Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill spends the day before the NBA trade deadline digging into stories that we haven’t talked about enough, including fatal flaws for the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.00:00 - Introduction01:00 - Jalen Brunson ankle injury03:30 - Ben Simmons returns13:25 - Scoot Henderson figuring it out19:00 - Kawhi Leonard as playoff destroyer30:30 - Damian Lillard on balancing life & basketball35:40 - Fatal flaws for contenders in the East36:05 - Boston Celtics38:05 - Milwaukee Bucks39:55 - Philadelphia 76ers42:55 - New York Knicks45:30 - LeBron James flirts with the Knicks53:10 - NBA viewing guideOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill talks about some of the stories that are going uncovered around the league. But first…Jalen Brunson went down with an ankle injury last night, another in a long line of injuries to important players that the New York Knicks now have to deal with. Will this one, to their most important player, force them to make a deal at the trade deadline?Vinnie and Producer John then try to find stories that are not being talked about enough, including the return of Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets and Scoot Henderson figuring out his offense with the Portland Trail Blazers after Shaedon Sharpe’s injury.When the topic of “playoff destroyer we don’t see coming” comes out, Vinnie explains why Kawhi Leonard could challenge Nikola Jokic and Producer John says to watch out for Damian Lillard, who has never been on a team this talented before.We speed run through the four contenders in the Eastern Conference, with Vinnie explaining the fatal flaw that could potentially sink each one of them. Can the Celtics win a ring on 3-point shooting? Can the Bucks win one without perimeter defense? Can the 76ers get Joel Embiid back and healthy? Can Tom Thibodeau keep from grinding his players into dust during the regular season?Producer John tries his best to explain why he thinks LeBron James is flirting with the New York Knicks, which could spell the end of his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers, before he and Vinnie reveal which games they’re most excited to watch this week.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by former NBA assistant coach Steve Jones Jr. to talk about which contending teams need to add another player before Thursday’s trade deadline?00:00 - Count me in!06:55 - What Embiid’s knee surgery means for the 76ers14:55 - NBA trade deadline teams23:20 - Dallas Mavericks29:20 - Milwaukee Bucks36:45 - Chicago Bulls41:40 - New York Knicks48:50 - Brooklyn Nets50:05 - Los Angeles Clippers53:15 - The Closing Five / Weekly recsOn this episode of Devine Intervention, Yahoo Sports senior NBA writer Dan Devine is joined by former NBA assistant coach Steve Jones Jr. and they kick off the show by talking about the things around the league that bring Steve joy, such as Kawhi Leonard emoting, Rudy Gobert’s face when he tries to do too much, Giannis learning things in real-time, and the Orlando Magic’s booming coaching staff.The guys then move on to Joel Embiid, who had a successful surgery on his knee and will be reevaluated in four weeks. Dan points out that the Philadelphia 76ers have been terrible without Embiid this season and Steve says Philadelphia doesn’t have to rush to make a move.Dan and Steve then go team-by-team and talk through the teams that they think need one more piece, and then discuss which piece fits each team on the trade market.Can the Mavericks find a 3-and-D big? Do the Bucks have enough to get Bruce Brown? Should the Bulls sell off the pieces they have? What kind of player should the Knicks target? Can the Nets have one less wing? Should the Clippers do something or should they protect the good vibes? The guys hit all of those questions and more before diving into The Closing Five and weekly recommendations.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporters Vincent Goodwill and Jake Fischer talk about what they’ve heard on the NBA trade market as the trade deadline nears.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word01:50 - Embiid knee surgery / 76ers future09:35 - LaVine foot surgery / Bulls future18:15 - The Phoenix Suns are hot!22:25 - Trade Deadline Rumors22:25 - Miles Bridges28:55 - Dejounte Murray33:30 - Mikal Bridges / Brooklyn Nets39:15 - Golden State Warriors45:50 - Milwaukee Bucks50:15 - Orlando Magic50:50 - New York Knicks52:10 - Dallas Mavericks52:45 - Los Angeles LakersOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporters Vincent Goodwill and Jake Fischer go through the big news of the day and discuss what rumors they have heard as the NBA trade deadline nears.Vince and Jake kick off the show by talking about Joel Embiid’s knee “procedure” and if it should prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from pushing in their chips and trying to contend for a championship this season.The Chicago Bulls are in a very different position, having failed to trade away Zach LaVine and now seeing LaVine get surgery on his foot that will keep him out 4-6 months. Jake says don’t be surprised if they never find a way to move off of LaVine’s contract.The Phoenix Suns finally look like the team we expected them to be. They finally have all of their big 3 (Durant, Booker, Beal) healthy and they’re playing some of the best basketball in the West. Jake points out that they still have depth issues and Vince wonders if Phoenix can do anything at the trade deadline.We kick off trade rumors by talking about Miles Bridges, who is in a complicated situation that gives him a no-trade clause. He missed last season due to domestic violence charges filed against him, so any team trading for him has to know that it’s not as simple as adding a player to their roster.After that, the guys unload their notebooks and share the rumors that they’ve heard with the NBA trading deadline just a couple days away. Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Jake Fischer and Yahoo Sports NBA writer Dan Devine break down the news of Joel Embiid’s knee injury, look for some NBA All-Star snubs, react to a minor trade and talk about Jalen Brunson’s big moment.00:00 - Hello friends!01:30 - Joel Embiid tears meniscus16:35 - NBA All-Star reserves - surprises & snubs25:00 - REACTION: Grizzlies and Rockets trade35:50 - LeBron James & the Lakers46:25 - Jalen Brunson, ascendent superstar55:45 - Tony Snell’s attempt to return to the NBAOn this episode of No Cap Room, Yahoo Sports NBA reporter Jake Fischer and Yahoo Sports NBA writer Dan Devine talk about Joel Embiid’s latest knee injury and what it means for the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.The NBA announced its All-Star reserves last night, and Dan agrees with Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown about who got snubbed in the Western Conference.The Memphis Grizzlies sent Steven Adams to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Victor Oladipo and three 2nd round draft picks. Jake and Dan explain why the deal makes sense for both teams, even if it came a little earlier than expected.There are rumors of LeBron James perhaps being traded off the Los Angeles Lakers, but those rumors were shut down by his agent while we recorded the show. Jake tells us who else the Lakers have been pursuing and Dan talks about how bad they’ve been since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament.Jalen Brunson was named an NBA All-Star for the first time yesterday and then put on a fantastic performance in front of the New York Knicks home crowd. The guys talk about his rapid ascent into superstardom and how nobody saw it coming.Finally, Jake’s story about NBA veteran Tony Snell, who is looking to sign with a team so that he can get insurance benefits for his two young, autistic children, went viral after being published. We talk a little bit about how much the NBA community has supported Tony the last few days and the challenges that make a happy ending difficult in this circumstance.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill discusses the new eligibility rules for year-end awards and how much money they’re about to cost Joel Embiid & Tyrese Haliburton, and then Vince and Producer John try to fix the record-breaking scoring numbers with NBA rule proposals.00:00 - Welcome to the Good Word!00:44 - Mike Breen roasts Collin Sexton04:20 - NBA stars nearing ineligibility for year-end awards25:20 - NBA scoring is out of control44:00 - NBA viewing guideOn this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill kicks off the show by playing a clip of Mike Breen roasting Collin Sexton in a game where the New York Knicks stayed hot and beat up on the Utah Jazz.Joel Embiid left last night’s game with what appears to be a new knee injury, to go along with the knee injury he’s already been battling through, and he’s getting close to hitting the number of missed games that would put him out of the running for year-end awards (like MVP). Tyrese Haliburton, who was injured slipping on a wet floor, would lose out on $40 million if he doesn’t play in at least 65 games this season because he would be ineligible for All-NBA. Vincent talks about why the players got a raw deal in the latest CBA and why the owners aren’t necessarily happy about it playing out this way either.Now, since we’re fixing problems, Vince and Producer John decided to see if they could fix the record-breaking scoring the NBA is seeing this season with a rule change. Producer John submits his idea (eliminate corner 3s) and Vinnie submits his own (bring back hand-checking) and they discuss them for a while to explain how each would help slow down offenses and give defenses a fighting chance.Finally, Vince and Producer John tell you which three games they’ll be keeping an eye on this week and explain why you should be watching them too.Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

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 Podcasts

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 Podcasts

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 Podcasts

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 Podcasts

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 Podcasts