The 2023 NBA Play-In & Playoffs Weekend Preview!
0:00 Intro 0:38 Bruce shares his first hand insight/observations while working courtside at the Bulls/Raptors play in game 3:21 Zion Williamson’s decision to warm up pregame but not play in the biggest game of the season, World B has some thoughts and the crew discusses the Zion situation in New Orleans 11:58 Ross explains why Kyle Anderson was the player of the game in Wolves/Lakers play in game despite the result 13:24 Chicago Bulls/Miami Heat Play-In Matchup Preview 19:04 OKC Thunder/Minnesota Timberwolves Play-In Matchup Preview 25:19 Atlanta Hawks/Boston Celtics Series Preview 30:48 Brooklyn Nets/Philadelphia 76ers Series Preview 34:56 New York Knicks/Cleveland Cavaliers Series Preview 38:44 Golden State Warriors/Sacramento Kings Series Preview 46:12 LA Lakers/Memphis Grizzlies Series Preview 54:01 LA Clippers/Phoenix Suns Series Matchup 59:43 Bruce gives his final thoughts on Nick Nurse & the Toronto Raptors 1:01:51 World B discusses Kevin Durant for his final thought 1:03:25 Ross gives loves to the 10 players that played in every game this season & why there is an added level of excitement with the playoffs this season
14 Apr 20231h 5min
ESPN Radio Studio Host Kevin Winter joins the show to discuss the NBA Play In Tournament, 1st Round Series Matchups/Predictions, & NBA Season Awards
0:00 Intro 0:54 Ross steals the tip to discuss Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s post podcast game performances 2:09 Kevin gives his two cents on the Dallas Mavericks decision to tank & the crew react as well 7:42 Bruce uses his opening tip to touch on the Lakers & their chances moving forward 10:02 World B reflects on the Minnesota Timberwolves decision making during the past summer & this weekend 13:55 The crew along with special guest Kevin Winter break down the play in matchups & make their predictions 13:56 Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat play in game preview/predictions 18:24 Minnesota Timberwolves @ LA Lakers play in game preview/predictions 24:26 Chicago Bulls @ Toronto Raptors play in game preview/predictions 28:30 Oklahoma City Thunder @ New Orleans Pelicans play in game preview/predictions 31:57 The rest of the Western Conference 1st Round Matchups set in stone 32:06 Golden State Warriors/Sacramento Kings 1st Round series preview/predictions 38:05 LA Clippers/Phoenix Suns 1st Round series preview/predictions 43:55 The rest of the Eastern Conference 1st Round Matchups that are solidified 44:04 Brooklyn Nets/Philadelphia 76ers 1st Round series preview/predictions 47:06 New York Knicks/Cleveland Cavaliers 1st Round series preview/predictions 54:48 Our final NBA Award Picks featuring ESPN Radio Studio Host Kevin Winter’s picks 54:56 This year’s 2022-2023 NBA MVP 59:57 The 2022-2023 NBA Rookie of the Year 1:01:14 The 2022-2023 NBA Coach of the Year 1:03:04 The 2022-2023 Most Improved Player 1:05:07 The Sixth Man of the Year 1:07:54 The Defensive Player of the Year 1:10:40 Bruce shares his final thought on Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat 1:11:53 World B uses his final thought to give Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Jacque Vaughn some well deserved credit 1:13:26 Special guest Kevin Winter gives his final thought on what round of the NBA playoffs he’s most looking forward too 1:15:05 Ross shows much deserved love & recognition to the voice of the Phoenix Suns Al McCoy
11 Apr 20231h 17min
Special Guest Thanasis Antetokounmpo, The Battle of LA, and The Rest of the West
0:00 Intro 1:10 Thanasis shares his motivation on why he decided to start his own podcast 2:31 With both a Nigerian & Greek background Thanasis explains a strong similarity between the two 4:18 Having 4 brothers Thanasis discusses his role growing up as the second oldest in the family 5:23 Thanasis explains how cool & special the journey has been being teammates with Giannis in Milwaukee as well as sharing these experiences with Kostas & Alex 8:33 Did Kostas brag about winning a Championship before Giannis & Thanasis? 9:53 Thanasis reflects on the Bucks finishing with the best overall record in the Eastern Conference 11:15 Ross asks Thanasis how he stays well conditioned & ready to play when called upon 13:06 World B asks Thanasis is he sees any similarities between this year’s team & the 2021 Championship team 14:40 How important is it for teams to have playoff experience as the pressure builds in a series? 16:41 Thanasis shares just how competitive practices are with the guys on this year’s Bucks roster 17:53 Bruce challenges Thanasis to determine which Disney character Brook Lopez most resembles 19:19 World B asks Thanasis to give us insight on how this Bucks offense has improved a ton since the All-Star break 21:13 Thanasis discusses the Antetokounbros project 22:38 Is Joe Ingles a fashionable guy? 26:14 The Clippers once again win the Battle of LA on Wednesday night 34:37 How the rest of the West shapes up 41:03 If you were a Suns fan would you rather Phoenix play the Clippers or the Warriors in 1st Round? 43:49 Bruce shares his final thought on Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzula’s lack of coaching experience in the playoffs 45:46 World B discusses the latest Zion Williamson update given by the Pelicans & shares his thoughts 48:14 Ross uses his final thought to discuss Kyrie Irving & the Dallas Mavericks. Bruce & World B chime in.
7 Apr 202352min
48 Minutes: Final Week Bold Predictions, High Drama atop the East, First Round Matchups we'd like to see, & The "48 Minutes Awards"
0:00 ... Hello and Welcome ... 0:36 ... Opening Comments: Bruce looks forward to Andrew Wiggins' long awaited return to the Golden State Warriors after missing 22 games due to a family issue involving his father's health. 1:55 ... World B has a problem with Kawhi Leonard sitting out the second half against Memphis due to load management. 3:17 ... Ross is relieved that the new collective bargaining agreement between the players and management has been agreed upon. 4:40 ... Bold Predictions: Bruce says the Nets will win their final four games, secure the #6 seed in the eastm and his the postseason with some momentum. 7:05 ... World B says the Lakers will not only make the postseason, they'll secure the #6 seed out west and avoid the Play In games. 8:35 ... Ross predicts that the Suns will not lose another game heading into the playoffs. 11:03 ... High Drama in the East ... Milwaukee, Boston, and Philly are the top three teams but there's a lot of unfinished business. 15:00 ... Ross wants to know who will step up for the Bucks if Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday have off night in the playoffs. 21:03 ... Boston needs Robert Williams III to play to his potential if they expect to come out of the east. 25:45 ... Two of the three MVP Favorites are Giannis and Joel Embiid but their recent head to head matchup didn't decide anything. 29:39 ... Playoff matchups we want to see ... Bruce hopes the Celtics and Heat meet in the first round because they have a rich postseason history and the teams don't really like each other. 32:22 ...World B wants to see the Knicks and the Cavaliers go at it with New York's Julius Randle healthy enough to make an impact. 37:16 ... Ross hopes the Kings and Warriors match up in round one as the franchises are in close proximity and the fans of both teams will be incredibly passionate. 41:26 ... The "48 Minutes Awards" are announced ... The categories are "He Came out of Nowhere" with nominees Austin Reaves, Lauri Markkanen, and Jalen Brunson. 44:29 ... The nominees for the "Mr Indispensable Award" are Tyrese Maxey, Steven Adams, and Nikola Jokic. 47:19 ... The nominees for the "Leadership Award" are Jrue Holiday, Jalen Brunson, and CJ McCollum. 51:14 ... And finally, the "I Got You" Award nominees are Robert Williams III, Marcus Smart, and DeAaron Fox. 54:02 ... Final Thoughts: Bruce doesn't think Angel Reese of LSU owes anyone other than her teammates an apology for her actions at the end of Sunday's NCAA Women's Championship game. 55:53 ... World B has praise for the Oklahoma City Thunder and their gesture honoring the late wife of Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams on Sunday evening. 57:19 ... Ross is curious about which teams will be "spoilers" in the final week of the regular season. 58:07 ... Bye until next time ... TRT: 58:24
4 Apr 202358min
Celtics destroy the Bucks, KD Take 2 for home debut, Thunder Rolls, & the rest of the West
0:00 Intro 1:22 Russell Westbrook’s big time performance on Wednesday night is Bruce’s opening thought 2:41 World B shares what he’s currently covering & name drops a future G-League Ignite prospect to keep an eye on 4:42 Ross discusses NBA player comps for Naz Reid & Jordan Poole 8:24 The crew breaks down the Celtics/Bucks matchup & why they’re the best 2 teams in the NBA 18:25 Kevin Durant finally makes his Suns home debut 25:33 OKC has been bringing the Thunder here recently 32:30 Bruce plays GM & offers a suggested deal for the Thunder to land Naz Reid this summer 37:23 The Rest of the West the crew provides an update on what’s going on 52:55 Ross shares his favorite Minnesota Timberwolves Same Game Parlay for best bets 53:59 Bruce uses his final thought to discuss his good friend in Kings Head Coach Mike Brown 55:06 World B touches on the March Madness tournament 56:39 Ross shares all the history behind the epic performances of Jrue Holiday & Giannis on Wednesday night 57:44 Bruce briefly brings up the Julius Randle injury
31 Mar 202358min
48 Minutes: Dallas Dumpster Fire, A "KAT" leads the Wolves, The Beasts of the East, & Show & Tell
0:00 ... Hello and Welcome and here's the opening tip. 0:50 ... Opening Comments: Bruce praises Boston's Jaylen Brown for his great play and his contributions to the community. 2:20 ... "World B" bemoans the continuing conflict between players and officials. 4:17... Ross gives love to the Denver Nuggets for their great performance against the Bucks over the weekend. 5:40 ... The Dallas Mavericks have been a complete mess since acquiring Kyrie Irving in February, but is he really the only one who should be blamed for all of their problems? 16:04 ... The Minnesota Timberwolves are playing great ball down the stretch and while Karl-Anthony Towns has been one reason, there's another "big" getting it done for the Wolves. 24:30 ... In the Eastern Conference, the young Cleveland Cavaliers are making lots of noise but are they really ready to contend for the title? 28:13 ...The 76ers have been hot for three months, but they've stumbled on their current west coast swing. 32:03... The Celtics have been on fire since Robert Williams III returned last week but can they maintain it? 34:12 ... The Bucks have flipped the switch and become a lethal offensive team to go along with their always tough defense. 38:44 ... Bruce's "Show and Tell" item is an autographed piece of Boston Celtics history, 40:59 ...World B's item was inherited from his Dad and features a connection to a New York Knicks icon. 43:13 ... Ross' items are some very special basketball cards with a connection to a former colleague in Milwaukee. 46:46... Closing Thoughts: Bruce hopes Ben Simmons can regain his health and confidence, but he has a lot of work to do. 48:40 ... World B has some thoughts on the money that is riding on the All-NBA teams and the guys discuss whether members of the media should vote on them. 53:50... Ross has praise for a record set by Jordan Nwora of the Indiana Pacers, who scored 25 points in a quarter against the Hawks last Saturday. 55:09 ... Bye and see you next time! TRT 55:27
28 Mar 202355min
KAT/JA Return, LA Lakers Staying Strong, Miami is Heating Up, & the Western Conference plays musical chairs
0:00 Intro 0:31 Bruce chimes in on Paul Silas being the honoree for tonight’s episode 1:00 World B pays tribute to passing of Knicks legend Willis Reed 3:09 Bruce touches on Willis Reed before discusses Timelord’s return to the Celtics lineup 4:54 Ross tells the listeners about an NBA Wordle that exists & has Bruce/World B play today’s challenge 6:47 The crew discusses the big return games for KAT and Ja 15:52 The LA Lakers are making a strong push at the end of the season 24:20 Midroll Ad 24:33 Miami is Heating Up! 31:36 Mayhem Out West - The Western Conference Plays Musical Chairs! 42:58 Bruce calls a clutch timeout to be sure to discuss the Dallas/Golden State fiasco 45:38 Ross shares his favorite Sacramento Kings Same Game Parlay 46:31 Bruce gives his final thoughts on the Philadelphia 76ers 48:03 World B touches on the current state of the New York Knicks 49:16 Ross gives a special birthday shoutout for his final thought
24 Mar 202350min
48 Minutes: Celtics & Warriors Struggles, Stretch Run Storylines, Word Association, Card Challenge, & Best Bets
0:00 .... Hello and welcome 0:30 ... Bruce introduces tonight's special guest ... long time NBA journalist Steve Bulpett, the original Greek Freak of the NBA family who taught Bruce the correct pronunciation of his favorite Greek delicacy "Spanakopita." 1:38 ... Opening Thoughts: Bruce moans about his miserable NCAA Tournament experience so far. 3:19 ... World B recognizes the Bulls' improvement since the All Star Break ... 5:14 ... Steve takes issue with Bruce for his attitude about the last four teams (#65-68) in the NCAA Tournament and how Dayton, Ohio is an integral part of the story. 8:48 ... Ross is not happy about Memphis' excuse for Ja Morant not returning on Monday vs Dallas. 9:59 ... Steve discusses what the Boston Celtics need to do to resume their success from earlier in the season. 15:44 ... World B takes the Celtics to task for their recent mediocre play and poor offensive inefficiency. 17:28 ... The Golden State Warriors have been a big disappointment this season and Stebve wonders if their troubles began after an incident during a preseason practice. 21:58 ... World B feels that the Warriors lack of attention to defense during road games has been their biggest issue. 24:20 ... Ross agrees with Steve and World B that the absence of Gary Payton II is a huge reason for the team's poor defense. Ross adds that the loss of reserve guard Damion Lee has really hurt their bench. 24:56... The crew discusses the big storyline for the stretch run and it concerns Kevin Durant and the Suns. Steve is concerned about the depth of the team. 26:56 ... Is Deandre Ayton worth the max contract he signed before the season? 31:31... Steve worries about the cohesiveness of the Suns if Durant isn't ready until the start of the playoffs. 33:53 ... Ross plays Word Association with Steve and asks him about Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau and Celtics legend Tommy Heinsohn. 34:34 ... Steve launches into some great Heinsohn stories including several of a personal nature .... wonderful stuff for any Celtics fan to hear! 40:18 ... Ross opens a random package of basketball cards and requires Bruce, World B, and Steve to comment "off the cuff" on the players he pulls from the pack. Steve got totally hosed with two of the cards he was asked about but still delivered! Some of the players Ross pulled were Walker Kessler, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Kristaps Porzingis, DeAaron Fox, CJ McCollum, and several other good names. 53:02 ... Steve has a cool story about McCollum and why he missed some free throws in Boston earlier this season. 57:45 ... Final Thoughts: World B with some perspective on the bad blood between Dillon "The Villain" Brooks of Memphis and the Splash Brothers in Golden State ... 59:42 ... Bruce explains why his favorite player to watch during the NCAA Tournament has actually been Steven Adams of the Grizzlies in his commercial for ATT Wireless. 1:01:12 ... Steve has a great story about Cinderella team Fairleigh Dickinson and how the team was "adopted" by the University of Dayton pep band. The FDU players never heard their fight song until it was played by another school's band. 1:02:20 ... Steve slips in a really funny John Stockton/Karl Malone story from years ago. 1:03:33 ... Ross gives us a preview of Tuesday's matchup between the Celtics and the Sacramento Kings and slips in some betting advice ... "Take the Under!" 1:04:43 ... Goodbye and thanks to Steve for joining us TRT: 1:05:08
21 Mar 20231h 5min
