Thinking Basketball

Has the big man really gone away on offense? Or have they just moved beyond the post up? In this episode, I lay out ways to build strong offenses around five different archetypes of modern big men, including huge playoff stars like Anthony Davis and Nikola Jokic. And what does this mean for drafting big man prospects going forward? Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the $1/month offer (through Oct. 9) of the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketball

There are lots of takeaways from the bubble, but is the biggest lesson how much we struggle with evaluating players/teams in small sample seasons? With a unique experiment on our hands, how much has jumping to the playoffs in a “new” season influenced our perceptions? And how much can we confidently conclude about players and teams in these small samples? Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the $1/month offer (through Oct. 9) of the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketball

I talk Nuggets and how they match up with the Lakers, get into the Heat-Celtics clash, but before that look at the All-NBA teams and whether this year's version of Russell Westbrook is history's least scalable player. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the free trial & discount of the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketballpod

In a meandering free association exercise, I explore some of the new playoff narratives developing in the social media age – how big are “capital-M” Moments? What should we make of the Bucks and Giannis or Pascal Siakam and the Raptors? And what exactly is the “backwards” approach to basketball? Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the free trial & discount of the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketballpod

Coach Gibson Pyper from Half Court Hoops joins to deep dive into the matchups of the 2020 NBA playoffs. We discuss Giannis guarding Jimmy Butler, the Bucks approach to Miami, the success of the Celtics, Harden vs. Paul and the crazy Nuggets-Jazz series along with some Anthony Davis and Lakers-Clippers thoughts. Follow Gibson @halfcourthoops and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the free trial & discount of the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketballpod

The Athletic's Dave DuFour stops by to preview the bubble playoffs. We discuss what to make of the Lakers, challengers to the Bucks, whether Dave is still out on the Clippers and the new look Denver Nuggets. Follow Dave @DaveDuFourNBA and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the free trial at the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketballpod

Former Nets assistant coach Steve Jones returns to the show for the NBA return in the Orlando bubble. We discuss how the environment helps and hurts certain players and teams, and what possible surprises are in store. Follow Steve @stevejones20 and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball. Check out the free trial at the Athletic at http://www.theathletic.com/thinkingbasketballpod

SBNation alum Mike Prada stops by to discuss the most influential NBA team of the last 75 years. How have the Curry Warriors, Jordan Bulls, Bad Boys Pistons and more influenced the game over the years? Mike and I bounce through a number of candidates, exploring the key concepts that have held (and evolved) over the decades...And while we agree on the most influential team ever, we also end up disagreeing over them. Follow Mike @MikePradaNBA and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Former NBA video coordinator Mo Dakhil joins to discuss the first ever Thinking Basketball Defensive Awards. We look at the best defenders in a number of key categories and discuss defensive superlatives in a more granular, qualitative approach than the typical All-Defensive team ballot. He also forces me to design trophies for each award. Follow Mo at @MoDakhil_NBA and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

In the 5th episode of the Great Debates series, ESPN's Andre Snellings helps me size up three of the greatest defenders in NBA history, all with distinctly different offensive games. How successful were these players on both ends? Was Robinson better off playing more like Russell? And how would each of them look today? Follow Andre at @ProfessorDrz and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann returns to discuss creativity and basketball innovation in the midst of his “Ball the Right Moves” video series. We discuss crossovers, Kenny Sailors and the jump shot, Michael Jordan's bendy package and why Kyle's wrists are so sore. We also discuss the mystique of pre-NBA Arvydas Sabonis. Follow him at @jkylemann and support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Who had the best season off the bench in NBA history? Do all the great 6th-man seasons belong to instant-offense scorers? Why are good defenders rarely acknowledged in Sixth Man of the Year voting? Can I ask anymore questions? In this episode, I rank the top 10 sixth man season of all-time. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

I reboot the inaugural episode with new data and a deeper look at the all-time best scorers in NBA history. What makes someone a great scorer? What misconceptions are common about volume vs. efficiency, on-ball vs. off-ball scoring and finishing vs. dependency. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

In this episode of the Great Debates series, I compare all-time shooters and off-ball ballerinas Klay Thompson, Reggie Miller and Ray Allen. How were these players different? What changed when their roles and teammates changed? What are the important numbers and trends to know about each player, and, of course, who was better at his best? Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

I reboot the inaugural episode with new data and a deeper look at the all-time best scorers in NBA history. What makes someone a great scorer? What misconceptions are common about volume vs. efficiency, on-ball vs. off-ball scoring and finishing vs. dependency. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball