The Athletic NBA Daily 5 Burning NBA Questions | Morning Shoot Around
Jan 14, 2026
The team tackles five intriguing questions about the NBA season at its halfway mark. They evaluate which top seeds may be overrated and whether the Raptors can maintain their playoff viability. Pressure mounts on superstars like Anthony Edwards and Giannis, with discussions around their playoff performances. The spotlight shines on breakout role players and young teams poised for playoff success. Finally, they speculate on which teams need a trade makeover to make a deeper run this season.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Top Seeds Can Be Illusionary
- The Raptors, Magic and some lower seeds may be overvalued because early-season success masked underlying offensive and playmaking issues.
- Playoff series expose weak offensive organization and lack of a primary ball‑handler, making regular-season seedings deceptive.
Ant Edwards' Leadership Test
- Ant Edwards faces growing pressure to translate high scoring games into leadership and deep playoff runs for Minnesota.
- The Timberwolves have the pieces but need ball handling and depth to convert regular-season promise into postseason success.
Luka's Defensive Narrative Risk
- Luka Dončić's defense is a glaring playoff vulnerability and may be judged harshly if it costs Dallas in a series.
- Defensive lapses become magnified in postseason narratives and can change season evaluations of stars.