The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast: Recent Episodes
Day-to-Day NBA Podcast
The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast is a daily fun and thoughtful conversation about the NBA. Powered by Fansided. Hosted by Jason Mann.
The Indiana Pacers are putting themselves in the conversation for the top half of Eastern Conference with great play from Paul George, Myles Turner and Jeff Teague. We look at how it's been happening in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Ben Gibson, contributor to 8 Points, 9 Seconds, joins the program to talk about the team's changes from last year, whether George is holding back a little bit, Turner's progress and whether belongs in the conversation with the other crop of exciting young bigs like Joel Embiid and Kristaps Porzingis, Teague's improved playmaking and great play after a rough start, what Thaddeus Young has brought to the table, and how Nate McMillan has performed as a coach so far replacing Frank Vogel.
We also discuss Glenn Robinson III's slam-dunk contest potential, CJ Miles spreading the floor, the Monta Ellis experience, the Al Jefferson three-seasons rule, possible needs coming into the trade deadline, frosty feelings from fans about Jermaine O'Neal and whether the Pacers are a real threat to be a top 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
We look at how far the Utah Jazz can go this season and whether Gordon Hayward was the right Jazz player chosen for the All-Star Game in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
All That Amar, editor of SLC Dunk, joins the show to talk about how the Jazz has finally caught up with expectations despite dealing with injuries, Hayward's excellent season and embracing a go-to role, Rudy Gobert's penchant for using snubs as motivation and his case for the All-Star Game, Derrick Favors' disappointing season and reduced role on the team, George Hill bringing savvy point-guard play to a mostly young team, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw finally being on the same team, Rodney Hood stalling and Joe Ingles' corny sense of humor.
We also look at whether the Jazz should make any moves at the trade deadline and how dangerous they could be as a playoff team, especially if Favors gets healthy.
Miss this week’s episodes of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review, a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It’s ideal for weekend listening.
This week we looked at the longest NBA games ever, made sense of the latest NBA trade rumors, dove into the suddenly hot Miami Heat, daydreamed about the best NBA Finals stories, and considered Carmelo Anthony leaving the Knicks.
First, Jason Mann and his Over and Back Classic NBA podcast co-host Rich Kraetsch talk about last weekend's four-overtime classic between Atlanta and New York and discuss the other 13 games in NBA/ABA history that have gone four overtimes or more.
Next Bryan Toporek joins us to figure out which NBA teams might be buyers and sellers and look at the trade talk surrounding Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, DeMarcus Cousins, Serge Ibaka, Nerlens Noel, Paul Millsap and Ricky Rubio before the Feb. 23 trade deadline.
Then David Ramil, co-host of the Locked on Heat podcast, joins the program to look at how Miami, in the Eastern Conference cellar just weeks ago, has won nine in a row and is in the postseason hunt. We also examined the recent trade sending Miles Plumlee to the Hornets and Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes to the Bucks.
Then Matt Rutkowski of The Step Back looks at what potential matchups we think would be most interesting in the NBA Finals, from likeliest to literally impossible, and the various storylines we might expect in Cavaliers vs. Warriors Part 3.
Finally, Jared Dubin, host of the Locked on Knicks podcast, comes on to talk about the seemingly realistic possibility of Carmelo Anthony being traded by the New York Knicks and the top three Eastern Conference teams being subpar on defense.
The Miami Heat, in the Eastern Conference cellar just weeks ago, have won nine in a row and are in the postseason hunt. We look at why it's happening in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
David Ramil, co-host of the Locked on Heat podcast, joins the program to discuss why exactly this dramatic turnaround has taken place, the excellent play of reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Dion Waiters, how Goran Dragic makes the most of what he's given, Hassan Whiteside playing more disciplined basketball, James Johnson being a versatile playmaker, the Heat finding more diamonds in the rough like Rodney McGruder and Okaro White, and whether Miami should be in the trade market.
Speaking of trades, we also discuss the recent deal between Milwaukee and Charlotte sending Miles Plumlee to the Hornets and Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes to the Bucks, what (if any) difference it might make at the bottom of the Eastern playoff race, and if it's a tasty enough appetizer for the NBA's trade-deadline season.
With plenty of NBA teams clustered on the fringes of the playoff hunt or the lottery, it's harder than ever to guess who might be a buyer or seller before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. We attempt to make sense of it all in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Bryan Toporek joins us to look at trade talk surrounding Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler, Dwyane Wade, DeMarcus Cousins, Serge Ibaka, Nerlens Noel, Paul Millsap and Ricky Rubio. Will the Clippers or Cavs make a deal for Anthony without giving up a star? Will the Celtics or someone make a huge offer to get Butler? What would the Suns have to give up to get Cousins?
We also look at: Would the Raptors give up enough to get Ibaka or Millsap for a rental? Are the Sixers still motivated to trade Noel or Okafor now that they are playing better? Are there any other NBA teams who should be looking at improving or blowing things up?
The Hawks and Knicks dueled in a four-overtime classic Sunday, with Paul Millsap giving an iron-man performance in 60 minutes with 37 points and 19 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony scoring 45 and twice forcing extra periods with clutch shots. With only 14 games in NBA/ABA history that have gone four overtimes or more, we thought it appropriate to look back at who stood out in these battles in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Who better than Rich Kraetsch, co-host of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast, to lend some historical expertise to the proceedings? We start with the only six-overtime game in NBA history (Indianapolis vs. Rochester in 1951), a 75-73 pre-shot-clock yawner in which future legendary Knicks coach Red Holzman reportedly played 76 minutes and scored 3 points. We also discuss the only two five-OT games: Dolph Schayes leading Syracuse past Anderson (Ind.) 125-123 in the newly merged NBA's first season in 1949, and Dale Ellis scoring 53 points for Seattle in a 155-154 loss to Milwaukee.
We also look at a 1953 Boston-Syracuse battle with Bob Cousy scoring 50 points, Bill Walton's first NBA game between Cleveland and Portland in 1974, Julius Erving with a career-best 63 for the Nets against the San Diego Conquistadors in 1975, Cleveland giving Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar everything they could handle in 1980, Fast Eddie Johnson coming through in the clutch for Atlanta vs. Seattle in 1982, Jim Paxson scoring 41 for Portland over the pre-Jordan Bulls in 1984, Joe Barry Carroll caring a lot for Golden State against New Jersey in 1987 and Phoenix (with Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson and Steve Nash) topping Isaiah Rider's Trail Blazers in 1997.
In addition, we discuss more recent four-overtime thrillers: Joe Johnson and the Hawks topping Millsap and the Jazz in 2012, and Detroit getting the better of Chicago in 2015.
We're at the point in the NBA season where we can't help daydream a little. So we're looking ahead a few months at what potential matchups we think would be most interesting in the NBA Finals, from likeliest to literally impossible, in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast.
Matt Rutkowski of The Step Back joins the program to look at the various storylines we'd expected in Cavaliers vs. Warriors Part 3 or LeBron James vs. Spurs Part 4: James chasing Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant in number of rings, Kevin Durant battling James in the Finals again, Golden State attempting to rebound from blowing a 3-1 lead, Steph Curry attempting to have a better Finals, and the Spurs proving they could win a championship without Tim Duncan.
We also look at storylines involving the Rockets (redemption for James Harden and Mike D'Antoni), the Raptors (Canada's team and the friendship of Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan), the Clippers (from loved to hated to loved?), the Jazz and Celtics (superstar-less crews) and the Thunder (Westbrook dominates all). Plus some scenarios that possibly bend the laws of time and/or space.
Miss this week’s episodes of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It’s ideal for weekend listening. This week we looked at 2017 NBA Draft prospects, the surging Washington Wizards, parity vs. mediocrity, and if the NBA needs to speed up its games.
First, host Jason Mann talks with Chris Stone about Markelle Fultz’s athleticism and complete offensive game, Josh Jackson’s outstanding wing defense but weird shooting motion, Lonzo Ball’s incredible court vision and why he is so fun to watch, and much more.
Next, Chris Barnewell joins the program to look at the distribution of NBA teams in tiers in 2017, finding major changes in the number of teams between .501 and .600 winning percentages and between .301 and .400 from a season ago. We contrast those numbers with averages for the past five years and see if we find any patterns.
Then, Jen Julie Smith of WizOfAwes.com joins the show to talk what explains the Wizards’ turnaround, how John Wall and Bradley Beal are gelling on the court, Otto Porter having a career season, and more.
And finally Ian Levy, editor in chief of The Step Back, joins the show to talk about whether crunch time is really that much of a drag and examine some proposals that might speed up the NBA.
We discuss the seemingly realistic possibility of Carmelo Anthony being traded by the New York Knicks and the top three Eastern Conference teams being subpar on defense in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Jared Dubin, host of the Locked on Knicks podcast, joins the program to talk about signals that Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade clause and that Phil Jackson is willing to trade him, looking at the trade possibilities with the Los Angeles Clippers, whether the Knicks are better without Anthony no matter the return, why other rumored deals to Boston and Cleveland aren't likely, how bad the Knicks have been at trades and free agency during the Melo era, and what is Anthony's legacy in New York.
We also talk about Jared's recent piece at The Step Back about how Boston, Cleveland and Toronto, the top three teams in the East, are struggling on defense. We discuss how much the Cavaliers really need a playmaker (as requested by LeBron James), how unprecedented it would be for the top three teams in a conference to finish below average in defense, how Cleveland is allowing more wide-open looks, and how Boston's rebounding has cratered since acquiring Al Horford.
The Washington Wizards have quickly gone from what looked like another lost season to contending for the upper half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. We examine why on the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast.
Jen Julie Smith of WizOfAwes.com joins the show to talk what explains the Wizards' turnaround, how John Wall and Bradley Beal are gelling on the court, Otto Porter having a career season and sparking the team with his shooting and cutting, Kelly Oubre breaking out over the past month, what Scott Brooks is doing differently than Randy Whitman, and how Markieff Morris is fitting in.
We also discuss what was up with the all-black funeral clothing vs. the Boston Celtics and what the Wizards' needs might be before the trade deadline.
Is the NBA plagued by mediocrity? We look at parity in the league this year compared to recent seasons and if NBA teams are clustered in an abnormal way in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Chris Barnewell joins the program to look at the distribution of NBA teams in tiers in 2017, finding major changes in the number of teams between .501 and .600 winning percentages and between .301 and .400 from a season ago. We contrast those numbers with averages for the past five years and see if we find any patterns. We talk about the race for the Western Conference No. 8 seed and decide whether Denver, Portland, New Orleans, Sacramento, Minnesota or Dallas has the best chance to make the playoffs. We also discuss who we think is most likely to emerge from the morass of the Eastern Conference, between Washington, Charlotte, Indiana, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and New York.
We also talk about Chris' recent article on Elfrid Payton (http://fansided.com/2017/01/23/elfrid-payton-orlando-magic-wins/), how much better the Magic are when he plays well, and how much he can help Aaron Gordon develop as well.
We take an early look at some of the top potential 2017 NBA Draft prospects, including Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball, in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Chris Stone, who covers the NBA Draft for The Step Back, joins the show to talk about Markelle Fultz's athleticism and complete offensive game, Josh Jackson's outstanding wing defense but weird shooting motion, Dennis Smith Jr.'s explosive ability in transition, Jayson Tatum's shot-creating talent but lack of efficiency, Jonathan Isaac's tantalizing size, Lonzo Ball's incredible court vision and why he is so fun to watch, once-top prospect Harry Giles' recovery from multiple injuries, Malik Monk's shot-making ability, and De'Aaron Fox's explosiveness.
If your NBA team is looking more like a lottery dweller than a playoff contender, this is an episode you'll definitely want to check out. We also discuss when the best upcoming games will be to catch some of these players in action.
Check out Chris's latest 2017 NBA Mock Draft: http://fansided.com/2017/01/19/nba-mock-draft-2017-week-11/ and the Step Back's 2017 NBA Draft Big Board v.2.0: http://fansided.com/2017/01/16/2017-nba-draft-big-board-v2-0/
We look at whether the NBA needs to speed up the game, pros and cons of various solutions, and whether those darned millennials are to blame in the latest episode of The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Ian Levy, editor in chief of The Step Back, joins the show to examine some proposals that might speed up the NBA: having fewer timeouts, limiting the length of timeouts, making the NBA's rules similar to FIBA's, letting players shoot one free throw worth two or three points, limiting video reviews, getting rid of the NBA's clear path rule, and more. We also discuss possible drawbacks, like eliminating natural breaks in the action for players to rest and fans to have a respite.
We also look at the NBA's change from 100 percent fan voting to splitting it among fans, players and media. We consider whether Hall of Fame voters use all-star appearances at all in their criteria and consider Joe Johnson as a possible test case for the future.
Miss this week’s episodes of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review, a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It’s ideal for weekend listening.
First, host Jason Mann discusses the New York Knicks’ recent struggles, including Derrick Rose’s no-call-no-show, Carmelo Anthony’s frustrations, a lackluster defense, and the usual New York media circus with James Marceda of NBA Injury Report.
Then, we look at who was voted in as NBA All-Star starters, who was snubbed, the oddest voting choices by players and media, and picked our All-Star reserves with Keith Parish of Fastbreak Breakfast.
We discuss how Western Conference NBA teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections, how Chris Paul’s injury affects the Clippers’ forecast and how the Warriors have coasted despite fit issues with Steph Curry and Kevin Durant.
Finally we look at Paul Millsap and NBA craftsmen who we view as underappreciated for their on-court value, aesthetic appeal or how they’ve developed their games with David Ramil of the Locked on Heat podcast.
We look at who was voted in as NBA All-Star starters, who was snubbed and the oddest voting choices by players and media in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Keith Parish of Fastbreak Breakfast joins us to discuss whether the All-Star voting results were just, Stephen Curry finishing ahead of Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and Kyrie Irving finishing ahead of Kyle Lowry, how the players and media actually came to similar conclusions, the biggest oddities in media and player voting, the surprising players who received no All-Star votes, and how annoying it might have been for some NBA players to participate.
We also discuss our selections for the NBA All-Star reserves, whether Joel Embiid has played enough minutes to warrant selection, the case for Paul Millsap ahead of Paul George, whether Klay Thompson is playing well enough, Nikola Jokic by the numbers, the glut of big men in the West, and whether any teams will have too many or too few All-Stars.
We continue our discussion of how Western Conference NBA teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections in the latest episode of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Nothing But Nylon host Kevin Ferrigan joins the show for part two of our discussion, this time looking at teams who are meeting or are falling short of preseason expectations. We look at the Warriors, who still have things to figure out yet could seemingly coast to 70 wins, and how Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are meshing.
We also discuss how little seems to change around the Kings and DeMarcus Cousins despite a rotating cast of players and coaches, how the Nuggets are building around Nikola Jokic and have a lot of players who seem useful to other teams, how the Timberwolves' defensive struggles shouldn't be a big surprise and wonder what happened to Brandon Knight for the Suns.
We also talk about why the Blazers can't cobble together a better defense, how injuries have held the Mavericks back and whether Dirk Nowitzki is finding his way again, and lament poor Anthony Davis' fate with the Pelicans.
We discuss how Western Conference NBA teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections and how Chris Paul's injury affects the Clippers' forecast in the latest episode of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Nothing But Nylon host Kevin Ferrigan joins the show for part one of a two-part discussion. We look at the up-and-down Clippers, how far they are likely to fall with Paul being out for 6 to 8 weeks, and whether they are capable of another playoff gear with Paul and Blake Griffin healthy. We also discuss teams that have outplayed their expectations so far, how James Harden has been maximized in Mike D'Antoni's system for the Rockets, how the Jazz might be just hitting the tip of the iceberg in their potential, how Russell Westbrook has carried the Thunder beyond triple-doubles, and whether Harden or Westbrook is a better MVP candidate so far.
We also discuss why the Grizzlies seem to outperform expectations every year, how the Spurs are continuing to thrive after Tim Duncan, whether San Antonio's stout defense will hold up in the playoffs and how the Lakers might not seem impressive on the court but seem to be building a strong culture.
Check out the Highly Plausible Win Projections: https://nyloncalculus.com/2016/09/27/highly-plausible-win-projections-2016-2017/
We look at the NBA players who we think are most underappreciated craftsmen in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
David Ramil of the Locked on Heat podcast joins the show to discuss his recent article on Paul Millsap, how he's evolved from a role player to an all-NBA player late in his career, how he deflects the spotlight and how he continues to thrive despite continuous trade rumors.
We also look at other players who we view as underappreciated for their on-court value, aesthetic appeal or how they've developed their games. We discuss Jae Crowder's evolution as a player, Al Horford's poise and ability to facilitate, how Nicolas Batum has tried to emulate Scottie Pippen, George Hill's adaptability and defensive chops, Mike Conley's pick-and-roll craft and smart decision making, Andre Roberson filling in the gaps for the Thunder, and Blake Griffin evolving from a dunk artist to a complete player.
Check out David's article on Paul Millsap: http://fansided.com/2017/01/12/paul-millsap-labors-on/
We discuss the New York Knicks' recent struggles, including Derrick Rose's no-call no-show, Carmelo Anthony's frustrations, a lackluster defense, and the usual New York media circus in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
James Marceda of NBA Injury Report joins the show to talk about Rose's difficulty understanding how his actions are harmful to others, Kristaps Porzingis still providing the Knicks with hope, Carmelo Anthony showing signs of decline, Phil Jackson's passive-aggressive jabs at Anthony, whether Joakim Noah is still salvagable, why the Knicks' defense has been so bad, and if there's a chance the Knicks can put together a great team anytime soon.
We also discuss whether the Knicks would be better off without Anthony even if they received nothing in return and if Jackson should remain as general manager just because of the fear his replacement would be worse.
Miss this week’s episodes of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review, a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It’s perfect for weekend listening.
First, we look at how Eastern Conference teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections with Nothing But Nylon host Kevin Ferrigan. We look at which Eastern Conference teams are better than projected, about where they were expected to be, or are worse than expected.
Then we discuss how wonderful Nikola Jokic is to watch, the NBA being in a period of experimentation, the unicorns of the league, and why the Denver Nuggets can’t seem to get it together with Adam Mares of Denver Stiffs.
We talk about where the Atlanta Hawks are two years since five players were named Eastern Conference Player of the Month, amid a 19-game winning streak and a 60-win season, with Brad Rowland of Peachtree Hoops and Locked on Hawks.
And we conclude with Rich Kraetsch of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast discussing what the NBA’s 36-and-older players are up to so far this season — which ones are contributing, which ones are holding on, and which ones are keeping the bench warm.
We discuss how wonderful Nikola Jokic is to watch, the NBA is in a period of experimentation, the unicorns of the league, and why the Denver Nuggets can't seem to get it together in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Adam Mares of Denver Stiffs joins the show to talk about when he first realized Jokic was special, his ambitious passing, how the Nuggets have begun to play through him more, how much his lack of foot speed limits his ceiling, thinking about the NBA in terms of evolution, and what other players besides Jokic could be called unicorns (including Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and historical players like Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor).
We also discuss how the Nuggets have performed this season, Emmanuel Mudiay's struggles in year two, why they seem to have good individual players but not a winning team, whether it makes more sense to buy or sell at the trade deadline, what to make of Jamal Murray's rookie season, and how Jusuf Nurkic fits in.
We continue our look at how Eastern Conference NBA teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections in the latest episode of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Nothing But Nylon host Kevin Ferrigan joins the program for part two of the discussion. This time we're looking at Eastern Conference teams who have largely disappointed this season: the Pistons, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Heat and Nets.
We look at how the Pistons have flatlined since Reggie Jackson's return, whether Andre Drummond has been a disappointment, why Derrick Rose is still a drag despite better box-score stats, Aaron Gordon being in a bad position, Joel Embiid being fun and awaiting Ben Simmons, the Heat having a lost season, and the Nets being at the bottom of a ladder they want to climb.
We look at how Eastern Conference NBA teams are faring compared to their preseason win projections in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Nothing But Nylon host Kevin Ferrigan joins the program for part one of a two-part discussion on which Eastern Conference teams are better than projected, about where they were expected to be, or are worse than expected. We discuss how seriously the Cavs are taking the regular season, how the Big Three are fitting together, whether the Bucks could make a dangerous playoff team, Giannis Antetokounmpo's rise to stardom, how Jimmy Butler has boosted the Bulls, how the Raptors have flattened out after a torrid start, and how the Celtics have fit their pieces together.
We also discuss how the Hornets continue to keep chugging along with Kemba Walker, how Myles Turner has helped keep the Pacers competitive, and why the Wizards haven't been better despite strong play from John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Otto Porter. In part two, coming Thursday, we will discuss the Pistons, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Heat and Nets.
We look at what the NBA's 36-and-older players are up to so far this season -- which ones are contributing, which ones are holding on, and which ones are keeping the bench warm in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Rich Kraetsch of the Over and Back Classic NBA Podcast joins the show to discuss how Pau Gasol is fitting into the Spurs, how Jamal Crawford is still a marvel, how Matt Barnes speaks to DeMarcus Cousins, how Vince Carter has evolved from his superstar days, and how Dirk Nowitzki is looking creaky so far this season.
We also talk about Richard Jefferson keeping his career going with the Cavs, Manu Ginobili still doing Manu things, Jason Terry keeping his youthful energy, David West playing less than expected for Golden State, the newest Hawk Mike Dunleavy, how likely is it Paul Pierce will hit a big game-winner in the playoffs, and also discuss Luis Scola, Udonis Haslem, James Jones, Nick Collison, Metta World Peace, Chris Anderson and Mike Miller.
It's been exactly two years since five Atlanta Hawks players were named Eastern Conference Player of the Month, amid a 19-game winning streak and a 60-win season, the best in Atlanta's NBA history. Now four of those Hawks are gone, with a fifth rumored to be on the trading block. We look at what the Hawks do from here, whether it is retooling or a full rebuild.
Brad Rowland of Peachtree Hoops and Locked on Hawks joins the show to discuss Kyle Korver being traded to Cleveland, how the Hawks have been up-and-down so far this season, how Dwight Howard has fit in with Atlanta both on and off the court, whether Dennis Schroder's strong month in a new role is sustainable, why Kent Bazemore has struggled so far this season, if Tim Hardaway Jr. has made enough progress to warrant keeping, possible partners in a Paul Millsap trade such as the Nuggets and Raptors, and whether any other Hawks trades are likely this season.
We also discuss how Mike Budenholzer has handled the dual role of coach and top personnel decision maker, and whether the 2014-15 Hawks will be long remembered for a special season or quickly forgotten because of playoff disappointments.
Miss this week’s episodes of The Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review, a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It’s perfect for weekend listening.
First, a Weekend Review exclusive with thoughts on all-star voting, Zaza Pachulia, Kevin Durant and what vote totals surprised us with host Jason Mann and Step Back contributors Trevor Magnotti and Jeff Siegel.
We discuss James Harden’s amazing 53-point triple-double and the impressive craftiness of his game, how 2016-17 is an even more potent year for offense, and how teams are more creatively using the pick-and-roll with Scott Rafferty, associate editor of The Step Back.
We look at the Los Angeles Lakers’ future, how their young building blocks are developing, and the possibility of a regime change with Daman Rangoola.
We talk about D-League players are most likely to get a look in the NBA as 10-day contract season begins with Chris Reichert, resident D-League expert and The Step Back associate editor.
We chat about the Dallas Mavericks at a crossroads, how Harrison Barnes has performed in a starring role, and what the end of Dirk Nowitzki’s career might look like with Kirk Henderson of Mavs Moneyball.
We look which at D-League players are most likely to get a look in the NBA as 10-day contract season begins in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Chris Reichert, resident D-League expert and The Step Back associate editor, joins the show to look at some how some of the top D-League prospects are performing and what skills they might bring to an NBA team. We discuss Briante Weber's defensive peskiness and energy, Ray McCallum's crafty finishing and ballhandling, Lamar Patterson's playmaking and versatility, Elijah Millsap's defensive chops and readiness, Jalen Jones' length and fluidity, Anthony Brown's 3-and-D tools, Cory Jefferson becoming a stretch 4 option, and Keith Benson's shot-blocking and increased shooting range.
We also discuss other top D-League prospects and the merits of pineapple as a pizza topping.
We discuss the Dallas Mavericks at a crossroads, how Harrison Barnes has performed in a starring role, and what the end of Dirk Nowitzki's career might look like in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Kirk Henderson of Mavs Moneyball joins the show to talk about the Mavs being in an unfamiliar potential rebuilding position, how the team had treaded water in December and whether it can get into the playoff hunt in January, how Rick Carlisle has changed his coaching mentality, what Barnes has shown so far as the Mavericks' major free agent signing, Barnes' strong midrange shooting, what Wes Matthews has contributed, and how injuries to Nowitzki and other key veterans like Andrew Bogut, Devin Harris and J.J. Barea have hurt Dallas.
We also look at the development of Dwight Powell and Justin Anderson, how undrafted rookie Dorian Finney-Smith has made his mark, Seth Curry finding a niche on offense, Pierre Jackson getting a call-up from the D-League, and whether the Mavericks' regime is ready for a rebuild.
We discuss James Harden's amazing 53-point triple-double and the impressive craftiness of his game, how 2016-17 is an even more potent year for offense, and how teams are more creatively using the pick-and-roll in the latest edition of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Scott Rafferty, associate editor of The Step Back, joins the show to talk about Harden's historic game, what makes him such an effective isolation scorer, how his impressive crossover keeps defenders off balance, how he manages to find the advantage despite lacking overpowering speed, how his style contrasts with Russell Westbrook, and how Harden, Westbrook and former Thunder teammate Kevin Durant are all thriving individually in ways they may not have been able to if they were still together.
We also discuss how NBA teams are adapting the pick-and-roll to make it less predictable, some of the popular variations, and how the changes in the NBA over the past decade have led to fewer pure specialists in the league. We also talk about how offense, pace and 3-pointers have increased dramatically in recent years and whether there's a point where the balance of the game shifts too much to the offense's advantage.
Check out Scott's recent articles on creative ways teams are using the pick-and-roll (http://fansided.com/2016/12/21/nba-pick-and-roll-variations-ways/) and James Harden's killer crossover (http://fansided.com/2016/12/28/james-harden-crossover-breakdown/).
We look at the Los Angeles Lakers' future, how their young building blocks are developing, and the possibility of a regime change in the latest episode of The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Daman Rangoola, contributor to Silver Screen and Roll and writer for 16 Wins A Ring, joins us to discuss how the Lakers have faltered after a promising start, Luke Walton's growing pains as a new coach, why no Lakers player averages more than 30 minutes per game, and finding hope in Brandon Ingram's promise despite a rough statistical start
We also talk about how D'Angelo Russell has and hasn't grown from last year, Julius Randle bringing toughness and versatility to the team, how Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson fit in, Lou Williams and Nick Young having bounce-back seasons, and what free agent signees Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov are contributing.
We also discuss whether it is time for new leadership atop the Lakers, Jim Buss’ deadline for bringing the Lakers back to success or resigning as executive vice president, his track record as top basketball decision-maker, the end of Jeannie Buss and Phil Jackson's relationship, and more.
Miss this week's episodes of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA podcast? Catch up with the Weekend Review, a compilation of what we talked about during the week. It's perfect for weekend listening.
We talked about the lessons we learned from the Cavaliers vs. Warriors Christmas Day classic with Trevor Magnotti.
We chat about missing last year’s more carefree Steph Curry and how he and the Golden State Warriors have changed from last year with Grant Hughes.
We dig into Rogue One, compare the Warriors vs. Cavs rivalry to the Star Wars movies, and decide which Star Wars characters are the most comparable to various NBA players with Chris Manning.
We discussed the debate over strategic resting in the NBA, if disappointed fans have a point, and what can be done to keep players healthy with Bryan Toporek.
We share a New Year’s resolution for each of the 30 NBA teams with Brendon Kleen.
We share a New Year's resolution for each of the 30 NBA teams in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
We are joined by Brendon Kleen, co-editor of Pelican Debrief, to look at what we think every NBA team could use in the upcoming year. We talk about the Pelicans needing a third star, the Suns needing to play their youngsters, letting Russell Westbrook be Westbrook, figuring out what's wrong with Reggie Jackson, letting the Warriors run wild and free, figuring out how Jabari Parker can fit seamlessly with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and whether the Cavs should ease up or stay intense.
We also discuss how the Clippers can get their mojo back, what the Hawks need to figure out, the Nuggets building around Nikola Jokic, the Kings being normal, the Wolves having patience, the Raptors going for it, the Spurs getting a little weird, the Knicks playing Kristaps Porzingis at center, the Pacers keeping taps on Paul George's mood, and much more.
Check out Brendon's full article on NBA New Year's resolutions (with lots more than we had time to cover in our conversation): http://fansided.com/2016/12/30/nba-new-years-resolutions/
We talk about missing last year's more carefree Steph Curry and how he and the Golden State Warriors have changed from last year in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Grant Hughes, featured columnist at the Bleacher Report and contributor to The Step Back, joins the show to discuss whether Curry has lost his swagger, how his play has changed from last season, a reduction in 3-point shooting and 40-plus point games, how Curry has shifted his game to accommodate Kevin Durant, whether there's any difference in his range, and whether anyone could hope to repeat one of the greatest offensive seasons in NBA history.
We also discuss the issues of Curry not handling the ball as much in pick-and-roll sets, whether his defensive limitations are a huge deal and how, despite some angst over the Warriors' style of play, they have had one of the best starts in NBA history and a historically great offense and stout defense.
We discuss Rogue One, compare the Warriors vs. Cavs rivalry to the Star Wars movies, and talk about the loss of Carrie Fisher in the latest episode of The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Chris Manning of the Locked on Cavs podcast joins to discuss what we thought of the newest Star Wars movie, how Rogue One was similar and different to other films in the series, what we thought of the characterizations and performances, how Rogue One demonstrated the costs of war and emotional weight of violence, the benefits of seeing the trailer or going in cold, what we liked and disliked about seeing other familiar past characters, and where we'd each rank Rogue One among the entire series.
We also discuss how the 2015 and 2016 Finals are similar to Rogue One and A New Hope, how LeBron James compares to Darth Vader, how the Warriors signing Kevin Durant is like building a new Death Star, and we decide which Star Wars characters are the most comparable to various Warriors and Cavs players.
We discuss the lessons we learned from the Cavaliers vs. Warriors Christmas Day classic in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Trevor Magnotti of The Step Back and Fear The Sword joins to discuss how the Warriors blew a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, whether the Cavs and LeBron James are in the Warriors' heads, Kyrie Irving leading the charge in the final minutes, whether Steph Curry needs the ball more often, how Curry has deferred to Kevin Durant so far, if we learned anything from this game, Draymond Green keeping his emotions in check, how Kevin Love is thriving so far this year, both teams relying on old dudes, and more.
We also discuss a few lessons from the other Christmas Day games: Carmelo Anthony looking a step slower for the Knicks, Al Horford fitting in with the Celtics, LaMarcus Aldridge helping keep the Spurs as they are, Karl-Anthony Towns' footwork and physicality on offense, and the young Lakers earning a much-needed win over a short-handed Clippers.
We discuss the debate over strategic resting in the NBA, if disappointed fans have a point, and what can be done to keep players healthy in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
We are joined by Bryan Toporek of The Step Back and The NBA Podcast to discuss how we can understand the value of strategic resting, admire the NBA's past iron men and sympathize with fans who miss stars play, all at once. We look at Adam Silver's recent comments on the issue, whether it would be better if teams rested their players at home, how the NBA has dealt with the issue of teams resting healthy players in the past and whether it is more rare for stars to play 82 games.
We also discuss the NBA's efforts to reduce travel and wear and tear, what we know about how these changes have reduced injuries, and whether reducing the schedule from 82 games could practically happen.
Miss this week's episodes of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast? Catch up on your podcast listening with the Weekend Review, a compilation of the best of each show.
Jason Mann chats with Keith Parish of Fastbreak Breakfast about the unlikely origins and achievements of the Grit-and-Grind-era Memphis Grizzlies, talks about NBA players who have pleasantly surprised us this season (including Marc Gasol, Rudy Gobert, Terrence Ross, Otto Porter, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kemba Walker, Avery Bradley and Harrison Barnes) with The Step Back editor-in-chief Ian Levy, discusses the disappointing Portland Trail Blazers and our favorite Star Trek movies with Corbin Smith of the Take It or Break It! podcast, and finally looks at the conversation surrounding DeMarcus Cousins and how the modern media environment shapes our views on NBA players with Alexandra Clarke, co-host of The Replay with El and Al.
Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonMannOhioan and find the Day-to-Day NBA Podcast at The Step Back powered by Fansided.
Amid recent controversies surrounding DeMarcus Cousins, we look at how polarizing the conversation around him can be and how the modern media environment influences our views on NBA players on the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
With guest Alexandra Clarke of The Replay with El and Al podcast, we look at how Cousins is beloved in some circles for his personality and condemned in others for his temperament, having sympathy for how athletes are forced to be under the microscope, how every new Cousins story is filtered through a dysfunctional situation in Sacramentoand how aggregation and social media can distort more in-depth work.
We also look at changes in the media landscape and how we consume the NBA, the joys of Instagram, and how we get stuck in our bubbles in sports just like in politics.
We look at the disappointing Portland Trail Blazers and our favorite Star Trek movies on the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
Corbin Smith of the Take it or Break it! podcast joins the show to talk about why the Blazers have been so awful on defense, how Evan Turner has looked so far, whether Blazers fans are required to like Damien Lillard's music, if CJ McCollum should be traded, similarities to the Suns of a few years ago, what we really know about Terry Stotts, and what our favorite Star Trek movies are.
We look at the NBA players who have shown new skills or improved their play this season on the latest edition of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
With guest Ian Levy, editor in chief of The Step Back, we discuss Marc Gasol's clutch 3-point shooting for the Grizzlies, Rudy Gobert's uptick in scoring for the Jazz, Terrence Ross posting career-highs for the Raptors, Otto Porter's improved spot-up shooting for the Wizards, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope holding together the Pistons' perimeter defense, Kemba Walker shooting more off the dribble for the Hornets, Avery Bradley's historic rebounding numbers for the Celtics, and Harrison Barnes becoming a go-to scorer for the Mavericks.
We also consider the morass that is the Eastern Conference, who we think might emerge as the third-best team, and which of these great starts seems sustainable and which might come down to earth.
We discuss the unlikely birth of the Grit and Grind era and how the Memphis Grizzlies keep outperforming expectations and bucking trends on the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann.
We are joined by Keith Parish of the Fastbreak Breakfast NBA podcast to look how Memphis has managed to stay competitive despite lacking a top-tier superstar, how they are among a rare set of teams who have been this consistently good but not made the NBA Finals, how the Grizzlies core (Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen) almost came together by accident, how the franchise has dealt with ownership and executive dysfunction, and how with a hopefully healthy Chandler Parsons the team has possibly its best shot to make it deep into the playoffs.
Miss the first week of episodes of The Step Back's new Day-to-Day NBA Podcast? Catch up on your podcast listening with the Weekend Review, a compilation of the best of all five shows.
Jason Mann talks to James Holas about the NBA debates we are sick of hearing about, discusses LeBron James and the Cavs having fun with Chris Manning, talks to Andrew Tobolowsky about a duel between Tracy McGrady and Dirk Nowitzki in 2004 and their career paths hence, considers Jimmy Butler's unusual road to becoming a superstar with Rich Kraetsch, and hosts the first edition of Hoop Quiz with Philip Rossman-Reich and David Ramil, including discussion of the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat rivalry.
Follow Jason on Twitter @JasonMannOhioan and find the Day-to-Day NBA Podcast at The Step Back powered by Fansided.
This is the first edition of Hoop Quiz, a new NBA trivia game show on The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast that pits two challengers in a battle for trivial supremacy.
It's David Ramil (@dramil13), co-host of the Locked on Heat podcast, taking on Philip Rossman-Reich (@philrsquared), editor of Orlando Magic Daily and host of Locked on Magic. Before we get to the trivia, we discuss what's been enjoyable about the Heat and Magic this year, Derrick Williams at a crossroads in his career, how NBA big men are evolving in the pace-and-space era, and why the Heat and Magic have really never had a notable rivalry outside of Florida.
How Jimmy Butler has taken another leap to become a top 10 NBA player and how rare it is for a role player to become a superstar is the subject of the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast.
Jason Mann is joined by his Over and Back co-host Rich Kraetsch to look at how the new-look Chicago Bulls are playing so far this year, how much Butler has improved in his sixth season, taking a larger offensive and corresponding with major improvements in scoring, rebound and efficiency. We talk about how unusual it is for a player like Butler to make such a leap in his career and compare his path to Reggie Lewis and John Havlicek.
We also discuss how Butler is known for rigorous offseason skill development, how he stands out in self-discipline and hearing hard truths, how hard it might be for a late bloomer to assume a leadership role, and how Dwyane Wade coming to the Bulls might be making as big and off-court difference as it does on the court. We also look at how sustainable we think the Bulls' success so far can be.
It's story time at The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, and Andrew Tobolowsky joins to discuss his recent article at The Step Back, “Tracy McGrady and the things that last,” looking at a classic overtime duel between McGrady (48 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists) and Dirk Nowitzki (53 points and 16 rebounds) on Dec. 2, 2004.
He and host Jason Mann discuss what inspired this article, where McGrady (age 25) and Nowitzki (26) were in their respective careers, McGrady's first season with Yao Ming in Houston and the unfulfilled promise of that duo, Nowitzki's first season in Dallas without Steve Nash and transitioning to a new era, how wide open the West seemed in 2004-05 with the Lakers' dynasty split up, how McGrady stacked up with Kobe Bryant at the time, McGrady's amazing ability as a shot maker and versatility, and how Nowitzki's game aged remarkably even as he slowed down athletically.
We also discuss the difference between watching T-Mac burn out and Dirk fade away, how difficult it was to see a diminished version of Bryant over the last three years of his career, how his 60-point final game erases some of the sadness, and how ideally we'd like to see Nowitzki go out in Dallas.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be having a lot more fun than they were a year ago. We discuss how much has changed on the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann, with guest Chris Manning (@cwmwrites), host of Locked on Cavaliers and writer for Fear The Sword.
We discuss the bad vibes that seemed to surround the Cavs before they won the championship in 2016, how the pressures on a team change once you win a championship, how the Big Three (James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving) are jelling so far this season, what can be learned from a regular season in which the Cavs don't seem to face much challenge in the East, whether there's anything to be concerned about, and how LeBron is somewhat oddly being overlooked in MVP conversation despite averaging career-high assist and rebounding numbers.
We also look at some of the Cavs' antics this season, how James was sometimes criticized in his first go-round in Cleveland for elaborate pre-game dance routines, wonder what it might be like to be LeBron's teammate and whether goofing around is helpful, not helpful or irrelevant toward the goal of winning a championship.
The inaugural episode of the Step Back’s Day-to-Day NBA Podcast hosted by Jason Mann looks at NBA debates that we are tired of having with special guest James Holas (@JHolasHoops) of PressBasketball.com and Bballbreakdown.com.
Whether both sides are immovable or there's nothing new to add to the discussion, we go through some of the debates we'd most like to see retired, including: parsing Daymond Green's kicks, Russell Westbrook and the "right way" to play point guard, whether Sam Hinkie's "Trust the Process" plan was good or bad for the NBA, anything comparing the greatness of Kobe Bryant or LeBron James or Michael Jordan, who the fourth-best point guard in the NBA might be (usually between Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Kyle Lowry and Damian Lillard), and whether a hot dog is indeed a sandwich.
We also consider whether there's still value in any of these discussions and look at players who might be flash points for future intractable arguments, including Andrew Wiggins and DeMar Derozan.