Friend of the pod Brett Usher re-joins the pod to talk teams we are buying and selling thus far in the NBA Season! Brett is one of the best follows out there, check him out @UsherNBA on X.

Time stamps:

The LA Clippers can't be this bad right? (1:30), The San Antonio Spurs have arrived (12:15), How are the Celtics this good? (29:20), The Pistons are bullying everyone (42:45), Orlando is figuring it out featuring a Paolo Banchero discussion (53:00), Can Golden State get their year on track? (1:04:50), Derik Queen is a monster (1:16:00), Tyrese Haliburton - underrated? (1:28:30).

Thank you everyone for listening!

Check us out on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@drewsemler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MaxKlotz_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow/rate the pod here too 🩶

Check us out on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@drewsemler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MaxKlotz_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow/rate the pod here too 🩶

Time to get out all the takes that have been rattling around our heads this NBA season, including: OKC's historic start, best top 5 players in a decade, the mid East, surprise teams and much more!

Big thank you to everyone who listened this year!

Check us out on X ⁠@drewsemler⁠ & ⁠@MaxKlotz_⁠. Follow/rate the pod here too!

Timestamps:

Dame Time's return to Portland! (1:00), OKC's salary cap forecast (13:00), Stock report (25:00), Boston Celtics as a playoff threat (25:10), Denver Nuggets as Tier 1 contenders (32:00), Orlando Magic (41:30), the sneaky Charlotte Hornets (51:30).

Thank you for listening!

Max is saving up for when Christian Koloko gets on Cameo...

...And Now, Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Wacky Segments!

“The oldest form of theater is the dinner table.” ~ Michael J. Fox

Thanks for the memories, Jonathan Tjarks ❤️ 

This episode goes out to our listener(s) in: 🇵🇷 🇪🇪 🇲🇽 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇮🇹 🇨🇭 !

Max had to get this mini-episode off his chest...

Pod Boy Summer

Has Minnesota chosen Gobert over KAT long term?

This podcast is *NOT* #sponsored by Jalen Williams or the University of Arizona... 

Prospect Timestamps: Paolo Banchero (2:40), Jabari Smith (8:45), Chet Holmgren (13:30), Jaden Ivey (18:40), Bennedict Mathurin (22:25), Jalen Williams (27:10), Keegan Murray & E.J. Liddell (34:45), Jeremy Sochan (42:00), Dalen Terry (46:10), Johnny Davis (51:05), Shaedon Sharpe (54:40), Mark Williams/Christian Koloko/Jalen Duren (56:00), A.J. Griffin (1:00:50), Ochai Agbaji (1:02:30), Ousmane Dieng (1:04:30), Kennedy Chandler (1:08:25), and closing thoughts (1:12:00).

2014 Andrew Wiggins: 🏆Most Likely To Glow Up In Year 8🏆 

Follow us on X @drewsemler & @MaxKlotz_. Like and follow the pod too!

Max's Summer League experience (0:30), Houston/Denver as contenders (5:45), Bucks: Reckless or brave (15:45), Knicks hired Mike Brown! (23:15), Next first time MVP (30:00), Next NEW championship team (38:40), Lakers future (42:00), Next first time Finals MVP (48:45), Next NEW DPOY (52:50), Next first time All NBAer (57:15), Next 2nd round STUD (1:00:00)

BONUS: Max's Bronny thoughts from the CA Classic (1:15:20), Max meeting Bronny's agent (1:17:15)

2014 Boris Diaw ❤️ 

Part 2 tomorrow...

NO MORE BLOWOUTS 🙏 🙏 🙏 

And the Oscar for best supporting actor goes to...

We have intro music...

Thank you to the Cash fam for the lovely hospitality. What a year.

Draft deep dive! Check out @StephenGHoops on X and everything going on at https://www.noceilingsnba.com. Special stuff.

Find us on X @drewsemler & @Maxklotz_

Timestamps:

Draft group think (1:00), NBA-ready guys (8:00), Guys we're highest on (18:00), "I just don't see it" guys (36:30), Khaman Maluach (45:00), Who's keeping us up at night for our ranking (53:50), Best defender (58:40), Most likely to get a GM fired (1:02:00), Ace Bailey (1:03:10), Sneaky special athletes (1:08:00), High ceiling 2nd-rounders (1:14:30), Future HOF-ers? (1:20:30)

Thrilled to be joined by Kris Pursiainen for this one. Check out @krispursiainen on X and read his work on ClutchPoints!

Timestamps:

Knicks coaching search (1:45)

2026 predictions: First time All-NBAers (13:30), Biggest revenge tour (19:27), New beloved role players (24:20), Best setup team next 5 years (32:00), Worst situation (42:30), Best contract (45:30), Biggest win increase (48:00), Biggest fall off (52:10), Sophomore leap (54:00), Sell high candidates (57:15), Second draft candidates (1:06:10), Dream broadcast team (1:09:25)

Thank you for listening!

In today's episode, 100 Knicks fans and 1 gorilla fight to the death.

(0:00) - Finals thoughts

(10:55) - One of the more intellectual Knicks convos in recent history

Nothing like May hoops. Round 2, conference finals and more with 2 special guests...

(0:00) - WEST with Micah Cash

(48:50) - EAST with Nick Kingsley

If you enjoyed, feel free to storm X’s headquarters and get us unDOGE’d. <3

(0:00) - Thunder vs. Nuggets

(22:00) - Celtics vs. Knicks

Find Sean Davis @Sean_Davi on X!

(1:00) - Thunder vs. Grizzlies or Mavericks

(4:30) - Rockets vs. Warriors

(12:55) - Lakers vs. Wolves

(26:35) - Nuggets vs. Clippers

(36:15) - West 2nd round and WCF matchups

(42:25) - Pacers vs. Bucks

(48:55) - Giannis’ future

(52:00) - Knicks vs. Pistons

(60:20) - East 2nd round and ECF matchups

(64:40) - FINALS PICKS 🏆 

(67:40) - Thunder vs. Celtics OR The Field?

In honor of the end of the regular season, we are revealing nominees and winners for the first annual Dirkie Awards! Timestamps for each prestigious award below:

"You're My Number 1 Boy" (3:40), The Princess Bride "Pit of Despair" (11:30), "You Either Die the Hero or Live Long Enough to See Yourself Become the Villain" (16:15), Gone Too Soon (20:00), "I Could've Been a Contender" (23:30)

"Here's Looking at You Kid" (27:25), "Not a Great Plan" (31:30), "The Less You Do the More You Do" (33:00), Meme of the Year (34:45), All World - But Only on His Night (37:00), Agent's Worst Nightmare (42:10), "It's Not Your Fault" (42:40), Sexiest Highlight Tape (43:50)

Rookie Mulligan (47:45), "A Captain Goes Down with the Ship" (50:55), "They Are Who We Thought They Were" (53:15), "Don't You Forget About Me" (53:53)

Thank you everyone for listening - please follow if you like what you hear!

Check us out on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@drewsemler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MaxKlotz_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow/rate the pod here too 🩶

Hyped for this one! Bryce Simon (@MotorCityHoops) of the Game Theory Podcast joins the show to discuss the most fun rookies and sophomores through a couple weeks of the NBA season.

You can listen to Bryce on the Game Theory Pod with Sam Vecenie or on his Pistons Pulse podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pistons-pulse/id1610177375. Follow him for top tier NBA and draft analysis.

Timestamps:

Cedric Coward's hyper efficient game (2:30), VJ Edgecombe's star potential (7:00), Alex Sarr's all-around improvement (13:30), Stephon Castle's upside (20:14), Kyshawn George's defensive improvement (26:55), MUST LISTEN Bryce's take on European vs. American development (31:00), Rapid fire on a bunch of rookie/sophs (34:30).

Discussing the biggest swing factors in the Western Conference title picture! Timestamps below:

OKC's bevy of supporting players (0:50), SGA translating to the playoffs (7:15), What is OKC's closing 5? (10:50), Jalen Green (14:45), Rui Hachimura (19:15), Can LA survive with LeBron at Center? (22:10), Jamal Murray (26:30), Denver's depth (27:30), Golden State's kids (33:45), Quick hitters on MEM/LAC/MIN (42:30)

Thank you for listening! Shoot us a follow if you like what you hear.

Max and Drew are back breaking down the state of the league approaching the playoffs, before picking our favorite players stuck in suboptimal team settings.

Timestamps: The NBA injury bug (3:00), Rescue Draft Begins (11:00), Tyrese Maxey (13:00), Lauri Markkanen (17:00), Devin Booker (21:30), Kevin Durant (27:30), Santi Aldama (30:20), Yabusele (34:00), Khris Middleton (36:30), Payton Pritchard (39:55), Klay Thompson (44:45), Nic Claxton (47:20), Malik Monk (51:20), honorable mentions (53:00).

Thank you all for listening! Please shoot us a follow.

Trying to make sense of the wild West with friend of the pod Kris Pursiainen! Who do the top contenders match up best with? Who can give them the most problems? Playoff matchup hypothetical rock-paper scissors:

Timestamps: OKC Thunder (2:30), Minnesota as a spoiler (5:30), Denver - OKC matchup (8:45), sleeping on the Clippers! (13:00), title threat Warriors (24:20), GS - Lakers matchup (32:40), what can hold GS back (42:45), Houston and Memphis (46:15), reckless trade speculation (49:00), who can guard the Lakers (53:50).

Kris is a great follow on X: @krispursiainen. You can read his work on Clutch Points and listen to him pod for Knicks Film School!

Thanks everyone for listening and give us a follow if you like what you heard!

It's a brotherly affair! Sam Klotz joins to discuss the red-hot Lakers, the floundering Knicks and just how bad things have gotten for Mavs fans...

Breaking down the most intriguing NBA storylines for the rest of this season! Plus bonus story time from Max who attended two All-Star Weekend agency parties... Timestamps below:

Laker Luka (1:10), Chet Holmgren's return (7:10), West Playoff Race (8:30), Hot Nuggets! (16:20), Imploding 76ers... where is rock bottom? (18:00), Weird Magic (20:00), The Rolling Pistons (22:30), Can any East team challenge CLE/BOS (24:45)

Agency party story time! (28:30)

Thank you for listening - follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter @BorisDirkPodcast

"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy [basketball]?"

Emergency Pod reacting to the most shocking trade in NBA History as Luka Doncic goes to Los Angeles for Anthony Davis.

Initial reactions (0:15) | Comparison to past star trade packages (5:50) | This year's Lakers (14:45) | What are the Mavs doing (25:00) | Mavs going forward (28:45) | Luka's return (34:00)

Thank you for listening - like and subscribe <3

Contender tiers/rankings for both conferences!

(1:15) - West, (1:30) - OKC is the clear favorite, (6:45) - Jamal Murray and Russ driving Denver's resurgence, (10:30) - Dallas vs. Memphis as a true West contender? (18:30) - Houston's playoff ceiling and dark horses, (25:55) - East (26:00) - Celtics or Cavs #1? (33:30) - Knicks as the challengers, (43:15) - Bucks still contenders? (48:00) - Some Magic and Pacers love

Check us out @BorisDirkPod on X ❤️ 

The year is 2025 and LiAngelo is the most culturally relevant Ball brother!

(0:00) - OKC’s path to the finals

(7:25) - Victor Wembanyama, top 5 player on earth

(13:35) - THE PLAYOFF PISTONS

(18:30) - 5 best squads in the west

(26:25) - The sun has set in Phoenix

(30:00) - Obligatory Jimmy Butler trade machine magic

(35:55) - Eastern Conference playoff picture

Check us out on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(0:55) - OKC

(8:25) - 2025 Finals

(12:30) - Box score frauds

(14:30) - Giannis!

(16:20) - Lamelo…

(18:20) - Big Ball > Small Ball?

(22:00) - Playoff Wemby?!

(25:05) - Play-in chaos 🙏 

(27:55) - Denver’s path

(31:10) - Un Playoff Jimmy, por favor

(35:25) - Donte DiVincenzo needs your help

@BorisDirkPod on X!

(0:45) - THE New York Knicks

(9:25) - Elon Musk’s (Houston) Rockets

(19:30) - Wemby’s place in Big Man History

(26:30) - Back in Grizzness!!!

(32:00) - The not-so-Golden State of the Warriors

(40:10) - Dancing with Wolves

(45:00) - Hope for Philly?!?!!?!

(47:00) - The WTF Pacers

(51:30) - Jamal Murray Panic?

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

Our BDP legal team will re-join us to discuss this story as it unfolds AND to talk about Steve Balmer, Kawhi Leonard, Uncle Dennis and our favorite species of trees.

Check us out on X ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@drewsemler⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@MaxKlotz_⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow/rate the pod here too 🩶

(1:50) - Giannis’ recent rampage / Milwaukee moving forward

(6:35) - A boom in steals and blocks

(11:20) - CLEVELAND!

(17:20) - The arrival of the 2022 draft class / JDub’s wild ascent

(22:00) - Hope in Portland

(27:05) - Brooklyn refuses to suck and tanking is for perpetual losers!

(33:25) - The Knicks’ offense / OG Anunoby, “King of the Dancefloor”

(42:30) - Fun role players

(43:35) - Has Houston arrived?

(48:10) - CP3’s Spurs!

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(1:25) - Golden State Warriors

(7:30) - Minnesota Timberwolves

(16:35) - New York Knicks

(22:20) - Memphis Grizzlies

(25:05) - Detroit Pistons

(30:35) - LA Lakers

(33:35) - 2024 Rookies

(37:40) - Sacramento Kings

(39:15) - Ryan Dunn

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(1:00) - Final four teams / title winner

(12:55) - MVP

(14:20) - Breakout players

(19:55) - Teams we’re most above consensus on

(25:30) - Bold predictions

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(0:30) - Wilt, Kareem & Wemby

(4:35) - Forgotten NBA greats

(6:00) - The Curry/Kerr Era in Golden State

(10:45) - The Warriors in 2024-25

(18:35) - Western Conference landscape

(24:45) - Is the NBA game in a “good place?”

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(0:50) - Milwaukee Bucks

(5:00) - Victor Wembanyama

(7:30) - New York Knicks

(12:20) - Dallas Mavericks

(14:30) - This year’s rookies

(18:05) - Denver Nuggets

(22:50) - Tyrese Haliburton

(26:00) - Chicago’s Josh Giddey Experiment

(30:45) - Oklahoma City Thunder

(39:00) - JJ Reddick’s Los Angeles Lakers

(43:35) - This year’s surprise conference finalist(s)?

(46:55) - Cade Cunningham’s Detroit Pistons

(49:30) - Philadelphia 76ers

(51:50) - Portland Trail Blazers

(53:25) - Houston Rockets

(57:10) - Zach Edey’s Memphis Grizzlies

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

(3:00) - What is Minnesota thinking?

(8:35) - Good news for Denver!

(11:00) - Minnesota’s future.

(15:15) - KAT at center and the new look Knicks.

(33:45) - New York’s front office.

(36:45) - A farewell to the January Knicks.

Follow us on X @BorisDirkPod ❤️

NBA season is around the corner! Special guest Sean Davis (@Sean_Davi) joins to help us put all the NBA teams into tiers from worst to best. Follow Sean on Twitter @Sean_Davi and listen to his podcast The SportsHeadlines Show! Timestamps below:

(1:30) - Worst teams in the league

(9:30) - Teams with play-in dreams

(19:00) - Middle of the pack / Lakers thoughts

(37:15) - Teams that could win any single series

(41:55) - Conceivable contenders

(58:20) - The two best teams on earth

(1:03:25) - 76ers vs. Knicks

(1:00) - This year’s Anthony Edwards

(6:30) - This year’s OKC?

(13:10) - This year’s Derrick Lively

(19:40) - This year’s Dallas?

(28:25) - This year’s Minnesota?

(31:30) - Next player podcast (this year’s Paul George)?

(36:00) - This year’s Jayson Tatum?

(40:40) - This year’s Golden State?

(43:20) - This year’s Clippers blow up?

(1:00) Suns

(5:30) Lakers

(9:00) Timberwolves

(12:30) Mavericks

(16:20) Bucks

(19:00) Pacers

(21:45) Magic

(23:25) 76ers

(27:30) Thunder

(30:45) Grizzlies

(34:40) Kings

(37:00) What we’ll take with us into the 2024-25 season