Thinking Basketball
Episodes
#65: Seth Partnow | Value vs. goodness, defensive versatility & 2-way players
09 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former Bucks Director of Analytics and Athletic writer Seth Partnow joins to discuss his upcoming book, The Finals MVP, defensive versatility in the p...
#64: Building modern offenses around big men | 5 Archetypes
03 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Has the big man really gone away on offense? Or have they just moved beyond the post up? In this episode, I lay out ways to build strong offenses arou...
#63: The Big Bubble lesson? Evaluating small samples...
25 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There are lots of takeaways from the bubble, but is the biggest lesson how much we struggle with evaluating players/teams in small sample seasons? Wit...
#62: Nuggets Duo, Heat Zone & history's least scalable player
18 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I talk Nuggets and how they match up with the Lakers, get into the Heat-Celtics clash, but before that look at the All-NBA teams and whether this year...
#61 Backwards Basketball | Giannis, Siakam and our playoff narratives
12 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a meandering free association exercise, I explore some of the new playoff narratives developing in the social media age – how big are “capital-...
#60: 1st round analysis, 2nd round preview with Gibson Pyper
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Coach Gibson Pyper from Half Court Hoops joins to deep dive into the matchups of the 2020 NBA playoffs. We discuss Giannis guarding Jimmy Butler, the ...
#59: The bubble playoffs with Dave DuFour
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Athletic's Dave DuFour stops by to preview the bubble playoffs. We discuss what to make of the Lakers, challengers to the Bucks, whether Dave is s...
#58 The Restart with Steve Jones Jr.
30 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former Nets assistant coach Steve Jones returns to the show for the NBA return in the Orlando bubble. We discuss how the environment helps and hurts c...
#57: The most influential teams of All Time with Mike Prada
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
SBNation alum Mike Prada stops by to discuss the most influential NBA team of the last 75 years. How have the Curry Warriors, Jordan Bulls, Bad Boys P...
#56: The defensive awards show with Mo Dakhil
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Former NBA video coordinator Mo Dakhil joins to discuss the first ever Thinking Basketball Defensive Awards. We look at the best defenders in a number...
#55: Hakeem vs. Robinson vs. Russell | Andre Snellings, Great Debates
19 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the 5th episode of the Great Debates series, ESPN's Andre Snellings helps me size up three of the greatest defenders in NBA history, all with disti...
#54: J. Kyle Mann | The innovation of iconic moves & Soviet Sabonis
08 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann returns to discuss creativity and basketball innovation in the midst of his “Ball the Right Moves” video series. We disc...
#53: The Best 6th-men in NBA History
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who had the best season off the bench in NBA history? Do all the great 6th-man seasons belong to instant-offense scorers? Why are good defenders rarel...
#52: The best off-ball players of the 3-point era
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I reboot the inaugural episode with new data and a deeper look at the all-time best scorers in NBA history. What makes someone a great scorer? What mi...
#51: Klay vs. Miller vs. Allen | Great Debates
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Great Debates series, I compare all-time shooters and off-ball ballerinas Klay Thompson, Reggie Miller and Ray Allen. How were ...
#50: Top scorers in NBA history revisited
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I reboot the inaugural episode with new data and a deeper look at the all-time best scorers in NBA history. What makes someone a great scorer? What mi...
#49 Dave DuFour on MVPs & Dr. Maia Majumder on COVID-19 numbers
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Athletic's Dave DuFour on things and the NBA MVP. We compare 2020 LeBron James to another historical MVP winner. Dr. Maia Majumder also stops by (...
#48: Tatum vs. Giannis & BPM 2.0! Inside Basketball-Reference's new metric
01 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I take a first look at the new Box Plus-Minus on Basketball-Reference that goes back to 1974, including an all-time top-10 list based on playoff BPM. ...
#47: A scandal! & Lessons from other sports | Danny Leroux
23 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The undiscussed scandal of the dunk contest! A lesson in comparing statistical profiles. Plus, The Athletic's Danny Leroux discusses lessons from othe...
#46: Types of athleticism | Zion vs. Luka vs. Jokic with Eric Leidersdorf of P3
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Leidersdorf, director of biomechanics of P3 Sports Science, helps expand on our idea of “athleticism” and discusses his experience measuring ...
#45: Jackson Frank on Zion, Lillard & Jayson Tatum
09 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Jackson Frank of the Athletic stops by to discuss the beginning of Zion Williamson's career, the white shot scoring of Damian Lillard and the nuances ...
#44: 2020 Sub All-Stars
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who are the best players after the All-Stars? It's the 2nd annual sub All-Star team, where I agonizingly select the next group of players who are stil...
#43: Most Improved Players in 2020
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How much should defense factor into the MIP discussion? Is the award too scoring centric? I stack up the Most Improved players this year by diving int...
#42: How players use data | Shane Battier
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Heat VP Shane Battier joins to discuss how players use data as part of their game preparation and how it can create an advantage. How has the scouting...
#41: Duncan vs. Garnett | Andre Snellings, Great Debates
10 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
ESPN's Andre Snellings and I go deep on a classic player comparison between Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. We stack up their playoff comparisons, histo...
#40: Should the Board Man get paid!? | Rebounding 101
05 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How important is rebounding? And how much do rebounding stats really tell us about players today? This episode takes a deep dive into the value of reb...
#39: The post up is dying & the stunning physics of out of bounds calls
28 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An actual physicist joins to explain the stunning reality of out of bounds calls like the LeBron James one on Christmas. Also, diving into modern post...
#38: Analyzing trades | Who fits where and what do teams need?
22 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking down a number of proposed trades involving marquee players like Chris Paul, Ben Simmons, Jrue Holiday and more, with an emphasis on how these...
#37: Dirk vs. Barkley vs. Malone | Nate Duncan, Great Debates
13 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 2nd episode of the Great Debates series, Nate and I size up Dirk Nowitzki, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and the best portage systems in Eastern...
#36: Steve Jones Jr. | The best offenses in the NBA
05 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Former Nets assistant coach Steve Jones discusses the principles of the best offensive teams in the NBA in 2020, including the incredible Raptors, Kem...
#35: Designing a more perfect NBA based on fan behavior
30 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I went out to talk to real fans, both casual and hardcore, to research the things NBA consumers love and hate about the current state of the league. I...
#34: Harden vs. Kobe vs. Wade | Great Debates
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the first episode of the Great Debates series, I size up James Harden, Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and deep sea aquatic creatures. Who was better at h...
#33: J. Kyle Mann | Luka, Legacies & LeBron Jr.
16 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Ringer's J. Kyle Mann joins to discuss Luka Doncic, legacies, along with Kevin Garnett and Shaq in the modern NBA. Also, how does having a legenda...
#32: The Science and data of Load Management
09 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why are do superstars really play fewer minutes today? Does load management work? In this episode I take a deep dive into this hot button issue by loo...
#31: Ben Falk | The one-number debate, film in analytics & measuring defense
30 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
#31: Ben Falk | The one-number debate, film in analytics & measuring defense by Ben Taylor experiments
#30: 2020 season preview with Dave DuFour
22 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Athletic's Dave DuFour joins the podcast for a mega season preview of the upcoming 2020 season! We size up the playoff teams in each conference, t...
#28: 2020 Regression candidates with Danny Leroux
10 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In part III of our look at the aging curve, Danny Leroux, returns for a (less fun) foray into players we think are candidates to give way a bit to Fat...
#27: 2020 Breakout candidates Part II with Danny Leroux
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2, Danny Leroux returns to round out our most likely breakout player candidates of 2020. Follow him on twitter @DannyLeroux. Support at www.pa...
#26: 2020 Breakout candidates with Danny Leroux
27 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In part I, Danny Leroux, Athletic columnist, host of realgm radio and co-host of the Dunc'd On podcast joins me for a deep dive into the breakout play...
#25: The 2010s All-Decade Team
24 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
By popular demand, I took a crack at the All-Decade team for the 2010s by sizing up which players had the most championship equity over the last 10 ye...
#24: Devin Booker, skill curves & young scorers on bad teams
13 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An exploration of young volume scorers on really bad teams. What happens historically when these players are surrounded by better talent? How often ar...
#23: Top playmakers in NBA history
02 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A look at the greatest playmakers in NBA history using an updated model that balances shot creation, passing ability, turnovers and teammates/team per...
#22 Cole Zwicker on the 2019 NBA draft
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Draft expert Cole Zwicker joins to discuss draft concepts, draft philosophy, and provide an in-depth breakdown of how this year's rookies fit on their...
#21: Incredible stories from Game 6 of the Finals, AD trade
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
I dive into the final minutes of the NBA Finals and the incredible on-court stories that history might completely forget. Also some reflections on the...
#20: How the Raptors klawed away at the Warriors
08 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After Game 4, an in-depth breakdown of key players like Steph Curry, how Toronto succeeded on offense against a depleted Warriors defense, the emergin...
#19: Steve Jones Jr. on Game 1 of the NBA Finals
31 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Former Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Steve Jones Jr. stops by for hardcore Xs & Os on the Warriors-Raptors, his theory about Golden State’s “data ...
#18: Nerds can't tell you how to play | skill vs. strategy
18 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Are the Rockets doomed with their analytics-driven style? Should midrange jumpers make a comeback? In this episode I address the controversy around “...
#17: Dave DuFour on GoT, NBA Playoffs & the greatness of Steph Curry
10 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Athletic's Dave DuFour stops by to discuss the greatness of Steph Curry, similarities between Kawhi Leonard and Michael Jordan and why some Toront...
#16: Neil Paine on the Battle for Basketball's Soul
04 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Neil Paine of 538 stops by to discuss James Harden's controversial play style, the 3-point revolution, the emergence of the 76ers & some insight into ...
#15: Adjustments the Bucks can make in Game 2 & Round 2 thoughts
28 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Reactions to Game 1 between the Bucks and Celtics along with adjustments Milwaukee can make moving forward, overachieving in the playoffs, and brief t...
#14: Projecting the best shooters of the 3-pt era
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Which 2019 rookies will become great shooters? Can we predict who will be a great shooter based on the beginning of their career and the years before ...
#13: Unexpected superstars breaking their ceiling
10 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How many players became superstars by blowing through their ceiling? How often are we surprised by guys becoming better than we could have ever expect...
#12: Mo Dakhil & scouting the East contenders
23 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Former Spurs & Clippers video coordinator Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) stops by to size up Xs and Os among the Celtics, Bucks, 76ers and Raptors. We disc...
#11: The 2019 Sub-All Stars, Trade thoughts
09 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After biting off more than I can chew, I try to list the next best group of players -- the "Sub All-Star Team" -- after the top 25 or so players in th...
#10: Big man defense in 2019 & James Harden's portability
11 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With new trends toward spacing and faster pace, how valuable are the best defenders in the league in 2019? Also, is James Harden's scoring binge durin...
#9: Bad signs for Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell
23 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The reasons Ben Simmons is already close to his peak and why Donovan's Mitchell's sophomore slump is a bad omen for his future value as a prospect. Pl...
#8: Luka, Jaren and the top rookie seasons ever
10 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sizing up Luka Doncic and his main ROY competitor Jaren Jackson, where these two exciting rookies rank among the all-time best first-year players in N...
#7: The Bucks historic start & interpreting modern numbers
13 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Bucks are off to an incredible start after a month – where does history say they will finish? How have other teams fared who started similarly? ...
#6: Nate Duncan, Part II - LeBron vs. Jordan
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In Part II of our conversation, Nate and I (finally) talk Jordan vs. LeBron, comparing levels of competition, conference disparities, outside shooting...
#5: Nate Duncan, Part I - 2019 League trends & the GOATness of Steph Curry
15 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In Part I, Nate Duncan stops by the show to discuss parity, isoball trends and the liabilities of weak offense and defense. We also discuss Steph Curr...
#4: The Lakers Math Problem & the Promise of Passing
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I discuss the Lakers overload of on-ball players and how the pieces will fit together with LeBron James and the returning talent. Sup...
#3: The Problem with Analytics
12 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I discuss the good and the bad of analytics while pondering the single most important philosophical question of our time: Can the Eye Test and Stats e...
#2: Best Scorers in NBA History Part II
25 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In part 2, I discuss the value of lower efficiency scorers like Russell Westbrook and Allen Iverson, sort out who improved and declined the most in th...
#1: Best Scorers in NBA History Part I
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
How valuable were Wilt's 50 points per game? Kobe's 35? A new way to measure scoring seasons based on historical impact data reveals just how much big...