Pro Basketball Talk On Nbc Sports Podcast

The Boston Celtics vs. the Golden State Warriors for the NBA Title. It's a fitting matchup. There are fascinating storylines of franchise history, and it's a chess of player matchups. Stephen Curry with Marcus Smart on him, Jayson Tatum guarded by Andrew Wiggins. Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com and Mark Medina of NBA.com break down the Finals matchup, the history, and what it means for both franchises — and both predict a seven-game series.

The Heat trail the Celtics 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals and look worn down.Yet, in a season that included an infamous blowup between Erik Spoelstra and Jimmy Butler, Miami made another deep playoff run behind its tremendous culture.Dan Feldman and Wes Goldberg of Locked On Heat preview the NBA Finals and discuss the Heat's present predicament and their future with Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and a potential additional star.

The Magic have won 11 playoff series in franchise history.All 11 happened with a player they drafted No. 1.After experiencing major success with 1992 No. 1 pick Shaquille O'Neal (and Penny Hardaway, who was acquired in a draft-day trade for 1993 No. 1 pick, Chris Webber) and 2004 No. 1 pick Dwight Howard, Orlando has once again won the NBA draft lottery.Will the Magic select Auburn's Jabari Smith, Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren or Duke's Paolo Banchero?Dan Feldman and Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel (reporting from the lottery in Chicago) discuss the Magic's decision, how getting the top pick changes the franchise's trajectory and what this particular outcome – Magic 1, Thunder 2, Rockets 3 – means for the NBA.

Dan Feldman and Jared Weiss of The Athletic discuss Celtics-Bucks, Sean Marks' comments on Kyrie Irving, Executive of the Year, Danny Ainge's task with the Jazz and the NBA naming conference finals MVPs.

After a blip, the Suns – up 2-0 on the Mavericks with Devin Booker healthy – have regained their status as championship favorite.The other three second-round series look far closer. Grizzlies-Warriors and Celtics-Bucks are each tied 1-1. Though the Heat are up 2-0 on the 76ers, Joel Embiid could return.Dan Feldman and J. Michael of the Orlando Sentinel discuss all four ongoing playoff series and a few side plots, including the Ben Simmons saga and Davis Bertans' contract.As mentioned on the pod, here are the first-round series MVPs the NBA should just name itself.

The Suns lost Devin Booker to injury. The Bucks lost Khris Middleton to injury. The Nets just lost.Meanwhile, the already-strong Warriors (with Stephen Curry getting healthier), Celtics (with Robert Williams getting healthier) and Heat (at least if Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry are healthy) look even better than expected.Not even a full round through the playoffs, the NBA championship race looks significantly different than how it began.Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin take stock and rank the remaining contenders/

Just five days into the NBA playoffs, the landscape is already shifting dramatically.Dan Feldman and James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star discuss who has had the pressure on them increase most since the playoffs began.

The NBA playoffs tip-off this weekend and it's the best time of the NBA season — and a chance for savvy betters to make some money. Drew Dinsick of NBC Sports Edge (@whale_capper on Twitter) joins NBC's Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) to break down all the first-round matchups. Are the Miami Heat undervalued by betters? Are the Milwaukee Bucks overvalued? Who comes out on top when Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Nets take on the defensive-minded Celtics? Are the Toronto Raptors a threat to upset the Philadelphia 76ers?Kurt and Drew talk about all that and break down the Western Conference as well. 

Which NBA players have improved most during their careers?Dan Feldman gave his top 10 list for 2022 Utmost Improved Player.He and Brett Koremenos discuss their top candidates for the award.

The All-NBA debate is already raging more than a week before the season ends.Dan Feldman and Michael Pina of Sports Illustrated give their picks.

I intended to talk only briefly with Chris Herring of Sports Illustrated about the 1990s Knicks. Those teams had such a strong identity – which fit some players exceptionally well… and others not so much. The plan was to pivot into the current NBA, ranking the players who fit best and worst with their current teams.But Herring's new book – "Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks" – is so fascinating, we spent considerable time on the 90s Knicks.Then still got into the current players who are in the exact right spot and those who could use a change of scenery.Note: This podcast was recorded before Kyrie Irving was cleared to play Nets home games.

Dan Feldman and "The Midrange Theory" author Seth Partnow – who also writes for the The Athletic and hosts "Callin Shots" – rank:Three NBA players most underrated by traditional box-score statisticsThree NBA players most overrated by traditional box-score statisticsThree NBA players most underrated by advanced statisticsThree NBA players most overrated by advanced statistics

Russell Westbrook wants to be treated with a certain level of deference.He wants the Lakers to keep his role prominent. He reportedly wants to leave Los Angeles this summer, even with the complication of his contract running through next season. And, most recently, he wants everyone to stop calling him "Westbrick" – publicly issuing a personal/appeal warning about how the nickname unacceptably shames his family.On the latest ProBasketballTalk Podcast, Dan Feldman and Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman – of whom Westbrook once said "I just don't like you" – discuss Westbrook's issues in this phase of his career and the Thunder's post-Westbrook rebuild:

Five teams have emerged as consensus favorites to win the 2022 NBA title: Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Nets and Brooklyn Nets.Does anyone else belong in that group?Eight other teams have at least a 98% chance of making the playoffs, according to The Ringer:Miami Heat (41-22)Chicago Bulls (39-23)Cleveland Cavaliers (36-26)Boston Celtics (37-27)Memphis Grizzlies (43-20)Utah Jazz (39-22)Dallas Mavericks (37-25)Denver Nuggets (36-26)On the latest ProBasketballTalk Podcast, Dan Feldman and Dan Devine of The Ringer – who recently wrote an excellent article on the Heat's playoff hopes – rank those eight best-of-the-rest teams:

The greatest concentration of easily correctable NBA problems occur around All-Star.On the ProBasketballTalk Podcast, Dan Feldman and Michael Lee of The Washington Post fix NBA All-Star – from selecting rosters to Rising Stars to the dunk contest to the All-Star game itself:

The Nets-76ers James Harden-Ben Simmons deal was a monumental in-season trade.But that was hardly the end of the action.Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Domantas Sabonis, Tyrese Haliburton, C.J. McCollum and more changed teams in the eventful leadup to the trade deadline.On the latest ProBasketballTalk Podcast, Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin discuss the flurry of NBA transactions:

Ben Simmons has loomed over the NBA trade market for months. Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, John Collins are drawing plenty of attention now. There's even speculation about Bradley Beal getting dealt.But which NBA players are actually most likely to get traded before the trade deadline (Thursday, Feb. 10)?On the latest ProBasketballTalk Podcast, Dan Feldman and “Built to Lose: How the NBA’s Tanking Era Changed the League Forever” author Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report give their top-10 lists:

The star everybody – including his own team – should be talking more about ahead of the trade deadline: Bradley Beal.Beal has shown significant loyalty to the Wizards. He continues to say how much he appreciates a franchise building around him, which wouldn't happen if he joins a super team elsewhere. There's something cool about a star spending his entire career with the same team, trying to hurdle rather than dodge any obstacles, even if it ultimately results in less success. The journey can be rewarding, and the victories are even sweeter.But Beal reportedly won't sign a $181,301,299 max contract extension before the trade deadline.Maybe that's just so he can re-sign for $242 million over five years this summer. Yet, that route also opens the door for him leaving as an unrestricted free agent.Beal has talked about being selfish for the first time in his career. A catastrophic loss this week could be ominous. How Washington sends him into the summer could be highly important. Despite a strong start, the Wiz

After starting with about 30 trade targets, 76ers president Daryl Morey said he lowered his asking price for Ben Simmons and would now accept a "top-40 player who’s a great fit."Who cracks Philadelphia's list?Dan Feldman and Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia discuss which players the 76ers would trade Simmons for, which teams can trade for Simmons without including a core star, Michele Roberts spreading a rumor that a promise was made about trading Simmons and what happens after the trade deadline if Simmons isn't dealt:

For some reason, the NBA allows fans, players, other media, coaches and – if there's an injury – the commissioner say in picking All-Stars.Everyone should just listen to us.Dan Feldman and Kurt Helin select their All-Star rosters.