Thinking Basketball
Thinking Basketball
Ben Taylor, creator of the popular YouTube channel Thinking Basketball (and author of Thinking Basketball the book) goes deeper on basketball analysis, history, philosophy and theory with co-host Cody Houdek, and a variety of guests ranging from journalists to former players.
Ideal for fans interested in Xs and Os, stats & analytics, coaching and team strategy and adjustments, in-depth breakdowns on player strengths and weaknesses, and who is better and who is best in the NBA. (GOAT debates!)
Ideal for fans interested in Xs and Os, stats & analytics, coaching and team strategy and adjustments, in-depth breakdowns on player strengths and weaknesses, and who is better and who is best in the NBA. (GOAT debates!)
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 13, 2022 • 47min
#157: Whose record can't we trust?
We look some teams with .500 records or worse that are actually playing better than record and the most notable team above .500 that really looks like their struggling. (Note: We forgot to mention the 6-7 Bulls who are playing better than their record.) Also, is Tyrese Haliburton the best player from the 2020 draft? And is Father Time finally catching up with LeBron James? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Nov 7, 2022 • 1h 9min
#156: How the game has changed | Mike Prada on “Spaced Out”
Mike Prada from the Athletic discusses his new book “Spaced Out” about the NBA's 3-point revolution. We discuss some major themes of the book that define 2023 (and perhaps future) basketball, including the shift from an individual focus to a collective focus, why we're in a Golden Age of Passing, “positionless basketball,” the tactical arms race of innovation and more. Follow Mike @MikePradaNBA. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Nov 2, 2022 • 1h 4min
#155: Who is actually good? Confused Power Rankings
We attempt to make sense of the first few weeks of the season by sorting teams into tiers based on what we've learned. This fails miserably, as Ben constantly changes where he places teams and ends up more confused by the league than before the season started. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 28, 2022 • 1h 3min
#154: Mike D'Antoni on the evolution of offense
Coach Mike D'Antoni stops by to discuss the origins of Pace and Space, the offensive revolution that has changed NBA strategy in the last decade. We discuss his influences in Italy and the ABA, his time in Phoenix with Steve Nash, the Rockets with James Harden and Chris Paul, and more. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 23, 2022 • 47min
#153: It's Rudy's Fault, the winless 76ers, and early season experimentation
Rudy Gobert has changed teams, but he's still being blamed for Minnesota's losses 5 days into the new season. Should we be worried about the 0-3 76ers? Plus, we discuss the value of early season experimentation for teams and players. With Cody Houdek @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 18, 2022 • 1h 23min
#152 2023 Season preview with Dave DuFour
The Athletic's Dave DuFour returns to preview the 2023 NBA season, filled with wild hot takes, movie arguments, and the Victor Wembanyama Power Rankings. We discuss who we think can win the East and the West, the fascinating circumstances in Minnesota and Cleveland, and how Paolo Banchero breaks physics, Grant Williams breaks shoes and Kawhi Leonard's 40-yard dash time. Follow him @DaveDuFourNBA. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 14, 2022 • 1h 37min
#151: Top 40 careers | The GOAT candidates
In the series finale, we discuss the best on-court careers in NBA history from four different eras: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. We also include the best 8-year primes. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 11, 2022 • 1h 26min
#150: Top 40 careers | Allen Iverson, Dominique Wilkins, and the missing names
Why are big names like Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony missing from our top-40 career countdown? How far away were players like Dominique from making the list? Did their style of volume scoring limit their offensive value? And how much do defensive limitations hurt inefficient volume scorers if they aren't great playmakers? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 7, 2022 • 1h 16min
#149: Top 40 careers | The complexity of Wilt Chamberlain (and Kevin Garnett & Tim Duncan)
In Episode 9 of our top-40 careers series we discuss the unique and complex career of Wilt Chamberlain, from his scoring exploits to his late-career success as a passer and defender. How confident can we be evaluating Wilt? And what should we make of the “dips” and statistical oddities in the middle of Duncan's career and Garnett's career? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
Oct 4, 2022 • 1h 15min
#148: Top 40 careers | Magic Johnson, Larry Bird (and Kobe & Dirk)
In Episode 8 of our top-40 careers series, we compare the offensive and defensive styles of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and discuss the unique symmetries of their careers. But first, we start with Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone -- how impressive is Karl's longevity? And what are the tradeoffs of building around Dirk's defense as a 7-footer? Finally, who in this group moved up or down? And who will crack the top-10? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball
