Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Justin Rowan from The Chase Down to talk about the resurgent Cleveland Cavaliers and their place in the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference.00:00 - Count me in!05:35 - Cavs stay hot, beat the Clippers11:15 - Jarrett Allen17:00 - Isaac Okoro & Dean Wade21:50 - Sam Merrill26:45 - Are the Cavs better than last year?35:00 - Darius Garland43:25 - The Eastern Conference46:25 - Emoni Bates48:45 - The Closing Five58:10 - Weekly recommendationsOn this episode of Devine Intervention, Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Justin Rowan from The Chase Down to talk about the resurgent Cleveland Cavaliers, who beat the streaking Los Angeles Clippers by 10 points last night.Dan and Justin talk about how the team has changed since mid-December injuries took out Evan Mobley and Darius Garland, how it has lead to them being the hottest team in the NBA, and what it means for the return of Mobley (last night) and Garland (tomorrow).Donovan Mitchell has been fantastic as the main force of the Cavs offense, but Jarrett Allen’s growth as a passer and a scorer has also been a revelation for Cleveland and probably something that will change the long term plans of their front office.Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade were promoted into the starting lineup when Mobley and Garland went out, and those opportunities helped those players to grow into bigger parts of what the Cavs are trying to do. Sam Merrill has turned into one of the best high-volume 3-point shooters in the league out of necessity. Do all of these changes make the Cavs better prepared for the playoffs than they were last season? And where do they rank among the elite teams at the top of the Eastern Conference?Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Fred Katz, New York Knicks beat writer for The Athletic, to talk about how good they’ve been since trading for OG Anunoby a month ago.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word01:10 - LeBron James vs. Steph Curry09:35 - The 2023-24 New York Knicks with Fred Katz41:30 - What will the Knicks do at the trade deadline?On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Fred Katz, New York Knicks beat writer for The Athletic, to talk about how good they’ve been since trading for OG Anunoby a month ago.But first, the guys take a few minutes to marvel at what many are calling the “game of the year” between LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers and Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors. Everyone is marveling at how great these two still are, but Vince has some real concerns about whether they can stay at this level for an entire 7-game playoff series.Now, onto the Knicks. While the team waits to get a definitive timeline on Julius Randle’s shoulder injury, the numbers say that they’ve been maybe the best team in the entire league since trading for OG Anunoby at the end of December. Vinnie has some stats to back this up, and Fred brought some of his own that are so outlandish they are difficult to believe.Vinnie and Fred talk about how OG Anunoby is a perfect fit for this team, and also how Jalen Brunson has ended up being a perfect fit for this team. Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks front office have worked hard to find exactly the type of players that Thibs like to coach, and we’re seeing the results in a suffocating defense for Knicks opponents.Jalen Brunson, thought to be a stabilizing player but not a star player when he signed with the Knicks a couple years ago as a free agent, has turned into an all-star caliber player and one who continues to develop and improve his game. Fred talks about what makes Jalen special and why the people that have known him the longest believed he could be this good.Finally, the NBA trade deadline is a little more than a week away. Fred says that the Knicks aren’t ready to push in all of their chips to get a superstar yet, but that the Randle injury could push them to make more than one trade between now and February 8th.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jake Fischer and Dan Devine discuss the NBA coaching changes in Milwaukee and DC, discuss Team USA, reveal Dan’s All-Star selections and more.00:00 - Hello friends!01:30 - Wizards move HC Wes Unseld Jr. to the front office07:45 - Why did the Bucks fire Adrian Griffin?23:35 - Team USA roster pool27:50 - VIBE CHECK: Nets & Knicks33:00 - Jake’s rant on trade value43:15 - Dan’s All-Star ballot51:30 - Finding Dan’s Twitter voiceOn this episode of No Cap Room, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer and Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine talk about everything that’s going on around the NBA.The guys start with the news of Wes Unseld Jr., who has been relieved of his role as the head coach of the Washington Wizards and is moving up to the front office. Jake and Dan do their best to explain his tenure in DC and why the Wizards would be making this move now.The guys also haven’t had a chance to talk since the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin and hired Doc Rivers as their new head coach. Dan explains what was wrong with the Bucks, despite their record, and Jake tells us why Doc Rivers got the call to replace him.With the Team USA men’s basketball roster pool released this week, the guys discuss what the final team could look like and which players are sure things to go to the Olympics in Paris as part of the final squad.Jake has a rant about the NBA’s obsession with trade value and winning or losing an individual trade rather than focusing on making your team better, and Dan seems to be on board with it.Dan recently turned in his NBA All-Star ballot, so he reveals on the podcast who he put in the starting lineup for both the East and the West and explains why certain guys (Brunson, LeBron, etc.) didn’t get his vote.Finally, Jake has a little fun trying to craft tweets in the voice of Dan’s prolific Twitter account.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill talks about why the Milwaukee Bucks fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin and if Doc Rivers makes them a better team before discussing the Team USA men’s basketball roster pool and the games of the week.00:00 - Bucks fire Adrian Griffin, hire Doc Rivers15:00 - Does Doc Rivers make the Bucks better?30:10 - Team USA roster pool41:00 - NBA Viewing GuideOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Vincent Goodwill goes deep on the shocking news that the Milwaukee Bucks have fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin 43 games into the season and replaced him with Doc Rivers.Vinnie does his best to try and explain what happened with Griffin in Milwaukee, from how he got fired to why the team lost faith in him, before talking about the lack of playoff success Doc Rivers has had over the last 10+ years with the Clippers and 76ers. Will it be different with the Bucks? Does Doc Rivers raise Milwaukee’s ceiling or just the floor?Later, Vince and Producer John look through the 41 players in the Team USA men’s basketball roster pool and try their best to build a roster of 12 that can lead the team to a gold medal in Paris this summer.Finally, as they always do, Vinnie and Producer John look at the games coming up tonight and later this week to tell you which ones you should be focused on in their NBA viewing guide.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Sarah Todd from Deseret News to talk about the Utah Jazz, but not before they react to the trade that sent Terry Rosier to the Miami Heat for Kyle Lowry and a 1st round draft pick.00:00 - Count me in!03:55 - Cam Payne goggles06:50 - REACTION: Terry Rozier traded to Miami Heat11:00 - Who exactly are the Utah Jazz?38:50 - The Closing Five48:00 - Weekly recommendationsOn this episode of Devine Intervention, Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Utah Jazz beat writer Sarah Todd from Deseret News to talk about the future of the franchise and why they’re been so successful as of late, but first…Sarah explains why Cam Payne, and specifically “Cam Payne goggles”, brings her joy and encourages listeners to search out their own favorite GIFs of the Milwaukee Bucks backup PG.Dan and Sarah then discuss this morning’s trade that sent veteran guard Terry Rozier to the Miami Heat in exchange for Kyle Lowry and a 1st round pick. Dan describes the protections around the pick and wonders if Lowry will get bought out and where he might sign after, while Sarah talks about the very good fit of Rozier in the #HeatCulture.We then dig into the Utah Jazz. What has caused their sudden turnaround? Why is Collin Sexton playing better basketball and what did head coach Will Hardy say about the narratives around Sexton? Is Lauri Markkanen good enough to be the #1 option for a title contender? Are the comparisons to Dirk real or overblown? And what will Danny Ainge do at the deadline, will the Jazz be buyers or sellers?We close the show as we always do, with The Closing Five questions and recommendations from both Dan and Sarah.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Los Angeles Times Lakers beat writer Dan Woike to discuss the weird season the team has had so far, talk about the different options they have on the trade market, and wonder if the Clippers could be gaining turf in L.A.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word02:45 - D’Angelo Russell08:45 - Lakers trade targets25:00 - Lakers roster construction issues36:25 - Lebron James’ free agency40:30 - The Buss Family43:35 - Zach LaVine’s fit on the Lakers49:25 - Los Angeles ClippersOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Dan Woike from the L.A. Times to talk all things Los Angeles Lakers (and a little bit of Clippers).The guys start by discussing D’Angelo Russell, who can’t seem to keep his name out of trade rumors despite playing fantastic basketball over the last few weeks. Dan talks about what has changed and why Russell is probably going to stay in the Lakers trade rumors.Dan recently wrote for the Times about which players around the NBA make sense as targets on the trade market for the Lakers, so the guys talk about each of those and lay them out as three separate paths the team could take at the trade deadline. Will they go for the big swing? Will they add some role players? Or will they decide that they’re a good enough playoff team now and stand pat? And how would LeBron James feel about that?Speaking of LeBron, the guys talk about how difficult it is to build a roster around him at age 39 and then wonder if he’s going to test the free agency waters after this season. He has a player option but has voiced a desire to be on the same team as his son, Bronny. And how will he factor his post-playing career aspirations into his decision?Dan thinks that Zach LaVine makes a ton of sense for the Lakers as a trade target, and he explains why while also saying that the Lakers front office doesn’t seem that interested in a player with issues staying healthy and a large contract on the books. How low would the asking price need to be for the Lakers to re-engage with the Bulls on trade talks?Finally, the Los Angeles Clippers have been awesome this season and might be opening up a championship window for their team. Vinnie wonders how many local fans the team will pick up along the way, and Dan does his best to explain how and why the Clippers will always be the 2nd NBA team in town.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jake Fischer and Dan Devine react to the trade that sent Pascal Siakam from the Raptors to the Pacers, wonder what Bruce Brown’s trade market is and hand out some NBA midseason awards.00:00 - Hello friends!01:30 - RIP Dejan Milojević06:05 - Siakam trade reaction21:00 - Bruce Brown trade market28:00 - Mid-season awards29:00 - Coach of the Year32:50 - Executive of the Year36:30 - Clutch Player of the Year39:00 - Hustle Award42:25 - Rookie of the Year47:00 - Most Improved Player52:15 - Sixth Man of the Year56:20 - Defensive Player of the Year61:00 - Most Valuable PlayerOn this episode of No Cap Room, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer and Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine discuss the impact that Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević had around the league as a way of remembering him after he passed away this week.Moving on to basketball news, the Toronto Raptors dealt Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers for a package that included Bruce Brown and three 1st round draft picks. Jake explains why those draft picks may not be as valuable as people think before the guys discuss if the Raptors could be looking to flip Brown for even more draft assets in return. Would he fit best with the Knicks? The Heat? Somewhere else?Finally, we’re at about the halfway point of the NBA season, so Jake and Dan tell you who they would be voting for if the season ended today. Has Wembanyama done enough to get Rookie of the Year votes? Which Tyrese should be winning Most Improved Player? And is there a fresh face in the running for this season’s Most Valuable Player award? Find out the answers to these questions and more!Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill recaps a fun night of NBA basketball, discusses rumors about a big trade brewing and tells fans which games to watch this week.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word03:05 - 76ers defeat Nuggets12:30 - Clippers defeat Thunder21:20 - James Dolan sued23:30 - Pascal Siakam to the Pacers?29:20 - Rebuilding the Pistons36:45 - NBA Viewing GuideOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Producer John to recap a fun night of NBA basketball that saw reigning MVP Joel Embiid get the win for his Philadelphia 76ers over former MVP Nikola Jokic and the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and James Harden are getting comfortable on the Los Angeles Clippers and building good habits that they can carry over to the playoffs, which makes them a totally different Clippers team than the ones we’ve known in the past.Vinnie touches on the news that Knicks owner James Dolan is being sued and explains why it probably won’t end the same way it did for Robert Sarver and Donald Sterling before discussing the rumors that the Indiana Pacers are close to acquiring Pascal Siakam in a trade with the Toronto Raptors.There are many ways to try and rebuild your team. Vince talks about each of them, including why the Detroit Pistons’ plans have not worked out for them so far, before wondering what the Pistons might be up to after making a trade with the Wizards to clear cap space this offseason.Finally, Vinnie and Producer John tell you the NBA games that they are most looking forward to watching the rest of this week and why.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Tyler Parker from The Ringer to talk about the fast ascent of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the path they took to get here.00:00 - Count me in!04:10 - Coby White10:20 - Oklahoma City Thunder23:20 - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander30:20 - Chet Holmgren41:40 - OKC trade targets48:55 - The Closing Five81:10 - Weekly RecommendationsOn this episode of Devine Intervention, Yahoo Sports NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by Oklahoma native Tyler Parker from The Ringer to talk about the Oklahoma City Thunder, but first…When asked about what has brought him joy in the NBA world recently, Tyler brings up the play of Chicago Bulls guard Coby White, who has received more playing time due to a Zach LaVine injury and now might be derailing whatever plans the Bulls had for their future by being awesome.Now, about those Thunder. This isn’t the first time that they’ve had a team that has gotten very good very quickly with lots of young and athletic superstars. Dan and Tyler travel back in time to talk about what it was like to live through the Oklahoma City Hornets, the Sonics moving to Oklahoma City and then the rise of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.That leads us to today, where the Thunder have the 2nd best record in the Western Conference and underlying metrics that say they might be the 2nd best team in the entire NBA. They’re led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is once again in the conversation for this season’s MVP award. The guys discuss why he’s dominant but also why he’s so fun to watch.Chet Holmgren is definitely going to get some votes for Rookie of the Year, but more importantly than that, he has been exactly what the Thunder have needed. Tyler talks about Chet’s fast development from NBA Summer League to now, halfway through the season, and why Chet has fit so perfectly into the Thunder offense.Before moving on to conversations about writing books, NBA players as improv partners, Trae Young’s media narrative and other things, Tyler talks about the type of players that he is hoping the Thunder use some of their draft picks to acquire before the trade deadline.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by David Dennis Jr. from Andscape to talk about growing up in the civil rights movement and the NBA’s punishment system.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word!06:30 - Bulls fans boo Jerry Krause’s widow09:40 - The end of the Warriors dynasty14:45 - Draymond Green returns31:00 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & the NBAOn a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by David Dennis Jr. from Andscape to talk about the civil rights movement and the NBA.Vincent and David start by discussing the Chicago Bulls fans booing the late Jerry Krause, and his wife Thelma, during the team’s inaugural Ring of Honor induction on Friday. They place the blame at the feet of Michael Jordan, and compare the end of the Bulls’ dynasty to what we’re currently seeing from the Golden State Warriors.After debating if Steve Kerr is the right coach to get the Warriors out of the rut they’re currently stuck in, the guys discuss the NBA’s use of “rehabilitation” and “mental health” as a part of the suspension process for both Ja Morant and Draymond Green. Is the league actually interested in making these guys better people or is it all PR to defend the league’s reputation?Finally, after talking about David Dennis Sr.’s role in the civil rights movement, the guys discuss corporations using Martin Luther King Jr. Day and how his legacy has gone from freedom fighter to martyr without his permission. At the end, Vincent and David talk about what NBA players could do, and what they could learn from the WNBA, to help push the cause of racial equality.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports PodcastsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.