Pro Basketball Talk on NBC Sports podcast
324 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 months ago - ★★★★ - 36 ratingsKurt Helin and the team from ProBasketballTalk at NBCSports.com talk all things NBA basketball: news, analysis and even the ridiculous. Regular guests include NBA players and media members.
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Episodes
What is up with LeBron? We ask Dan Feldman.
March 24, 2016 20:11 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBLeBron James is sending out cryptic tweets, unfollows the Cavaliers on Twitter, is longingly talking about joining up with his buddies 'Melo/Wade/CP3 — he is clearly sending a message. That message is not "I'm leaving Cleveland" but it is a message. Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports discuss what is driving LeBron's clear frustration. They also talk Warriors going for 73 wins and the playoff races at the bottom of both conferences.
Jonathan Abrams talks new book about high school to NBA generation
March 21, 2016 21:27 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBKobe Bryant. Kevin Garnett. LeBron James. They are the most captivating players of the past couple decades in the NBA — and they all went straight from high school to the NBA. But there were a lot of others that had nice careers, and some who flamed out. Jonathan Abrams new book "Boys Among Men" takes a detailed look at the high school to NBA generation, and he joins NBC's Kurt Helin to discuss that trend, what happened to the players, and the future of the one-and-done rule.
Utah Jazz talk with Jody Genessy
March 14, 2016 19:53 - 47 minutes - 43.9 MBThere has been no more injury riddled team this season than the Utah Jazz, with Dante Exum, Alec Burk, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, and others missing all or part of the season. Yet, with a month to go before the playoffs, most projection sites have the Jazz passing the Mavericks to make the postseason. Jody Genessy of the Deseret News joins NBC's Kurt Helin to talk all things Jazz, from Gordon Hayward to Quin Snyder. Plus they discuss ketchup potato chips.
Knicks future, DeMarcus Cousins, Twitter questions with Dan Feldman
March 11, 2016 20:58 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBIs it somehow a surprise that Phil Jackson wanted his friend Kurt Rambis to succeed in New York? Or that Kevin Durant isn't interested in the Knicks? Or that DeMarcus Cousins is frustrated and lashing out in Sacramento? It shouldn't be, but those are the news stories of the day, which Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBC Sports' ProBasketballTalk discuss in this podcast. Other topics include your Twitter questions on the Bucks, Lakers and if Durant could end up in Toronto.
Warriors loss, LeBron tweets, more NBA news talk with Sean Highkin
March 07, 2016 22:10 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBNobody saw the Lakers beating the Warriors. Nobody is quite sure what LeBron James is tweeting. Nobody is quite sure what Ty Lawson will bring to Indiana. Nobody is quite sold on the up-and-down rockets. There's a lot to talk about in NBA as teams gear up for their playoff runs, and Kurt Helin and Sean Highkin of NBC Sports get to it all in this latest podcast.
NBA Draft discussion with Rob Dauster of CollegeBasketballTalk
March 03, 2016 21:11 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MBLSU's Ben Simmons is going No. 1, but how good is a guy who doesn't have a jumper? Is Duke's Brandon Ingram better? Who should be drafted third? Kurt Helin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk asks Rob Dauster of NBC's CollegeBasketballTalk talk about the top of the 2016 NBA draft, sleepers worth watching in the second round, the rise of the upper classman, plus some Big West basketball and even a little beer talk.
Joe Johnson future, Kevin Durant's too, other NBA news with Dan Feldman
February 25, 2016 22:49 - 45 minutes - 41.4 MBJoe Johnson has been set free from Brooklyn — at a cost of $3 million to himself — and seems headed to Cleveland, although in this PBT Podcast NBC's Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman discuss how Oklahoma City might be a better landing spot. They also get to the other news of the day such as James Harden reportedly forcing Kevin McHale out, Marc Gasol's broken foot, and where Kevin Durant may play next season.
Lakers present, future talk with Bill Oram
February 22, 2016 21:31 - 51 minutes - 47.6 MBBill Oram puts it well, the Lakers should be one of the most exciting young teams in the NBA. They are not. Rather, they are hard to watch. It's bad basketball covered up by the Kobe Bryant farewell tour, which pulls the attention away from everything else. Oram, the Lakers' reporter from the Orange County Register, joins NBC's Kurt Helin to talk about where the Lakers are, where they go with both a new coaching search and maybe a new front office search, and how they want to go about buildi...
NBA trade deadline breakdown with Dan Feldman
February 18, 2016 23:45 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBThe Detroit Pistons did very well. The New Orleans Pelicans couldn't unload Ryan Anderson and now will lose him for nothing. The Clippers improved, but could they have done even better? Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com break down all the trade deadline moves, talk about what we liked and didn't, and try to imagine what the Memphis locker room suddenly looks like with Lance Stephenson, Matt Barnes, Chris Andersen, P.J. Hairston, and Tony Allen is going to be like.
Dunk Contest, Toronto All-Star Weekend talk with Sean Highkin
February 15, 2016 16:56 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBToronto may have been cold (really, really cold) but it was home to the hottest All-Star Saturday Dunk Contest since.... Jordan and Dominique? Kurt Helin and Sean Highkin were in Toronto and discuss everything from Kobe Bryant to Sting to Russell Westbrook. All things All-Star in one place, plus some Charlotte talk.
All-Star Weekend talk, predictions with Sean Highkin
February 11, 2016 12:09 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBNBA All-Star weekend descends upon Toronto starting Friday, with everything from the Rookie/Sophomore... er, Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, the Dunk Contest on Saturday, and the main event on Sunday. Kurt Helin and Sean Highkin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk break it all down with event talk and predictions (plus both will be in Toronto with reports from the event all weekend).
Derek Fisher firing, trade questions from Twitter with Dan Feldman
February 08, 2016 22:32 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBDerek Fisher is out as coach of the New York Knicks, and NBC Sports' Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman expect another shoe to drop as to why. It's not that Fisher was a great coach, but replacing him with Kurt Rambis mid-season is not an upgrade. Then Helin & Feldman take questions off Twitter from readers/listeners on the coming trade deadline including discussions of Blake Griffin, Jeff Teague, the Pistons, and more.
Raptors talk, trade rumors with Ryan Wolstat of Toronto Sun
February 04, 2016 23:46 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBToronto is the clear and away second best team in the East, a roster with one of the NBA's best backcourts featuring All-Stars Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. But is now the time for the Raptors to make a bold trade and swing for the fences? Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun joins Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk to discuss that, Terrence Ross, the Raptors gaping hole at the power forward spot, and how the All-Star Game has Toronto buzzing.
Trade deadline talk with Sean Highkin
February 01, 2016 13:12 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBThe NBA trade deadline is Feb. 18, less than three weeks away, and while there are some interesting names out there — Ryan Anderson, Rudy Gay — don't expect any blockbuster moves until the summer. Still, there are plenty of smaller moves and dynamics, something ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin and Sean Highkin break down.
Washington Wizards and what's gone wrong, with J. Michael
January 28, 2016 13:45 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBBefore the season tipped off, the Washington Wizards were expected to be right there with Toronto, Chicago, and Atlanta as teams that would vie for the two seed in the East. As of right now, they wouldn't even make the playoffs. It's not on John Wall, but what went wrong and why? J. Michael, the CSNMidAtlantic.com insider on the Wizards, joins Kurt Helin to talk about how the Wizards' season went sideways.
Cavaliers coaching change, trade talk around league
January 25, 2016 09:39 - 38 minutes - 37.6 MBWe reached out to the Twitterverse to get your questions to answer about news around the NBA, and you wanted to talk trades. ProBasketballTalk's Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman did just that starting in Cleveland and got into the sudden coaching change there. That was followed by discussing potential Brandon Jennings trades from Detroit, what the Bulls might do in Chicago, what the Orlando Magic might do, and some Ryan Anderson talk as well.
Los Angeles Clippers talk with Ben Bolch of the LA Times
January 21, 2016 20:08 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBThe Los Angeles Clippers are one of the five best teams in the NBA, but for a core group of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan, is that going to be good enough? Could they beat Golden State in the second round? Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times joins PBT's Kurt Helin to break down Los Angeles, and discuss if the Clippers need to be broken up.
Who makes the All-Star Team? Who should be reserves?
January 18, 2016 11:13 - 47 minutes - 45.6 MBStarters, as chosen by the fans, for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, will be announced on Thursday. Did the fans get it right? And who should be chosen as reserves? Kurt Helin and Sean Highkin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk discuss it all, plus go off on tangents to discuss news and notes around the Association.
San Antonio Spurs talk with Jabari Young
January 14, 2016 04:38 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBWhile Golden State hogs the spotlight, the San Antonio Spurs have put together a better point differential — and they are still getting better. Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News and Kurt Helin of NBC's ProBasketballTalk discuss how the Spurs' style will counter the Warriors, why the Thunder could be a problem, and, of course, some Boban Marjanović (starting about the 35 minute mark).
MVP, other NBA mid-season awards with Dan Feldman
January 11, 2016 09:59 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBMVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year — we're almost at the halfway point of the NBA season and ProBasketballtalk's Kurt Helin and Dan Feldman break down all six of the major NBA end of season awards and who is ahead at the break. So lots of Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard talk. The two also discuss the latest events with the Brooklyn Nets.
Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan talk with Roland Lazenby
January 07, 2016 20:34 - 43 minutes - 39.6 MBRoland Lazenby's NBA novels are just fantastic reads — "Michael Jordan: The Life" or his Jerry West biography — and his next book coming out this August is about Kobe Bryant. Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk and Lazenby talk comparisons between Kobe and MJ, the Kobe farewell tour, the Rio Olympics, and more. These are two of the most fascinating NBA players of recent decades and nobody understands them like Lazenby.
Talking 2016 NBA draft with Ed Isaacson
January 04, 2016 10:58 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBBen Simmons of LSU is the name everybody knows, but is he really a franchise cornerstone player? Ed Isaacson of NBADraftBlog.com joins Kurt Helin to talk draft, and he isn't so sure. We also discuss Brandon Ingram and the others at the top of the draft board, as well as sleepers to watch.
Sacramento Kings' talk with CSN's James Ham
January 03, 2016 23:25 - 1 hour - 68 MBWith DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo, and George Karl all trying to get along, the Sacramento Kings are one of the best stories in the NBA. Kurt Helin talks about where this team stands, its playoff chances, and potential trades with CSNBayArea.com's James Ham.
Chicago Bulls talk with Sean Highkin
January 03, 2016 16:42 - 47 minutes - 43.2 MBSome days, like Christmas Day, the Chicago Bulls look like clearly the second best team in the East. But they are a Jekyll and Hyde team and there are questions coming out of the locker room about whether Jimmy Butler is the leader he thinks he is. Sean Highkin and Kurt Helin break that down, plus talk Suns, Blake Griffin, Cleanathony Early and the other news around the NBA.