Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Andrew Lopez to talk the challenges building around Victor Wembanyama with how good he is so early on, how Zion & the Pelicans are flying under the radar playing very well, the Knicks' insane record with OG and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Podcast discusses intense playoff battles between teams like Warriors and Lakers, NBA's efforts to reduce scoring, injury updates, Cavaliers' three-point deficit, and playoff projections. Insights on defensive strategies, bold moves during finals, and competitive dynamics in basketball.

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to talk how the new minimum game rule & eliminating of positions for All-NBA will impact the league, a difficult stretch for the Rockets, who can hang on to the top of the Western Conference and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discussion on the hot streak of the New Orleans Pelicans, the impact of injuries on team trajectories, the Warriors' play-in position, and the chaos unfolding in the Eastern Conference standings

On this episode of the Hoop Collective, Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, and Tim MacMahon dive into key NBA highlights. They discuss the Nuggets' win over the Celtics, Jayson Tatum's impact on the Celtics' playoff chances, the team's defense strategy against Nikola Jokic, and how the Nuggets' bench outperformed the Celtics'. The episode also covers Anthony Edwards' critical block against the Pacers, Karl-Anthony Towns' meniscus surgery, the Bulls' surprising season turnaround, and Steph Curry's ankle injury against the Bulls. 0:00 Welcome to the Hoop Collective01:22 The Nuggets beat the Celtics in a thrilling match11:50 Celtics' Playoff Hopes: The Critical Role of Jayson Tatum17:58 Breaking Down Celtics' Defense Against Nikola Jokic27:13 How the Nuggets' Reserves Outshone the Celtics'38:52 Anthony Edwards Game-Saving Block Against Pacers46:08 Karl-Anthony Towns to Undergo Surgery for Torn Meniscus53:06 The Bulls' Unexpected Turnaround55:02 Steph Curry Suffers Right Ankle Injury Against Bulls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discussions on challenging games for top Eastern Conference teams like the Cavs, Celtics, and Bucks. Speculation on Milwaukee vs Boston series, Thunder's concern with size against Lakers, and the roller-coaster Kings performance.

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim MacMahon and Ohm Youngmisuk to talk how the Nuggets & Celtics look to be the clear favorites for the NBA Finals, historic context for Boston’s blowout win, a big win for the Clippers, LeBron joining the 40,000 point club and what current players could reach 30,000. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Windhorst is joined by ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon to react to a wild installment in the growing Wemby vs. Chet rivalry, what that could mean for the Thunder/Spurs, the Warriors continuing to turn things around, the Knicks needing to get healthy, Embiid’s potential return this season and the Cojones Factor Player of the Month is awarded for February. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A wild ending to the Mavs-Cavs game, lineup decisions in Cleveland, Dallas's dangerous form, controversial officiating, and the future of scoring in the NBA are discussed. Potential rule changes for defenses are debated and the evolution of player skills in the league is explored.

Topics include the Nuggets' post-All-Star break focus, log jam in the West, Suns' tough schedule, KD's intriguing interview, Wemby's remarks, and Trae Young's future in Atlanta.