say goodbye to the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. Does Trae Young have a rightful claim to Rookie of the Year? How should the Dallas Mavericks handle contract negotiations with Kristaps Porzingis this summer? Is it time for the Washington Wizards to trade Bradley Beal? Should the Memphis Grizzlies do the same with Mike Conley? Check out the episode to hear Morten ...
Apr 01, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) bid adieu to the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. Which of the Knicks' young players are keepers moving forward? How much should the Suns be willing to pay to retain Kelly Oubre Jr. in free agency? Is Collin Sexton the Cavs' point guard of the future? Who should the Bulls target in free agency to round out their starting five? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bry...
Mar 27, 2019•1 hr 14 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) welcome special guest Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) of SB Nation to hear which NBA prospects to focus on during the NCAA tournament. How big is the gap between Zion Williamson and any other prospect in this year's draft class? Why have RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish fallen short of the hype? Which prospects could rise up draft boards with a strong NCAA tournament performance? Which sleepers should you keep an ey...
Mar 20, 2019•58 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss unruly fans, Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball's future and the Houston Rockets' chances of knocking off the Golden State Warriors. How can the NBA protect its players from unruly fans? What should fellow fans do? Will Brandon Ingram's health scare affect his trade value moving forward? Can Lonzo Ball reach his peak alongside LeBron James? Are the Rockets the biggest threat to the Warriors in the West? ...
Mar 14, 2019•1 hr 8 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) answer listeners' questions in our first-ever mailbag episode. Does this awful Lakers season negatively affect LeBron James' GOAT chances? Should the Lakers ever consider trading LeBron? Will Andrew Bogut and Isaiah Thomas be liabilities in the playoffs? How good of a chance do the Nuggets have of making it to the Western Conference Finals? Which lottery teams have the brightest future? Check out the episod...
Mar 08, 2019•1 hr 5 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Eric Bledsoe's extension, Pau Gasol's buyouts and takeaways from the Sloan Analytics Conference. Did the Bucks get good value on Bledsoe's four-year, $70 million extension? Will Gasol make an impact on the Bucks in the playoffs? NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said a majority of players are unhappy; what role do fans and the media play in that? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all...
Mar 04, 2019•1 hr 12 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss whether the Lakers and Celtics have enough time to right the ship, the Phoenix Suns' organizational dysfunction and some good players on bad teams who deserve more love. Will LeBron James drag the Lakers to the playoffs, or do they have too much ground to make up? Is there still time for the Celtics to live up to preseason expectations? How do the Suns dig their way out of the mess they've created? ...
Feb 28, 2019•1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Josh Eberley (@josheberley) of NBA Canada and HOOP Mag discuss the Zion Williamson injury and its implications for NCAA athletes moving forward. Should Zion play for Duke again this season? Why doesn't the NCAA scrap amateurism and allow student-athletes to profit off their likenesses? Will the NBA accelerate its timetable to eliminate the one-and-done rule and allow players to declare for the draft straight out of h...
Feb 24, 2019•1 hr 2 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the biggest storylines to monitor coming out of the All-Star break. What's the latest update in "As the Brow Turns?" Are the Lakers in real jeopardy of missing the playoffs? Could the Orlando Magic steal the No. 8 seed in the East? Which team should the top Eastern Conference contenders most prefer to dodge in the first round? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and mo...
Feb 20, 2019•1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their All-NBA picks at the All-Star break, discuss whether the Golden State Warriors should fear any team and preview All-Star Weekend. With Enes Kanter heading to the Blazers and Markieff Morris going to the Thunder, will any Western Conference team pose a legitimate threat to the Warriors? Who should be the first-team All-NBA center, Joel Embiid or Nikola Jokic? Where do Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, ...
Feb 15, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the standoff over Anthony Davis' playing time and the early returns from major trade-deadline acquisitions. Is it fair for the NBA to force the Pelicans to play Anthony Davis? Should the Pelicans just pay the fine money and bench him? Who's now the favorite in the East after the trade deadline? What's plaguing the Boston Celtics? Will any buyout signings make a major difference in the playoffs? Chec...
Feb 12, 2019•1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the biggest winners and losers from the 2019 NBA trade deadline. Who's the favorite in the East after the trade deadline arms race between the Bucks, Raptors and Sixers? Why is Bryan lukewarm on Philly's moves this week? Where do the Grizzlies and Bulls fall on the winners/losers spectrum? What about the Kings, Clippers and Lakers? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that a...
Feb 08, 2019•1 hr 15 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the Philadelphia 76ers' blockbuster acquisition of Tobias Harris and preview the 2019 NBA trade deadline. Did the Sixers risk too much by going all-in with the Harris deal? How can they round out their roster ahead of the playoffs? Are the Clippers clear winners here, regardless of what happens in free agency? Which teams should buy or sell ahead of Thursday's trade deadline? Check out the episode t...
Feb 06, 2019•1 hr 17 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Mark Deeks (@markdeeksNBA) discuss the stunning Kristaps Porzingis trade, the latest trade rumors surrounding Anthony Davis and All-Star Game snubs. If the Knicks don't land a star free agent this summer, will the Porzingis trade go down as an all-time failure? Should the Mavericks be concerned about him signing his qualifying offer? How worried should the Celtics be about losing Kyrie Irving...
Feb 01, 2019•1 hr 4 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Anthony Davis' trade request and give their 2019 All-Star Game reserve picks. Will the Pelicans pull the trigger on a Davis deal ahead of the trade deadline, or would it behoove them to wait? What should they be seeking in return? Which teams should go all-in to acquire him? And will Luka Doncic be an All-Star this year? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Fo...
Jan 28, 2019•1 hr 12 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the All-Star starter selections, Victor Oladipo's season-ending injury and the Grizzlies' willingness to shop Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Which All-Star starter stood out as the biggest surprise? Can the Pacers stay afloat with Oladipo now done for the year? Which teams should try to trade for Conley and Gasol? What should the Grizzlies be seeking in return? Check out the episode to hear Morten and ...
Jan 25, 2019•1 hr 13 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their starter picks for the 2019 All-Star break. Is LeBron James at risk of not being named a Western Conference starter? Which Eastern Conference backcourt player will be named a starter alongside Kyrie Irving? Who's in the lead for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year at the midway point of the season? Check out the e...
Jan 22, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) revise their playoff predictions at the halfway point of the 2018-19 season. Can James Harden carry the Houston Rockets to the playoffs? Are LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in real danger of being left out? Will the San Antonio Spurs have their 21-year playoff streak snapped? How will the seeding shake out in the West and the East? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that a...
Jan 19, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Dennis Smith Jr. trade rumors, James Harden's supernova run and the Celtics' recent dysfunction. Why are the Dallas Mavericks ready to cut bait on DSJ? Where would he make the most sense? Is Harden now the MVP front-runner? Do the Celtics need to make a deal before the trade deadline? Why are the Chicago Bulls refusing to buy out Robin Lopez? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss al...
Jan 16, 2019•1 hr 13 min
