Episodes
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0:04 ... Ross welcomes everyone to the show and introduces his co-hosts.
0:34 ... Episode #144 is dedicated to the Thunder and Cavs, who lead their respective conferences with 44 wins at the break.
0:47 ... Ross live BetOnLine commercial read
1:20 ... For our YouTube viewers, Bruce is rocking an All-Star hat from the 1996 All Star game in San Antonio where he first crossed paths with future colleague and lifetime pal Tim Legler, who won the Long Distance Shootout that year.
2:09 ... Ross begins his recap of All Star Weekend and Bruce's initial thought is that he wished he had binge watched "The Landman" on Paramount Plus instead of another boring All-Star weekend.
3:13 ... World B was similarly unimpressed with the gimmicks the league tried. If the players don't care, the event will always disappoint.
4:14 ... Bruce wonders if the trade deadline should move closer to All-Star weekend to help juice up interest, but World B offers a good reason why that may not be viable. Ross points out that Damian Lillard had some valid points about player fatigue being a factor in why the game lacks intensity.
6:52 ... Ross recaps the Rising Stars competition and feels that one of the good parts of the weekend was seeing younger guys and G-League players get some exposure. World B agrees and Bruce says a prime example of that was Stephon Castle of the Spurs, who made a major impact in his events.
9:14 ... Ross mentions rookie Reed Shepherd and wonders if we overhyped him. Bruce thinks he may be a late bloomer and World B points out how young he is. World B adds that Houston COULD have drafted Castle and must be kicking themselves over that move.
11:28 ... Ross transitions to the Skills Competition which featured controversy involving an attempt by the Spurs duo of Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama to exploit a loophole in the rules to gain an unfair advantage. Bruce isn't buying that it was Wemby's idea as he thinks Chris Paul instigated it and made the young dude take the heat for it.
13:58 ... Bruce wonders if these shenanigans chip away at the credibility of the sport.
15:07 ... Tyler Herro beat Buddy Hield in the Long Distance Shootout and the guys discuss how Herro has played through many distractions in Miami and is doing so well.
18:06 ... Mac McClung dominated the Dunk Contest with a variety of cool slams. Bruce wants to give McClung the "Woody Harrelson White Men CAN Jump Award" as he was reminded of other undersized winners from years past like Spud Webb and Nate Robinson. World B thinks the dunk over the car was one of the best dunks ever.
21:50 ... Ross recaps the championship game and Bruce highlights Steph Curry's two showstopping shots that won him the MVP Award. Ross asks World B if the All Star game should have a new gimmick like a 4 of 5 point shot? World B thinks matchup between Teams from the USA and an International team would help drive interest and players effort.
26:03 ... Preseason prediction recaps ... Bruce starts out with his choice of Stephon Castle as his preseason rookie of the year pick and explains how his big weekend at the All Star game makes him the leader in the clubhouse. World B whips through some picks he made and says Jalen Williams would win Most Improved Player. Ross agrees but Bruce likes Cade Cunningham to win the award.
30:37 ... Bruce had Shai Gilgeous Alexander as his MVP pick and he's pretty certain that SGA will win with Nikola Jokic second and Giannis third. World B thinks SGA is deserving but still makes a great case for Joker.
32:58 ... Ross with a gratuitous cheap shot at World B's Orlando Magic team. Bruce praises the brutal coldness of the comment. But Ross's MVP choice of Luka Doncic will not be happening.
34:15 ... The Coach of the Year race? Ross says Kenny Atkinson will win even though his preseason pick was Jamahl Moseley. Bruce liked Ime Udoka prior to the season but feels Atkinson will win it. World B agrees but also gives some flowers to Ty Lue of the Clippers. Bruce and Ross give a little bit of love to JB Bickerstaff in Detroit who has done a tremendous job with a young team.
39:05 ... Ross tees up the OKC vs Boston finals prediction ... Bruce still likes the Celtics to win it, but they have certainly lacked consistency this season. Ross shared this prediction but World B liked Minnesota to come out of the west and play Boston.
41:59 ... Ross begins the discussion on second half predictions and Bruce feels like Minnesota could get themselves on a roll as they begin a stretch of 7 out of their next 9 games on the road. If they can go 6-3, they may be ready to go into the next gear.
43:12 ... World B with some startling facts about Boston's starters and what isn't clicking. He adds that Cleveland is for real and points out the Cavs have some tough matchups with the Knicks coming up.
46:53 ... Ross predicts the Suns will miss the playoffs entirely, which is shocking considering who is on their team. But they have a brutal schedule and Bradley Beal is injured and morale around the team seems low.
48:42 ... Bruce chimes in Denver, whom he expects to peak at the right time. But he does not fully trust Memphis because when Ja Morant plays, they have a much lower winning percentage than they do when he is out of the lineup.
50:22 ... Ross wraps it up and says goodbye.
TRT 50:38
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0:00 Intro
1:37 Bruce welcomes Dave Wohl back onto the show
2:00 With the Mark Williams trade to LA being rescinded where do the Hornets/Lakers go from here?
4:00 Has Dave ever been part of a team that has had a trade rescinded in his career?
5:24 Has Lakers GM Rob Pelinka put himself in a position to potentially win the GM of the Year award?
6:46 The Jimmy Butler situation & downfall in Miami, has Dave ever been around a similar scenario?
11:32 Can Jimmy Butler be a difference maker for the Warriors chances out West?
13:25 The Brad Beal no trade clause. How challenging is it to trade a player with that kind of power?
14:54 Dave shares his insights on the Cavs acquiring Deandre Hunter
16:45 What exactly does âCash Considerationsâ mean in a trade?
18:01 Can Ben Simmons provide a positive impact for the Clippers this season?
23:25 Is it strange that the Suns decided to trade an unprotected 2031 1st round pick for 3 1st round picks without another deal lined up?
25:09 Is DeâArron Fox the perfect fit & find by the Spurs to pair with Wemby?
26:39 What in the world is going on in Sacramento?
29:00 Did we learn anything from the Celtics/Knicks matchup this past weekend?
31:29 Dave shares his thoughts on the Houston Rockets this year
33:15 Is there a team outside of the Thunder that can come out of the Western Conference?
34:43 Is there any good reason for the NBA to consider shortening quarters?
39:10 Reflections/Memories on Hubie Brown as he called his final game last Sunday
42:07 Why did the Dallas Mavericks decide to trade Luka Doncic?
47:15 With the Lakers adding Luka, does this accelerate LeBronâs retirement or decelerate his retirement thoughts?
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Episodes manquant?
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0:00 ... Ross Geiger hello and welcome .... introduces co-hosts Bruce Bernstein and Michael "World B" Freer and teases our guest Peter Vecsey. This week's show (#142) is dedicated to former Mavs player Maxi Kleber, who will now be a Los Angeles Laker.
0:59 ... Ross live commercial read for BetOnline.
1:39 ... Bruce introduces Peter Vecsey and mentions some of his memorable nicknames.
2:45 ... Peter discusses his best nicknames and shares a great story about Joe Barry Carroll, whom he dubbed "Joe Barely Cares." Peter famously dubbed Larry Bird "Larry Legend."
4:35 ... Ross asks for Peter's reaction to the Luka Doncic/Anthony Davis trade and how none of the newsbreakers who cover the league had any clue it was happening.
10:32 ... Considering the principals in the deal, Peter shares his thoughts on some of the other deals that were historic but he feels than none were ever bigger than this one.
12:54 ... Peter tells why Dallas MAY have traded Luka and tells a story about how former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle left the Mavs because he did not like coaching Luka.
16:13 ... Why did the Mavericks want the often injured Anthony Davis?
17:15 ... The Lakers needed a big man, so naturally they traded their Hall of Fame big man.
20:12 ... Peter reacts to DeAaron Fox going to San Antonio and why he liked Fox prior to this season but has soured on him this year.
24:15 ... Bruce makes a joke about how the players for Archbishop Molloy H.S. in Queens (Peter's alma mater) were big time ballers and he joked how he was ahead of his time as a high school player.
24:53 ... Bruce takes a shot at Zach LaVine, who was traded from the Bulls to the Kings and how Sacramento's GM seems clueless. Peter goes on to discuss Billy Donovan, his first NBA interview that was done for SportsChannel at Hofstra University where Bruce also worked.
27:26 ... On being inducted into the Hoop Hall of Fame in 2009. Surprisingly Peter has little regard for the Hoop hall and Jerry Colangelo who is the boss.
31:23 ... Peter is annoyed that K.C. Jones is not in the Hall as a coach when he was voted one of the top 15 coaches of all time. He relays a great story Larry Bird told him about how K.C. got through to Dennis Johnson when other coaches could not.
36:22 ... Bruce asks about Michael Jordan and John Stockton and their 2009 Hall of Fame speeches. Peter tells a great story about how he took a big gamble during an interview with Stockton that he did for NBC where Stockton was tight lipped but how Peter eventually got him to open up.
39:21 ... World B initiates a discussion of the top players of all time ... Peter takes exception to the suggestion that MJ and LeBron are the two best ever. Peter ticks off many others who are up there.
41:42 ... Kobe is also right up there and Peter shares some moments from their discussions over the years. Their relationship was very close and he tells the story of how Kobe got his unusual first name.
44:44 ... Ross asks about the 65 game rule for postseason awards and Peter is in favor of it. Peter is NOT in favor of Adam Silver's idea for 10 minute quarters.
46:47 ... Bruce asks about the new All-Star game format and how the event has become unwatchable. Peter thinks the new tournament format may help make it more appealing. He is not impressed with the new women's 3 on 3 league but transitions into a story about how K.C. Jones allowed him to work out with the Celtics teams of the 1980s and play full-court 4 on 4.
50:12 ... World B asks Peter who his favorite interview subject was ... and it was Larry Bird. Of course, there's a couple of good Bird stories there! And there's a great story about how Bird signed a photo for Peter's son as a birthday gift. Peter truly misses being around Larry.
53:17 ... Peter shares some Bill Walton stories and how he helped Bill get into TV at NBC. We exchanged some Walton stories.
55:10 ... Bruce asks about the MVP race and how Nikola Jokic probably won't win it this year due to voter fatigue but that Shai Gilgeous Alexander is deserving. Peter feels OKC's record this year helps SGA. Peter goes onto discuss Lu Dort, whom he watched at Arizona State and is a key reason for OKC's success.
58:48 ... Peter predicts OKC will win it all this year ... he praises Isaiah Hartenstein of the Thunder and can't believe how good he has become.
1:00:06 ... Ross thanks peter and says goodbye
TRT 1:00:51
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0:00 Intro
1:06 Downright Shocking News: The Dallas Mavericks trade Luka Doncic to the Lakers
1:27 World B provides his initial reactions when he first saw the news
2:25 Ross provides his initial reactions to seeing the big news drop
2:48 Ross provides all the specific details of the 3-team trade
3:24 Why do we think this trade went down?
11:07 Ross provides his thoughts on the mystery team the Mavs called prior to dealing Luka to LA
13:57 The impact of this trade on the Lakers moving forward
22:59 The Dallas Mavericks moving forward with Anthony Davis aboard
30:27 Is this the biggest trade in NBA history?
32:43 NBA Trade Machine gurus are loving life right now
34:25 Who won the trade? Luka for AD?!
35:40 DeâAaron Fox traded to the San Antonio Spurs!
37:11 Whatâs this trade mean for the Spurs?
38:54 Can the Spurs possibly contend as soon as this season with Fox?
41:02 Are we sure Chris Paul will still be on the Spurs after this yearâs trade deadline?
42:55 Whatâs this trade mean for the Sacramento Kings moving on from DeâAaron Fox?
49:37 Whatâs in store for the Chicago Bulls moving forward?
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0:00 Intro
1:30 The Cleveland Cavaliers have now hit a rough patch in their successful season
7:14 The Memphis Grizzlies are on fire entering this weekâs action
12:01 Stock Up & Stock Down! The 48 Minutes crew starts up with their Stock Up Teams
12:12 Milwaukee Bucks
15:54 Indiana Pacers
19:51 Houston Rockets
24:44 Denver Nuggets
28:51 Phoenix Suns
32:34 Stock Down Teams
32:35 Orlando Magic
35:54 Dallas Mavericks
40:03 Golden State Warriors
43:29 San Antonio Spurs
46:13 Atlanta Hawks
49:45 Bruce provides his final thought on the Philadelphia 76ers
51:03 World B provides his thoughts on the NBAâs All-Star selection count
52:46 Ross shares a friendly reminder of next weekâs exciting guest on the show!
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0:00 ... Ross hello and welcome .... intros co-hosts Bruce Bernstein and Michael "World B" Freer
0:41 ... Episode #140 is dedicated to Kurt "Crazy Eyes" Thomas, who wore #40 in his NBA career
0:53 ... Ross teases teases special guest J.A. Adande who will join the show to reflect on a solemn basketball anniversary.
1:30 ... Ross does the Bet Online live commercial read.
2:06 ... Bruce introduces J.A. and shares some of his legendary achievements
3:20 ... J.A. points out that Bruce's son Mitch Bernstein was also a close friend and roommate during his internship in LA a number of years ago.
4:03 ... Bruce asks J.A. about the fires in his native Southern California and how they have affected the psyche of the entire region and J.A. has great perspective on the catastrophe and how it affected many who were close to him.
6:49 ... Ross teases the deep dive on Kobe Bryant but asks J.A. about being honored as the winner of the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Basketball Hall of Fame and what it was like to be considered an all-time great in basketball journalism.
9:12 ... World B asks J.A. about those who influenced him the most as a writer. J.A. mentioned Jim Murray, David Aldridge, Mike Wilbon, and many others.
11:17 ... Bruce raises the name of Chris Ramsay from ESPN.com, a mutual friend of J.A. and Bruce's who was a key person in J.A.'s success.
13:00 ... Bruce asks J.A. about all the ESPN people who have won the Gowdy award and if they had anything in common regarding the way they covered the league. Fellow winner Marc Spears gets a shout out for his wise counsel at Hall of Fame weekend.
16:10 ... World B asks J.A. what it was like to be a prominent panelist on ESPN's Around The Horn and how it had a powerful impact on his life and career.
18:47 ... Ross and Bruce provide some stats about Around The Horn and Ross receives permission from J.A. to mute his co-hosts as Tony Reali has done to ATH panelists for many years.
19:57 ... Ross points out that January 26th is the 5 year anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death and J.A. shares where he was when he heard the news and his immediate reaction upon hearing of Kobe's death.
23:55 ... J.A. puts into perspective why Los Angeles loved Kobe the man as much as they loved him as an athlete. The way he embraced LA and knew all the different neighborhoods were huge reasons.
27:03 ... Kobe was known to do research on people he would meet for the first time in order to put them at ease. But while J.A. never witnessed that, he praised Kobe for the way he handled his relationships with members of the local media. J.A. said that in the age of social media, modern athletes put less emphasis on those relationships.
29:19 ... Kobe and Michael Jordan were similar in many ways and J.A. explains that it was both a conscious effort on Kobe's part and simply a matter of MJ and Kobe being cut from the same cloth. J.A. feels that eventually Kobe came to regret those comparisons.
32:16 ... Was there one moment from Kobe's career that stood out to J.A.? Well ... there were a few! The game 7 comeback vs Portland in 2000 was memorable because of Kobe's giddiness.
35:24 ... Bruce's favorite Kobe/J.A. moment was from an NBA Coast to Coast show in Kobe's final season and J.A. describes what happened that night. J.A. uses that incident in his current job as a journalism professor at Northwestern as a teachable moment for his students.
38:49 ... Bruce asks about LeBron James and whether he has begun to mentally check out now that he has played an NBA game with his son Bronny. J.A. thinks it is possible because there is really nothing left to achieve.
40:30 ... J.A. makes his predictions for the rest of the season .. OKC wins the west, Boston wins the east, and Boston wins the championship.
42:19 ... Bruce asks J.A. if he is getting the "1995 Rockets vibe" about the Celtics where a defending champion looks less than dominant in the regular season but ends up repeating due to their "heart of a champion?"
43:43 ... Ross wonders if J.A. has any feeling on who the next "American face" of the league might be ... or even if there will be one?
47:58 ... If J.A. were starting his career over again, which player would he want to cover the most? LeBron James might be the guy. Michael Jordan too.
50:33 ... Ross thanks J.A. ... who thanks Bruce for helping him make some money working in TV! And we'll see you next week!
TRT 51:17
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0:00 Intro
1:26 The 48 Minutes crew starts the show off discussing something much bigger than basketball
2:48 2 NBA teams are going streaking!
2:56 The Sacramento Kings are surging so far with Doug Christie as head coach
8:06 The Indiana Pacers extended their winning streak to 6 games win their win over the Cavs in Cleveland on Sunday
13:41 Whatâs going on with the Boston Celtics recently?
19:28 Paolo Banchero has returned for Orlando, can the Magic hold onto the 4th spot in the East with a tough week ahead?
24:26 A first half of the season reflection
24:38 How many true contenders are there in the Eastern Conference?
28:33 How many true contenders are there in the Western Conference?
32:21 Other than the Cavs, which team has been most impressive in the Eastern Conference this season?
34:33 Other than the Thunder, which team has been most impressive in the Western Conference this season?
36:32 Which team has been the most disappointing in the Eastern Conference?
39:17 Which team has been the most disappointing in the Western Conference?
42:06 Who is our first half of the season MVP?
44:39 Who is our first half of the season Coach of the Year?
47:12 Quick final thought on NBA pop culture!
48:08 Bruce gives us a sneak preview on next weekâs guest JA Adande
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0:00 ... Ross says hello and welcomes the panel.
0:37 ... Episode #138 is dedicated to 38 year old Jeff Green, who is still ballin' at his advanced age.
0:55 ... Ross live commercial read for Bet OnLine.
1:34 ... Bruce is back after missing the past two shows and explains his absence.
2:10 .... The show begins with a discussion of Sunday's game between the OKC Thunder and the Boston Celtics. Bruce felt that OKC played the best half of defense that any team played all season in the second half.
4:13 ... World B feels that there are no longer any question marks about the Thunder after their huge wins over the Celtics and the Knicks earlier in the week.
7:55 ... Ross wonders if Bruce is ready to give up on his Boston/OKC finals prediction but Bruce isn't ready to do that. World B feels that OKC clearly looks like the best team in the league.
11:17 ... The Jimmy Butler drama continues and Bruce said this divorce was totally predictable. When Pat Riley criticized Butler during last season's playoffs, the handwriting was on the wall for the divorce. World B feels that very few GMs around the league will be knocking down the door with offers for Butler.
13:47 .. Butler isn't Miami's only problem. Bam Adebayo has had a tough season and looks worn out after the Olympics and Ross feels part of Bam's struggles are the result of not having a real point guard. Ross also feels that a third team might need to be involved in order to facilitate a Butler trade.
16:49 ... Kawhi Leonard is back after being out for 253 days. His return bolsters a Clippers team that has overachieved in his absence. His defense is a given but World B feels the Clippers really need his offense. They're a talented but aging team and the question is "do they have one more run left in them?"
21:14 ... The Cleveland Cavaliers are a league-best 31-4 and are currently on a 10 game win streak. It's their second double digit win streak of the season and we're still a month away from the All Star Break. World B said the Cavs remind him of the 2019 Raptors when Toronto fired coach Dwane Casey and brought in Nick Nurse. The Cavs did something similar when they fired JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson over the summer. Will Cleveland win the NBA Championship like Toronto did?
26:00 ... Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama faced off twice over the weekend with Denver and San Antonio splitting the two games. The epic matchup featured incredible performances from both big men. Joker is a three time MVP and Wemby will probably be the Defensive Player of the Year. The crew was incredibly impressed with both guys.
31:22 ... Anthony Edwards has had a frustrating season and Ross wonders if he is "thinking the game" properly. World B thinks some of his recent comments were silly and are the result of his frustration. Bruce thinks that the Karl-Anthony Towns trade has been a major reason for AntMan's frustration.
36:02 ... The Warriors have lost Jonathan Kuminga for at least three weeks with a severe ankle sprain. World B is concerned that the depth on the team is already shaky and losing Kuminga is a big blow. And since the defense is not that good, losing Kuminga's offense really hurts.
39:11 ... Ross wonders if Jimmy Butler might be a candidate to join the Warriors since he was always on their radar screen. Bruce doesn't feel Butler would work salary-wise, but Ross think that Golden State might make the move to help Steph Curry continue to be successful in the twilight of his career.
40:56 ... Final Thoughts ... Bruce's appreciation of Derrick Rose, who was honored in Chicago over the weekend. Ross has his own memories of Rose from when Ross worked for the Bucks.
43:19 ...Ross's final thought is on Immanuel Quickley of the Raptors who is back healthy after a lengthy injury absence.
44:00 ... Ross says goodbye
TRT 44:23
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0:00 Intro
1:17 Movers & Shakers Around the Association
1:30 The Sacramento Kings cut ties with Head Coach Mike Brown
6:27 Was Doug Christie the right selection to become the Kings interim head coach?
8:15 Did the Kings signing DeMar DeRozan factor into the pressure put on Mike Brown?
11:32 The Lakers trade away DâAngelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith
16:32 Nets GM Sean Marks had a very busy month of December making moves & whatâs next?
20:31 Dorian Finney-Smithâs impact & the Lakers moving forward
25:29 Team Talking Points
25:32 The Phoenix Suns continue to struggle. Ross has some long term questions!
30:02 Are the Memphis Grizzlies the Orlando Magic of the Western Conference?
35:23 World B chimes in on whether or not itâs time to panic in Phoenix with the Suns
37:59 Will Devin Booker make the All-Star Team this season?
39:53 Can the Detroit Pistons sustain their recent success out East?
42:43 Which Pistons guard steps up in Jaden Iveyâs absence?
44:54 No Final Thought, but a Final Question for World B!
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0:00 Intro
1:25 The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Cup Champions! The Championship game recap
3:20 Do the Oklahoma City Thunder need to address their perimeter shooting prior to the trade deadline?
6:34 Giannis put on an absolute show in Vegas winning the NBA Cup MVP, where does he rank for the season MVP?
9:35 Will winning the NBA Cup MVP help Giannisâs case with MVP voters?
11:30 Key role players on the Bucks have stepped up big time recently, has the team turned a corner?
14:53 The Bucks are right on the Magicâs tail out East in the standings, can they catch Orlando?
18:24 Would the Magic benefit from making a trade to improve their roster prior to the deadline?
21:31 Karl Anthony Towns makes his first return to Minnesota & the Knicks pounded the Wolves
23:24 Mikal Bridges is finding his groove offensively with the Knicks
25:12 Ross provides his insights into the unselfishness of this Knicks group
27:35 Christmas Day Game Previews!
27:54 Wemby & the San Antonio Spurs visit Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks
30:12 âAntaâ Claus & the Minnesota Timberwolves head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks
32:49 The Boston Celtics host Joel Embiid & the Philadelphia 76ers
35:57 LeBron James & the Lakers head to the bay to battle Steph & the Warriors
38:32 KD & the Suns cap off Christmas action in Phoenix against Jokic & the Denver Nuggets
41:10 Coach Budâs defense in Phoenix isnât as good as usual, is the roster to blame?
43:28 Final Thoughts: NBA viewership is down, but why?
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0:00 ... Ross says hello and introduces co-hosts Bruce Bernstein & Michael "World B" Freer.
0:34 ... Ross recognizes this week's show (episode #135) as it falls on the second anniversary of our very first show. We've never missed a week since we started, so we consider ourselves "Ironmen" of sorts, not unlike the great AC Green, formerly of the Lakers who played in an NBA record 1192 straight games.
1:51 ... Ross does the live read for Bet Online
2:23 ... Ross tees up the NBA Cup Special and begins with the Atlanta Hawks, who battled Milwaukee in one of Saturday's semifinal games and seem poised to make a nice run during the remainder of the NBA season. Trae Young has improved his playmaking and players like Dyson Daniels and DeAndre Hunter are really stepping it ip.
9:19 ... Our focus shifts to the Milwaukee Bucks, who rode the stellar play of Giannis Antetokounmpo to a win over the Hawks and a spot in the championship game on Tuesday. Giannis has gotten a lot of help in recent weeks with the return of Khris Middleton and some more production from Damian Lillard. Age and health remain concerns for the Bucks.
24:32 ... Ross tees up a discussion of the Houston Rockets, a young team that battled the Thunder but has major offensive struggles. The Rockets are dynamic on defense but they struggle to score in the halfcourt and that holds them back against great teams like the Thunder.
30:05 ... Our conversation switches to the OKC Thunder, a team with championship aspirations that will battle the Bucks in Tuesday's championship final. Bruce feels like Shai Gilgeous Alexander plays the game as a guard like Nikola Jokic does at center. He plays at his own speed, he will not let defenses speed him up, and he gets to spots on the floor at just the right time and has a knack for always being where he should be. Ross feels that defensive wizard Lu Dort of the Thunder will actually guard Giannis frequently on Tuesday night.
38:23 .... Bruce, "World B," and Ross all make their predictions for the Bucks/Thunder matchup on Tuesday night. Bruce doesn't feel OKC can stop Giannis, "World B" also likes the Bucks, but Ross is picking the Thunder. Bruce "accuses" Ross of using reverse psychology since he is our resident Bucks fan but Ross insists he is concerned about Damian Lillard's ability to score on OKC's perimeter defenders.
44:27 ... Bruce's final thought concerns his desire to see Jimmy Butler traded from Miami to Houston.
45:39 ... The final thought from "World B" concerns the suddenly healthy Memphis Grizzlies and how Ja Morant needs to clean up his act and grow up.
46:56 ... Ross's final thought is on the two early trades that took place this week. Dennis Schroeder to Golden State and Thomas Bryant to Indiana.
47:57 ... Ross says goodbye
TRT 48:10
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0:00 Intro
1:27 Ross introduces tonightâs special guest Zaza Pachulia
4:07 Drafted in 2003, a lot of international big men at the time were considered soft entering the NBA, but not Zaza!
7:18 Coming into the league at 19 years old, what were the biggest challenges he faced as a rookie?
9:46 Was there any kind of language barrier for Zaza at the start of his career?
12:52 Has Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze asked for him for advice throughout his young career in the NBA?
16:11 Being from the same NBA Draft class as LeBron James, Zaza provides his thoughts on how LeBron James continues to impress
19:48 Zaza reflects on the 2008 Hawks/Celtics Playoff Series & his battle with Kevin Garnett
26:31 Zaza shares some stories on his former teammate & close friend Al Horford
29:01 Zaza on what he remembers from his 2015-2016 season with the Mavericks when he nearly made the NBA All-Star team
33:01 Was the Golden State Warriors Dynasty Team is the best NBA team ever?
40:21 The unfortunate Kawhi Leonard closeout became known as âThe Zaza Ruleâ does it bother him that an NBA rule is named after him?
43:07 Being close friends with Klay Thompson, Zaza talks about him joining the Mavericks & his recent return to the Bay for the first time
46:38 Zaza shares some memories out at sea with Captain Klay
48:31 Word Association with Zaza!
48:47 Draymond Green
51:22 Steve Kerr
55:56 Giannis Antetokounmpo
57:49 Dirk Nowitzki
59:48 Stephen Curry
1:03:36 Zaza shares a special message to his fellow Georgians
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0:00 ... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the panel.
0:37 ... Ross dedicates episode #133 to Toumani Camara of the Portland Trailblazers, who happens to wear jersey #33.
1:04 ... Bet Online Live Commercial Read
1:41 ... The show begins with a recap of the strong week by the up and coming Atlanta Hawks. Head coach Quin Snyder is in his second full season and really seems to be getting his program established with a young team.
6:29 ... The Cavaliers beat the Celtics on Sunday to remain on top of the eastern conference with a 17-3 record. It appeared to be a "statement win," but was it really? Bruce has his doubts. Ross expressed concern over the recent struggles of Jrue Holiday.
12:50 ... Boston may have lost to the Cavs on Sunday but they've been bolstered by the return of Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the first 17 games of the season after having off-season surgery. The guys discuss what his presence means for the Celtics. Bruce feels Neemias Queta did a great job while Porzingis was out and his presence should help Al Horford stay fresh for the playoffs. Ross loves KP as a "first basket" betting option for those who like to wager.
15:46 ... Sunday night's battle between the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets featured a gritty win by the Rockets, who are playing tremendous defense under coach Ime Udoka. OKC misses Chet Holmgren and even with the return of Isaiah Hartenstein, the Thunder are struggling to rebound effectively. World B reminds everyone that Jalen Green of the Rockets needs to shoot a higher percentage from the floor if the Rockets are to make noise in the playoffs.
23:01 ... Our NBA Cup breakdown begins with Group A in the East ... Will the Knicks get past Orlando on Tuesday night and clinch a spot in the knockout round? The crew is split on who will emerge. World B concludes with a very bold prediction about the Magic.
28:49 ... Group B in the east comes down to the winner of Detroit vs. Milwaukee on Tuesday night. Our crew likes the Bucks but the Pistons can clinch the wild card even if they lose ... as long as they don't lose by more than 5 points.
32:48 ... Group C in the east has already been clinched by the Hawks. The Celtics could emerge from the bracket as the wild card team, but they'll need help from Orlando and a large margin of victory (7 points or more) between the Pistons and Bucks regardless of which team wins.
33:55 ... Group A in the west has already been clinched by the Rockets so the Blazers and Clippers have a shot at the wild card, but both teams will need help from elsewhere in order to advance. The Clippers have a slightly better chance than Portland.
38:03 ... Group B in the west has the most intrigue on Tuesday. The Thunder clinch at least a wild card if they beat Utah on Tuesday. The Spurs clinch the group with a win over Phoenix but if San Antonio loses, there's no path to the wild card and it opens the door for Phoenix to possibly grab the wild card if Dallas lays an egg against Memphis.
40:42 ... Group C in the west has been clinched by Golden State. Dallas grabs the wild card with a win over Memphis. If the Grizz beat the Mavs and the Nuggets beat the Warriors, both Memphis and Denver could theoretically advance to the wild card, but there are many scenarios that would have to take place for that to happen.
43:22 ... Final Thoughts: Bruce feels there could be a new "Batman" in Memphis with Jaren Jackson Jr emerging as Ja Morant's virtual equal.
45:08 ... World B's final thought is on the Magic and how they'll become a real threat to do damage in the playoffs if they regain their health. They may even be Boston's toughest matchup in the playoffs.
46:18 .... In Ross's final thought, he surprisingly sees a good future for the Toronto Raptors if Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley get themselves rolling to go along with RJ Barrett, who has played well.
47:23 ... Ross says goodbye
TRT 47:40
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0:00 Intro
1:26 Whoâs Hot & Whoâs Not in terms of NBA teams
1:32 Are the Milwaukee Bucks finding their stride?
4:33 Orlando Magic remaining successful without their star
8:30 The LA Clippers continue to exceed preseason expectations
12:09 Victor Wembanyama & the Spurs are trending upward
15:44 Whoâs Not? (Teams)
16:00 Has the Top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference already been decided?
19:24 The Washington Wizards have been a disaster this season, where do they go from here?
23:31 Without Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns canât survive
27:09 This season for the New Orleans Pelicans has been an absolute nightmare
30:40 What in the world is going on with the Minnesota Timberwolves?
34:01 Can the OKC Thunder stay atop the West without Chet Holmgren?
36:32 A World B Hot or Not special on The Joker
38:02 Hot or Not Players!
38:13 Giannis Antetokounmpo
38:57 LaMelo Ball
40:15 Victor Wembanyama
41:30 Karl Anthony-Towns
42:50 The NBAâs current Rookie Class
44:44 Ice Cold Players in the NBA at the Moment
44:46 Donte Divincenzo
46:27 Tyrese Haliburton
49:06 Bruce provides his final thought on Scotty Pippen Jr.
50:10 World B gives a shoutout to the Chicago Bulls
51:38 Ross gives a proper Thanksgiving signoff
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0:00 ... Ross welcomes everyone to the show and introduces the panel.
0:35 ... Show #131 is dedicated to Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell, who wore #31 which has been retired by the team. Bruce shares a quick story about "Max," who currently broadcasts Celtics games on radio.
1:28 ... Ross does his live Bet Online commercial read
2:00 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Cleveland Cavaliers be a title contender?
5:31 ... Buy or Sell: Are the Golden State Warriors a title contender?
13:09 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Houston Rockets win 50 games this season?
16:35 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Lakers finish in the top 6 out west and avoid the "Play In" tournament?
20:31 ... Buy or Sell: Are the Bucks a playoff team?
28:08 ... Buy or Sell: Is Anthony Davis an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidate?
31:47 ... Buy or Sell: Jared McCain is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.
37:21 ... Buy or Sell: Jimmy Butler will still be a member of the Miami Heat at season's end.
40:52 ... Buy or Sell: Dyson Daniels will break the single season record for steals.
43:37 ... Buy or Sell: Nikola Jokic will average a triple double this season.
46:17 ... TNT's legendary studio show "Inside the NBA" will be seen on ESPN next season. Bruce has mixed feelings about the implications for his friends at ESPN but likes the decision by ESPN and considers it a "win" for NBA fans.
49:43 ... Cleveland suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday when the Celtics beat them in a very exciting game. The guys discuss how it happened.
TRT 52:29
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0:00 Intro
1:30 Bruce gives guest Steve Bulpett a proper introduction
3:36 The Cavaliers remain undefeated & the best team in the league, whatâs changed for them so far this season?
6:06 Is JB Bickerstaff a better coach developing young player rather than winning with an established team?
10:10 Steve Bulpett provides his thoughts on the New York Knicks thus far
14:51 Payton Prichardâs impact on the Boston Celtics early season success
21:28 Neemia Quetaâs development in Boston bringing the Celtics a new dimension off the bench
23:56 Is it possible for the Warriors guard Buddy Hield to come away winning the Most Improved Player Award?
25:45 Do the Warriors have what it takes to make one more run at a championship?
28:43 How can Doc Rivers & the Bucks try to turn this awful start to the season around?
37:02 Are the 76ers as big of a mess as they appear to be right now?
40:20 Lots of NBA stars are currently out injured, are there any fixes the league might consider?
42:20 Can the Suns continue their hot start to the season without Kevin Durant?
46:50 Bruce provides his final thoughts on the latest NBA book to be published called âThe Basketball 100â
47:48 World B gives some kudos to the Brooklyn Nets efforts this season
49:31 Steve reminds us all how early we are into the season & what we should be keeping an eye on
50:42 Ross pays tribute to his friend & former colleague Brendan Brown who sadly passed away last week
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0:00 ... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the crew.
0:40 ... Episode 129 is dedicated to injured Magic star Paolo Banchero, who was averaging 29 points per game before his injury.
1:02 ... Bet OnLine live commercial read from Ross
1:37 ... Ross explains the theme of this week's show and jumps right into a discussion of "What's Wrong With the Milwaukee Bucks?"
10:06 ... "What's Wrong With the Denver Nuggets?"
14:24 ... "What's Wrong With the Minnesota Timberwolves?"
21:25 ... "What's Wrong With the Indiana Pacers?"
25:59 ... "What's Wrong With Victor Wembanyama?"
31:22 ... "What's Wrong With Joel Embiid and (Paul George)?"
37:39 ... "What's Wrong With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope?"
42:33 ... "What's Wrong With Grant Williams?"
47:20... Bruce's Final Thought: Buddy Hield
49:02 ... World B's Final Thought: The Undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers
51:00 ... Ross's Final Thought: Vince Carter's retirement ceremony
52:07 ... Ross says goodbye and see ya next time
TRT 52:27
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0:00 Intro
2:02 Bruce provides his instant thoughts on Monday nightâs Bucks/Celtics game before tipping off our Boston discussion!
7:21 Is there cause for concern in Milwaukee?
12:20 Are the Cavs for real?
16:43 A review of the New York Knicks as they continue to gel
21:03 Are the LA Lakers off to the most surprising start this season?
25:57 The Oklahoma City Thunder somehow might be exceeding expectations out of the gates
31:08 Donât sleep on the Orlando Magic!
34:39 James Harden is leading the LA Clippers to success thus far
38:44 Should we pump the brakes the Golden State Warriors good start?
42:38 The Houston Rockets havenât taken lift off just yet
46:52 Is it too early to hit the panic button on the Denver Nuggets?
50:35 The Kings are yet to light the beam this season
54:58 Final Thought on the Dwyane Wade statue
57:29 Bruce ends the show with a very special birthday message
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0:00 ... Ross hello and welcome .... and introduces the panel
0:38 ... Episode #127 is dedicated to Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, who both averaged "27" points per game last season.
0:55 ... Bet OnLine live commercial read from Ross
1:36 ... We preview Tuesday night's opening games on TNT.
1:51 ... Bruce starts it off with a preview of Knicks vs Celtics, including some historical facts about their renewed rivalry. World B reminds Bruce that the Knicks actually won game 7 of that 1973 eastern finals on Boston's home court. World B also pointed out that the Knicks played more pre-season minutes together than any other starting five in the NBA.
6:14 ... Ross points out that Boston will have a target on its back like all champions.
6:53 ... Ross asks Bruce if he thinks Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla will use more players off the bench and Bruce feels that Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman will give him good minutes at center in relief of Al Horford until Kristaps Porzingis returns from injury.
8:23 ... World B points out that NY is very thin up front with Precious Achiewa and Mitchell Robinson on the shelf to start the year. Ross is looking forward to seeing Mikal Bridges' and his new jump shooting form.
10:50 ... In the second game on opening night, the Lakers host the Timberwolves and World B feels Minnesota has a solid collection of players and that Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo make the Wolves formidible.
12:24 ... Bruce is looking forward to seeing how TNT handles its coverage in the final year of their contract. Will Charles Barkley and Shaq stir things up? As for the Lakers/Wolves matchup, will JJ Redick throw Bronny James out there against an elite team in his first NBA game? Ross feels that he'll get Bronny out there pretty quickly just to put it to bed.
14:46 ... Ross asks World B if he'd be shocked to see LA win the opener against a great Minnesota team. World B says Anthony Davis will shoot a lot more threes this season.
17:25 ... The Thunder vs Nuggets game on Thursday provides OKC with a chance to make a statement against the 2023 champs on Thursday night. Ross feels OKC is young and talented but World B thinks Christian Braun really needs to step up for Denver this season.
21:49 ... The Pacers vs Knicks on Friday will be another key first week matchup as they meet right away after having played each other in a 7 game playoff series last season. Bennedict Mathurin's return gives Indiana a huge boost.
24:21 ... Ross is excited for the Suns/Clippers matchup at the new Intuit Dome in LA. He also thinks James Harden may try to revert to his Houston days and become a volume scorer again. Coach Mike Budenholzer is expected to really help Phoenix become a solid defensive team to complement their great offensive players.
26:51 ... Ross tees up our segment on postseason awards predictions. We begin with the MVP race. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are getting love from our crew.
29:57 ... All three guys have different choices for Rookie of the Year. Bruce likes Stephon Castle of the Spurs. World B likes Zach Edey of Memphis. Ross has the biggest eye opening choice in Tidjane Salaun of Charlotte.
33:50 ... Bruce considered Victor Wembanyama for two awards: Defensive Player of the year and Most Improved Player but he settled on Wemby as the top defensive player. All three panelists agreed.
36:18 ... The Coach of the year discussion centers on Ime Udoka of Houston and Jamahl Moseley of Orlando.
39:10 ... The Most Improved Player Award is a three-way race between Cade Cunningham, Wembanyama, and Jalen Williams. World B feels that this award has settled into a very predictable pattern with a good player who becomes a first-time All Star almost always winning the award in recent years.
42:29 .... Bruce predicts a Celtics/Thunder NBA Finals matchup with Boston winning and Jayson Tatum winning Finals MVP. World B feels the Timberwolves will win the west but that Boston will be the eventual champion while Ross is on the OKC bandwagon and believes they'll use draft capital to bolster their team and ultimately win it all.
49:38 ... Ross says goodbye and see you next week!
TRT 50:06
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0:00 Intro
1:43 Bruce gives a quick shoutout & then explains the concept of tonightâs show
3:01 Atlanta Hawks
4:50 Boston Celtics
7:15 Brooklyn Nets
8:59 Charlotte Hornets
11:05 Chicago Bulls
12:45 Cleveland Cavaliers
14:59 Detroit Pistons
17:07 Indiana Pacers
19:45 Miami Heat
21:45 Milwaukee Bucks
24:33 New York Knicks
27:46 Orlando Magic
30:38 Philadelphia 76ers
34:11 Toronto Raptors
36:03 Washington Wizards
38:25 Dallas Mavericks
40:23 Denver Nuggets
42:57 Golden State Warriors
44:58 Houston Rockets
47:27 LA Clippers
49:22 LA Lakers
52:16 Memphis Grizzlies
55:10 Minnesota Timberwolves
58:16 New Orleans Pelicans
1:00:58 OKC Thunder
1:03:31 Phoenix Suns
1:06:22 Portland Trail Blazers
1:09:45 Sacramento Kings
1:12:01 San Antonio Spurs
1:15:16 Utah Jazz
- Montre plus
