In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss recent criticism about Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic not wanting to dominate enough and delve into what's gone wrong for the New Orleans Pelicans. Why isn't Embiid having as much fun this year as he has in years past (2:08)? Was Thursday's performance against Boston a sign of things to come (12:35)? Why has Jokic been less engaged this season (28:20)? How worried should Pelicans fans be about their s...
Dec 13, 2019•1 hr 11 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the New York Knicks' decision to fire head coach David Fizdale and try to find Kevin Love a new home. Will firing Fizdale fix the Knicks, or does their dysfunction stem from higher up? How concerned should the Cleveland Cavaliers be about players reportedly tuning out head coach John Beilein? Which teams might be interested in trading for Kevin Love? What should Cleveland realistically expect in ret...
Dec 10, 2019•1 hr
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which teams look like legitimate title contenders at the quarter-season mark of the 2019-20 NBA season. Are the Houston Rockets or Dallas Mavericks legitimate threats to either of the L.A. teams? Can Nikola Jokic shake off his slow start to make the Denver Nuggets contenders? Should the Philadelphia 76ers be considered a serious threat to win the title this year? What about the Miami Heat, Toronto R...
Dec 06, 2019•1 hr 24 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Carmelo Anthony winning Player of the Week, dive into the Los Angeles Lakers' upcoming stretch and discuss whether it's time to be worried about the Utah Jazz or San Antonio Spurs. Was Melo's Player of the Week award undeserved? Are the Lakers being propped up by a soft early-season schedule? Why have the Jazz struggled so much as of late? Is this the year that the Spurs' playoff streak ends? Check ...
Dec 03, 2019•1 hr 3 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss whether the NBA needs to make drastic changes to the regular season. How can the NBA get players and fans to buy into an in-season tournament? Is the proposed play-in tournament for playoff spots a good idea? Should the league re-seed the conference finalists? What role does the media play in how the regular season is consumed? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and m...
Dec 01, 2019•1 hr 15 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the early front-runners for every NBA award through the first month of the 2019-20 NBA season. Can Luka Doncic legitimately challenge Giannis Antetokounmpo for MVP? Who's emerging as a candidate for Most Improved Player? Does Ja Morant have any competition for Rookie of the Year? Which coaches deserve love in the Coach of the Year race? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of t...
Nov 25, 2019•1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Carmelo Anthony signing with the Portland Trail Blazers, Ben Simmons hitting a three-pointer (!) and what Nikola Vucevic's ankle injury means for the Orlando Magic. Can Carmelo help the Blazers turn their disappointing season around? If Simmons begins to regularly take threes, will he fix the Sixers' offensive spacing issues? How will the Magic adjust without Vucevic for the next four-plus weeks? Ch...
Nov 22, 2019•1 hr 13 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss who's to blame for the New York Knicks' miserable start and the impact of injuries to Gordon Hayward, Khris Middleton and De'Aaron Fox. Is head coach David Fizdale the primary culprit for the Knicks' 2-8 start? How much blame do general manager Scott Perry and team president Steve Mills deserve? Can the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks stay toward the top of the East without Hayward and Middleton,...
Nov 13, 2019•1 hr 4 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which early-season surprises will last and which will regress to the mean. Are the Phoenix Suns... good? Can Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis keep the Dallas Mavericks in the playoff race? Did Ryan Saunders fix Andrew Wiggins? Who's fueling the stunningly competent Charlotte Hornets? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod...
Nov 09, 2019•1 hr 13 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which teams should be concerned about their slow start to the 2019-20 NBA season. Should the Portland Trail Blazers be worried about their frontcourt in the wake of Zach Collins' shoulder injury? How concerned should the Sacramento Kings be? What's plaguing the Orlando Magic and Chicago Bulls? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAP...
Nov 06, 2019•1 hr 18 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the fight between Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry's broken hand and Kendrick Nunn's hot start. What led to the fight between Towns and Embiid? Should Philadelphia 76ers fans be concerned about Embiid's immaturity? Should the Golden State Warriors tank in the wake of Curry's hand injury? Will that increase the odds of D'Angelo Russell being traded? And why should we pump the brakes ...
Nov 01, 2019•1 hr 9 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the biggest surprises and disappointments from Week 1 of the 2019-20 NBA season. Is the Minnesota Timberwolves' hot start sustainable? Are the Phoenix Suns genuinely not as bad as expected? Can the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings turn their respective seasons around? What's going on with the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of tha...
Oct 30, 2019•1 hr 19 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) of FiveThirtyEight discuss their biggest takeaways from the first few days of the 2019-20 NBA season. Can anyone stop the Los Angeles Clippers? How did James Harden and Russell Westbrook look in their first game together? What concerns have emerged for the Los Angeles Lakers? How does Deandre Ayton's suspension affect the Phoenix Suns? Which teams will regret the ...
Oct 25, 2019•1 hr 20 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the top storylines they're excited to watch during the 2019-20 NBA season. How will Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis fare alongside one another? Can the Lakers stumble upon the correct starting lineup? What will Pascal Siakam look like as a No. 1 option? Can Michael Porter Jr. be the Nuggets' X-factor? Will Giannis Antetokoumpo take another step forward? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Br...
Oct 21, 2019•1 hr 15 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their picks for all of the NBA's major awards ahead of the 2019-20 season. Will Giannis Antetokounmpo repeat as MVP? Can anyone dethrone Rudy Gobert as Defensive Player of the Year? Is Zion Williamson a lock to win Rookie of the Year? Will Lou Williams become the first four-time Sixth Man of the Year? Who are the best candidates for Most Improved Player? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan d...
Oct 17, 2019•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss which players should sign rookie-scale extensions ahead of the Oct. 21 deadline. Should the Toronto Raptors max out Pascal Siakam? How much should the New Orleans Pelicans be willing to spend on Brandon Ingram? Is Buddy Hield a max-caliber player? What's a fair price point for Jaylen Brown and Domantas Sabonis? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Follow us on...
Oct 10, 2019•1 hr 10 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Dave DuFour (@DaveDuFourNBA) of The Athletic go through their League Pass rankings for the 2019-20 NBA season. Which teams are must-watch this season? Which teams can you safely ignore? Do either of the L.A. teams top the list? Where do Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans rank? Check out the episode to hear Morten, Bryan and Dave discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @T...
Oct 07, 2019•1 hr 14 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Gerald Bourguet (@geraldbourguet) of The Step Back preview the Pacific Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. How will D'Angelo Russell fit next to Stephen Curry? Who should start next to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George on the Los Angeles Clippers? Can Dwight Howard redeem himself with the Los Angeles Lakers? How much will Ricky Rubio help the Phoenix Suns? Can the Sacramento Kings snap their 13-year playoff drought...
Oct 02, 2019•1 hr 19 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) preview the Atlantic Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Who will the Boston Celtics miss more: Kyrie Irving or Al Horford? Can Caris LeVert become an All-Star this year in Brooklyn? Can the New York Knicks find enough minutes for everyone this season? How will Al Horford fit next to Joel Embiid? Should the Toronto Raptors brace themselves for a fire sale at the trade deadline? Check out the episode t...
Sep 28, 2019•1 hr 26 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) of Mavs.com preview the Southwest Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. What should we expect from Kristaps Porzingis this year? How will Russell Westbrook and James Harden fit together? How will the Memphis Grizzlies move on from the Grit 'n' Grind era? What are realistic expectations for Zion Williamson? Is the San Antonio Spurs' playoff streak in danger? Check out the e...
Sep 20, 2019•1 hr 22 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Andy Bailey (@andrewdbailey) of the Hardwood Knocks podcast preview the Northwest Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. How much of a difference will Jerami Grant make with the Denver Nuggets? Is there any hope for Andrew Wiggins? How will the Oklahoma City Thunder adjust to life after Russell Westbrook? Can the Portland Trail Blazers build upon their Western Conference Finals appearance?...
Sep 16, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Duncan Smith (@duncansmithnba) of Forbes preview the Central Division ahead of the 2019-20 season. How will the Chicago Bulls' point guard rotation shake out? Are Cleveland Cavaliers guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland compatible? Will this be Andre Drummond's last year in Detroit? Do the new-look Indiana Pacers have a higher ceiling than last year's team? How will the Milwaukee Bucks rep...
Sep 11, 2019•1 hr 10 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Jeff Siegel (@jgsiegel) of Peachtree Hoops and Early Bird Rights preview the Southeast Division ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. Could the Atlanta Hawks make the playoffs this year? Are the Orlando Magic the favorites in the division? How will Jimmy Butler mesh with the Miami Heat? Do the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards have any long-term hope? Check out the episode to hear Morten, B...
Sep 07, 2019•1 hr 16 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) are joined by T.J. McBride (@TJMcBrideNBA) of Mile High Sports to conduct an all-time NBA draft. How do the all-time starting fives stack up? How far did Kobe Bryant fall? Which all-time greats went undrafted? And which team wound up as the best? Check out the episode to hear Morten, Bryan and T.J. discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod
Sep 03, 2019•1 hr 10 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss Dwight Howard signing with the Los Angeles Lakers, Caris LeVert's extension with the Brooklyn Nets and whether Joe Johnson is worthy of an NBA roster spot. Will Howard actually embrace a smaller role with the Lakers, or will he become a distraction? Did the Nets get good value on LeVert's extension? Could Johnson help a playoff team as a reserve? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discus...
Aug 31, 2019•48 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Brandon Jefferson (@Jefferson_Hoops) of The Basketball Writers preview the 2019 FIBA World Cup. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Team USA's roster? Which teams pose the biggest threat to the Americans? Is Team USA in legitimate danger of not winning the World Cup? Check out the episode to hear Morten, Bryan and Brandon discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod...
Aug 26, 2019•57 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) rank the top 10 duos in the NBA today. Where do Russell Westbrook and James Harden rank after joining forces this summer? How high are Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the wake of the former's Achilles injury? Which L.A. duo is the best in the NBA? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr 8 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss the impact of DeMarcus Cousins' torn ACL and make their picks for every Eastern Conference team's over/under. With Cousins likely to miss the 2019-20 season, how should the Los Angeles Lakers react? Will the Milwaukee Bucks or Philadelphia 76ers win upward of 60 games? Why are oddsmakers so low on the Brooklyn Nets? Will the Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks cross the 33-win threshold? Check out the ep...
Aug 19, 2019•1 hr 13 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) make their picks for every Western Conference team's over/under ahead of the 2019-20 season. Are the Los Angeles Clippers going to finish with the most wins of any West team? Will the L.A. Lakers win 50-plus games? Why are oddsmakers so low on the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs? Can the Phoenix Suns crack the 30-win threshold? Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of t...
Aug 14, 2019•1 hr 4 min
In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Seth Partnow (@SethPartnow) of The Athletic discuss NBA team-building in the player-empowerment era and basketball analytics. Do teams need to shorten their planning windows with players on the move so frequently? How has the discourse around analytics changed over the years? Which advanced metrics tend to get misused the most? Check out the episode to hear Bryan and Seth discuss all of that and more. Follow us on Tw...
Aug 09, 2019•1 hr 4 min
