It’s a party! After all those months of lockdown, today Jarod Hector, Adena Jones, and Henry Abbott gather in person at Judy’s house—with David Thorpe on Zoom from Florida, for a special BRING IT IN.* Does how you win a championship matter?* What’s going to happen to Dame?* David’s plan to make the Nets champions. * Can the Lakers put together a deal for a great player?* What’s the Jazz do if they can’t keep Mike Conley?* What’s the offseason mission for the Celtics, Warriors, Mavericks, and Heat?RECENT BRING IT IN EPISODES:* MONDAY July 19, 2021 Tom Haberstroh wonders if Devin Booker made choices that defied The Art of War and set the stage for Jrue Holiday’s series-altering steal late in Game 5.* FRIDAY July 16, 2021 Damian Lillard, the Blazers, and the Blazers’ rape investigation.* MONDAY July 12, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe break down Giannis’ insane Finals so far.* THURSDAY July 8, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe talk about winning the Finals.* MONDAY June 28, 2021 The Bucks’ commanding position, how to play with a banged up Trae Young, life without Kawhi, Chris Paul’s snake dribble, and more.* FRIDAY June 25, 2021 Jarod Hector on how money affects players.* WEDNESDAY June 23, 2021 Henry has a hunch that the 2021 NBA title may have been decided on Tuesday night.* FRIDAY June 18, 2021 David Thorpe on the genius of Trae Young. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Sullivan brought his deep journalism experience (The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Esquire, Bleacher Report) to the Brooklyn Nets locker room. When he was new, he told Kevin Durant that he didn’t care much about basketball—can you imagine that? But Durant went for it, as did most of the team, and Can’t Knock the Hustle is 350 fascinating pages of what resulted. What did Kobe Bryant teach Kyrie Irving about how to be a teammate? It’s in here. A fascinating conversation with Jarod Hector. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on BRING IT IN TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott, David Thorpe, and special guest Tom Haberstroh wonder if Devin Booker made choices that defied The Art of War and set the stage for Jrue Holiday’s series-altering steal late in Game 5. AND: What might prove to be the most important five minutes in Bucks history.RECENT BRING IT IN EPISODES:* FRIDAY July 16, 2021 Damian Lillard, the Blazers, and the Blazers’ rape investigation.* MONDAY July 12, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe break down Giannis’ insane Finals so far.* THURSDAY July 8, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe talk about winning the Finals.* MONDAY June 28, 2021 The Bucks’ commanding position, how to play with a banged up Trae Young, life without Kawhi, Chris Paul’s snake dribble, and more.* FRIDAY June 25, 2021 Jarod Hector on how money affects players.* WEDNESDAY June 23, 2021 Henry has a hunch that the 2021 NBA title may have been decided on Tuesday night.* FRIDAY June 18, 2021 David Thorpe on the genius of Trae Young.* MONDAY June 14, 2021 Nikola Jokic’s ejection after a hard foul on Cameron Payne in Game 4. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TrueHoop readers and BRING IT IN listeners know David Thorpe has been talking about the Bucks’ good title chances all season. When Giannis shifted his attack in the middle of conference finals, David published a story saying this Giannis can win a title, and he picked them to, so long as Giannis was healthy. After the Bucks stumbled out of the gate against the Suns, David could see a way the Bucks would turn it around, and then documented a new wrinkle to the Bucks’ offense with the potential to stymie the Suns.By Friday’s BRING IT IN, though, David said that he didn’t know who to favor, but that in the end his best guess was that Jrue Holiday couldn’t be terrible on offense forever. He foresaw a Holiday offensive recovery and a Bucks win. That probably looked pretty crazy one quarter into the Suns Saturday night home game, as they rolled to a big lead before their delighted home crowd.The Bucks started the second quarter with Giannis on the bench. Then Jrue Holiday came alive. Over about half a quarter, as the Suns went minutes between buckets, the Bucks were almost perfect:* Jrue Holiday made four of five, with a 3, and four assists,* Brook Lopez made two of three, with four rebounds, * Khris Middleton made three of four, with three rebounds and three assists,* Pat Connaughton made a 3,* Bobby Portis made three of four (including two 3s) with two offensive rebounds.It happened fast, and it was decisive. It could very well be that we will look back at the second quarter of Game 5, when Jrue Holiday’s offense came alive and the Bucks roared back into the lead, as the turning point of the Finals. Holiday finished with 27 points and the best plus/minus of any player in the game. Game 6 is Tuesday in Milwaukee. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on BRING IT IN TrueHoop’s Jarod Hector, David Thorpe, and Henry Abbott discuss Damian Lillard and the Blazers, the Blazers’ rape investigation, and Henry’s TrueHoop article called “Shenanigans.” Also:* How good is Devin Booker?* What can we expect from Jrue Holiday in the Finals?* Why David doesn’t believe Giannis left the bench to tinkle.And more. RECENT BRING IT IN EPISODES:* MONDAY July 12, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe break down Giannis’ insane Finals so far.* THURSDAY July 8, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe talk about winning the Finals.* MONDAY June 28, 2021 The Bucks’ commanding position, how to play with a banged up Trae Young, life without Kawhi, Chris Paul’s snake dribble, and more.* FRIDAY June 25, 2021 Jarod Hector on how money affects players.* WEDNESDAY June 23, 2021 Henry has a hunch that the 2021 NBA title may have been decided on Tuesday night.* FRIDAY June 18, 2021 David Thorpe on the genius of Trae Young.* MONDAY June 14, 2021 Nikola Jokic’s ejection after a hard foul on Cameron Payne in Game 4.* FRIDAY June 11, 2021 David Thorpe and Jarod Hector wonder if Giannis Antetokounmpo should keep shooting 3s. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are on Clubhouse immediately after every game of the Finals. Need an invite? Respond to this email with your name and phone number.By the end of the game, Giannis was soaring like an eagle to block a mega high-altitude alley-oop from one of the tallest players in the league. The Bucks are back, tied 2-2 in a series that seemed hopeless just a few days ago.But, the Bucks still have concerns. Early in Game 4, David Thorpe started texting. “Something is wrong with Giannis. Really wrong. He’s barely moving.” It didn’t last all game, but it lasted long enough to cause a little concern. He needs to be healthy, or beyond healthy, if the Bucks are going to win in Phoenix. Also:* Jrue Holiday made four of 20 shots and seems to have lost the ability to shoot. * On a team where 3-pointers are like oxygen for Giannis rim attacks, the Bucks managed to make just 24 percent.* The team was minus-13 with Brook Lopez in the game.* P.J. Tucker fouls and little else.* The Bucks discovered an effective offensive approach in Game 3, and didn’t use it most of the night. * No, they don’t know how to stop Devin Booker.In this show, David and Jarod discuss this and a lot more, including some players who David feels shouldn’t be on the court.Serious concerns about referees. What is the deal with this?Thank you for reading TrueHoop! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on BRING IT IN TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott and David Thorpe break down Giannis’ insane Finals so far. And:* Bucks are now +24 in the Finals when Giannis is on the court.* In his four Game 1s these playoffs, DeAndre Ayton is shooting 77 percent, scoring 83 points on 48 shots, with 54 rebounds.* Giannis checks himself out of the game early, with a high heart rate. No idea what his pre-game ritual is, but some common over-the-counter remedies have proved scary through the years. * Does marijuana help athletic performance? We don’t really know. One interesting way to start thinking about it is the research described in the incredible book Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan.RECENT BRING IT IN EPISODES:* THURSDAY July 8, 2021 Henry Abbott and David Thorpe talk about winning the Finals.* MONDAY June 28, 2021 The Bucks’ commanding position, how to play with a banged up Trae Young, life without Kawhi, Chris Paul’s snake dribble, and more.* FRIDAY June 25, 2021 Jarod Hector on how money affects players.* WEDNESDAY June 23, 2021 Henry has a hunch that the 2021 NBA title may have been decided on Tuesday night.* FRIDAY June 18, 2021 David Thorpe on the genius of Trae Young.* MONDAY June 14, 2021 Nikola Jokic’s ejection after a hard foul on Cameron Payne in Game 4.* FRIDAY June 11, 2021 David Thorpe and Jarod Hector wonder if Giannis Antetokounmpo should keep shooting 3s.* MONDAY June 7, 2021 Rapid fire discussion of the games, the hamstrings, the full-court pressure, and the proposed Damian Lillard trades of the NBA postseason. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few minutes into the most important game of his life—Game 3 at home, trailing 0-2 in his first NBA Finals—Giannis Antetokounmpo raised a hand. He was signaling that he needed a break. He might be the fittest human on the planet; he had barely broken a sweat. But Pat Connaughton checked in because the Bucks star appeared to be some kind of overhyped. (Was he hyperventilating?) The cameras caught Giannis sitting, a trainer bought heat pads for his knees. For a moment, he seemed to be deep breathing. Then he was up, strolling in the hallway that leads to the locker room. In these times, who couldn’t relate to the idea of feeling too anxious. With 6:04 left in the first quarter, Giannis was once again ready to play. He checked back in, and at first was a bit antsy. But, with his normal rotation obliterated, he stayed on the court—but for a quick rest—until halftime. With Giannis on the court in the second quarter, the Bucks outscored the Suns by 16. They won the game by 20.As soon as the final buzzer sounded, TrueHoop’s Jarod Hector and David Thorpe met on Clubhouse to discuss what the Bucks did right, and what it means for the rest of the series. Game 4 is Wednesday.David and Jarod will be meeting on Clubhouse after every game. Join them live! Do you need an invite to Clubhouse? Respond to this email with your name and phone number and we will do our best to help. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jarod Hector and David Thorpe discussed the game at the final buzzer on Clubhouse. You can join us there live after every game of the Finals. Need a Clubhouse invite? Several kind TrueHoop subscribers with invites to spare have offered to help. Respond to this email with your name and phone number and we will do our best to make it happen … This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on BRING IT IN TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott and David Thorpe talk about winning the Finals. A while ago on BRING IT IN, the Suns had won eight playoff games in a row, and Henry said he thought they’d win the title. But David has long seen big potential in the Bucks, and has ideas about how the Bucks could still win it all. Things we discuss:* FiveThirtyEight has the Suns odds of winning the Finals at almost 80 percent.* David wrote before the series that with a healthy Giannis the Bucks are his pick (after writing about the evolution of Giannis.* A pretty chart on the evolution of the mid-range.* How billionaires use sports teams to reduce their tax bills.* The other Devin Booker.* Kyle Kuzma says he can average 25, but “it’s hard to be consistent in an inconsistent role.”RECENT BRING IT IN EPISODES:* MONDAY June 28, 2021 The Bucks’ commanding position, how to play with a banged up Trae Young, life without Kawhi, Chris Paul’s snake dribble, and more.* FRIDAY June 25, 2021 Jarod Hector on how money affects players.* WEDNESDAY June 23, 2021 Henry has a hunch that the 2021 NBA title may have been decided on Tuesday night.* FRIDAY June 18, 2021 David Thorpe on the genius of Trae Young.* MONDAY June 14, 2021 Nikola Jokic’s ejection after a hard foul on Cameron Payne in Game 4.* FRIDAY June 11, 2021 David Thorpe and Jarod Hector wonder if Giannis Antetokounmpo should keep shooting 3s.* MONDAY June 7, 2021 Rapid fire discussion of the games, the hamstrings, the full-court pressure, and the proposed Damian Lillard trades of the NBA postseason.* FRIDAY June 4, 2021 What happened to the Lakers and Blazers and picks for the second round. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.truehoop.com/subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices