Episode 050 - Crowd-Sourcing the Second Half

Chris and Paul celebrate their 50th episode with a three-part podcast that features some NBA news, a crowd-sourcing project where they check in with fans of a few different franchises, and a couple of classic clips from old episodes.

They start by reminiscing over the old BlogTalkRadio podcast before discussing the most recent NBA news, including Carmelo Anthony’s All-Star selection, Kobe Bryant’s possible season-ending rotator cuff tear, and the differences between Paul Pierce and Russell Westbrook’s media approach.

After about 32:15 they transition to their interview segments, where friends sent in their rants and predictions for their favorite teams over the second half of the season. Alex Fischbein of Basketball Society starts it off with his Philadelphia 76ers and evaluates the rebuild and young talent. Malcolm Rodgers then covers his Cleveland Cavaliers and expectations, after a crazy last year of basketball. Jeremy Martin joins next to cover another rebuilding situation and reflects on his history as a Utah Jazz fan. Finally, Basketball Society-founder and Los Angeles Lakers fan, Martin Soares, discusses the Hall of Fame career of Kobe Bryant and his future in the NBA.

Chris and Paul touch back in to set up their final segment, and replay a couple of classic clips from some former episodes. They dig through the crates to find a Knicks free agency prediction from 2009, a historic call-in from the BTR days, a manic intro from Paul, who’s clearly hyped for the 2012 (“Unibrow”) NBA Draft, and a Kevin Durant MVP discussion from the 2013-14 preseason.

Those who were unable to join on the podcast instead emailed in their answers to specific questions about their favorite teams, and shed some insight into their seasons. As with the podcast interviews, they were asked to provide predictions and a song or media clip that they personally enjoy or feel represents their team and situation. Let's start alphabetically, by team nicknames.

Josh Koebert - Milwaukee Bucks

1.) Do the Bucks need Larry Sanders in order to make the playoffs?

Josh Koebert: Hell naw. If they were in the Western Conference they absolutely would, but in the East they should be fine as long as they have Henson, Knight, and Giannis healthy. They could probably still make the playoffs with Coach Kidd running point in his suit this year. *prepares for the implosion that results in Milwaukee getting snaked in the last week and losing a playoff spot*

2.) Milwaukee is currently 4th in the league in defensive rating after finishing 29th last season. Can they be a top-10 defense all season?

You know, I think they can, even without Larry. The pieces were there even last year in terms of raw size and athleticism to play this kind of defense, and now there's a coach that has figured out how to make that work for players that aren't Sanders. The Greek Freak and John Henson are absurd plastic men, and when they're playing good ball passing lanes evaporate. Top-five probably isn't realistic without Sanders, but top-ten is.

3.) What’s Brandon Knight’s future in Milwaukee?

God I don't know. I like him a lot. He's young and has demonstrated an ability to hit big shots. I just don't know if he'll ever be more than a tweener guard that should probably stick to the two, and what this team really needs is a bonafide one. I'd like to keep him around, but not if he's the primary point guard, so I guess his future will depend on the role they ask him to play and whether he wants to play it.

4.) How important has Coach Kidd been to the teams’ success? Are there any other award candidates on the roster? (6th Man, MVP, Most Improved, etc.)

So huge. It's crazy how improved this team is from last year without major roster moves outside of Larry Sanders being healthy (now we have other problems weeeeeeeeee!), and most of that is on Kidd. He's been tremendous and I want him to stay for a long time. If the Hawks weren't become death, eater of worlds I think Kidd would be a COY shoo-in. As far as other awards, maybe Giannis gets some Most Improved looks, which is terrifying when you see how good he is now and then consider that he's probably going to be a candidate for that award for the next few years.

5.) This one might hurt, but given what we’ve seen from Andrew Wiggins and his adjustment process this season, what would you have expected from Jabari Parker in the second half of his rookie season (had he not torn his ACL)?

I think you'd see steady improvement. Fewer insane nights like Wiggins has been having, but fewer stinkers too. The word on Jabari was always that he was more polished for the pro game from the jump, and I think we'd be seeing him really become comfortable on this level and start showing himself to be the consistent performer people expect to see for years to come.

Jeremy Briggs - Cleveland Cavaliers  

1.) Is David Griffin capped out on trades? Did he do enough to transform the roster around his Big 3?  

Jeremy Briggs: For now it seems that Griffin has exhausted all of his assets. With Waiters and any trade-able first round picks gone the Cavs really don’t have any attractive pieces left to offer in any prospective deal, outside of presumably un-movable players.

I don’t think the roster as currently constructed is a finished product. There is still an open roster spot and the need still exists for a veteran backup point guard as well as another rim defender. While Griff hasn’t done a perfect job in shaping the roster, I certainly think that he filled 3 huge needs (shooting, wing defense, rim protection) while getting rid of an overall detriment in Dion Waiters.  

2.) Can the Cavs play league average defense before this season is done?

I really don’t know if the Cavs can get to league average defense this season. As the roster is currently constructed, the only player in the rotation who is capable of playing elite defense is LeBron. But with his declining athleticism and gigantic role on offense, he can’t make the same sort of impact on that side that he has in the past. Shumpert, Mozgov and Marion are all solid defenders, but the lack of continuity and familiarity within the team is really  an issue. The Cavs are almost an entirely different team than they were last season. Once the whole group buys into the schemes and begins to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses then I think they can be a top-15 team on D. But it might not be next season until they can get there.

3.) Have you already bought in on the J.R. Smith era?

I am all in on J.R. Smith. One hundred, no, one million percent bought in. I have sold my house, car, furniture, dog, everything. And invested all of it in J.R. Smith stock. I know I’ll get burnt in the end, but right now I am absolutely loving it. After watching Dion Waiters catch, dribble for 10 seconds, and fire up a step-back off balance 18-footer? I’ll take a guy that launches 3’s off of the catch all-day. Even if he shoots 22 of them again. I’m all in.

4.) Loaded but… How do you feel about David Blatt?  

Despite it being the popular theme to bash David Blatt, I actually really like him. He is intelligent, articulate and worthy of leading an NBA team. The team has been hesitant to buy into him, likely because he never played in the NBA and is an unfamiliar name and face to almost the entire squad. As LeBron begins to show faith in him, it should rub off on his teammates, and the Cavs could really go on a special run. Despite Blatt’s rocky start I appreciated the Front Office giving him a public backing. I really hope that he is the coach who leads the Cavs to that elusive championship.

5.) It’s been half a season; do the pieces fit?

After the recent trades I think that the pieces fit much better. Dion Waiters may not be a good fit on any NBA team, let alone a team that desperately needed 3-point shooting and defense out of its 2-guard. The Cavs were essentially able to trade him and Memphis’ first round pick to acquire 3 players who fit the team much better. Lineups such as Kyrie-Shump-LeBron-Love-Mozgov and Kyrie-Shump-Smith-LeBron-Thompson are much better fits than some of the groups the Cavs had been running out there. The acquisitions also minimize the need for big minutes from the elderly crew of Mike Miller, James Jones, Brendan Haywood and Shawn Marion.  Also, while Anderson Varejao is a tremendous individual and still a very solid role player, his fit was questionable with the starting group. His injury may have been a blessing in disguise as it forced the Cavs’ hand in a way.

6.) Expectations seem like such a weird concept with this team, given their last year-plus of playoff predictions and #1 draft picks and LeBron signings and trading #1 draft picks. What do you expect from the Cavs this season and how has that changed from the preseason?

I expect to see growth and development of the team’s younger players. I expect Blatt to become a better motivator and to gain credibility within his locker room. I expect the players to build synergy and chemistry as a group, and to carry that over into next season. While I would never put a cap on the potential of a LeBron-led team, as long as the season doesn’t end in the first round of the playoffs, my expectations for next season will be much greater.  

Brady Jennings - Atlanta Hawks

1.) Who is the most important Hawk?

Brady Jennings: The most important Hawk is Al Horford.  I think a lot of people don't remember how well the Hawks were playing last year until he went down with a season ending injury.  Atlanta was in the 3 seed early on in the year and as we all know went on to finish 8th in the eastern conference. His resurgence this year has helped them tremendously.  You could make a case for Teague or Korver, but the defensive prowess and offensive versatility Horford brings to the team is essential to everything the Hawks do.

2.) What Eastern Conference team do you want to avoid in the playoffs if possible?

This is an easy question for me.  Answer: Chicago Bulls.  I still think the Bulls are favorites in a 7 game series against anyone in the east.  They have had some sub-par games lately, but I still think they are the most dangerous team for the Hawks and everyone else in the east to play.  A Bulls-Hawks Eastern Conference Finals would be incredible, but I still think the Bulls would win in 6 or 7.  

Disclaimer: As an Atlanta sports fan, I have an innate pessimistic view on Atlanta teams in the post season.

3.) Do you believe their style of offense can translate to the playoffs?

I think their style of play will translate well to the playoffs and in my opinion is the best style of basketball to play.  Their excellent ball movement creates good shots for everyone.  People have called them the "Spurs of the East" which makes sense because Budenholzer was on the San Antonio staff for many years and he has done a great job implementing that system with the Hawks.

4.) How does this year’s Hawks team compare to the teams of years past?

Oh man, I don't even think its close how much better this team is than any Hawks team of the past 15 years.  Maybe even better than some of the 'Nique teams. Growing up in Atlanta (I'm now 20) I was able to watch the Jason Terry, Shareef Abdur-Rahim(!) Hawks squads.  Then came Josh Smith, who at one point was a highlight show all on his own.  Throw ISO-Joe in with him and you have a team that would finish 4-5-6 in the East, but everyone knew they wouldn't make very much noise, if any, in the playoffs.  The highlight of my Hawks fandom was watching them beat Dwight and the Magic in a playoff series.  Or the one game Rasheed Wallace played for the Hawks.  

This team is different than all of those teams.  This team is balanced and doesn't rely on one or two guys to score for them.  This team has a very good coach and plays team basketball.  I think these guys are going to make basketball in Atlanta a big deal, and even with the looming change in ownership, the fans will continue to buy in.

5.) Is this the best team in the Eastern Conference? If not how do they hold up in the conference?

I think right now they are the best team in the East, but as I said earlier the Bulls really scare me.  It is difficult to project what will happen in April/May/June, but I feel the only team who is a legitimate threat to the Hawks in the postseason is the Chicago Bulls.

Kevin Echavarria - San Antonio Spurs

1.) Do the Spurs still have their “extra gear” or have their issues this season extended beyond injuries?

Kevin Echavarria: The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. They've had moments where they look like that cold, ruthless efficiency machine of last year. But this season's issues go back to something Pop said before the season started: these guys are human, and it's human nature to feel a little self-satisfied after last year. As a fan, it's been frustrating to watch them take nights off with lazy defense, unfocused offense and general un-Spurs-like lollygagging. Still, now that Kawhi's back, things are starting to improve (last night's loss to the Bulls notwithstanding) and given what we know about Pop, Duncan and this program, I think they've earned the benefit of the doubt and will get back to that astronomical peak efficiency we saw last year.

2.) Which injury absence this season has been the biggest loss for the Spurs?

Kawhi, without a doubt. He brings such a unique skillset to the game that he really allows the Spurs to do what they do. On defense, he can go 1-on-1 with any wing in the league, thus freeing up the defense to rotate around him, and is such a great disruptor that he can generate instant transition opportunities. His post game as a wing has become a thing of beauty, adding a wrinkle to the offense that people don't usually associate with the tiki-taka, "Beautiful Game" Spurs. He's the one piece that the Spurs can't really replicate or mask with a backup.

3.) Biggest piece of the future for the San Antonio Spurs: Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, or Gregg Popovich/R.C. Buford?
Kawhi. Again. We all know about the Pop/RC family tree that runs throughout the NBA, so I'm pretty sure that they've got a succession plan in place for when they're not around anymore. Bringing over Ettore Messina, for example, seemed like a succession move to me. Of course, we could find out once they leave that years of having your front office and bench raided every offseason might have left the cupboard bare, but I'm pretty sure they'll be OK. Kawhi, on the other hand, has gotten better every year. There are some questions about whether he can become the focal feature of an offense, but with the way his game's been developing, and his commitment to adding new tools every offseason, I think he's going to be huge for this franchise for a long time to come, and with the way the NBA is going, a great piece to build around. (That is assuming the Spurs lock him up this offseason, which I have no doubt they will.)


John Mazlish - Washington Wizards

1.) How has Paul Pierce helped this Wizards team?/How much do you love Paul Pierce?

John Mazlish: Paul Pierce has been fantastic for the Wizards. He hasn't quite replaced Trevor Ariza's corner shooting or defensive quickness, but he's better in his own ways. His smarts and positioning are off the charts on D, and offense he adds some extra creation and ball handling that Ariza didn't have. What makes me love him though is the maturity and attitude he's brought to the team, with him, Gortat, and Nene the Wizards have an experienced frontline and DA TRUTH is the leader of it all.

2.) Of Beal, Nene, and Gortat, who is more important to the Wizards making a deep playoff run?

Hmmm thats a tough question and its probably somewhat matchup dependent as Beal versus Jimmy Butler will be a little different than if the Wiz meet Iman Shumpert and the Cavs, but overall I'd have to say Nene. Beal and Gortat are generally pretty consistent, and Nene's wider variance in performance makes him key to the Wizards. Much like Pierce his positioning and rotations on D are impeccable, and when he's feeling it he can take almost anyone in the league on the block. Having a healthy and high level performance from Nene is most important to making a deep playoff run.

3.) How would you go about upgrading the Wizards bench?  Or would you?

The Wizards bench isn't in dire need of an upgrade, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved. The two biggest needs are probably a better defensive backup point guard who can spell Andre Miller in difficult match ups, and more of a true shooting guard. The Wizards bring Porter and Butler off the bench, but neither are really shooting guards so it would be nice to have someone else there, even if it would only be in limited minutes. The Wizards should be looking at D-League call ups and trade opportunities to see if they can find someone to fill one of these needs.

4.) Has your confidence in Coach Randy Wittman or GM Ernie Grunfeld improved at all this season from last?

The short answer is yes, but the long answer is basically no. Wittman has certainly improved with his rotations, and at this point has proven he's a good defensive coach who runs a good scheme for Washington. However he's shown no improvement what so ever with the offense, and until the Wizards start turning some long two's into more three point looks the team's upside is capped.

5.) How do the Wizards stack up in the Eastern Conference, both in the regular season and in the playoffs?

As a Wizards fan I change between ultra optimism and crazy pessimism pretty frequently, but right now I'd put them in the thick of things in the clustered Eastern top five. The Hawks and Bulls have similar level defenses as the Wizards to go along with higher level offenses, and the Cavs/Raptors have much better offenses, but are a lot weaker on defense. The Wizards also seem to match up pretty well with the Bulls so I'm relatively optimistic that they could get by any of Toronto, Chicago, or Cleveland in a playoff series. Atlanta seems to be on another level right now and unfortunately I'd say the Wizards probably have the lowest ceiling of any of those five teams. At this point anywhere between a first round exit in a 4/5 matchup and a conference finals birth seems plausible for Washington.

We would like to thank everybody who took the time to help out on our 50th episode and who contributed content to this project. Thank you, as well, to the listeners of the podcast and visitors to the blog over the years. The goal has always been to steadily increase the content on both the podcast and the blog, with more projects coming in the future. We hope that you'll join us for the next 50 episodes. Thanks. - Paul