Defining Greatness: Re-raising the Bar

The Philadelphia 76ers have assembled a potential powerhouse with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. But Ric Bucher argues chemistry isn't their biggest concern — and they're hardly the only NBA team facing a difficult balancing act.Ric examines five intrig ... Show More

Ric Bucher asks whether American basketball has a star problem as Victor Wembanyama, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić increasingly distinguish themselves as both elite players and compelling ambassadors for the NBA.Ric also revisits Team USA’s handling of Caitlin Clark, cha ... Show More

Kendrick Perkins calls Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball the NBA's best backcourt. Ric Bucher isn't buying it. But that bold proclamation raises a bigger question: Who faces the most pressure heading into the 2026-27 NBA season?Ric breaks down the five players and five head coaches ... Show More

<p>We attempt to discuss who the best rim “finishers” (scorers?) of the last 40-something years. How should we balance finishing near the rim as a big man versus driving into the paint? What about roll men versus post up players? How many small players should be considered great ... Show More

<p>In the finale, we list possible GOAT peaks, talk about intricacies in turnovers, decision-making, and on-ball primacy while going deep on Larry Bird, David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon and more. We also discuss issues with head-to-head matchups or specific playoff series as dispo ... Show More

The nerds each bring up five guys who have been balling more than expected thus far in the NBA restart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-inf ... Show More

Logan and Raja discuss the Lakers-Warriors double overtime thriller, LeBron and Steph’s continued greatness, and why their rivalry is so special (02:00). Next, the guys talk about the explosion of individual scoring in the modern NBA and what it says about how offenses have devel ... Show More

Steve Nash was an early “heliocentric” star. Dirk Nowitzki was a big man who played on the perimeter and off the ball. We discuss team building around them, how big of a concern their defense is, exactly how and why they imparted so much value on an offense and whether they were ... Show More

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? And what should we make of the huge numbers being put up by players around the league? Visual history spacing: http://www.backpick ... Show More

The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor and Jonathan Tjarks discuss the best wing players in the 2017 NBA draft. Topics include: Justin Jackson's upside (8:00), Wesley Iwundu's sleeper status (14:00), the importance of basketball IQ (18:00), the next Malcolm Brogdon (23:00), and the best dar ... Show More

<p>We discuss the importance of pace and the shot clock – both offensively and defensively – but first! We break down the top-rated defense in the NBA, what makes them successful, and whether they can sustain this. Along with “do you believe” in great starts like the Timberwolves ... Show More

Logan and Raja are back with their takes on the dynamic between Luka Doncic and Rick Carlisle as reported by ESPN’s Tim McMahon (0:30), a quick update on how the Lakers have fared in light of Austin Reaves’s big moment against the Mavericks on Wednesday night (31:30), and a discu ... Show More