Thinking Basketball

Analyzing Anthony Davis's dominant performance in the NBA Cup Final, discussing his offensive skills, defensive versatility, and impact on the team. Exploring the significance of versatile big men like Davis and the importance of size in today's game.

We make our MVP predictions for the 2024 season, filling out our predicted top-5 ballots by balancing narrative, player performance and team trajectories after the first 20 games of the year. But first, more NBA Cup predictions. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Professional basketball player Luka is the guest on the podcast. They discuss the recent debate on his overrated status, analyzing his impact on the Mavericks' performance and the debate of stats vs skill level. They also analyze small plays' significance, evaluate players' value, discuss defensive issues, and predict the Pacers vs Celtics game. Concerns about the Bucks' offensive capabilities are also discussed, along with the importance of curated news updates in basketball.

We attempt to rank the best pairings of current teammates in the NBA, taking into account the fit of each player and building around them. What great duos are in bad situations? Which ones look better because of their team success? Are there any duos that Cody actually likes? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

We discuss the importance of pace and the shot clock – both offensively and defensively – but first! We break down the top-rated defense in the NBA, what makes them successful, and whether they can sustain this. Along with “do you believe” in great starts like the Timberwolves and Chet Holmgren's outside shooting. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

In a crazy episode, The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann discusses his new Rookie rankings, the floater 3-pointer, Chet vs. Wemby, Scoot Henderson's bumpy start and more. With @codyhoudek and @jkylemann. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

Who is taking a leap? Which players look like the most improved? We discuss our candidates for the Most Improved Player award, and debate whether the Rockets can make the playoffs based on their strong start. With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

We sort out our “inner circle” contenders, fringe contenders and other possible “really good team” candidates after the first 10 games or so of the so, and discuss the new-look Mavericks and Luka Doncic. Is their 8-2 start for real? With @codyhoudek. Support at www.patreon.com/thinkingbasketball

The podcast discusses early candidates for Defensive Player of the Year, analyzing the defensive strategies against the Timberwolves and 76ers, debating a player's defensive abilities and playing time, exploring all-defense selections, and highlighting a potential dark horse candidate. They also make predictions and rankings for the Defensive Player of the Year award, emphasizing the importance of narrative and team performance.

Joel Embiid and codyhoudek discuss the Thunder's positionless basketball, the versatility of big men in modern basketball, and an emerging perimeter defender. They also touch on the performance of NBA teams this season, the importance of dynamic players on both ends of the court, and the evolution of positionless basketball. Lighthearted discussions include random thoughts about the Roman Empire, the Oscars, rocks, movies, and their Patreon support.