Hardwood Knocks

Guess what? No, seriously, guess. Hurry up. You're taking too long.  Screw it, we'll just tell you: The NBA offseason is old enough for us to—wait for it—pass judgement from the comfort of our lavish (read: regular) recording studios (read: respective living rooms)!  In the latest edition of Hardwood Knocks, Andy Bailey and Dan Favale cycle through the biggest offseason winners and losers from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. We know the Oklahoma City Thunder make the cut, but are they the biggest winners of the summer thus far? Where do the Boston Celtics fall on this scale? They basically, after all, signed Gordon Hayward twice. Has the Cleveland Cavaliers' offseason been that bad? Should San Antonio Spurs fans buy custom-made LeBron James jerseys now or wallow in the fact that Chris Paul ended up with the Houston Rockets? Are the New York Knicks the NBA's biggest laughingstock? Or does that honor belong to the Detroit Pistons? Or perhaps the Indiana Pacers? And, finally, have the Philadelphia 76ers punched their ticket to the 2018 NBA Finals, or will they have to wait until, like, 2019 for their first championship? We've got your shocking, and not-so-shocking, and sometimes-awful, truths about the NBA offseason right here. You're welcome in advance. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale), the show (@HardwoodKnocks) and NBA Math (@NBA_Math) on Twitter or die trying.

It. Is. So. On. The NBA's free-agency bonanza is upon us, so it's time to get weird and busy and weirdly busy with the Hardwood Knocks' official free-agency primer. Hosts Andy Bailey and Dan Favale blow through a ton of topics, because they like hearing themselves speak, but also because this particularl primer won't be automatically dated. You're guaranteed to take away something new and exicting and valuable and whatever from this powwow deep into free agency. Topics discussed include the Chris Paul trade; what this deal means for the rest of the NBA; a weird free-agent point guard market; the Houston Rockets' next move; Paul George's situation in Indiana; Gordon Hayward deciding between the Utah Jazz and Boston Celtics; the plans of the Celtics in general; the future of the San Antonio Spurs; Phil Jackson's exit from the New York Knicks; potential Zen Master replacements for those Knicks; Kyle Lowry's future with the Toronto Raptors; Paul Millsap's next landing spot; Blake Griffin's fit with the Los Angeles Clippers; why Griffin should actually sign with the Miami Heat; hypothetical trade scenarios; and so much more! Grab some popcorn (or chicken fingers with honey mustard because those rule), your favorite beverage and come join us. This podcast is L-I-T. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

The Golden State Warriors ran roughshod over the rest of the NBA this season, from start to finish. Not even the Cleveland Cavaliers could slow them down during the NBA Finals. So...now what? The rest of the league must respond to the Warriors' open-ended title window in some fashion. The Cavaliers need another star. Can they trade for one? The Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz must decide whether to go all-in on trying to win now. Will they opt for urgency or slow-play their current situations? The San Antonio Spurs are linked to Chris Paul. Can they get him? And will he make them a viable championship contender, relative to Golden State's collection of talent? Also, we talk hypothetical trades of our own design—and yours, too. We asked for deals you want to see, and you delivered. We parse through the best ones, because why the frick not? Don't miss this post-NBA Finals podcast extravaganza! As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

Give yourselves a hearty round of applause, because you've made it. We are here. This is official. No take-backs. You've labored through the dreck that was the first three rounds of the NBA Playoffs, miraculously lasting until now, when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will duke it out for a championship once more. Consider this your NBA Finals preview. But also consider it preparation for what happens afterward. Both teams are playing for a championship, but do they each have equal stakes in this best-of-seven set? What happens if the Cavaliers lose? Will they stand pat, or will they perhaps entertain trades for one of Kyrie Irving or Kevin Love? And what about the Warriors? They are heavy favorites, but will they begin shopping Draymond Green or Klay Thompson if they're defeated by Cleveland, improbably, for a second year in a row?  The outcome of this rubber match figures to have a lasting imprint on the futures of both the Cavaliers and Warriors, not to mention, perhaps, the rest of the NBA. Come join us, the Hardwood Knocks kids, as we go through every imaginable NBA Finals rabbit hole. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

At least the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs tried, right? Both of the NBA's Conference Finals matchups have been duds. Zaza Pachulia ruined any chance the Spurs had of being competitive with the Golden State Warriors, while the Boston Celtics just don't have a chance in H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks of keeping pace with the Cleveland Cavaliers—particularly after losing Isaiah Thomas for the rest of the year with a hip injury. Fortunately, we still have a Cavaliers-Warriors NBA Finals rubber match to emotionally invest in. And the Cavaliers have proved they are ready for the Warriors even more so than last year. It doesn't matter that Kevin Durant is on the team this time around. Cleveland's demolition of the Eastern Conference speaks to the higher brand of competition that awaits us in the championship round. Nothing could go wrong. Right? RIGHT? YOU GUYS???? The Hardwood Knocks bros break it all down for you—from the future of the Celtics, to the need for the NBA Finals to be a transcedent affair. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

At long last, the 2017 NBA draft order is set. So, now, what? Everything else. We need to figure out who the Boston Celtics will select with the No. 1 pick, or whether they’ll try to deal it for Paul George or Jimmy Butler. We need to decide who the Los Angeles Lakers will choose, or whether they’ll dangle the No. 2 pick in a trade for PG13. We need to get a hold on what the Philadelphia 76ers, owners of the No. 3 selection, will do. Do they go for a point guard or wing? And is Joel Embiid right? Are they the next big thing in the East? There is so much to unpack following the lottery. Bleacher Report’s Alec Nathan joins Hardwood Knocks to talk possible picks, potential trades, state of the Sixers, direction of the Lakers, future of the Celtics and so much freaking more! As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.?  

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, along with the San Antonio Spurs, have monopolized the NBA's scope of success. And now, with a rubber match between the Cavaliers and Warriors most likely set to take place in the NBA Finals, what does that mean for the upper-middle class? Do they keep investing in their own current, lesser-heralded success, or must they pivot into rebuilding and sabattical periods, with the intention of waiting out the title windows in Oakland and Cleveland? The Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz are impacted by this lopsided reality most. They're the ones who need to double down on their current models this summer or about-face into something different. The Jazz will rocket into the luxury tax if they re-sign Gordon Hayward, Joe Ingles and George Hill. Toronto's payroll will exploded past $150 million, before luxury taxes, if they run it back. Four of the Clippers' five starters are free agents. The Celtics must decide whether to consolidate trade assets into a star or, because of the Cavaliers and Warriors, keep toeing the line between rebuilding and competing. What should they all do? What should other teams in similar situations do? The Hardwood Knocks homiez figure it out, while also rapping about the Western Conference Finals, Eastern Conference Finals and LeBron James' legacy. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

What will become of Paul George's future, or lack thereof, with the Indiana Pacers now that their first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers is basically done? Are the Milwaukee Bucks real enough to upend the Toronto Raptors? Will DeMar DeRozan ever hit a shot again?  How does Rajon Rondo's injury impact the Chicago Bulls? Has it opened the foor for the slumping Boston Celtics? What will become of the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers series if Rudy Gobert doesn't return? Is there anything the Oklahoma City Thunder can do to get back into it with the Houston Rockets? What do the Portland Trail Blazers have left to play for? How about the Memphis Grizzlies? Is Kawhi Leonard a robot, or just another alien cyborg? And finally: Does Kevin Durant's injury matter to the Golden State Warriors at all? The Hardwood Knocks dudebros run through the progress of every first-round NBA playoff series, and what it means for the futures of all involved. Tune in now, or run the risk of suffering from incurable F.O.M.O. later.  As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

Sometimes, the NBA's end-of-season awards are easy to pick. This isn't one of those times. With the exception of Giannis Antetokounmpo most definitely winning Most Improved Player honors, everything else appears to be up for grabs. Who will win Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, Draymond Green or Kawhi Leonard? Who will be crowned the NBA's MVP, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James or Leonard? Who is the Coach of the Year? What about the Executive of the Year? Or the Sixth Man of the Year? Hardwood knocks comes at you with their officially official selections. (In case you didn't realize, these are pretty official.) Except, wait. There's more. So much more. The NBA playoffs are set to tip off, so Hardwood Knocks' dynamic, albeit oft-inaccurate, duo of Andy and Dan give you their picks for each of this year's matchups. You don't want to miss this jam-packed extravaganza! (Which, by the way, is still officially official in the most officially official way possible.)  As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggests: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

The NBA Playoffs are coming! The NBA Playoffs are coming!  Did we mention the NBA Playoffs are coming?!?!? In advance of the 2017 postseason, Andy and Dan make predictions for every postseason seed. Every. Single. One. Will the Boston Celtics overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers for first place in the Eastern Conference? Can the San Antonio Spurs do the same to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference? Will the Utah Jazz hold off the Los Angeles Clippers? Are the Denver Nuggets going to stave off the Portland Trail Blazers for eighth place in the West? And what about the East's bottom-four playoff seeds? Are the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons done? Can the Milwaukee Bucks catch the Atlanta Hawks? Are the Indiana Pacers better or worse than they seem? Are the Miami Heat the best team in NBA history? Plus, Andy makes a crazy prediction, because he is crazy and likes to make predictions! We might have even slipped in some free-agency talk (wink, wink). As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). And as 50 Cent's biopic suggested: Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale), the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter or die trying.

Are the Golden State Warriors still NBA title favorites following Kevin Durant's injury? Where do the Toronto Raptors rank in the Eastern Conference without Kyle Lowry? Have the Boston Celtics officially become the East's foremost threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers? How does the Philadelphia 76ers shutting down Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons impact the league's tanking structure?  And, most importantly, has Joakim Noah's injury ruined the New York Knicks' chances of winning the 2017 NBA title? The Hardwood Knocks crew dissects the impact of all the major injuries that have overtaken league in recent weeks. Join us as we bask in this late-season sorrow! As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey), Dan Favale (@danfavale), the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter.

Did the New Orleans Pelicans win the trade deadline by dealing for DeMarcus Cousins? Did the Toronto Raptors leap frog them by getting Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker? What in the actual heck are the Sacramento Kings doing? How will Lou Williams impact the Houston Rockets? Did they make a mistake just giving K.J. McDaniels away? Why weren't the Boston Celtics more aggressive in trying to trade for Jimmy Butler or Paul George? Do the Dallas Mavericks have their big man of the future in Nerlens Noel? Is The Process alive and well in Philadelphia?  The Hardwood Knocks bros answers all this and more in their official trade deadline wrap-up—which ends with an epic rant on Celtics president Danny Ainge, who is either terribly brilliant or irreverisibly stubborn. Believe us when we say you don't want to miss this (even though we're biased). As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter.

Happy All-Star Weekend, everyone! Let's talk about the NBA's most surprising teams this season, shall we? The Washington Wizards, who remain on an absolute tear, surely make the cut, but what other pleasant surprises join them? Which teams have been among the worst surprises? Can we make sense of the Western Conference's jam-packed race for eighth place? Plus, should the Detroit Pistons actually consider trading Reggie Jackson? Does Dan actually predict a playoff berth for the Miami Heat? Adam and Dan tackle all those questions, and more, in this All-Star Weekend edition of Hardwood Knocks. There's even some bonus talk about dogs and lost headphones, another pitch to Apple for sponsorship love, and a Burns My Bacon that maybe, quite possibly, shows something other than hate for the New York Knicks (lol but not really). As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter.

The New York Knicks are an unstoppable soap opera. Just when you think maybe, quite possibly, you've figured them out, they implode in the most fantastic way possible, leaving a slew of questions in their destructive wake. Should they trade Carmelo Anthony to the Los Angeles Clippers for a package headlined by Austin Rivers? Should they be trading him at all? Is Melo really hindering Kristaps Porzingis' development? Will Derrick Rose be back in New York next season? Is Joakim Noah's contract the worst in the NBA? And, most importantly, is Willy Hernangomez the second coming of Jesus Christ himself?  Posting and Toasting's Joe Flynn (@ChinaJoeFlynn) joins Hardwood Knocks to talk about the crazy slopfest that is the Knicks' season. Neither he nor Hardwood Knocks' own Dan Favale pulls any punches, so be sure to check out this episode with a thick skin and, perhaps, a jug full of you're favorite, most potent adult beverage. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter.  

Neither Kyle Lowry nor John Wall is starting for the Eastern Conference in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game, which is a damn shame. Russell Westbrook was left off the Western Conference starting ballot in favor of Stephen Curry and James Harden as well. Is that also a damn shame? While lamenting the biggest snubs from the 2017 All-Star starting docket, the Hardwood Knocks boys offer their picks for this year's reserves. Lowry, Wall and Westbrook are obvious selections, but which other players are locks? Can Joel Embiid get in as a reserve over Kevin Love or Paul George? Do Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan have enough juice to break into the Western Conference frontcourt? Are DeMarcus Cousins and Paul Millsap really locks? Will the East be open to carrying four more point guards, so that Isaiah Thomas, Kemba Walker, Lowry and Wall all get in? And did Andy Bailey really just argue that Nikola Jokic should be an All-Star over Karl-Anthony Towns? Stick with us has we help you navigate this year's All-Star minefield. You won't regret it. As always, be sure to subscribe to and rate Hardwood Knocks on iTunes. You can also find us on Stitcher and BlogTalkRadio (the illustrious host of HWK). Follow Andy (@AndrewDBailey), Dan (@danfavale), Adam (@fromal09) and the show (@HardwoodKnocks) on Twitter.