48 Minutes: All Star Snubs, Cavs & Knicks on Fire, and Trade Talk

0:00 ... Ross says hello and welcomes the panel. 0:37 ... Episode #138 is dedicated to 38 year old Jeff Green, who is still ballin' at his advanced age. 0:55 ... Ross live commercial read for Bet OnLine. 1:34 ... Bruce is back after missing the past two shows and explains his absence. 2:10 .... The show begins with a discussion of Sunday's game between the OKC Thunder and the Boston Celtics.  Bruce felt that OKC played the best half of defense that any team played all season in the second half. 4:13 ... World B feels that there are no longer any question marks about the Thunder after their huge wins over the Celtics and the Knicks earlier in the week. 7:55 ... Ross wonders if Bruce is ready to give up on his Boston/OKC finals prediction but Bruce isn't ready to do that.  World B feels that OKC clearly looks like the best team in the league. 11:17 ... The Jimmy Butler drama continues and Bruce said this divorce was totally predictable.  When Pat Riley criticized Butler during last season's playoffs, the handwriting was on the wall for the divorce.  World B feels that very few GMs around the league will be knocking down the door with offers for Butler. 13:47 .. Butler isn't Miami's only problem.  Bam Adebayo has had a tough season and looks worn out after the Olympics and Ross feels part of Bam's struggles are the result of not having a real point guard.   Ross also feels that a third team might need to be involved in order to facilitate a Butler trade. 16:49 ... Kawhi Leonard is back after being out for 253 days.  His return bolsters a Clippers team that has overachieved in his absence.  His defense is a given but World B feels the Clippers really need his offense.  They're a talented but aging team and the question is "do they have one more run left in them?" 21:14 ... The Cleveland Cavaliers are a league-best 31-4 and are currently on a 10 game win streak.  It's their second double digit win streak of the season and we're still a month away from the All Star Break.  World B said the Cavs remind him of the 2019 Raptors when Toronto fired coach Dwane Casey and brought in Nick Nurse.  The Cavs did something similar when they fired JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson over the summer.  Will Cleveland win the NBA Championship like Toronto did? 26:00 ... Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama faced off twice over the weekend with Denver and San Antonio splitting the two games.  The epic matchup featured incredible performances from both big men.  Joker is a three time MVP and Wemby will probably be the Defensive Player of the Year.  The crew was incredibly impressed with both guys. 31:22 ... Anthony Edwards has had a frustrating season and Ross wonders if he is "thinking the game" properly.  World B thinks some of his recent comments were silly and are the result of his frustration.  Bruce thinks that the Karl-Anthony Towns trade has been a major reason for AntMan's frustration. 36:02 ... The Warriors have lost Jonathan Kuminga for at least three weeks with a severe ankle sprain.  World B is concerned that the depth on the team is already shaky and losing Kuminga is a big blow.  And since the defense is not that good, losing Kuminga's offense really hurts. 39:11 ... Ross wonders if Jimmy Butler might be a candidate to join the Warriors since he was always on their radar screen.  Bruce doesn't feel Butler would work salary-wise, but Ross think that Golden State might make the move to help Steph Curry continue to be successful in the twilight of his career. 40:56 ... Final Thoughts ... Bruce's appreciation of Derrick Rose, who was honored in Chicago over the weekend.  Ross has his own memories of Rose from when Ross worked for the Bucks. 43:19 ...Ross's final thought is on Immanuel Quickley of the Raptors who is back healthy after a lengthy injury absence. 44:00 ... Ross says goodbye TRT 44:23

7 Tammi 44min

0:00 Intro 1:17 Movers & Shakers Around the Association 1:30 The Sacramento Kings cut ties with Head Coach Mike Brown 6:27 Was Doug Christie the right selection to become the Kings interim head coach? 8:15 Did the Kings signing DeMar DeRozan factor into the pressure put on Mike Brown? 11:32 The Lakers trade away D’Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith 16:32 Nets GM Sean Marks had a very busy month of December making moves & what’s next? 20:31 Dorian Finney-Smith’s impact & the Lakers moving forward 25:29 Team Talking Points 25:32 The Phoenix Suns continue to struggle. Ross has some long term questions! 30:02 Are the Memphis Grizzlies the Orlando Magic of the Western Conference? 35:23 World B chimes in on whether or not it’s time to panic in Phoenix with the Suns 37:59 Will Devin Booker make the All-Star Team this season? 39:53 Can the Detroit Pistons sustain their recent success out East? 42:43 Which Pistons guard steps up in Jaden Ivey’s absence? 44:54 No Final Thought, but a Final Question for World B!

3 Tammi 47min

0:00 Intro 1:25 The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Cup Champions! The Championship game recap 3:20 Do the Oklahoma City Thunder need to address their perimeter shooting prior to the trade deadline? 6:34 Giannis put on an absolute show in Vegas winning the NBA Cup MVP, where does he rank for the season MVP? 9:35 Will winning the NBA Cup MVP help Giannis’s case with MVP voters? 11:30 Key role players on the Bucks have stepped up big time recently, has the team turned a corner? 14:53 The Bucks are right on the Magic’s tail out East in the standings, can they catch Orlando? 18:24 Would the Magic benefit from making a trade to improve their roster prior to the deadline? 21:31 Karl Anthony Towns makes his first return to Minnesota & the Knicks pounded the Wolves 23:24 Mikal Bridges is finding his groove offensively with the Knicks 25:12 Ross provides his insights into the unselfishness of this Knicks group 27:35 Christmas Day Game Previews! 27:54 Wemby & the San Antonio Spurs visit Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks 30:12 “Anta” Claus & the Minnesota Timberwolves head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks 32:49 The Boston Celtics host Joel Embiid & the Philadelphia 76ers 35:57 LeBron James & the Lakers head to the bay to battle Steph & the Warriors 38:32 KD & the Suns cap off Christmas action in Phoenix against Jokic & the Denver Nuggets 41:10 Coach Bud’s defense in Phoenix isn’t as good as usual, is the roster to blame? 43:28 Final Thoughts: NBA viewership is down, but why?

24 Joulu 202449min

0:00 ... Ross says hello and introduces co-hosts Bruce Bernstein & Michael "World B" Freer. 0:34 ... Ross recognizes this week's show (episode #135) as it falls on the second anniversary of our very first show.  We've never missed a week since we started, so we consider ourselves "Ironmen" of sorts, not unlike the great AC Green, formerly of the Lakers who played in an NBA record 1192 straight games. 1:51 ... Ross does the live read for Bet Online 2:23 ... Ross tees up the NBA Cup Special and begins with the Atlanta Hawks, who battled Milwaukee in one of Saturday's semifinal games and seem poised to make a nice run during the remainder of the NBA season.  Trae Young has improved his playmaking and players like Dyson Daniels and DeAndre Hunter are really stepping it ip. 9:19 ... Our focus shifts to the Milwaukee Bucks, who rode the stellar play of Giannis Antetokounmpo to a win over the Hawks and a spot in the championship game on Tuesday.  Giannis has gotten a lot of help in recent weeks with the return of Khris Middleton and some more production from Damian Lillard.  Age and health remain concerns for the Bucks. 24:32 ... Ross tees up a discussion of the Houston Rockets, a young team that battled the Thunder but has major offensive struggles.  The Rockets are dynamic on defense but they struggle to score in the halfcourt and that holds them back against great teams like the Thunder. 30:05 ... Our conversation switches to the OKC Thunder, a team with championship aspirations that will battle the Bucks in Tuesday's championship final.  Bruce feels like Shai Gilgeous Alexander plays the game as a guard like Nikola Jokic does at center.  He plays at his own speed, he will not let defenses speed him up, and he gets to spots on the floor at just the right time and has a knack for always being where he should be.  Ross feels that defensive wizard Lu Dort of the Thunder will actually guard Giannis frequently on Tuesday night. 38:23 .... Bruce, "World B," and Ross all make their predictions for the Bucks/Thunder matchup on Tuesday night.  Bruce doesn't feel OKC can stop Giannis, "World B" also likes the Bucks, but Ross is picking the Thunder.  Bruce "accuses" Ross of using reverse psychology since he is our resident Bucks fan but Ross insists he is concerned about Damian Lillard's ability to score on OKC's perimeter defenders. 44:27 ... Bruce's final thought concerns his desire to see Jimmy Butler traded from Miami to Houston. 45:39 ... The final thought from "World B" concerns the suddenly healthy Memphis Grizzlies and how Ja Morant needs to clean up his act and grow up. 46:56 ... Ross's final thought is on the two early trades that took place this week.  Dennis Schroeder to Golden State and Thomas Bryant to Indiana. 47:57 ... Ross says goodbye TRT 48:10

17 Joulu 202448min

0:00 Intro 1:27 Ross introduces tonight’s special guest Zaza Pachulia 4:07 Drafted in 2003, a lot of international big men at the time were considered soft entering the NBA, but not Zaza! 7:18 Coming into the league at 19 years old, what were the biggest challenges he faced as a rookie? 9:46 Was there any kind of language barrier for Zaza at the start of his career? 12:52 Has Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze asked for him for advice throughout his young career in the NBA? 16:11 Being from the same NBA Draft class as LeBron James, Zaza provides his thoughts on how LeBron James continues to impress 19:48 Zaza reflects on the 2008 Hawks/Celtics Playoff Series & his battle with Kevin Garnett 26:31 Zaza shares some stories on his former teammate & close friend Al Horford 29:01 Zaza on what he remembers from his 2015-2016 season with the Mavericks when he nearly made the NBA All-Star team 33:01 Was the Golden State Warriors Dynasty Team is the best NBA team ever? 40:21 The unfortunate Kawhi Leonard closeout became known as  “The Zaza Rule” does it bother him that an NBA rule is named after him? 43:07 Being close friends with Klay Thompson, Zaza talks about him joining the Mavericks & his recent return to the Bay for the first time 46:38 Zaza shares some memories out at sea with Captain Klay 48:31 Word Association with Zaza! 48:47 Draymond Green 51:22 Steve Kerr 55:56 Giannis Antetokounmpo 57:49 Dirk Nowitzki 59:48 Stephen Curry 1:03:36 Zaza shares a special message to his fellow Georgians

10 Joulu 20241h 4min

0:00 ... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the panel. 0:37 ... Ross dedicates episode #133 to Toumani Camara of the Portland Trailblazers, who happens to wear jersey #33. 1:04  ... Bet Online Live Commercial Read 1:41 ... The show begins with a recap of the strong week by the up and coming Atlanta Hawks.  Head coach Quin Snyder is in his second full season and really seems to be getting his program established with a young team. 6:29 ... The Cavaliers beat the Celtics on Sunday to remain on top of the eastern conference with a 17-3 record.  It appeared to be a "statement win," but was it really?  Bruce has his doubts. Ross expressed concern over the recent struggles of Jrue Holiday. 12:50 ... Boston may have lost to the Cavs on Sunday but they've been bolstered by the return of Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the first 17 games of the season after having off-season surgery.  The guys discuss what his presence means for the Celtics.  Bruce feels Neemias Queta did a great job while Porzingis was out and his presence should help Al Horford stay fresh for the playoffs.  Ross loves KP as a "first basket" betting option for those who like to wager. 15:46 ... Sunday night's battle between the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets featured a gritty win by the Rockets, who are playing tremendous defense under coach Ime Udoka.  OKC misses Chet Holmgren and even with the return of Isaiah Hartenstein, the Thunder are struggling to rebound effectively.  World B reminds everyone that Jalen Green of the Rockets needs to shoot a higher percentage from the floor if the Rockets are to make noise in the playoffs. 23:01 ... Our NBA Cup breakdown begins with Group A in the East ... Will the Knicks get past Orlando on Tuesday night and clinch a spot in the knockout round?  The crew is split on who will emerge.  World B concludes with a very bold prediction about the Magic. 28:49 ... Group B in the east comes down to the winner of Detroit vs. Milwaukee on Tuesday night.  Our crew likes the Bucks but the Pistons can clinch the wild card even if they lose ... as long as they don't lose by more than 5 points. 32:48 ... Group C in the east has already been clinched by the Hawks.  The Celtics could emerge from the bracket as the wild card team, but they'll need help from Orlando and a large margin of victory (7 points or more) between the Pistons and Bucks regardless of which team wins. 33:55 ... Group A in the west has already been clinched by the Rockets so the Blazers and Clippers have a shot at the wild card, but both teams will need help from elsewhere in order to advance.  The Clippers have a slightly better chance than Portland. 38:03 ... Group B in the west has the most intrigue on Tuesday.  The Thunder clinch at least a wild card if they beat Utah on Tuesday.  The Spurs clinch the group with a win over Phoenix but if San Antonio loses, there's no path to the wild card and it opens the door for Phoenix to possibly grab the wild card if Dallas lays an egg against Memphis. 40:42 ... Group C in the west has been clinched by Golden State.  Dallas grabs the wild card with a win over Memphis.  If the Grizz beat the Mavs and the Nuggets beat the Warriors, both Memphis and Denver could theoretically advance to the wild card, but there are many scenarios that would have to take place for that to happen. 43:22 ... Final Thoughts: Bruce feels there could be a new "Batman" in Memphis with Jaren Jackson Jr emerging as Ja Morant's virtual equal. 45:08 ... World B's final thought is on the Magic and how they'll become a real threat to do damage in the playoffs if they regain their health.  They may even be Boston's toughest matchup in the playoffs. 46:18 .... In Ross's final thought, he surprisingly sees a good future for the Toronto Raptors if Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley get themselves rolling to go along with RJ Barrett, who has played well. 47:23 ... Ross says goodbye TRT 47:40

3 Joulu 202447min

0:00 Intro 1:26 Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in terms of NBA teams  1:32 Are the Milwaukee Bucks finding their stride? 4:33 Orlando Magic remaining successful without their star 8:30 The LA Clippers continue to exceed preseason expectations 12:09 Victor Wembanyama & the Spurs are trending upward 15:44 Who’s Not? (Teams) 16:00 Has the Top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference already been decided? 19:24 The Washington Wizards have been a disaster this season, where do they go from here? 23:31 Without Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns can’t survive 27:09 This season for the New Orleans Pelicans has been an absolute nightmare 30:40 What in the world is going on with the Minnesota Timberwolves? 34:01 Can the OKC Thunder stay atop the West without Chet Holmgren? 36:32 A World B Hot or Not special on The Joker 38:02 Hot or Not Players! 38:13 Giannis Antetokounmpo 38:57 LaMelo Ball 40:15 Victor Wembanyama 41:30 Karl Anthony-Towns 42:50 The NBA’s current Rookie Class 44:44 Ice Cold Players in the NBA at the Moment 44:46 Donte Divincenzo 46:27 Tyrese Haliburton 49:06 Bruce provides his final thought on Scotty Pippen Jr. 50:10 World B gives a shoutout to the Chicago Bulls 51:38 Ross gives a proper Thanksgiving signoff

26 Marras 202452min

0:00 ... Ross welcomes everyone to the show and introduces the panel. 0:35 ... Show #131 is dedicated to Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell, who wore #31 which has been retired by the team.  Bruce shares a quick story about "Max," who currently broadcasts Celtics games on radio. 1:28 ... Ross does his live Bet Online commercial read 2:00 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Cleveland Cavaliers be a title contender? 5:31 ... Buy or Sell: Are the Golden State Warriors a title contender? 13:09 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Houston Rockets win 50 games this season? 16:35 ... Buy or Sell: Will the Lakers finish in the top 6 out west and avoid the "Play In" tournament? 20:31 ... Buy or Sell: Are the Bucks a playoff team? 28:08 ... Buy or Sell: Is Anthony Davis an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidate? 31:47 ... Buy or Sell: Jared McCain is the leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. 37:21 ... Buy or Sell: Jimmy Butler will still be a member of the Miami Heat at season's end. 40:52 ... Buy or Sell: Dyson Daniels will break the single season record for steals. 43:37 ... Buy or Sell: Nikola Jokic will average a triple double this season. 46:17 ... TNT's legendary studio show "Inside the NBA" will be seen on ESPN next season.  Bruce has mixed feelings about the implications for his friends at ESPN but likes the decision by ESPN and considers it a "win" for NBA fans. 49:43 ... Cleveland suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday when the Celtics beat them in a very exciting game.  The guys discuss how it happened.   TRT 52:29

20 Marras 202452min