BASKETBALL IS RELIGION: Recent Episodes
Ganz and Big Matt
The Ganz and Big Matt are die hard basketball fans who love to talk hoops. Join the guys and their friends as they discuss the many things happening around the National Basketball Association (NBA).
The Ganz and Big Matt react to LeBron James deciding to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Can the starting line-up of Maxey, Edgecomb, Brown, LeBron and Embiid deliver the first NBA championship to Philly since 1983?
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the big transactions of the 2026 NBA Free Agency period including Jaylen Brown being traded to the Sixers for Paul George, Walker Kessler being traded to the Lakers for two first round picks and the Lakers signing Grimes, Mamu and Sexton, They also discuss where LeBron James will choose to play next season.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the 2026 NBA Draft, Giannis being traded to Miami, LaMelo Ball being traded to Minnesota and what type of player the Lakers should go after in free agency.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to Game 5 of the NBA Finals where the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to win their first championship since 1973.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about one of the most epic games of all time, Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals where the Knicks are now one win away from their first Championship in 53 years.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the first two games of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Spurs and Thunder Western Conference Finals going 7 games, the Knicks making it to the finals for the first time since 1999 and what the Cavs should do after being swept in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the first two games of the conference finals and what the T-Wolves should do this offseason and what constitutes a successful season for teams.
Big Matt is joined by the The Ganz and friend of the podcast, Tony, in Las Vegas. They discuss the bets they made in Las Vegas, the Cavs/Pistons series, the Wolves/Spurs series, what the Sixers should do after being swept and mourn the Lakers after the Thunder handled them in four games.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the four second round series and how three of them might be sweeps except for the Spurs and Wolves. They talk about the Rockets and Celtics and discuss Jaylen Brown's comments on his Twitch stream.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Knicks blowout victory, the Celtics on the brink of blowing a 3-1 series lead, the Wolves upsetting the Nuggets, the Cavs and Raptors winning their home games, the Pistons trying to come back against the Magic and the Rockets figuring things out against the Lakers.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Raptors responding last night, the Knicks not executing down the stretch, the Wolves backing up their trash talk, the Thunder reffing issue, the Pistons responding to their game 1 upset, whether the Sixers win in Game 2 was a fluke, the Blazers having a shot against the Spurs without Wemby and the Lakers pulling out the first two games without Doncic and Reaves.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the LaMelo Ball incident from the Charlotte vs Miami play-in game last Tuesday, the Clippers falling short against Golden State and their future and finally the guys preview the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the last meeting of the regular season between the Celtics and Knicks last night and potential Eastern Conference playoffs scenarios. With the Western Conference bracket pretty much set, they give their initial thoughts on a Nuggets/Wolves series and Lakers/Rockets series. They finally give their opinions on who is the best 2nd best players on teams this season.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Thunder slaughtering the Lakers 139-96 in Oklahoma City, Luka Doncic suffering a left hamstring injury in the second half, Wemby openly campaigning for the MVP and expectations for the Clippers and Knicks.
The Ganz and Big Matt are joined by The Ganz's nephew Cayo to talk about Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. The guys then get into the Lakers' 9 game winning streak, the Clippers up and down March and finally a discussion about enthusiasm vs sportsmanship in youth sports.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points last Tuesday against the Washington Wizards. They also talk about the surging Lakers and the Ganz's experience attending the Lakers vs Bulls game last Thursday.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Lakers and Nuggets game from last night, LeBron becoming all time leader in field goals made, the return of Jayson Tatum to the Celtics and the Magic City Monday promotion by the Hawks.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss whether the criticism of Luka Doncic is legitimate or if there are other reason and if the Thunder vs. Nuggets game last night was the preview of the Western Conference Finals. They rank the 2nd and 3rd options for three great teams and react to the NBC bringing back classic broadcast teams this upcoming Tuesday.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back from their own break to talk about All-Star Saturday Night and how Wemby saved the NBA All-Star Game. They preview the final 30 games in the season by putting teams in tiers. They finally discuss solutions to the tanking of lower level teams.
The Ganz and Big Matt are joined by Rahul to talk about the results of the 2026 NBA Trade Deadline including James Harden being traded from the LA Clippers to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and Anthony Davis being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Washington Wizards.
The Ganz and Big Matt reflect on the six year anniversary of Kobe's passing, react to Cooper vs. Kon and the young Mavericks, and discuss potential Giannis trade packages ahead of next Thursday's trade deadline.
The Ganz and Big Matt get into the Lakers win last night over the Mavericks, revisit the Luka trade, what the Warriors do after the Jimmy Butler injury and what is the best current NBA team rivalry.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss how the Clippers are surging and how the Lakers are struggling. They also talk about the Knicks' rough patch after winning the NBA Cup.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss Anthony Davis' recent injury to his hand, Trae Young being traded to the Wizards, potential Ja Morant trade destinations and if you should full court press in youth basketball up 30.
Happy New Years from Basketball is Religion!
The Ganz and Big Matt are back for the new year to discuss the impact of Nikola Jokic's injury, Trae Young rumors in Atlanta and who's in contention for the play-ins as we near the halfway point in the season.
Happy Holidays from The Ganz and Big Matt!
The guys get into the Christmas Day games focusing on the Spurs having the Thunder's number and they deep dive into what is going on with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the Knicks winning the NBA Cup and Kawhi Leonard saying he surpassed Kobe Bryant. They continue their conversation from last week regarding Steph Curry vs. LeBron James.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Thunder and SGA's legacy if they finish their legendary season, how LeBron's agent Rich Paul believes the current Lakers are not contenders which was given credence when the Spurs beat the Lakers in the Quarterfinals of the NBA Cup and if Austin Reaves is a tier 1 shooting guard.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss Chris Paul being sent home from the Clippers in the middle of the nights, potential Giannis trade destinations and NBA Cup predictions.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about LeBron James' first three games of the season, why the Clippers are playing poorly and who among the Pistons, Raptors or Heat can maintain their standing throughout the season.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the reasons why the NBA had it's highest viewership numbers in the last 15 years. They get into Joey and Jessie Buss being fired from their positions with the Lakers and what's going on with the struggling Kings and Clippers.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the firing of Nico Harrison, the former General Manager of the Dallas Mavericks. There had been an uproar from the Mavericks fanbase to "Fire Nico" since the Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about last couple games of the MLB World Series and the Lakers getting off to an impressive 7-2 record to start the season.
The Ganz is back! He and Big Matt get into this scoring surge from Austin Reaves and if it's sustainable. They touch on the injuries to Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis. The guys also look at the four remaining undefeated teams in the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers
Congratulations to the Ganz and his family, who welcomed a baby girl over the week!
Big Matt rides solo today as he gets into the first three days of the NBA season highlighted by Victor Wembanyama putting up 40 points in 30 minutes against Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks. He also talks about the FBI investigations into Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billlups.
The Ganz and Big Matt look at the 2025 NBA Over/Unders for the Lakers, Clippers and Knicks and predict if a team will win or lose more games during the regular than the betting markets say they will. They also pick their betting favorites for MVP and the NBA Champion.
Season Premiere!
The Ganz and Big Matt are back for season 4 and the 2025-2026 NBA Season!
The guys get into LeBron James getting sciatica and potentially missing the first ten games of the season, Luka getting fit and potentially being the regular season MVP and the no-show contract Kawhi Leonard had with now-bankrupt company Aspiration and the potential Clippers punishments for alleged salary cap circumvention.
On the season finale of Basketball is Religion, The Ganz and Big Matt discuss Lakers signing Marcus Smart and where they now slot into the Western Conference, Shaq validating Tracy McGrady's comments that he would also win three championships if he switched places with Kobe Bryant, and the VIP members of The Hoop Bar, the Ganz's superstars of the 2025 NBA Season.
Have a great Summer break!
The Ganz and Big Matt react to Damian Lillard going back to the Portland Trailblazers, Bradley Beal officially signing with the Clippers and Bleacher Report putting Kobe Bryant at 11 in their Top 100 NBA players of all time list.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the big match-up between Bronny James and #1 pick Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Summer League, They also get into the trade seeing the Clippers landing John Collins, the Heat getting Norman Powell and the Jazz getting Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss NBA Free Agency including DeAndre Ayton to the Lakers, the waiving of Damian Lillard in Milwaukee and the retooling of the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are the 2024-2025 NBA Champions. The Ganz and Big Matt react to Games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals, Haliburton's injury and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's legacy after winning the NBA Finals MVP. They guys also talk about Kevin Durant's trade to the Houston Rockets and if they have a chance to beat the Thunder next season. They finally hit on the 2025 NBA Draft and how Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper can affect their new teams.
The Ganz and Big Matt preview Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Thunder and Pacers in Indiana and if Tyrese Haliburton should play with an injured calf. They talk about the massive sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Desmond Bane trade to the Orlando Magic.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to Games 2 and 3 of the NBA Finals and predict Game 4. They also talk about Kevin Durant trade rumors and what the Knicks are doing with their coaching search.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the amazing first game of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. They also discuss Tom Thibodeau being fired as coach of the New York Knicks, Kevin Durant rumors to the Knicks or Spurs and if Chris Paul should go to the Lakers or Clippers. Finally, Big Matt deep dives into the last couple minutes of Game 1 and how the Power of Friendship helped the Pacers win.
The Ganz and Big Matt review Game 5 between the Knicks and Pacers and look forward to a Game 6 and possible Game 7. They give their flowers to the Oklahoma City Thunder and how they're set up to be the next dynasty.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the legendary Game 1 between the Knicks and Pacers, how the Wolves can come back in their series against the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning the MVP and why NBA fans have a difficult time getting behind the Thunder.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the final games in the Knicks/Celtics and Thunder/Nuggets series, give their thoughts on the Warriors/Wolves and Cavs/Pacers series and go over the crazy draft lottery earlier this week.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the four conference semifinal match-ups in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. They get into the level of play in the Wolves/Warriors games, the fourth quarter collapses in Knicks/Celtics, the ability to steal games in Thunder/Nuggets and the injury factor with the Cavs/Pacers. The guys also discuss the new NBA on Amazon player panel including Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki.
Happy Mother's Day!
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the end of the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, look forward to Game 7 between the Clippers and Nuggets and Game 6 between the Rockets and Warriors. They then go in depth on what happened to the Lakers and if this was a passing of the torch from LeBron James to Anthony Edwards as face of the league.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss how the Clippers have the complete control of their series against the Nuggets and the rock fight the T'Wolves and Lakers find themselves in. They then take a look at the other series' big stories including how Jayson Tatum's and Jimmy Butler's injuries could affect their teams championship hopes.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back from Vegas and are ready to talk about the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs! They discuss all of the series and give their predictions.
The Ganz, Big Matt and Tony are in Vegas to talk about their winning bets from last night, the Nuggets firing Coach Mike Malone, which team should the Lakers want and don't want to play in the first round of the playoffs, and Top 5 Centers from the 90s to today.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the first meeting between the Lakers with Luka Doncic and the Warriors with Jimmy Butler yesterday and then they play another round of NBA Central vs Centel.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the choke job the Lakers had against the Bulls, the Bucks losing Damian Lillard to a blood clot, the Warriors losing Gary Payton II to injury, NBA European expansion and the LeBron/Stephen A Smith beef.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Lakers last five games in seven nights and who they should avoid in round 1. They also discuss if James Harden is still an elite player and who the Clippers should avoid in the first round. The Ganz asks if Dennis Rodman is right by saying that Scottie Pippen revolutionized the point forward. Finally, they play a round of NBA Central vs Centel.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Lakers current three game losing streak on their east coat road trip and predict their records for their next five games. They give their love to the Milwaukee Bucks and discuss their heartbreaking loss to the Pacers. The guys also discuss the fight between Mason Plumblee and Steven Adams, play NBA Central vs Centel and finally, Big Matt gives a bold prediction for the rest of the season.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the heavyweight fight between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers last night, the disrespect of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and if Jayson Tatum is "The Anomaly".
The Ganz and Big Matt wish Luka Doncic a happy 26th birthday and look at the Lakers upcoming schedule. They react to the Detroit Pistons' 8 game winning streak that included a 20 point win against the Boston Celtics and talk about future stars in Cooper Flagg, AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Nate Ament.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the slow start of the Luka Doncic Era in Los Angeles and talk about where Austin Reaves ranks compared to the other third options in the league. They finally review NBA All Star Weekend and provide improvements.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the rescinded Mark Williams trade, how the Lakers look after the first two games with Luka, the most disappointing team of the first half of the season and the 2025 NBA All Star Weekend.
The Ganz and Big Matt give their additional thoughts on the epic Luka Doncic trade after several days and react to the manic NBA trade deadline this past Thursday.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the massive trade of Luka Doncic going to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the 2025 NBA All Star player selections and potential snubs. They also talk about how the Lakers will do after losing Anthony Davis to injury and the trade rumors surrounding De'Aaron Fox and Jimmy Butler.
The Ganz and Big Matt get into the spirit of NBA Rivalry week and discuss last night's game between the best rivals in NBA history in the Lakers and Celtics and the budding rivalry between young stars Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green.
They also get into the Warriors, Kings and if LaMelo Ball was snubbed from the All Star Game Starters. Also... hey, put that 'Gelo on!
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss last night's rematch to last week's game of the year between the Oklahoma City Thunder vs Cleveland Cavaliers, the Clippers being a top four team in the West, the impact Nick Richards going to the Suns and the blatant goaltend at the end of the Pelicans and Mavericks on Wednesday.
Happy New Year from the Ganz and Big Matt!
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone dealing with the effects of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Thank you to all of the firefighters and other first responders who are currently dealing with the fires and to all of the people who are housing others who may have been displaced. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Game of the Year between the Cavaliers and Thunder on Wednesday and discuss what each team could possibly do to improve. They also discuss if the Phoenix Suns should trade for Jimmy Butler or blow it up.
Happy Holidays from The Ganz and Big Matt!
The guys talk about Austin Reaves game winner over the Warriors on Christmas Day and what the Lakers should do moving forward.
Being a third of the way through the season, the Ganz and Big Matt look at teams who are doing better and worse than we thought at the beginning of the season.
The Ganz and Big Matt are joined by Rahul to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Cup and if they're officially back. They discuss the Bucks Assistant Coach Darvin Ham's interesting comments after the Bucks win about being fired as the head coach of the Lakers at the end of last season. They also touch on a possible Michael Porter Jr and Zach Lavine trade and if the NBA should incorporate WWE-style belts for certain accolades.
The Ganz and Big Matt preview the 2024 NBA Cup Semifinals where the Bucks take on the Hawks and Thunder take on the Rockets in Las Vegas.
They also talk about potential targets for Jimmy Butler.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the embarrassing Lakers performances over the last two games and if it's time to blow it up. They discuss the end of the recent Warriors vs Nuggets game and if there should be expanded instant replay. The guys give their flowers to the Bucks for digging themselves out of their early season hole and the Rockets for starting the season better than anyone thought. Finally, they give their predictions for the Quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Lakers struggles these past couple of weeks and if they think LeBron is finished or is just going through a tough stretch.
They also touch on the trouble in Minnesota with the Timberwolves being under .500 after being in the Western Conference finals last season. Anthony Edwards had some interesting comments after their loss to the Kings a few days ago and the guys react to what he said.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back at it with a quick episode where we talk about the Warriors and Mavericks game last Thursday, if Zion would be a good fit on the Lakers, why Bronny isn't playing away G-League games and other topics.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the domination of the foreign born NBA player as the best players in the league, Chet vs Wemby, Brandon Ingram as a key trade piece for a championship, who the Lakers need to trade for and who is the best scorer in NBA history.
They end with a game that will sweep through NBA content over the next few months... NBACentral or NBACentel? Determining agrégation vs. fake news.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about Halloween and trick or treating, the Dodgers winning the World Series, and the Lakers and Clippers. They also touch on the success of the Thunder and the underachieving of the Nuggets and Bucks.
The Ganz and Big Matt were at the season opener at Crypto.com Arena where the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves. The guys give their thoughts of the game and the surrounding atmosphere. The talk a little bit about the Clippers opening up the new Intuit Dome with a loss to the Phoenix Suns. Finally, they discuss the top seven teams of the Eastern Conference* and if Boston has any challengers this season.
*The guys forgot to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks, who are at 50.5 wins. Big Matt thinks they'll be a slightly over and Dame Lillard looks for redemption after last season's flame out.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back for the 2024-2025 NBA season!
The guys talk about the projected top six teams in the Western Conference and talk about other Western Conference teams who can make the playoffs including the Spurs, Clippers and Lakers.
Finally, they discuss NBA villains from the past and present. Think Bill Laimbeer or Dillon Brooks.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss Team USA winning Gold in the Olympics with Steph Curry hitting four dagger three pointers to clinch their victory over France.
They also talk about the future of Team USA, what happened with Team Canada and why the Lakers cannot put a contending team around LeBron and Anthony Davis.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the first two games of Team USA against Serbia and South Sudan and whether you'd rather be Jayson Tatum, who is getting inconsistent minutes or Jaylen Brown, who was not invited to be on the team.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to LeBron James hitting the game winner against South Sudan and who Team USA should close with during close games.
They also discuss Joel Embiid's interesting comments over the past couple of weeks with topic ranging from LeBron being old, Embiid being the most hated player in the league and if the Celtics are a superteam.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about Kawhi Leonard leaving and Team USA choosing Derrick White over Jaylen Brown, Bronny James and Lakers Summer League, and who are the contender and pretenders in the West after free agency.
The Ganz, Big Matt and Rahul talk about the Paul George going to the Sixers and if they or the Nova 4 Knicks are the next best team in the East outside of the Celtics. They also get into Klay Thompson's fit with the Dallas Mavericks.
The Ganz, Rahul and Big Matt delay talking about the Finals by first discussing JJ Redick getting hired to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and Josh Giddey being traded from OKC to Chicago for Alex Caruso.
Eventually, the guys give the champs their flowers for absolutely dominating the playoffs. They get into whether the Celtics can repeat and if the Mavericks can make it back.
Throw in some discussion about the Kendrick Lamar Pop Out Concert on Juneteenth and we have a full episode this week!
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the last couple games of the 2024 NBA Finals and how the Lakers had a really bad week.
The Ganz, Big Matt and Rahul react to Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals where the Boston Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 107-89. They also give their thoughts on Dan Hurley potentially becoming the Lakers head coach.
The Ganz and Big Matt preview the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. They give their predictions for the series and also for Game 1
The Ganz, Rahul and Big Matt talk about the first few games of the 2024 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the four second round matchups in the NBA Playoffs and discuss the coaching change in Phoenix.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the crazy Knicks vs Sixers series and preview the Knicks vs Pacers and Nuggets vs Twolves and Ganz tells me why the Clippers are going to win in Dallas tonight.
In a crossover episode with The Hoop Bar last night, Rahul and Big Matt discuss the Lakers losing to the Nuggets and how they got to this point. The Ganz joins us midway through to discuss what coaching options the Lakers have.
The Ganz and Big Matt go through every match-up 2024 NBA Playoffs First Round after the first two or three games while Big Matt purposefully avoids talking about the Lakers until the end of the episode.
The Ganz and Big Matt are joined by Rahul returning to The Hoop Bar to preview the first couple games of the 2024 NBA Playoffs First Round. They go more in depth with the Western Conference Finals rematch between the Lakers and Nuggets and the rivalry matchup between the Clippers and Mavericks.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back from Spring Break to get ready for the play-in games next week. They preview the only playoff match-up set in the Dallas Mavericks vs the LA Clippers and the only play-in match-up set in the Atlanta Hawks vs the Chicago Bulls.
The Ganz is in Las Vegas and Big Matt has some major FOMO.
The guys talk about bets for the College Basketball Sweet 16 Games and 12 NBA Games on Friday, March 29. They also discuss the odds for individual player NBA awards as we head towards the end of the season.
The Ganz and Big Matt look back on the horrible ending to the last Lakers vs Warriors game and talk about if the NBA should get rid of instant replay or not. The guys then discuss their top in game dunkers in today's game and all time.
The Ganz and Big Matt take a look at some of the games this past week including the Suns, Celtics, Sixers, Knicks and Lakers. The guys then discuss the "We're done with 90s" trend on social media and the discourse behind the evolution of NBA players.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to last night's heavyweight matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics. They talk about the top four contenders in the west and what their potential achilleas heels are.
The Ganz and Big Matt highlight the Lakers comeback against the Clippers and LeBron James' performance in the fourth quarter. They react to Charles Barkley saying the top Western Conference team should not fear the Lakers and Warriors. Charles also complained about the mainstream media overhyping Steph Curry and LeBron James. The guys discuss who should take their place as the faces of the league.
The Ganz and Big Matt criticize the NBA All-Star Game and give their suggestions for improvement of the game and All-Star Saturday night. They also get into LeBron James and the Doc Rivers/JJ Redick commentary.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the 2024 NBA All Star Game and Weekend. They give their predictions for the game, dunk contest and three point contest.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about Kobe Bryant's statue unveiling, the NBA trade deadline and if the Lakers should have kept their picks for a potential Donovan Mitchell signing.
What does it mean?!?!?
After the Ganz and Big Matt try to get into LeBron's head, they discuss the scoring boom in the NBA and the NBA All Star reserves.
RIP Kobe and Gigi
The Ganz and Matt react to an exciting week of basketball where Joel Embiid and Karl Anthony Towns scored 70 and 63, respectively, on the 18th anniversary of Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points. They talk about Scary Terry Rozier being traded to the Miami Heat and the Bucks firing first year head coach Adrian Griffin and hiring Doc Rivers
The 2024 NBA Trade Season has begun! The Ganz and Big Matt analyze the Pascal Siakam trade from the Toronto Raptors to the Indiana Pacers. They look at how Siakam can work with Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and how the Raptors can rebuild around Scottie Barnes.
The guys also talk about what the Lakers should do as the trade deadline comes up, specifically focusing on D'Angelo Russell.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Warriors potentially trading everyone except for Steph Curry and if they actually should trade Steph Curry. They give their flowers to the Knicks for acquiring OG Anunoby and their improved play over the past several games. Finally, they discuss the improved LA Clippers team and their championship aspirations.
Happy New Year!
The Ganz and Big Matt are back from their holiday break to talk about if Darvin Ham's time as coach has come to an end in Los Angeles as the Lakers have lost eight of their last ten games. They also discuss if the Pacers have the Bucks' number, what's wrong with Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, the return of Ja Morant, the Pistons finally breaking their 28 game losing streak, and the Raptors trade with the Knicks.
The Ganz and Big Matt are here for your pre-Christmas episode as they preview the Christmas Day NBA games. They give their flowers to the elite point guards in the league and also get into what happened to the Lakers after winning the In Season Tournament.
The Ganz and Big Matt survived Las Vegas and are back!
The boys get into what happened in Las Vegas reacting to the In Season Tournament and the bets they made while in Vegas.
They react to Draymond Green's indefinite suspension and whether the Warriors should trade him or Steph Curry.
They talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring a career high and Bucks franchise record 64 points and the new rivalry between the Bucks and Pacers. The Pacers took the game ball after the game was over and Giannis was really upset and wanted the ball.
Finally, they talk about the LA Clippers current six game winning streak and how they've finally put it all together.
Are Klay Thompson and the Warriors washed? Is the run finally over?
NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinal Preview
Flowers to the Orlando Magic
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the report of the Chicago Bulls looking to trade Zach LaVine and the potential teams he could end up on. They discuss the Draymond Green suspension and who they would rather have to start of team, Tyrese Haliburton or DeAaron Fox.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the teams off to a hot start including the Timberwolves, Sixers, Celtics, Rockets and Pacers. They deep dive into the problems the Lakers and Clippers are having as each are dealing with three game losing streaks.
Not discussed: the unhinged Timberwolves Brazil Twitter/X posts
The Ganz and Big Matt are joined, in this Hoop Bar crossover episode, by David and Rahul to discuss the first week of the 2023-2024 NBA season! They look at the first meeting between the Lakers and Clippers and discuss the James Harden trade. The guys then talk about other teams and players including the emerging Victor Wembanayama.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Suns vs Lakers game they attended on Thursday. They do a deep dive into both teams and their potential need at point guard. Finally, they look at the rivalry between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, as it was the first time they played against each other in a regular season game since 2018.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the continuing situation with James Harden and the Philadelphia Sixers, the All-Star team switching back to East vs West, the Utah Jazz for this upcoming season and some NBA team win totals.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about Coach Prime's speech to the Philadelphia 76ers during their training camp in Colorado. They discuss the New York Knicks and if RJ Barrett is their X-Factor to make a long run in the playoffs. Finally, they talk about Kai Jones being released by the Charlotte Hornets and the mental health challenges of being in the NBA.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Jrue Holiday trade to the Boston Celtics, a stacked Western Conference, teams that should have stayed together and we revisit the Jordan Poole and Draymond Green situation from last season.
Dame Time is up in Portland as Damian Lillard has been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a three team deal with the Phoenix Suns for Jrue Holiday and Deandre Ayton. The Ganz and Big Matt give their thoughts on the trade and all the different facets surrounding the trade.Prior to discussing the trade, the guys talk about a recent interview from Jabari Parker about what's lacking in the NBA game and why he is currently playing overseas in Barcelona.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about potential trade destinations for Buddy Hield and bets to win the championship and MVP. Finally, they discuss who is the NBA "America's Team".Check out The Hoop Bar video podcast on YouTube! Short form videos are being uploaded to YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Tik Tok. The Ganz and Big Matt will be hosting the pod along with Rahul, Tony and new co-host David. Search thehoopbar on YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok.
The Ganz and Big Matt gear up for a new season of Basketball is Religion!In this episode, the guys react to comments made by Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason regarding potentially leaving the Bucks if they do not put the pieces around him to win another championship. Is their window closed or are their pieces good enough to win in the playoffs?They get into four teams who have a chance to win their first championship this season. Finally, they talk about teams from the 2002-2003 season that they would have wanted courtside seats for.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the Damian Lillard trade request from the Portland Trailblazers and the James Harden trade request from the Philadelphia 76ers. They then react to the wild first day of NBA Free Agency.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Bradley Beal to the Suns trade and if the Suns are now the favorites heading into next season. The guys then get into the top end of tonight’s draft and who the Lakers might take at #17.
The Ganz and Big Matt give props to the 2023 NBA Champions, Denver Nuggets and runner up Miami Heat. The guys discuss how the Nuggets won give their flowers to Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. TMZ Ganz talks about the Zion Williamson situation and why he would trade him ASAP.
The Ganz and Big Matt preview the NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. They also talk about what happened with the Boston Celtics and what they should do about Jaylen Brown. Big Matt is then joined by friend of the podcast, Josue, and they discuss the NBA postseason and Josue's trip to Atlanta to see Game 6 between the Hawks and Celtics.
The Ganz and Big Matt praise the Denver Nuggets after their sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. The guys give their flowers to Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the Nuggets role players. They discuss what happened with the Lakers and the teams future.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the games they saw in Las Vegas at the end of last week, the eliminated Conference Semifinal teams and about the upcoming Conference Finals match-ups.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Warriors beat down on the Lakers in Game 2 of theirNBA Playoffs Second Round series. What did the Warriors do differently to tie the series up and what adjustments can the Lakers do to retake the series lead. They talk a little Celtics vs Sixers, Coach Bud getting fired from the Milwaukee Bucks and then Big Matt quizzes the Ganz on coaches wins in the playoffs.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to last night’s Game 2 of the Suns vs Nuggets and Game 1 of the Celtics vs Sixers. We also discuss the other second round series and give our predictions. Big Matt sits down with Laker Jose to talk about the Lakers closing out the Grizzlies in six games and look forward to the epic showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. Please note, Big Matt’s discussion with Laker Jose happened before last night’s games.
The Ganz and Big Matt continue to discuss the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. We talk Lakers/Grizzlies, Warriors/Kings, the Bucks shocking upset to the Heat, if Jimmy Butler is currently the best player in the world, Knicks/Cavs and preview the next round’s match-ups in the Nuggets vs Suns and Knicks vs Heat.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to Games 2 and 3 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. We get into the flagrant fouls, ejections and suspensions and if they were justified. Finally, we talk about the firing of Nick Nurse from Toronto and give our thoughts on the current NBA awards.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the first game of each series of the NBA Playoffs First Round. Have the outcomes of those games changed their initial thoughts?
Big Matt sits down with Lakers Superfan Jose to discuss the Lakers game 1 against the Grizzlies and also touch on the other playoff series.
The 2023 NBA Playoffs are finally here! The Ganz and Big Matt predict the final play-in games and preview the playoff matchups starting this weekend. At the end of the episode, we explore who has the most to gain by winning a championship this season
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss and predict the NBA Play-in Tournament and current Playoff Matchups. We get into the wild scene in Minnesota and it’s impact on the game this Tuesday against the Lakers. Finally, Big Matt has a discussion with friend of the podcast, Josue, about the end of the Utah Jazz season and what to expect from the Lakers moving into the playoffs.
In the spirit of the upsets happening in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, the Ganz and Big Matt discuss the potential underdogs of the NBA Playoffs. The guys check in on the Lakers and the other Western Conference contender and explore possible matchups. Finally, Big Matt gives his thoughts on Wrestlemania 39.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the teams in the middle of the Western Conference, highlighting the struggling Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers, who had LeBron James return from injury.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the Ja Morant suspension, the Sacramento Kings finally having a winning record, Anthony Davis sitting out of the last Lakers game, reports of the Lakers not pursuing Kyrie Irving in the off-season and pressure on Jokic and the Nuggets to win the championship this season.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about Kevin Durant's injury and how it affects the Western Conference.
Bing Bong! The Knicks are back and the guys react to their season after acquiring Josh Hart during the trade deadline.
Finally, they discuss who has more pressure to win the championship this season between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back to discuss what's going on with Ja Morant, the struggling Clippers and how the Lakers are affected by losing LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell to injuries.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the recent buy out moves including Russell Westbrook to the Clippers, Pat Bev to the Bulls and Kevin Love to the Heat. The Ganz then gives his predictions for the remaining 23 Lakers games. Finally, Big Matt talks with friend of the pod, Josue, about being in Utah during NBA All Star Weekend.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the NBA All Star Weekend and why we both like Mac McClung to win the mid-off... err... Dunk Contest. The guys discuss the new look Lakers and Mavs after the passing of the trade deadline and Paul George's comments in GQ Magazine on the topic of championships.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to one of the most active NBA Trade Deadlines in recent memory. The time period was highlighted by Kevin Durant being traded to the Phoenix Suns and Russell Westbrook being traded by the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Ganz and Big Matt react to the trade of Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith and draft picks.
The Ganz and Big Matt discuss the NBA All Star Reserves as chosen by the NBA Coaches and the players who were snubbed from an all star spot. They then talk about when LeBron James will break Kareem's all time regular season scoring record. Big Matt brings up a couple theories and predictions about LeBron's timing of breaking the record and why Lonzo Ball knee has been hurting him the past year.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back!
We discuss the 2023 NBA All Star Starters and if the teams that are currently around .500 should be looking to make a trade to improve their team or trade players away to make their team worse.
The Ganz and Big Matt talk about the struggling Los Angeles Clippers and if they should be concerned with a slower than anticipated start.
The guys then discuss the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama and why Ganz thinks he will not live up the media's lofty expectations.
The Ganz and Matt discuss the Lakers resurgence and the appearance of an MVP level Anthony Davis. The guys then get into other Western Conference teams including the Warriors and Jazz, Finally, they talk about the Bucks and Celtics and give their opinions on teams who can take them down in the East.
The Ganz and Big Matt are back! New name, but the same fun and analysis of the NBA.
Why Basketball is Religion?
What is wrong with the Nets, Lakers and Sixers?
What is going right with the Suns, Hornets and Blazers?