Join Coach Nick, the brains behind some of the best video analysis of the NBA, as he welcomes guests from all facets of basketball for in depth discussions on everything from how your favorite team is running their offense, to the latest trade rumors, to cutting edge training techniques, and new fundamentals of basketball being developed daily.
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Coach Nick welcomes on the show Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to discuss how he created the offense that unlocked Steph Curry's greatness, plus key insights into his own shooting that led Kerr to be one of the best shooters of his generation.
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BBallBreakdown is devoted to deep-dive analysis of NBA basketball gameplay. If you're a coach or a player, check out the MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP - filled with an ever growing library of on court demos designed to help you improve your play and your coaching! Giving fans a taste of a pro coach's film session, host Coach Nick breaks down fundamentals, play calling, offense, defense, shooting form, officiating, and everything else basketball. In addition, see exclusive interviews with NBA players and coaches, from active super stars to retired legends.
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Tune into the latest episode of the BBALL BREAKDOWN Podcast with Coach Nick and Combo, as they discuss the most important aspect to the modern game: distance shooting. If you want to improve your knowledge of shooting and your jump shot itself, this will be a must listen!
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Tune into the latest episode of the BBALL BREAKDOWN Podcast with Coach Nick and Combo, as they unpack everything from Summer League and spotlight French phenom Victor Wembanyama.
The the BBALL BREAKDOWN Podcast is powered by FanDuel Sportsbook!:
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Join Coach Nick and Combo to discuss the latest trades in the NBA, including how Chris Paul will fit with Golden State and the state of the Celtics right now.
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Join Coach Nick and Combo as they spotlight top draft prospects such as Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson and more top prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft. Expect an insider's take full of deep analysis, expert insights, and compelling predictions. Don't miss this thrilling exploration of the NBA's future talent! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Denver Nuggets are officially 2023 NBA Champions. Join Coach Nick and Combo as they break down this series and answer all your questions... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Coach Nick and Combo give their immediate reaction to Game 3, including how Christian Braun's effect on the game broke the score wide open. Is Jimmy Butler injured? Can the Heat find what works so well in their offense again? Or has the tide turned in favor of Nikola Jokic's dominance? Check out Factor at factormeals.com/bball50 and save 50% off your first box! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Coach Nick and Andrew "Combo" Salop discuss Donovan Mitchell's 71 points and how it was enabled by a blown call at the end of regulation. They also dive into the strategy of fouling when up by 3 at the end of games, before figuring out who the best bet is to get an 80 piece.
Coach Nick and Andrew "Combo" Salop break down the latest news in the NBA as well as take questions live from the audience. How can the Knicks get a deal for Mitchell? Why we deserve to see Durant, Irving, and Simmons on the floor together, plus LOTS more.
Coach Nick and Andrew "Combo" Salop break down the latest news in the NBA as well as take questions live from the audience. How can the Knicks get a deal for Mitchell? Why we deserve to see Durant, Irving, and Simmons on the floor together, plus LOTS more.
Coach Nick and Combo discuss the rumors of a trade between the Celtics and Nets involving Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown. They welcome Jared Weiss, NBA Writer for The Athletic, for even more insider info.
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Coach Nick and Combo discuss the rumors of a trade between the Celtics and Nets involving Kevin Durant and Jaylen Brown. They welcome Jared Weiss, NBA Writer for The Athletic, for even more insider info.
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Coach Nick welcomes Lakers beat writer for The Athletic Jovan Buha to discuss the latest in the saga that surrounds Russell Westbrook and whether Rob Pelinka wants to trade him. They discuss possible destinations and how the Lakers would look with different pieces around an aging LeBron James.
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Coach Nick and Combo discuss the top 5 picks of the draft, plus a few other players who were picked later and how they'll all fit into their respective teams.
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Coach Nick and Combo broke down what happened on the court that led the Warriors to build a couple of big leads, and the Celtics to keep coming back until they won going away.
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Coach Nick and Combo have a great discussion on the final 2 series left and take callers' questions.
Coach Nick and Combo chopped it up about how the Suns might have found a new way to roast the Mavericks defense, why DeAndre Jordan wasn't as bad in Game 1 as people think, plus a host of other questions from the audience.
Coach Nick welcomes on the show former NBA assistant coach Phil Weber to discuss his new book titled: "How Do You Make Them Thirsty? A Roadmap For Developing The Potential In Others"
Coach Nick welcomes on the show Eric Pincus, resident expert on all things NBA Salary Cap and writer for Bleacher Report, to discuss a cool way to get your foot in the door with NBA teams. Plus, Combo joins to discuss all the first round matchups.
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Coach Nick and Andrew "Combo" Solop discuss the return of AD to the Lakers, trade deadline, Grayson Allen's flagrant foul, and more!
Join Coach Nick and Andrew "Combo" Solis as they discuss what happened in the meeting between the Sixers front office and the Ben Simmons camp, plus whether or not there's a deal for the Grizzlies to upgrade their status, and can Russell Westbrook figure it out alongside LeBron and the Lakers.
Coach Nick welcomes on the show Ben Guest, author of "Zen and the Art of Coaching Basketball," who recounts his journey seeing the ineffectiveness of traditional coaching techniques and rapidly evolving into a more modern approach that yielded infinitely better results for both him and the team.
Coach Nick welcomes on the show Andrew "Combo" Salop to discuss the Warriors vs Suns, Knicks vs Nets, and then how the Cavaliers are surprising people with a ROY candidate and 3 seven footers in their lineup.
It's a new season! Coach Nick hosted his live show on YouTube immediately after the game, offering up real time analysis of everything that went on during the Bucks Nets game, and then the Lakers Warriors thriller in the night cap. Is Russell Westbrook going to play better? Does Giannis with a jump shot mean he'll be the GOAT?
Coach Nick dissects all the issues of why Ben Simmons want out of Philadelphia so badly. As part of his bi-weekly Green Room show, callers weigh in as well in a great conversation over the true value of this very unique player.
Coach Nick hosts his bi-weekly Green Room show, welcoming guests to chop it up on everything going on in the NBA. He discusses LaMelo Ball's trajectory, LeBron's legacy, what the Kings are doing, and lots more in this free flowing conversation. You In?
Join Coach Nick as he hosted a live post game show immediately after Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Suns and the Bucks. He goes through the triumphant return of Giannis and how he looked on his injured knee, plus discusses the impact Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul had on the court.
As part of his weekly Green Room show, Coach Nick dives into the Suns vs Bucks series, plus discusses a wide range of NBA topics including free agency moves and why Giannis probably shouldn't play in the Finals.
As part of his live show on the app Locker Room, Coach Nick breaks down the ways Steph Curry gets open and what defenses can do to stop it. He also goes in-depth with guests to discuss the play in tournaments for both conferences.
Coach Nick hosts his bi-weekly show on Locker Room, where you can join LIVE at 9AM PST on Sundays and 11AM PST on Wednesdays to discuss the latest around the NBA.
In this episode, he discusses how Nikola Vucevic fits in with the Bulls, as well as how Andre Drummond helps his next team and how LaMarcus Aldridge will fare in Brooklyn. Plus, he offers his thoughts on the coaching methods employed this season's Last Chance U.
Join Coach Nick as he hosts his Locker Room show live every Wednesday at 11AM PST - he breaks down the Pelicans melt down from last night, welcomes Sam Esfendiari to discuss the Warriors, and goes through a ton of questions on the NBA.
Coach Nick discusses all the things that have led to the Bucks having their worst record in 3 seasons. This is part of his live show on the Locker Room app, where you can call in and discuss the NBA directly -every Sunday at 9AM PST, and Wednesday at 11AM PST.
Coach Nick gets into a discussion about the rise of LaMelo Ball and how his father might have caused a negative backlash against his kids initially, and how that's been unfair to LaMelo -who is starting and flourishing.
Coach Nick is BACK! Powered by his new live radio show over on the Locker Room app, he breaks down in detail what the Philadelphia 76ers have been doing to get to first place in the Eastern Conference and whether we can expect this to continue. Call in to the show every Wednesday at 11AM PST and Sunday at 9AM PST, and you can appear as a guest on the podcast.
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Coach Nick's latest podcast breaks down LaMelo Ball's burgeoning game alongside Friend of the Breakdown Adam Stanco, and offers analysis on the Wizards issues as well as the beef between Trae Young and John Collins of the Hawks.
This was recorded via the Locker Room app - a live show produced every Wednesday and Sunday at 11AM PST.
Join Coach Nick as he hosts his bi-weekly call in show on the Locker Room app. He discusses the issues he sees with the Utah Jazz, welcomes Bright Side of the Suns' Dave King on to get in depth with how they've improved so much, and also the career trajectory of Shai Gilgeous Alexander.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic sit down to discuss this trade between multiple all star players and whether the deal benefits the Houston Rockets or the Washington Wizards.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic break down the moves made by the Los Angeles Lakers to bolster the cast around LeBron and AD, while the Clippers upgraded significantly with Serge Ibaka. The Bucks appeared to have settled their issues by replacing Eric Bledsoe with Jrue Holiday, but we're going to need to see it on the court first.
Join Coach Nick as he welcomes on a few guests while recording on the brand new Locker Room app. He went through a number of 1st round draft picks to weigh in on whether they were worthy of being picked that high. If you download Locker Room from the App Store, you can join in on the conversation as a listener as well as ask questions directly.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss break down 4 players they have their eye on that should get picked at the top of the draft: Deni Advija, Killian Hayes, Onyeka Okongwu, and Kira Lewis.
Coach Nick welcomes on the show Jeff Pearlman, author of Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty. Jeff relates his favorite parts of the book as well as gets into an in depth discussion on Kobe as a person.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic dive deep into the nuances of the Heat zone and what the Lakers are doing with Rondo and LeBron to take control of this series.
Coach Nick welcomes back on the show Jared Weiss, NBA Writer for The Athletic, to get into a deep discussion on the state of the Eastern Conference Finals as the Heat have staked themselves to a 2-1 lead through 3 games.
Coach Nick is joined by Brady Klopfer (SBNation) to discuss the Heat Bucks 2nd round series. Can the Bucks get back in it being down 2-0? They also discuss how Steve Nash will be as a coach now that he's taken the reigns of the Brooklyn Nets. And the Rockets got past OKC, so what does that mean for their chances against the Lakers?
Coach Nick welcomes back to the show Jared Weiss to discuss whether the Clippers have what it takes to win the title? Or is Luka going to spoil their party, even though the key Mavericks lineup has him on the bench?
USA Today NBA Reporter and Friend of the Breakdown Mark Medina joins Coach Nick to give us firsthand insight into what life inside the NBA Bubble is like in Orlando.
They also discuss how the different setting will affect the play, as well as how strict the bubble enforcement is and whether the players will 100% comply.
Coach Nick is back to discuss the return of the NBA after its hiatus due to Covid-19. Joined by SB Nation's Brady Klopfer, they discuss how teams will handle the new situation, what could happen if a player gets infected, and what the Lakers need to do to replace both Avery Bradley and Javale McGee.
The second you hear Beau's voice, you'll instantly recognize it as the long time highlights voiceover for all of NBA TV's and NBA.com's nightly highlight videos. Coach Nick and Beau discuss the Hawks, Lakers, and Clippers as well as the process of churning out such high quality content night after night.
Coach Nick is joined by The Athletic's Jared Weiss to discuss which teams they're excited about, and which teams they're not into at all. From the Clippers to the Sixers and everyone in between.
Coach Nick is joined by Jared Weiss of The Athletic to discuss why Vlade Divac is being inducted into the hall of fame - as a way ahead of his time ball handling center. They also discuss Russell Westbrook's off the court persona, and why 3 point percentage in the NBA isn't rising.
In another entertaining and informative off season discussion on the NBA, Coach Nick and Jared Weiss go back and forth about what it takes to get into the Hall Of Fame, defend the value of Julius Randle, and argue about whether the Brooklyn Nets are ready to leapfrog over the Boston Celtics this year.
Don't miss another triumphant return of Dave DuFour to the podcast, joining Coach Nick and Jared Weiss as they break down the twitter chicken feud between Popeye's and Wendy's (Chic-Fil-A won) as well as go around the league to discuss the Lakers center problem, the depth of the West, and more!
Dave DuFour jumps back into the pod to join Coach Nick and Jared Weiss to discuss a host of off season topics, including whether Derrick White and De'Aaron Fox are ready to make the leap into star level players, plus we discuss Jaren Jackson Jr's ceiling and the egregious traveling that might never go punished.
David Griffin, current Pelicans GM and former Cavaliers GM, discussed the ups and downs being the GM for LeBron in Cleveland with Sports Illustrated, and Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic delve into the issues.
Plus, they go over the marquee games of next season and who is the at the top of the East.
Another great LIVE show is in the books, as Coach Nick and The Athletic's Jared Weiss discuss how the Nets will look with Kyrie Irving on the floor, as well as a deep dive across the NBA to discuss a ton of other teams and moves, especially a great viewer question: Who are the most overrated and underrated teams?
Coach Nick welcomes on Friend Of The Breakdown Marc Skelton, the head coach at Fannie Lou Hamer High School in the Bronx. Not only has Marc won two New York City titles, he wrote an extraordinary book "Pounding The Rock", chronicling the 2016-17 season that overcame tremendous adversity both on and off the court to win the title. Rarely does a basketball coach have the ability to write prose like Skelton does, and it evokes authors like David Halberstam. A must read this summer for anybody into basketball.
When the blockbuster trade sending Russell Westbrook to the Rockets first went down, everyone raised an eyebrow. Now that we've processed what it means, Jared and I break down how we think it might work. Plus, who won the war of Free Agency Signings?
The aftershock of the LA Earthquake wasn't felt in the ground - it was Kawhi's decision to join the Clippers on the contingency they traded for Paul George. These things all fell into place in the middle of last night, and now it's time to figure out how good this team will be.
Coach Nick sits down with Celtic legend and radio analyst Cedric Maxwell to discuss the Kyrie situation and how it affected the Celtics last season. Rod Boone, Hornets beat writer for the Athletic, then joins Coach Nick to discuss Kemba Walker's game and how it potentially fits in with his new team.
It was an insane day of moves by over half the NBA, with surprises like Durant joining Kawhi in Brooklyn to Kemba Walker signing in Boston with all sorts of shockwaves and ripples in between. And after the dust settled the first day, we STILL don't know where Kawhi Leonard is going.
After Coach Nick's tweet about Tom Izzo losing his sh*t on freshman Aaron Henry during the NCAA Tournament this year went viral, he produced a mini documentary on the incident and brought in a number of experts in the field to discuss. Mark Bennett was one of them, and his experience as a British Commando and senior instructor within the Army Physical Training Corps influenced greatly how he developed his methods of communication.
He has transformed his nearly 30 years of practice and research into developing the Performance Development Systems (PDS); a robust set of principles that can facilitate world class learning and performance cultures and environments.
He currently works as a consultant, coach trainer and mentor with various professional and national sport organizations, teams and Universities around the world, as well as Schools and community sports to help transform the leadership capabilities of every coach and teacher that he comes in contact with. Put simply, Mark makes people better “influencers.”
Follow him @pdscoach and at PDScoach.com
Join Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic as they dissect the most of the picks in the first round as it was happening.
Coach Nick welcomes Friend Of The Breakdown Jeff Siegel of https://earlybirdrights.com to break down the complexities of the trade the New Orleans Pelicans just agreed to with the Los Angeles Lakers. The timing of when the trade goes down is crucial if the Lakers are going to maximize cap space and still have time to sign another big name. Jeff expertly breaks down the intricacies of the rules and why the Pelicans don't want to wait til July 30th to get this deal done.
Coach Nick is joined by Friends of the Breakdown Noah Coslov and Adam Stanco in a free wheeling discussion of the NBA Finals, the ramifications of KD's injury to Free Agency, where Kawhi might go, and how all the other dominos fall as we head into the NBA Draft.
Coach Nick brings in the big guns to discuss this trade from all sides - as Trevor Lane from the Lakers Nation podcast breaks it down from the Lakers perspective, Will Guillory of The Athletic gives us the Pelicans feelings, and Mike Vorkunov gives us insight into how the rest of the NBA will be affected. As always, Jared Weiss joins Coach Nick to weigh in as well.
On the last Live Post Game Show of the season 😢, Coach Nick and Jared Weiss break down how Game 6 unfolded and whether the Warriors should've gone for all the marbles on their last shot attempt. Plus, what does this mean for the Raptors future? Will Kawhi Leonard stay? Can they repeat?
There were a ton of storylines from tonight's game: KD's return, KD's injury, the lead the Warriors built, the deficit the Raptors almost erased, and lots more to go through as Coach Nick and Jared Weiss break it all down.
The Toronto Raptors did everything right in Game 3, as well as take advantage of a severely shorthanded Warriors team, and now have a commanding 2-1 lead and home court advantage. Jared Weiss of The Athletic joins Coach Nick to discuss the game and answer key questions from the audience during their live show immediately after the game.
Coach Nick visited with Eric Pincus and Josh Martin of the Hollywood Hoops podcast to discuss all things Lakers - why Magic had his epic meltdown, who actually runs the franchise, and can they make significant improvements for next year.
Friend of the Breakdown Nate Duncan, of the Dunc'd On Podcast, joins Coach Nick to lend his unique expertise to what happened in Game 2. Did the Warriors adjustment on defense guarding Kawhi have an affect? Was Nick Nurse smart to go to a gimmick defense down the stretch to defend Steph Curry? How will this series play out? All these questions and lots more are covered by Nate and Coach Nick.
Join Coach Nick on his live show as he welcomes Stefan from the wildly popular YouTube Channel Heat Check to discuss Paskal Siakam's incredible game, a bit of a meltdown from the Warriors, and what this means for the rest of the series (it should be a long one).
Coach Nick welcomes beat writers from both teams to get in depth on what the Raptors should expect heading into their first Finals ever, as Doug Smith of the Toronto Star weighs in.
Then Brady Klopfer from SBNation breaks down the Warriors chances, and illustrates some key points that might hurt them if DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Durant can't get back on the floor.
In another great Live post game show, Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic provide their immediate analysis of the pivotal Game 5 between the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks. They go through all the adjustments made, strange ref's calls, and key moments like not properly taking the foul with 23 seconds left that all led to the Toronto Raptors being favored to win this series in 6 games.
Join Coach Nick and Jared Weiss as they give their immediate reaction to Game 3 as the Warriors have taken complete control of this series. Another near perfect first half for the Trail Blazers wasn't enough to overcome the furious defense Golden State used to wear Portland down early in the 3rd. Plus, they muse on an impending Finals match up with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss of The Athletic sat down immediately after the game to discuss their thoughts on the almost perfect 1st half of basketball Portland played, and the incredible ferocity the Warriors brought in the 3rd quarter to get back in the game - leading us to an incredibly exciting finish we won't forget any time soon.
Coach Nick and Jared Weiss off their instant analysis of the Nuggets Trail Blazers game, and answer a ton of listener's questions via the live stream. They discuss the ramifications for the Nuggets, what the Portland Golden State series will look like and: Who's Better: Damian Lillard or Kyrie Irving?
Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers extended their series to 7 games - Philly with a decisive beat down of the listless Raptors and Portland used key contributions from Rodney Hood (Momma) and CJ McCollum, along with some DAME TIME to give us 2 game 7s on Mother's Day.
Get Coach Nick's immediate reaction to Game 3 between the 76ers and the Raptors. Alongside Jared Weiss, they answer live questions as well about everything going on in the playoffs.
Get Coach Nick's immediate reaction to the big win by the Portland Trail Blazers over the Denver Nuggets in Game 2. Jared Weiss of The Athletic joins Coach Nick, as always, and they break down the adjustments and performances of the players and coaches. Plus, a mailbag as the live audience asks questions directly and Nick and Jared answer them one by one, covering the whole NBA.
Jared Weiss, writer at The Athletic, and Coach Nick discuss their immediate reactions to the big Spurs win to set up an epic Game 7 in Denver. They also take questions from Periscope that run the gamut across all the playoff series.
The Portland Trail Blazers fell behind by 15 points midway through the 4th quarter of Game 5 last night, and it seemed certain that they'd face a game 6 in Oklahoma City. But the crowd rallied around them, Mo Harkless and CJ McCollum began the slow march upward, and then Damian Lillard yet again ended the series with the most improbable shot we've ever seen.
Coach Nick is joined as always by Jared Weiss of The Athletic to discuss how the Nets upset the Sixers in Game 1, plus the shocking end to the Magic Raptors game. They then turn to the West to go over OKC vs Portland, and Houston vs Utah.
Anthony Irwin of the Locked On Lakers podcast comes on the show to discuss the "podcast" Magic Johnson recorded live in front of a host of reporters in the bowels of Staples Center last night. Irwin dissects why he's stepping down and what we can decipher from his impromptu ramblings.
Coach Nick is joined as always by Jared Weiss of The Athletic to discuss what we do know about the matchups in the NBA Playoffs in both the East and West. It'll be an interesting final couple of games as some teams aren't motivated to win, others want to move up or maybe down, and it all doesn't matter as the Warriors are playing great.
In Game 1 of Michigan State's NCAA Tournament run, head coach Tom Izzo lost control while yelling at freshman Aaron Henry, sparking a huge debate across the basketball world - fueled in part by Coach Nick's tweet of the footage.
Also, the NBA Playoff race at the bottom of each bracket is heating up and Coach Nick and Jared break down some of the surprises.
The Athletic's Jared Weiss is back in the saddle with his weekly appearance on the pod, and he and Coach Nick discuss the Denver Nuggets in detail. Is Jamal Murray the X-Factor? Does Mike Malone give them an edge during the playoffs? They also wander over to San Antonio to discuss what makes them so competitive this year, with a big reason being Derrick White, mama.
A rare behind the scenes look at the preparation that goes into calling the premiere games of the week in the NBA, Coach Nick goes in depth with Mike Breen on what it's like to be courtside at all the best games. Plus, they discuss interacting with some of his more eccentric partners like Bill Walton and Walt "Clyde" Fraizer. Breen also recounts the horror of being in the middle of the Malice At The Palace when the Pacers and Pistons got into an all out brawl that spilled out into the stands.
Coach Nick is joined IN STUDIO by the insightful and hilarious John Henson - comedian/Knicks fan as seen on TV in the shows Wipe Out and Talk Soup, among many others. They go in on the Knicks with great analysis and lots of humor, plus they express their love and astonishment for Mitchell Robinson way too much.
The Lakers season is slowly falling off a cliff into the sea, and Coach Nick and Jared Weiss go through their various issues. The Celtics are in a better position, but have some real issues of their own, and it's unclear if they'll right the ship before the end of the season. Plus, Andrew Bogut's return to the Warriors speaks volumes about the play of DeMarcus Cousins.
As the modern game has taken hold of the NBA, the traditional dominant shooting guard that started with Michael Jordan, then Kobe Bryant, and on to Dwyane Wade might never lead a team to a title again. Find out why.
Now that the NBA is back from All Star vacation, Coach Nick and The Athletic's Jared Weiss break down the marquee game from last night, discussing what the future holds for two of the top teams in the East.
The top teams in the Eastern Conference, save for the Boston Celtics, all made trades to bolster their rosters. Coach Nick and Jared Weiss go through them to analyze who improved the most and what the seedings for the playoffs should look like 25 games from now.
Do NOT miss this episode as Jared Weiss of the Athletic and Coach Nick discuss all the trades that went down and what they mean for the respective teams.
There are few NBA writers with the breadth and depth of Sam Amick, and as a Friend Of The Breakdown sits down with his insider's knowledge of the inner workings of the Lakers and Celtics as they jockey for position in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, as well as the Grizzlies intentions to move either Mike Conley and/or Marc Gasol.
Coach Nick is joined by New York Knicks beat writer for The Athletic Mike Vorkunov, who gives his perspective on the bombshell trade that just happened between the Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks. Jared Weiss also weighs in on how the trade works for Dallas as well, and the prospects for a Doncic Porzingis pick and roll are too exciting to imagine.
Pelicans Beat Writer for The Athletic Will Guillory joins Coach Nick to give his insider's analysis on why Anthony Davis suddenly wants out of New Orleans after 6 1/2 years. And as a bonus, Jared Weiss of The Athletic fills in more of the blanks about potential destinations that both fit Davis's playing style and lifestyle.
Coach Nick has a pretty hot take on the LeBron James/Luke Walton situation in Los Angeles, plus him and Jared Weiss of The Athletic discuss the Warriors Celtics game and the All Star starters and potential reserves.
Coach Nick welcomes Friend of the Breakdown Jovan Buha, Clippers beat writer for The Athletic, to discuss what has happened to the hot start of the Clippers. Jovan explains why Avery Bradley has become a four letter word on #NBATwitter, and what potential trades they might explore to upgrade the roster for a strong playoff push.
Welcoming Dave DuFour back, he and Coach Nick show you how to do a pod: They examine how DeMarcus Cousins looks on the floor for the Warriors, whether CP3 can come back and help the Rockets with Super Saiyan Harden, and we answer a ton of questions from the live Periscope Broadcast.
Coach Nick is joined as always by The Athletic's Jared Weiss to discuss Kyrie's comments that he called LeBron James to commiserate, are the Mavericks seriously thinking about trading Dennis Smith Jr, and should the Rockets cut down on their three point attempts?
The reporter that broke the news of Team President and Head Coach Tom Thibdeau's firing from the Minnesota Timberwolves was none other than Jon Krawczynski, and he joins Coach Nick to discuss what it all means and the state of the franchise going forward.
Then, Jared Weiss joins Coach Nick to go into more depth about who they'll search for to replace Thibodeau, plus an NBA mailbag from the Live Show recorded on Periscope.
Paul George is having an MVP caliber year, and deserves to be in the discussion for the award. The Grizzlies had a physical altercation after a bad loss to Detroit, and Coach Nick and Jared discuss whether it's even a good idea to have a meeting immediately after a game. Anthony Davis puts up monster numbers, but something about his game doesn't seem to profoundly affect whether the Pelicans win or lose.
Coach Nick is joined by The Athletic's Jared Weiss to discuss the newest defensive adjustments made against the Warriors, and whether the Trail Blazers are on solid footing in the West. Plus, Adam Silver's memo urging players from refrain from recruiting each other publicly was a direct shot at LeBron James and his comments regarding Anthony Davis. Who's right?
Coach Nick is joined by The Athletic's Jared Weiss to discuss the Sixers issues down the stretch with a non shooter like Ben Simmons in the lineup. They also go in detail about the necessity to play Justise Winslow at point guard and how it has unlocked a lot of things for the Heat who have won 5 of 6.
With Chris Paul's hamstring injury, it places the Rockets in real peril of missing the playoffs. The league continues to draft traditional big men at the very top, does De'Andre Ayton deserve that spot? And Joel Embiid is one of the most dominant big men in the NBA, but there's a big issue with his game that Coach Nick and Jared discuss.
The Wizards and Celtics had an old fashioned overtime shootout, complete with strange coaching and player decisions, and a mano a mano between Kyrie Irving and John Wall. Also, what is going right and wrong with the Rockets?
With the firing of Fred Hoiberg and replacing him with Jim Boylen, John Paxson has ushered in a new era for the Chicago Bulls. They seem to have gotten the message, as the team is playing with lots more intensity and passion, but is it sustainable? Senior NBA Writer Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic brings his insider knowledge to the show to discuss the differences in Boylen's approach, whether Lauri Markkanen can become a savior, and whether they've finally turned a corner.
Best friend of the breakdown Jared Weiss joins Coach Nick in a weekly show to discuss his breaking news on the Markelle Fultz situation, from his wrist injury to the nerve damage that has caused his shot to get so funky. And Fred Hoiberg was fired early Monday morning, and the only surprising thing might have been that it took that long.
The Celtics have surprisingly struggled this year considering all the talent they have. Celtics beat reporter for The Athletic Jared Weiss joins Coach Nick to discuss the lineup changes Brad Stevens has played with, and whether Kyrie needs to be more of The Man in the offense to get them going in the right direction.
Marcus Thompson of The Athletic was one of the first to report on the rift between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, and what it means to the dynamic of the team. Will it hold them back from another title? Will it cause Durant to leave in free agency? Find out from one of the most prominent insider voices in Thompson.
When Draymond blew up at Kevin Durant at the end of regulation versus the Clippers, it brought up a lot of issues that had been bubbling to the surface regarding KD's free agency. Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group joins Coach Nick to give us his insider's analysis.
Coach Nick welcomes a very old Friend Of The Breakdown Kurt Helin of NBCSports.com to discuss what the Rockets are doing with Carmelo Anthony, the Jimmy Butler trade to the Sixers and whether Markelle Fultz will be able to handle it.
Coach Nick welcomes back Friend Of The Breakdown Spencer Dinwiddie to discuss his game saving and game winning heroics on Halloween as he carried his Brooklyn Nets in crunch time over the Detroit Pistons. He also discusses how the new rules emphasis has affected his play, and the league in general. A must listen to get a rare glimpse into the mindset of an NBA player.
Joe Vardon has been on the Cleveland Cavaliers beat for years, and now covers them and National NBA News for The Athletic. In a candid conversation, Vardon details the events surrounding the slightly surprising termination of Tyronn Lue as head coach of the Cavs. After leading the team to 4 straight finals and one title, it's hard to fathom Lue would get dumped so quickly, but after a disagreement with General Manager Koby Altman, his days were numbered.
Join Coach Nick and Dave DuFour as they go around the horn answering the best questions they got in their live post game show, ranging from Should Billy Donovan Be Fired, to whether Rondo and Ingram will start when they return from suspensions, and what's wrong with the Boston Celtics offense?
Get into the mindset of one of the winningest players in the NBA - having won 2 NBA titles with the Rockets and one with the Spurs, Mario Elie has a unique perspective on the league having been a player and an assistant coach. Coach Nick discusses how the Rockets were the progenitors of volume three point shooting back in the mid 90's, as well as how tough Gregg Popovich was in his early days of coaching.
While the first game in Boston was sloppy, the Celtics proved they are the class of the East as they blew out an undermanned Sixers team. In the night cap, the Thunder gave the Warriors a run for their money behind Paul George's hot second half, but Steph Curry and Kevin Durant were too much for anyone to handle, much less the Russ-less Thunder team. Coach Nick and Dave take live questions as well to help diagnose what just happened on Day 1 of the 2018-19 NBA Season. YOU IN?
Have you ever wondered how Steph Curry trained himself to be the all time best shooter the NBA has ever seen? Get a rare glimpse behind the curtain as Coach Nick discusses Curry's training with his personal player development coach Brandon Payne. They discuss what Steph has added to his game this year, and the key components to training shooters.
When the video of Ted Alexandro's comedy bit comparing his sexual prowess to the Celtics-era Shaq went viral, Coach Nick felt compelled to reach out to Ted to break down the process of writing this as well as a funny take on Steve Kerr's coaching.