Hardwood Knocks

MAIL TIME. Adam and Dan start things off by tackling their official 2021-22 NBA All-Defense and All-Rookie selections. After that, they dive into a mailbag that covers this year's biggest surprises and disappointments, the search for the next Ja Morant-type leap, the Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors playoff series, how to better evaluate player legacies, prospective head coaching candidates for the Los Angeles Lakers, and much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

We interrupt your foaming at the mouth over the 2022 NBA playoffs for a little 2022 NBA Offseason talk. Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) from Bleacher Report and the Please Don't Aggregate This podcast joins Dan to discuss some of the most intriguing storylines we'll be following into the summer and free agency. They cover the future of the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks, as well as the impact this year's cap landscape will have on the trade market. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Awards season is rolling onward at Hardwood Knocks, and the 2021-22 All-NBA teams are next up on the docket. Adam and Dan break down their 15 picks across the All-NBA First, Second and Third teams while also dissecting their biggest hangups, including whether to include LeBron James and Pascal Siakam; where to put Devin Booker and Stephen Curry; how to treat Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic; and much more. And to answer your question: Yes, we thoroughly hated ourselves before, during and after this entire process. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

It's NBA awards season, and Hardwood Knocks have the goods. Adam and Dan get together to deliver their official ballots for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Tyler Herro or Jordan Poole? Tyrese Maxey or Tyrese Haliburton? Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley or Scottie Barnes? Denver Nuggets or LA Clippers Adam and Dan tackle these NBA 'WHO YA GOT?!?' scenarios—and more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Let’s keep pouring ones out for the NBA’s most under-appreciated players this season. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) is back to rap with Dan about their most underrated player RIGHT NOW for every Western Conference team. You can check out the Eastern Conference version of this pod here: bit.ly/hwkx566. TIMESTAMPS⬇️ 

Let’s pour one out for the NBA’s most under-appreciated players this season, shall we? Dan is joined by Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes (@gt_hughes) to go through their most underrated player RIGHT NOW for each team in the Eastern Conference. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Dan is joined by Jason Maples (@JJMaples55_MST) from the Temple of Hoop podcast to discuss teams that intrigue us ahead of the 2022 NBA playoffs—for both better and worse. We dive deep into the New Orleans Pelicans' performance with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram's growth and Zion Williamson's future. After that, it's on to the sad-sack Los Angeles Lakers, and what to expect from them moving forward. From there, we cannonball into thoughts on the ascendant Boston Celtics, surging Dallas Mavericks, suddenly plucky New York Knicks, and the youth movement being authored by the San Antonio Spurs. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Our latest dive into listener questions covers Scottie Barnes' Rookie of the Year candidacy; Bam Adebayo's Defensive Player of the Year stock; Tyler Herro's value, potential suitors for an Anthony Davis trade this summer; the Utah Jazz's future if they lose in the NBA playoffs; a list of the most versatile point-of-attack defenders; this season's most clutch scorers; and much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

LET'S RANK, BABY! Dan is joined by Salman Ali (@SalmanAliNBA) from ClutchPoints to rank the futures of the NBA's rebuilding squads. Though the concept of "rebuilding" is certainly up for debate, we settled on eight overall inclusions: The Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs. ONTO THE RANKINGS! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Hardwood Knocks' latest trip down YOU ASKED, WE ANSWERED LANE covers LeBron James' push for the scoring title; the Los Angeles Lakers' future and Russell Westbrook's trade stock; the Boston Celtics' surge up the standings; teams that could make moves over the offseason; the best performances from MVP candidates; the impact of team success on the MVP race; the Indiana Pacers' poor crunch-time play; Herb Jones' defense; a hypothetical, three-point-shooting-only lineup; and MUCH more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Imman Adan (@Imman_Adan) from the Dishes & Dimes podcast (@dishesdimespod) choppers in to help Hardwood Knocks try making sense of the wild, wacky, gloriously unpredictable Eastern Conference postseason race. She guides Dan through an in-depth tour of the Toronto Raptors' 2022 NBA playoff stock and then cannonballs into extensive thoughts on the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Your latest batch of questions has Hardwood Knocks talking about the supporting casts of the top MVP candidates; the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers; a Julius Randle vs. Andrew Wiggins hypothetical; the onset success of the James Harden-Joel Embiid pairing; historically tight NBA playoff races, the Portland Trail Blazers' outlook; Robert Williams III's finishing; the value of Russell Westbrook triple-doubles; and much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. This latest batch of listener questions has us discussing the impact of Chris Paul's injury on the Phoenix Suns; Josh Giddey's rise with the Oklahoma City Thunder; the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers; All-Defense candidacies for Evan Mobley and Dejounte Murray; Zion Williamson; LaMelo Ball; the Charlotte Hornets' trajectory; LeBron James and Bronny James; potential fixes and additions to NBA All-Star Weekend; and much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Hardwood Knocks is joined by SB Nation's Sabreena Merchant (@sabreenajm) for a very special episode in which she guides Dan through all the major fallout from 2022 WNBA free agency before tackling some of the biggest questions we have about the Western Conference following the 2022 NBA All-Star break. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

MAIL TIME. Our FANTABULOUS listeners asked a bunch of great questions that covered dark horse title contenders, future projections for rebuilding teams, Tyrese Haliburton's ceiling, the New York Knicks, Montrezl Harrell's fit with the Charlotte Hornets, Rudy Gobert, the Utah Jazz, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets, how people vote on year-end NBA awards, the San Antonio Spurs, Cameron Thomas and MUCH more. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

GOOD. FRIGGIN'. LORD. What an NBA trade deadline we just enjoyed. It was chaotic and filled with marquee moves. And in the aftermath of it all, Adam and Dan team up to tackle the most notable fallout, from James Harden and Ben Simmons swapping teams, to the San Antonio Spurs rebuilding, to the Boston Celtics both buying and selling, to the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks doing nothing, and so much more! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Let's trade deadline, everybody! Hardwood Knocks breaks down the two blockbusters the NBA gave us on Tuesday between the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers and then the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers. After that, it's time to dig into a mailbag filled with all your last-minute trade-deadline questions! TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Who ordered another piping-hot batch of 2022 NBA trade deadline ideas, with extra-special, thrice-as-spicy sauce? Dan is joined by Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) of The NBA Podcast (@TheNBAPod) for a rousing game of "Who Says No?!?" They first tackle 12-plus trades of Dan's own design before digging into a mailbag filled with hypothetical deals from YOU, OUR FINE AF LISTENERS! First, however, Hardwood Knocks reacts to the Indiana Pacers trading Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers trading Norman Powell to the LA Clippers, and the latest James Harden-to-the-Philadelphia 76ers rumors. TIMESTAMPS⬇️

Because there's not enough 2022 NBA trade deadline content, Hardwood Knocks decided to drop some, well, 2022 NBA trade deadline content. Chopper in as Adam and Dan deliver 10 burning questions they have ahead of Wednesday, February 10, 3 p.m. EST. There is only one rule, for those who care: We will not be asking about Ben Simmons—at least not directly. TIMESTAMPS⬇️