What did we learn from an incredible opening playoff weekend? What games changed our minds? We discuss the Warriors-Kings incredible Game 1 and what it means going forward, the Lakers-Grizzlies matchup, the Clippers victory over the Suns and the Knicks-Cavs. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
The Athletic's Dave DuFour stops by again for our annual mega playoff preview episode, where canvas the entire NBA, talking Warriors-Kings, the wide open West, a possible Suns-Nuggets series looming, what will change this year tactically in the postseason, and whether Milwaukee or Boston is a looming favorite. Plus, will the offensive boom continue? Sign up at SBC for $300 of with promo code “Thinking Basketball.” Follow Dave @DaveDuFourNBA. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball...
We pick our 2023 Defensive Award winners in categories ranging from best paint protector to best point of attack defender. Who shows up on the most ballots? And why was this our most evenly distributed year ever? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Coach Stan Van Gundy discusses game-planning for a playoff series, what the strategy was against LeBron James in 2009, facing off against Kobe Bryant's Lakers and more. We also discuss the progression of great offense, and slowing down the hyper-skilled offensive players in today's game. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
What is “motor?” How important is it for players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Dennis Rodman? Can it be improved? Before we tackle those questions, we contextualizing a few “misleading” stats making the rounds, from defensive metrics to free throw differentials. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who has the best backcourt in the NBA right now? We think about building teams around current “guards,” attacking their weaknesses, offensive and defensive fit, depth, and more. But first, are you allowed to have arms on defense? Twitter thoughts on the rip through and offensive fouls. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
What makes a good coach? How can we evaluate NBA coaches? We tackle this and look at the historical patterns of Coach of the Year to gain some insight into how voters and fans (predictably) credit coaches. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
We discuss the latest tactics for “hunting” or “targeting” weaker defenders, and how teams are protecting these defenders, especially in the playoffs. How has this tactical arms race evolved recently? And what weaknesses or ramifications do the latest ideas like “peel” switching or “nexting” have going forward? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
More players than ever are averaging 30-points per game. Where do the current scoring seasons rank historically? And how do we compare scoring across different periods with all the changes we've seen to offenses lately? We compare Embiid, Giannis, Jokic, Durant to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, James Harden, a scoring model and more. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
We discuss how the incredible offensive explosion changes defense in the playoffs, and what to expect from top defensive teams heading into the playoffs. From the Bucks twin towers, to the possible weaknesses of teams like Phoenix and Dallas, to the rangy forwards on the Cavs and Lakers, what teams are built to guard the new actions in the league this year? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Are the Kings dangerous or pretenders? Are the Lakers a sleeper? We discuss the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the top-9 Western Conference teams, focusing on the Kings pace, the Lakers defense (and health) and more. Plus, where does Damian Lillard rank among the best offensive players in 2023? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Why are so many MVP “debates” about tearing down one player? We dive into the historical criteria of the MVP, the shift in the conversation these days, and more. Plus first, a Quickley apology, Harden's big game, and the Embiid-Giannis (Lopez) battle after the Bucks impressive win streak. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who are the best bench players in the league right now? Why do certain types of players seem to start versus coming off the bench? Should limited scorers be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year? And what player is like garlic? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
The Kings and Clippers scored an incredible 351 points over the weekend, Damian Lillard scored 71, and offenses continue to explode league-wide. We discuss this, and what can be done – what should be done? – to help defenses moving forward as offenses get better and better. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
James Harden missed the All-Star game for the first time in a decade, but that actually has us wondering if this year makes his career look better. We discuss Harden's fit with Embiid, stylistic changes, challenging seasons from Rudy Gobert, Trae Young, and the art of re-evaluating players with new – and sometime competing – information. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who was the best 18-year old in league history? The best 20-year old? When do players become MVP-level players? In this episode, we discuss Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and a number of other great young players in their earliest seasons. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Today's 3-and-D players are doing more than just spot-up and shoot on offense – we discuss the expanded skills that have added an extra dimension to these role players, the history of 3-and-D, and more. Also, first impressions of 2023 top-pick Victor Wembanyama. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who are the best players at the “other” skills? We discuss under-represented skills like cutting, screening and more, nominating some of the NBA's best in each category. But first, we revisit the Suns-Nets trade through the lens of first-round pick value, looking at the historical data on trades involving big names in exchange for multiple first round picks. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who are the inner circle title contenders after the trade deadline? Are the Suns the new favorite in the West? We break down the primary and fringe title contenders in a wide open league, along with Kevin Durant's trade – how many players this good have been traded in the middle of a season before? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
We select the 5th annual Thinking Basketball “Sub” All-Stars – those players in the next tier below All-Stars (the “Almost Stars”) who don't quite make the cut. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Is Luka Doncic's ball-dominance more similar to peak James Harden or LeBron James? Where is he as an all-time offensive player right now? Before that, we discuss his old teammate Jalen Brunson in New York, and his backcourt mate Quentin Grimes. And first, Big Jelly Naz Reid. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who had the best “old” seasons in league history? We compare LeBron's incredible 37 and 38-year old seasons with the best in history while looking ahead to future seasons for him and Kevin Durant. Also, the insanity of Jaren Jackson's statgate and conspiracies. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Golden State has hovered around .500 all season while battling a few injuries. Do they have a big run coming? Or has their competitive advantage over the league shrunk this season? We discuss the changing league dynamics, Klay Thompson's role on offense, the Warriors defense this season and where that leaves them among the NBA's best. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Offenses seem to have a strategic edge of defenses in today's game, so what does this mean for development? Are there differences between International styles of development and the US pipeline? Also, should minutes played be a major determiner when selecting All-Stars? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
What happens when players are the only stars on the court? In this episode, we attempt to sort out the best “lone stars” or heavy-lifters who can carry offenses by themselves when other capable offensive focal points head to the bench. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
The Clippers 5-out offense filled with flexible, switching defenders and strong outside shooters took them to the Conference Finals in 2021. But do they still have that competitive advantage in the playoffs? We also discuss Nic Claxton and his case for an All-defensive team, along with the effect of the “Take Foul” on offensive efficiency this season. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Rookies and sophomores with big scoring numbers create a lot of hype, but sometimes can't even stay in the league! (Brandon Jennings was “the next Iverson!”) We discuss the steep slope of one-dimensional scoring among young prospects, and why role players who contribute in other areas are often much more valuable than these “Fool's Gold” scorers. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
We discuss the Nets improved defense and the seriousness of the Grizzlies, along with the handful of teams who we think could win the East and the West among an incredible amount of parity. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Is Nikola Jokic having the best offensive season in regular season history? And can the Nuggets defense stop teams in the playoffs with Jokic playing heavy minutes? We discuss the duality of Jokic's transcendent offense and his weaknesses on defense in today's NBA. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Who are the best shooters in NBA history? (Or really, of the 3-point era?) We discuss the concept of outside shooting skill and use a model to estimate shooting outside of 15 feet going back to 1980, comparing volume and accuracy relative to league norms to help sort out the greatest outside shooters in league history. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
