48 Minutes: Opening Week Preview and Individual Award Predictions

0:00 ... Ross hello & welcome ... introduces panel and dedicates episode #156 to Stephen Curry for his 56 point game against Orlando in February. 1:23 ... Ross tees up discussion of the Knicks big win over Boston on Monday night, giving NY a 3-1 lead in their playoff series.  World B feels it was one of the most impressive Knicks games in more than two decades. 3:32 ... Bruce felt that even with an 11 point lead at halftime, the Celtics were not in great shape because the Knicks stayed attached the entire game. 5:04 ... Jayson Tatum played great until he injured himself in the final minutes but it appears to be a serious injury and it sure looks bad for his return on Wednesday. for game 5. 8:00 ... Bruce appreciated Tatum's scoring heroics in game 4, but took issue with some of his shot decisions and how they helped stifle the Celtics ball movement, thus playing into New York's hands.  World B points out how Boston plays a lot of isolation ball and when they don't penetrate into the paint, they can be successfully defended. 10:46 ... With Tatum likely unavailable in game five, the guys discuss who might step up for Boston.  Jrue Holiday might be ready to have a big night. 13:08 ... Ross and World B discuss the pressure NY may feel if Boston can somehow take game 5 on Wednesday.  World B has lots of praise for Tatum and how much he respects him. 15:08 ... Ross is concerned that Kristaps Porzingis may be physically unable to step up in to help fill the void that Tatum leaves in game five. 15:39 .... The Cavaliers are being curb stomped by Indiana as they also trail their series 3 games to one.  They may not be dead, but they're close to dead.  The Cavs are lucky that Sunday's blowout only counted for one loss. 22:30 ... Bruce puts Bennedict Mathurin on notice that moves like his bush league punch in game 4 will get him extra scrutiny from the refs if the Pacers move on.  World B feels like Indiana has exhibited some punk-like behavior in the series. 23:59 ... The Thunder and Nuggets are tied at 2 games each out west and OKC's defense has carried the team with their offense not looking especially sharp. 25:15 .... Bruce predicts that Shai Gilgeous Alexander will received his MVP Award on Tuesday night before game 5.  Bruce feels that OKC's defense wore down the Nuggets in game four and in the final quarter caused the Nuggets to "drop their hands" like a boxer who absorbs too many punches to the ribs.  Ross predicts a Nuggets win in game five and a seven game series ... World B agrees and has high praise for Aaron Gordon of the Nuggets for his performance.  Ross feels Gordon is their 3rd most important player. 32:33 ... Game four of Timberwolves/Warriors was underway as the show was being recorded on Monday night and none of the guys felt that Golden State would come back to take the series.  Julius Randle was having another big game and has found his playoff groove in Minnesota.  With Steph Curry injured, they just need more scoring than they can muster right now. 36:14 ... The Draft Lottery took place on Monday night and the guys respond to the Dallas Mavericks beating the odds and earning the right to draft Cooper Flagg in June's NBA Draft.  Bruce was thinking that when the Spurs made it into the top four, they might once again get the 1st overall pick as they did with Victor Wembanyama, Tim Duncan, and David Robinson in previous NBA Drafts. 37:50 ... The saddest teams in the league have to be Charlotte, Washington, and Utah, all of whom were hosed in the lottery and missed out on the #1 overall pick. 41:08 ... The guys take issue with ESPN's star NBA journalist Shams Charania claiming that Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed leaving Milwaukee for the very first time this weekend when he actually did it on our podcast back in September of 2023.  We playfully demanded an apology but offered to kiss and make up if he joins us on a future show to talk hoop!  Giannis' comments on 48 Minutes were instrumental in helping the Bucks to acquire Damian Lillard, which required them to trade Jrue Holiday to Portland and led to the trade to the Celtics. 44:10 ... Ross was on Milwaukee radio today and told the host "Sparky" Fifer that Bucks fans shouldn't panic because Giannis is loyal to the Bucks and the city. 45:38 ... Milwaukee can't expect to get equal value in return for Giannis in any trade because players of his caliber are hardly ever are traded.  Oklahoma City has the assets needed to entice the Bucks into a possible trade, so we'll see if those teams do business in the off-season. 50:10 ... Ross wraps things up and says goodbye. TRT 50:33

13 Mai 50min

0:00 Intro 0:56 Ross provides Bruce & World B with an update on how their 1st Round predictions fared 1:15 What we’ve learned from the 2025 NBA Playoffs thus far 1:26 Bruce on the Northwest Division & James Harden 2:08 World B on the Minnesota Timberwolves 2:43 Ross on JJ Redick, LeBron James, & the LA Lakers 3:47 The New York Knicks steal a Game 1 OT Win in Boston over the Celtics 14:10 Is Game 2 a must win for the Celtics? 17:43 The Indiana Pacers steal Game 1 in their series against the Cavaliers in Cleveland 24:50 Two underdogs out West are set to face off in the 2nd Round between the Warriors & Timberwolves 35:53 Will Nikola Jokic & the Nuggets put up a good fight against the OKC Thunder?

6 Mai 44min

0:00 ... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the crew. 0:35 ... Episode #154 is dedicated to Sandro Mamukelashvili, who was drafted #54 in the 2021 NBA Draft 1:19 ... Knicks/Pistons discussion which includes a breakdown of the controversial "non call" at the end of game 4 which may have cost the Pistons the series. 3:25 ... Bruce feels like the Pistons should get every 50/50 call in game 5 to try and make up for the non-call in game 4 and he also was super impressed with Jalen Brunson's 4th quarter performance in game 4.  World B has massive praise for Karl-Anthony Towns. 7:50 ... Celtics/Magic discussion which includes Bruce's feelings that Orlando's toughness really tested Boston and helped prepare them for their upcoming series by forcing them to find ways to score other than with 3 point shooting.  World B feels like the Magic have played really well but lack the offensive firepower to defeat Boston. 11:47 ... Bruce asks Ross and World B if the Knicks have the type of personnel to play Boston the way Orlando has.  Ross and World B differ in their responses. 14:36 ... Bucks/Pacers discussion ... the big story is that Damian Lillard tore his achilles tendon on Sunday and will likely miss most of next season.  Bruce is worried that Giannis Antetokounmpo will ask to be traded now that Lillard is on the shelf and suggests that Oklahoma City has the assets needed to make the Bucks a solid offer for Giannis and that Milwaukee should be on the phone pursuing a deal.  World B feels like the Pacers are really clicking and are back to their hot January form.  Ross credits the Pacers defense for their success. 19:38 ... Lakers/Timberwolves discussion ... World B feels like LeBron James and Luka Doncic may have what it takes to win 3 straight games and dig themselves out of a 3-1 deficit, but the Timberwolves are playing like a team that can handle their business and move on.  Bruce felt that the Lakers were worn down by the Wolves in Sunday's 4th quarter as LA coach JJ Redick used just 5 players in the final quarter.  Bruce praised Naz Reid's work and nicknamed him "Nuclear Naz" because of his explosive play.  Ross with an amazing fact about Redick's historic "non use" of his bench in the second half of Sunday's game. 24:45 ... Clippers/Nuggets discussion ... Aaron Gordon's dunk on Saturday will go down in Nuggets lore and will be talked about forever, but the guys were also impressed by the way Gordon stood up for his teammate Christian Braun when the Clippers took exception to a foul Braun committed just before halftime.  World B feels it has been a great series that will go 7 games and thinks the Clippers can win another road game in Denver. 28:09 ... Bruce wants James Harden to come up with a monster game in game 5, which is something he has never really done in the playoffs. 30:08 ... Bruce asks his co-hosts if Nikola Jokic is now on the very short list of the 5 greatest centers of all-time?  And can he be considered the greatest International player of all-time? 31:13 ... Thunder/Grizzlies discussion ... the guys discuss whether the long layoff that OKC has earned after sweeping Memphis will negatively affect the team at the start of their next series.  Ross feels that Chet Holmgren will benefit the most from a long layoff between series as he'll need to have maximum energy against either Jokic or Ivika Zubac in the next round.  If the Nuggets advance and play OKC, we'll see the top two MVP candidates squaring off with Jokic vs Shai Gilgeous Alexander. 35:22 ... Cavaliers/Heat discussion ... Whatever happened to Heat Culture after being swept by the Cavs and losing game 3 by 37 points and game 4 by 55 points?  Bruce feels like the Heat roster will look a whole lot different next season after the way they flamed out this season.  While the Cavs had it easy against Miami, everyone expects the Cavs to be tested by Indiana in the next round. 44:15 ... Warriors/Rockets discussion ... are the Rockets in trouble trailing 2-1 with game 4 on Monday night?  Everyone agrees that game 4 is a "must win" for Houston.  If Houston  can improve their shooting, they can come back in the series.  But that's a big IF. 48:06 ... Ross wraps it up and says goodbye TRT 48:33

29 Apr 48min

0:00 Intro 0:47 World B reacts to Ross’s episode dedication 1:28 The Minnesota Timberwolves with a statement win in Game 1, should the Lakers be concerned? 8:50 Russell Westbrook & the Denver Nuggets secure a huge Game 1 overtime victory over the Clippers 13:41 The Indiana Pacers handled business against the Bucks in their Game 1 home win 17:48 The New York Knicks secured a Game 1 win over the Detroit Pistons 23:19 Any hope for the Miami Heat against Cleveland or is this going to be a quick sweep? 27:11 Can the Orlando Magic win a single game without scoring in triple digits against the Celtics? 33:00 At this point would we be surprised if the Thunder don’t sweep the Grizzlies? 37:48 Should we be surprised the Warriors took Game 1 against the Rockets in Houston? 43:40 Instant reaction to the Pistons Game 2 bounce back win against the Knicks 48:04 The NBA Award Finalists were announced on Sunday

22 Apr 54min

0:00 ... Show open and Ross intros the panel and our special guest Jared Greenberg of TNT Sports and NBA TV. 0:47 ... Ross dedicates episode #152 to the Houston Rockets, who won 52 games this season. 1:08 ... Bruce introduces Jared Greenberg ot TNT Sports and NBA TV 1:49 ... Eastern conference "play in tournament" preview ... Orlando and the Bulls get the 7 and 8 spots 3:02 ... Western conference "play in" preview ... Golden State gets #7 and Memphis #8 3:48 ... Will Houston be challenged by a #7 seed like Golden State in the first round?  Jared is impressed by Houston's mental makeup. 6:07 ... The Rockets are one of the hardest playing teams in the league ... Detroit and OKC are the others.  Jared expects ramped up intensity from all 3 of them in the playoffs. 7:06 ... Ross tees up the preview of the Pistons/Knicks series ... lots of pressure on the Knicks while the Pistons are playing with house money. 8:45 ... Will the season be a bust if the Knicks don't make the conference finals?  Jared puts their season into context and suggests changes may be coming if they fall short of expectations. 10:06 ... The Pistons have more playoff experience than many realize and NY really needs Jalen Brunson to play well. 11:11 .... Indiana vs Milwaukee is a repeat of last season's 4 vs 5 matchup in the east ... with Damian Lillard out, can the Bucks possibly win the series?  Since Giannis is the best player on the court, he may be able to carry Milwaukee to a series victory. 12:35 ... Ross asks Jared about the Bucks personnel moves during the season with the addition of Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Junior and the loss of Khris Middleton. 15:26 ... Tyrese Haliburton has been spectacular since the All-Star break ... his numbers across the board have been great.  But Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner have been solid too. 17:17 ... Can any lower seeds challenge Cleveland or Boston in the east?  Is there any chance the Cavs could start their first playoff series on a "down" note in game one?  Which first round opponent would give Cleveland's defense problems? 19:17 ... Jared sizes up a possible eastern conference finals matchup between Boston and Cleveland. 20:40 ... Joe Mazzulla risked losing some games during the season in order to give guys rest and keep them fresh for the playoffs.  Much like the 1995 Rockets, the 2025 Celtics knew they could take their foot off the gas at times in search of a larger prize. 22:57 ... Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley are two young players who will have huge opportunities in the playoffs.  Jared feels that Mobley's success will be somewhat dependent on Donovan Mitchell, who must continue his "team first" play. 24:49 ... The Wolves/Lakers 3 vs 6 series in the west should be fascinating ... Jared feels like Minnesota really stepped up their defense as the season wore on.   Julius Randle may have some extra motivation as a former Laker.  Will Anthony Edwards help eliminate a Hall of Famer for the second year in a row? 28:02 ... Minnesota has an advantage with better bigs, so JJ Redick may go small and try to limit Rudy Gobert's impact. 29:16 .... Denver vs the LA Clippers in the 4 vs 5 series ... Nikola Jokic gives the Nuggets a presence that no team can match.  Kawhi Leonard's health is always a potential issue.  And Ivica Zubac is someone Jared has his eyes on regarding the matchup with Jokic. 30:36 ... Ross asks if any team in the west can challenge OKC ... um ... No.  But Jared feels any number of teams could make it to the western conference finals, they just can't beat the Thunder. 32:16 ... NBA Championship matchup: Boston vs Oklahoma City ... so who does Jared think will win the Larry O'Brien Trophy?  Can the Thunder find a second consistent scorer along with Gilgeous-Alexander? 34:46 ... Ross asks about Jared's favorite postgame interview and he has a really good Stephen Curry story. 36:02 ... Postseason Awards discussion ... who will win MVP? 37:45 ... Is Shai Gilgeous-Amexander a "mini version" of Jokic due to his playing style? 39:39 ... Rookie of the Year?  Jared runs through the list of worthy candidates but settles on ____! 40:14 ... Defensive Player of the Year?  Victor Wembanyama would have won if not for missing so many games, but he doesn't qualify.  Jared drops a great stat about Wemby and Brook Lopez. 43:29 ... Most Improved Player?  As a former number one overall pick, should Cade Cunningham really be considered? 45:28 ... World B likes Cunningham but also feels Ivica Zubac is worthy. 48:41 ... Coach of the Year?  Jared has four solid candidates but he feels that rewarding the coach of a 6 seed is an problem for him.  So he's going with the coach who took a good team to "great," rather than taking a bad team to "good." 49:25 ... Jared has worked for TNT's NBA coverage for more than a decade and he shares his feelings about the final weeks of TNT's NBA coverage as their 36 year run covering the league ends in early June. 51:06 ... Ross thanks Jared and wraps things up ... TRT 51:34

15 Apr 51min

0:00 ... Bruce welcomes the audience to 48 Minutes and introduces Mike Isenberg, and five time author and 11 time Emmy Award winning producer whose new collaboration with Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell is their second book project together. 1:03 ... Mike briefly explains the "double track" method that the Celtics used to win the 2024 NBA Championship. 1:57 ... Some felt that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown weren't a championship combo but the Celtics management felt otherwise and showed patience with the duo. 3:02 ... With Tatum and Brown just hitting their prime, the only way they'd be split up now has nothing to do with their performance on the court. 4:07 ... How Tatum's snubs regarding the NBA Finals MVP voting and 2024 Olympics benching drove him to even greater levels of achievement this season. 5:22 ... Tatum has finally achieved a level of "Basketball IQ" that has placed him in rare company. 6:53 ... Tatum leads the Celtics in a way this is somewhat like Nikola Jokic in Denver and he has placed individual accolades well behind his desire to get a ring. 8:10 ... Patience and aggressiveness are not easy to combine in one person's emotional makeup.  But Celtics president Brad Stevens has mastered that balance. 10:09 ... Bruce tells the story of how the 48 Minutes podcast's interview with Giannis Antetokounmpo set the stage for Stevens to acquire Jrue Holiday.  Mike describes how Brad keeps a "wish list" of players he covets and also how Joe Mazzulla told Holiday that they were destined to work together months before the trade was even considered. 13:15 ... It wasn't easy for Stevens to trade Robert Williams III but having already acquired Kristaps Porzingis made it easier to Stevens to part with the "Time Lord." 14:28 ... The health of Porzingis is the key for Boston in the postseason.  Mazzulla risked losing some games along the way in order to manage the workload of key players like KP and veteran Al Horford while giving reserve players like Sam Hauser meaningful minutes. 17:51 ... Boston is not concerned about having home court advantage in the playoffs, so they didn't have to go all out to win every game during the regular season.  Stevens and Mazzulla had a plan for what they're doing and never wavered or listened to the noise from outside. 19:54 ... Mike's co-author Cedric Maxwell played for 6 different NBA coaches with various different styles, so what is his take on Mazzulla? 21:29 ... Mazzulla's no nonsense style has been effective with the players because of his self-awareness and willingness to be his authentic self. 23:32 ... Mazzulla effectively navigated the move from assistant coach to head coach OF THE SAME TEAM, which isn't easy to do when you go from being the players' "friend" to their boss. 25:09 ... Mike explains the relationship between Stevens and Mazzulla.  As a former coach, Stevens could have been heavy handed in his approach to a young coach like Joe, but he avoided doing that. 26:53 ... Stevens' moves were reminiscent of previous moves by legendary Celtics executives like Red Auerbach and Danny Ainge.  Mike points out how many of the team's big moves usually led to instant success and gives three great examples. 30:47 ... Ainge is currently angling to get Cooper Flagg in the 2025 Draft for the Utah Jazz. 31:54 ... Bruce resets the show and asks Mike about the future of the team with new ownership.  Mike explains how some of their recent big money signings could have negative repercussions down the road, especially if the Celtics don't repeat in 2025. 34:15 ... Bruce and Mike discuss whether guys like Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford would be willing to sign "team favorable" deals to keep winning championships. 36:57 ... Mike likes the OKC Thunder to make the NBA Finals from the west and the Celtics to come out of the east. 38:01 ... Bruce compares the OKC defense to a hockey power play with 6 players against 5.  Mike explains how the Thunder just come at you in waves. 39:27 ... The guys discuss how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a mini version of Nikola Jokic and how Tatum is also in that category when it comes to the game "slowing down" for him. 40:43 ... Bruce and Mike praise Derrick White for his clutch play when the team needs a bucket. 41:52 ... Mike explains how to find the book "Banner Year" and the "big picture" philosophy that makes the organization tick. 43:59 ... Bruce wraps it up and teases the next episode with TNT's Jared Greenberg and the 48 Minutes playoff preview next week. TRT 44:32

11 Apr 44min

0:00 Intro 1:12 Ross breaks down the “Realistic Expectations” show concept 1:42 Starting out East with the Detroit Pistons 6:02 Do the Milwaukee Bucks stand a chance in the 1st round of the playoffs? 10:30 Do the Indiana Pacers have another surprising playoff run in them? 16:12 The state of the New York Knicks 22:01 Who would Bruce rather face out of the Play-In Tournament? The Magic or Hawks? 29:08 Is it unfair to say it’s Championship or Bust for the Cleveland Cavaliers? 33:41 Ross shares details into the wild playoff battles going on in the Western Conference 34:05 How serious should we take the Golden State Warriors come playoff time? 38:15 The LA Clippers are peaking at the right time 41:57 The Denver Nuggets are we selling their playoff stock? 45:04 Could the LA Lakers become the biggest disappointment in the playoffs this year? 48:40 The Houston Rockets holding on strong to the 2nd spot in the West 52:15 Is it Championship or Bust for the Oklahoma City Thunder?

8 Apr 56min

0:00 ... Ross hello, welcome, and introduces the gang ... 1:14 ... Ross dedicates episode #150 to Zach "Zeebo" Randolph, who wore #50 in his long NBA career. 1:24 ... Ross live commercial read for BetOnLine ... 2:02 ... Bruce introduces tonight's guest, Lakers reporter Ryan Ward 2:40 ... Ryan shares his thoughts on the "Running Point" series on MAX that is based on Lakers owner Jeanie Buss 3:58 ... "World B" points out how streaky the Lakers have been in March and Ryan shares his thoughts on how the team goes on "Benders" at times and remains a puzzle as to how far they're capable of going in the playoffs. 6:11 ... Ross asks what the biggest difference is when LeBron is on the floor vs. when he is not.  Ryan has a great analytical point about how the spacing is affected when LeBron is on the floor. 8:10 ... Ross points out that when Luka Doncic is running the offense, there is better motion in LA's offense and Ryan points out how LeBron causes the motion to stop when he has the ball at the top of the key. 9:50 ... Bruce asks Ryan whether LA has what it takes to win key games down the stretch and secure the #2 seeding in the west.  Ryan feels they do not.  He is concerned that the Lakers could fold quickly in the playoffs. 11:53 ... LA has really struggled on the road this season and Ryan points out that the Lakers had three straight "back to back" road games and sometimes they were guilty of playing down to the level of their opponents. 13:55 ... Bruce points out that Austin Reaves has been an outstanding "third wheel" with LeBron and Luka and Ryan explains how he continues to amaze and will be relied upon heavily in the playoffs.  Ryan sees comparisons between Reaves and Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili. 16:40 ... Ross asks Ryan how much LeBron's endorsement has meant to Reaves' development. 17:46 ... Rookie Dalton Knecht has been impressive after returning to the Lakers after having his trade to Charlotte rescinded.  Ryan doesn't really understand how coach JJ Redick is using him and thinks they may trade him again if they can get a quality big man in return. 19:39 ... The guys discuss JJ Redick's coaching job in his rookie year.  Ryan likes his intensity, passion, and intelligence. 21:09 ... Ross and Ryan discuss Redick's readiness to coach well in the playoffs. 22:52 ... LeBron James has been acting out lately with battles against ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst ... Ryan feels there is a "Wrestlemania" element to the whole thing.  Especially when LeBron did it on the Pat McAfee's show. 25:37 ... Bruce feels LeBron acted like a bully in his comments about Windhorst and Ryan feels like Stephen A. came out on top in this situation.  Ryan loves how Mike Wilbon also checked in with his thoughts on the whole thing. 28:11 ... Ross has two quick hitters about LeBron's positive comments on Giannis Antetokounmpo and also asked Ryan if he and LeBron ever locked horns over something Ryan wrote or said. 30:20 ... Bruce offers Ryan some advice on how he can mix it up with LeBron and make worldwide news if there is ever beef between them. 31:18 ... Ryan tells everyone how to find him on social media and shares an update on his "Jello Jigglin" podcast. 32:14 ... Show reset and discussion of the Boston Celtics, who won their 9th straight game on Monday night.  They appear to be peaking at the right time and are ready to flip the switch.  Bruce credits head coach Joe Mazzulla with guiding the team through a long season and giving his reserves lots of minutes so they can contribute in the postseason.  World B cautions that the Celtics starting lineup has not been as dominant as we expected. 38:08 ... Ross expands the discussion on how Boston's bench has stepped up and how it bodes well for the postseason.  Bruce points out the value of veteran Al Horford and what a luxury it is that Boston has him. 38:24 ... The Taylor Jenkins firing is a head scratcher and Bruce is angry that the Grizzlies GM has not really given a good explanation as to why it was done.  Bruce is concerned how the lack of information about the firing casts a cloud over Jenkins since some may suspect him of "shenanigans" when there may not have been any.  World B feels like the Grizzlies team has tailed off badly in the second half of the season. 41:37 ... Ross wants Suns owner Mat Ishbia to hire Jenkins as the lead assistant for Mike Budenholzer and run the offense in Phoenix. 42:43 ... The Milwaukee Bucks are a hot mess with Damian Lillard out indefinitely ... Bruce thinks former head coach Adrian Griffin might be laughing at the situation he left behind since he was fired with a 30-13 record last season and the Bucks have been pretty "meh" since then, winning just 59 of 113 games.  None of the guys feel the Bucks are capable of winning a playoff series at this point. 46:16 ... Breaking news!  PJ Tucker is signing a 2 year deal with the Knicks and will be a steady veteran presence.  Ross has high praise for PJ whom he worked with in Phoenix and called PJ "the new Taj Gibson.". 47:03 ... The guys recap the Sunday night Pistons/Timberwolves brawl and discuss the Pistons and their "Bad Boy" culture.  World B has had enough of the fake "tough guy" act from Isaiah Stewart.  Bruce initially thought there would not be any suspensions as a result of the brawl but Ross disagreed and Bruce was convinced and changed his mind. 53:22 ... The guys make their choices for the college hoop championship ... Ross and World B like Houston and Bruce likes Auburn. 54:15 ... Ross says goodbye ... TRT 54:30

1 Apr 54min