Zone D: Recent Episodes
Joe & Dave
In this episode, back by popular demand and a respect for tradition, Joe and Dave give you the rookie draft! We each pick a starting lineup and a sixth man (with a twist) solely from the rookie class! Dave thinks he won, but you be the judge!
We head way back to the innocent days of 2021 when we had hope for the new-look Bulls, shade for the inept Pelicans, and open mouths for the Kings letting Haliburton slip through their finger. What does this look like with a season of actual basketball on the books? Listen in!
On this episode, we dive into what is driving the success of the top two teams in the east, the Bucks and Cavaliers! We also update on the spiraling Nets situation, and mention even more news in the Primo debacle. Lets hope these things get resolved quickly so we can get back to enjoying basketball!
Pretenders and contenders in the West's top 6 drive this week's conversation, with reactions to Kyrie Irving's charged comics and Joshua Primo's charged...something else. We're a little tired of men behaving badly.
Have you missed fiery hot takes? How about the incredible back and forth banter between Joe and Dave? Maybe the love of our lives Boban Marjanovic? We provide two of the three in this weeks episode, so download this episode and find out which ones!
What's most likely to ruin a championship contender's hopes for the Larry O'Brien trophy? Robert Sarver's soul? Draymond's fists? Embiid's back? Ime Udoka's...um...never mind. Joe and Dave wrap up the preview with the teams to beat!
On this episode, Joe and Dave predict completely different slumps to big time contenders, and overall don't agree on much. But that's entertainment, right?
The season approacheth! Welcome back to Season 3 of the Zone D podcast! Join Joe and Dave as they gently (and sometimes harshly) rank the bottom third of the league. Who's up? Who's down? Who's going to tell Bradley Beal he has to work soon?
There's so much packed into this blazing hot summer bonus episode of the Zone D podcast, you better bring sunscreen. Tune in for Donovan Mitchell trade scenarios, some free advice for Lakers management, a discussion of whether any team's offseason moves will actually move them up the standings, and our favorite rookies going into the season.
That's a wrap on the 2021-22 NBA season folks! We look ahead at what we've learned from the Warriors and Celtics and use our NBA crystal balls to see what's next, debate who merits a rookie contract extension, and look ahead to the draft. The NBA never stops!
We are getting so close to crowning a basketball champion of the world! Dave and Joe run through all the latest in this even series between the Celtics and Warriors. You'll find out if where Draymond stands, whats been happening with Tatum, and more! Tune in to this weeks episode of Zone D Podcast!
What a week! We record right after the stunning end of Game 7 of the ECF, reacting both conference final results and looking ahead to an epic NBA Finals match up!
In this episode, Joe and Dave reunite and talk all things conference finals. Fair warning, Joe gets a little rambly as frustration over the defense from the Dallas Mavericks (or lack thereof) is brought up. Also, what the heck Celtics? I guess Dave is a prediction god! All this and more on another episode of Zone D Podcast.
Joe is off saving nature, but Dave gives a quick recap of the week and looks ahead to some exciting conference finals matchups!
Tatum chilling in the corner, Brunson is back, Embiid wields the power of Heat negation...the semifinals are in full swing and we are here for it!
In this weeks episode, we bid a fond farewell to the teams eliminated and talk about what some of them have to look forward to. We then turn our attention to the second round matchups and give our predictions as to what could happen.
Joe and Dave run down the first round series and look ahead to second round matchups, reveling in the memorable drama so far from first round heroics and bone head plays.
In this episode, Joe and Dave talk about all playoffs all the time. What could teams do better? Who's performances stood out the most? What is Kyrie's favorite finger and why is it the middle finger? All this and more on this weeks episode!
It's changed the way we think about the end of the regular season, and now it's time for our favorite playoffs appetizer, the play-in tournament, to give us direct delight! Join us as we caste a little shade on the Lakers and jump into our picks and analysis of the play-in before tuning in this week!
Joe and Dave dive into the contenders in the West, and because of that crowd being a little smaller than the East, we also contemplate potential end of the year awards!
We're just a few weeks out from the greatest show on Earth (sorry, March Madness)! Joe and Dave dive deep into their championship contenders from the Eastern Conference, fight about Brooklyn and Chicago, and forecast the role players and stars who will delight us in the best Eastern conference playoffs in recent memory!
In this very special episode of Zone D Podcast, Joe and Dave take you through a sudden death, all teams on deck tournament in the NBA in honor of March Madness. Each matchup is a one game winner takes all set up as we see who is the champion of the world, simulation style.
...but nothing is keeping these guys from the playoff stretch! Join Joe and Dave as they break down the most impactful roster additions coming off injury as we count down to the play-in and first round!
In this episode, Joe and Dave get all mushy and sentimental for the players, teams, and stories of the bottom tiered teams. We talk of the things we will miss the most as we now turn our attention to play-in storylines and playoff basketball just around the corner.
We're back from our All-Star hiatus to talk Harden in Philly and the potential matchup with the guys in green, the surging Boston Celtics. Is this the luck of the Irish finally breaking through, or green smoke and mirrors?
In this episode of Zone D, Joe and Dave discuss one of the WILDEST trade deadlines in recent memory, pinning down some of the biggest and most puzzling trades of the week. You don't want to miss this one!
We talk the end of the dream in Portland as the dismantling begins, then have fun with the All Star picks. Joe vs Dave, All Star edition!
On this episode, Joe and Dave rent a time machine and go back in time to save two franchises. Does it work? Is there any hope for these folks? We think so......if time machines were real.
Dive deep into the 7,231 tabs open on Joe and Dave's computers to see what genius trade ideas are tantalizing their daydreams!
On this episode, Joe and Dave talk all things Grizzlies. After tying a franchise record 11-win streak, they find themselves in talks of the West elite. Can they live up to the hype? Joe and Dave then dive into some buyers and sellers as the trade deadline looms next month!
Lance Stephenson has us wanting to go back in a time machine, but we don't go too far. Let's look back at the blockbusters, the salary dumps, and the tanking time bombs from the 2020-21 season to see which teams made genius-level decisions and which ones still have us scratching our heads!
In this episode, Joe and Dave discuss some resolutions certain NBA teams need to make for the new year. Afterwards, they put in their two cents on who the All-Star starters should be. It gets heated folks, but I promise, Dave and Joe still like each other.
For us, the Christmas Day tip off feels like the real start of the season, complicated by a few bumps (or plagues) in the road. We break down (most of) the Christmas Day action and what we can learn from one of the first times we've gotten to see the world's best ballers play for pride in the national spotlight.
In this episode, Joe and Dave take a look with fresh eyes from their rookie draft of 2020. Then, after Dave realizes his fatal flaws of drafting and Joe realizes just how incredible he is, they extend their draft for three more rounds! They also take stock of lessons learned this season as the year comes to a close.
Time for the Blazers to blow it up? Should the people just chill down in the Big Easy? It's crisis time for several teams in the Western Conference, but Joe and Dave are here to armchair quarterback your way through it. You're welcome, Joe Cronin. You're less welcome, David Griffin.
In this episode, Joe and Dave square off in their second edition of our all-rookie draft! How have the top picks fared, and where do they fall in our draft? Who are the surprise rookies this year so far? How much better will Joe's team be? Is Joe writing this description? All this and more in our newest episode of Zone D Podcast.
Joe and Dave hop in their time mission to revisit one of their favorite episodes from Season 1, "Ode to the Slav Squad", and see how our buddies from the former Yugoslav republics are doing as the prepare to match up with the All non-Slavic European Squad (the ASESs). Sequel!!
In this episode, we are celebrating that 10 year anniversary of the 2012 NBA draft. Joe and Dave re-draft the top 8 spots, and weird looks and confusion ensue. Do Joe and Dave agree on anything? Is Anthony Davis a number one option? Listen and find out!
The first rule of NBA fight club? Talk for 30 minutes about NBA fight club. We start with this week's altercations and cheap shots, then talk about the scrappiest fighters from the '80s to today.
Along with some updates and high level drama going on in the league, we offer you an exclusive, first ever All-Star Deathmatch. We take who we believe to be the most deserving of their first all-star chance, and pit them against each other in a winner take all tournament!
Joe and Dave welcome their friend Bill from the Deadball Podcast to talk Halloween ball: Frankenstein's monster teams, teams that are a ghost of their true self, and how Montrezl Harrell's penchant for light self-harm might hold the key to winning for the lackadaisical Celtics.
We are OFFICIALLY BACK! The newest NBA season has started, and we are starting off SPICY! We've got our top overreactions, Kanter vs. China, Sarver potentially doing sketchy things, and so much more! Lets get this thing started!
We save our best preseason banter for last. Unsung heroes, unrealistic expectations, and the questions marks that still haunt the dreams of diehard fans. The best NBA teams from the West coming at you as we countdown until season tip off!
Top of the East Preview is here! We take on 7 major questions to dive into the top 7 teams of the East! Whats going on with Ben Simmons? Does Kyle Lowry push the Heat into the top? Have the Hawks reached their peak? This and so much more in this episode of Zone D.
We keep climbing up last year's standing. Can anyone stop the Wiz with newfound purpose? Can Pop or Carlisle cobble together a playoff push? Will Memphis play a 5-guard lineup? All this an more as we get to the halfway point of our preseason previews.
As we were editing this episode, news broke that John Wall and the Rockets had mutually agreed to find a trade, so listen closely to see whose earth-shattering prediction that news might change. All your favorite non-playoff teams from the West get some love in this one. Chaotic OKC, hapless Sacramento, and hopeful (?) Minnesota. Less than 3 weeks from the start of preseason. Let's go!
In this FIRST EPISODE OF SEASON 2, we start dissecting the bottom of the Eastern Conference and see what moves they have made. Will the Cavs finally live up to Dave's expectations? What does a Lowry-sized hole look like in Toronto? Can Jahlil Okafor catch a break ever? All this and more!
Yes, we said we were done for a month or so, but we couldn't help it. Joe and Dave talk Team USA and then react to some of the notable new rosters assembled so far in the offseason, focusing on the Lakers, Knicks, Pelicans, and Bulls. Clearly we aren't good at vacation. More offseason bonus episodes coming soon!
In this episode, we officially bid farewell to the NBA season. With the Milwaukee Bucks laying claim to the Larry O'Brien Trophy, we cover whats next for both teams. We then discuss Olympic basketball, and an NBA rumor about Bradley Beal joining the splash brothers. That and more in our LAST episode of the 2020-21 basketball season!
On their way to an in-depth discussion of the Bucks' Finals turnaround, Joe & Dave talk Olympic-sized chaos, increased head coach diversity, and the future of everyone's favorite new free throw chant!
Game 3 of the Finals saw a major effort from Milwaukee. Is it a turning point or a flash in the pan of the Suns inevitability? Plus, a hapless Team USA full of excuses and Jeff Van Gundy's future as a rap mogul.
The NBA Finals are finally upon us! Along with the an epic discussion on who's winning, we talking about our fallen brethren, the Clippers and Hawks. Then later on in the show, we cover the two big coaching names taken by the Blazers and Mavericks.
Joe and Dave unpack the shocking turn in Philly, get pumped up for conference finals between teams who haven't won a championship between them in 50 years, and talk about what the offseason might have in store for the Sixers, Jazz, and Nets.
In this episode, Joe and Dave discuss the playoff matchups as the Semi-Finals in each conference get closer to an end. They also discuss the Nuggets future as the first team to be eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
It's a mix of looking backwards and forwards as we break down the offseason situations for the Celtics, Lakers, and Blazers teams who badly missed this year's expectations, Dave tries to bring Luka into everything, and the hosts look forward to a fascinating and contested set of Conference Semifinal matchups (well, maybe not Bucks & Nets).
The fans have spoken, and its not good! We cover the recent absurdities by the fans from Salt Lake to New York, then move on to the first team eliminated and how the Miami Heat can improve. We then talk the heated 2-2 matchups in the playoffs and what to expect moving forward.
The playoffs are here! Do the Grizz have momentum to make some noise? Can Lebron win a game against the Suns? And how long has Nurkic been biding his time for some good old fashioned revenge? All the drama, artistry, and skill on display on a first NBA playoff weekend that did not disappoint!
In this episode, we cover the start of a very important career, as rapper J. Cole plays in his first game. Then we take it to the Play-In matchups to try and decide who is going to get through and get the 7th and 8th seeds. Then a closer look at the the two matchups we already know in the Eastern Conference.
The race is on as a dozen teams fight to get their spot in the play-in, avoid the play-in, angle to play a team coming out of the play-in in the first round. It's...complicated. Plus, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Coach of the Year, and even our pick for best local broadcasting personality.
On this episode of the Zone D Podcast, Dave and Joe dive in to the play-in tournament and its implications on the league, along with an overview on their picks for season-ending awards.
Dave reveals a startling confession, then grills Joe for his turn in the hot seat as they talk playoff memories, potential, and free agency before we dive deep into playoff prep starting next week.
In this episode, we talk about the beautiful goldfish commercials by Bobi and Tobi, the heartbreaking news of Jamal Murray and Lamarcus Aldridge, and the surging Celtics. Then, a Zone D first, Joe asks Dave some never before seen questions in a rapid fire question round!
Happy Ja Morant Day! Also, the Timberwolves get new ownership, how to stay an engaged NBA fan during the dreaded injury doldrums leading up to the final playoff push, and a celebration of the NBA's African players in honor of next month's inaugural Basketball Africa League! How you day? I day fine.
We tackle some of the drama going on in the league, then shift gears to trends happening in the NBA after the all-star break, including the surging Mavericks, and the accidental tankers and non-tankers.
Bulls, Magic, Nuggets, Celtics, Raptors, Blazers, Lakers, Nets, Mavericks, Pelicans, Heat, Rockets, Clippers, Hawks, Cavs.
You get the idea. Trade deadline was nuts, and we're ecstatic!
This week, we take a deep dive into what the contenders of the West need to do come trade deadline and buyout. We also discuss what the PJ Tucker trade means for the Bucks.
After some questions about Meyers Leonard's vocabulary, we dive deep into trade deadline possibilities for teams who need a course correct - Raptors, Hawks, Pacers, Celtic, Nuggets and then debate whether it's time for Phoenix to launch Project Supernova and shoot for the Larry O'Brien trophy!
In this episode we talk about All-Star Weekend and what it means for the NBA. Then we go into the second half of the season, talking about teams that are forreal, and what we are looking for.
Joe kicks us off right by calling Luka a Serbian (on his birthday no less...sorry Slovenia), and then we get into it! Not about Serbia. Or Luka, really. All Star weak links, worthy reserves, and why this All Star stuff matters way beyond a fun weekend in Hotlanta. Justice for CJ!
In this episode we discuss the good......and the bad of Draymond Green this week, diving in to how we can treat players more as people and less as assets. We also pick with our Rookie Squad picks with a twist!
Joe and Dave chat about this week's patriotic drama, pick competing sophomore squads who are getting themselves a strong second slice of that NBA season pie, and gush a little about the Suns.
Follow us @zonedpodcast on Instagram and Facebook to share your vote!
In this weeks episode, we discuss our worries about Giannis not seeing his family and Tyler Herro's new.....cereal?! We also go over some teams who we think are over and underachieving as we get closer to the all-of-a-sudden all-star game! (Thanks Lebron)
What the NBA can learn from the Chinese Basketball Association, a deep dive on the 76ers after their impressive win over the defending champs, and it's All Star Voting Season! So kiss hands, shake babies (wait, that's the right) and join us for another week of Zone D!
We dive deep into the league's love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with the Utah Jazz, the precarious balance that could get vault the Jazz and Mavericks into the Western Conference top tier, and are kind of mean to the Nets (again).
So...Harden got traded. Joe and Dave discuss the trade, Harden's first game with the Nets, and the most important question of the week...does anyone hang out with with Duncan Robinson?
Joe and Dave tap into their creativity this week as they discuss an all brothers NBA team, an all Yugoslavia team, along with trying to figure out what the NBA needs to do about the Covid Madness.
Joe and Dave thank Steph Curry for his response to last week's episode, debate the merits of struggling teams, and talk which stars need more chances to make a difference.
Dave and Joe talk about the roller coaster Nets, favorite moments from the first week, Joe spotlights the next big announcer star, Dave makes a bold prediction about the Eastern Conference Finals, and much more! Hot new artwork from our incredible sister-in-law, Emilee!!
Joe & Dave talk Christmas wishes for the first half of the upcoming season (both naughty and nice) as they squeal like giddy schoolchildren in anticipation of another season of NBA action!