Hardwood Knocks Takeover: Portland Trail Blazers 2025-2026 NBA Season Lookahead

In this episode of The NBA Podcast, Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) break down Round 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference playoff bracket and give their predictions for each series.Will the Toronto Raptors exorcise their playoff demons against the Washington Wizards? Do the Kyrie Irving-less Boston Celtics have the firepower to keep up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks? Should the Philadelphia 76ers be on upset alert against the Miami Heat? Can the Indiana Pacers put up a fight against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers?Check out the episode to hear Morten and Bryan discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

13 Apr 20181h 7min

Can anyone compete with James Harden in the MVP race? Who's more deserving of Rookie of the Year, Ben Simmons or Donovan Mitchell? Did Joel Embiid's facial fracture seal Defensive Player of the Year for Rudy Gobert? Who deserves to emerge from the closely contested Coach of the Year race? Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

11 Apr 20181h 18min

Who's the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers? What should the Lakers do with Julius Randle in free agency? If the Lakers do sign Paul George and LeBron James this summer, where would they stack up in the Western Conference? Should the Charlotte Hornets shop Kemba Walker over the offseason? Should the Detroit Pistons regret the Blake Griffin trade? Do they need to strip personnel power away from Stan Van Gundy? How can they improve moving forward? Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

30 Mars 20181h 8min

Are the Golden State Warriors or Boston Celtics in danger of a first-round upset with Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving sidelined, respectively? What could trip up the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors? How concerned should the Cleveland Cavaliers be about LeBron James running out of gas? Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

27 Mars 20181h 8min

Does Atlanta Hawks forward Taurean Prince project as a No. 1 scorer someday? What should the Orlando Magic do with Aaron Gordon in free agency? Should the Brooklyn Nets offer D'Angelo Russell an extension? How much should the Chicago Bulls be willing to match on an offer sheet for Zach LaVine? Should the New York Knicks effectively punt on the 2018-19 season with Kristaps Porzingis recovering from a torn ACL? Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

26 Mars 20181h 31min

With Tyronn Lue sidelined by health issues for the time being, what can we expect from the Cleveland Cavaliers moving forward? Are they the biggest wild card in the playoffs? Which NBA draft prospects stood out during the first week of the NCAA tournament? Did anyone do damage to their draft stock?Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Daniel O'Brien (@DanO_Bball) of FanRag Sports discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

20 Mars 201855min

If the Memphis Grizzlies land the No. 1 pick, should they take Deandre Ayton or Luka Doncic? Should the Phoenix Suns re-sign Elfrid Payton this summer? How should the Dallas Mavericks make use of their cap space? Do the Sacramento Kings have any players worth building around?Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba) and Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

18 Mars 20181h 17min

Can Deandre Ayton cement himself as the No. 1 overall prospect in this year's draft class with a strong NCAA tournament? What should NBA scouts hope to see out of Marvin Bagley III, Michael Porter Jr., Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young? Which prospects could surge up draft boards in the coming weeks?Check out the episode to hear Morten Jensen (@msjnba), Bryan Toporek (@btoporek) and special guest Chris Stone (@cstonehoops) of Sporting News and FanSided discuss all of that and more.Follow us on Twitter: @TheNBAPod

14 Mars 201852min