2025 Playoffs Week 1 + Friday Daily Duncs (4/25/25)

2025 Playoffs Week 1 + Friday Daily Duncs (4/25/25)

Author: John Hollinger and Nate Duncan April 25, 2025 Duration: 20:16
Nate Duncan and John Hollinger break down the first week of the playoffs, including standout teams, superstar performances, the best and worst coaching jobs, surprising players, and early lessons from the playoff crucible Who has been the best team of the playoffs so far? Would we change our overall playoff predictions based on what we’ve seen? The biggest change to our pre-series predictions after the first week. Grading the superstars' performances in the early going. The best prediction we made heading into the playoffs. The worst prediction we made so far. The best coaching jobs and the most impressive adjustments of the playoffs so far. The worst coaching jobs and most questionable adjustments or non-adjustments. The most surprising/disappointing players of the first week. The best game of the playoffs to this point. The worst game we've seen so far. The best individual performance in a single playoff game. Who would make the All-Playoffs First Team after one week? Revisiting our playoff preview categories and early observations. The playoff crucible: who thrived and who couldn’t hack it? Which rotation players withstood the pressure? Which players have turned to ash? Full Daily Duncs with links⁠ Giannis Antetokounmpo Defensive Player of the Year Cleveland Cavaliers Thunder-Grizzlies Detroit Pistons Knicks-Pistons Nuggets-Clippers Scoring Game 3s Alijah Arenas ⁠Full Daily Duncs with links

For anyone who wants to move past the surface-level takes and truly understand the mechanics of professional basketball, Hollinger & Duncan NBA Show offers a weekly deep dive. Hosted by John Hollinger, an analytics pioneer and former NBA front office executive, and Nate Duncan, a seasoned host known for his detailed game analysis, this podcast operates with a unique blend of insider knowledge and objective scrutiny. Each episode feels like a conversation between two of the sharpest minds in basketball, dissecting not just what happened on the court, but why it happened and what it means for the future. You’ll hear detailed breakdowns of team strategies, nuanced player evaluations that go beyond basic stats, and clear explanations of complex financial rules like the salary cap and luxury tax that dictate roster construction. The discussion is grounded in film study and advanced data, providing a comprehensive picture of league trends, trade implications, and playoff races. It’s a show for the dedicated fan who craves substance, whether the topic is a rookie’s footwork, a contender’s defensive scheme, or the ramifications of a new collective bargaining agreement. Listening to this podcast is like gaining access to a front office meeting, where the league’s narratives are unpacked with intelligence, humor, and a relentless pursuit of what actually wins games.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Hollinger & Duncan NBA Show - NBA Basketball Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Summer League Spectacular 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:51
John and Nate sweated and froze their way through a week on Nerd Row at the Vegas Summer League to tell you about everything they saw. Included: Who will be the best rookie this year, and who will have the best career? W…
Kawhi and Trent; Favorite and Least Favorite Free Agency Moves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:15
John turns his seasoned front office eye to the pause in the Kawhi Leonard trade and the Bucks’ apparent circumvention with Gary Trent, Jr. Then, he and Nate discuss their favorite and least-favorite free agent deals and…
Tying the Offseason Together [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:28
John and Nate start by revisiting the Jaylen Brown trade, hitting on whether Boston needed to make this trade now, and why Brown’s two-way versatility is underrated by analytics.
Which Crazy Moves Reshaped the League the Most? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:32
Nate and John talk about what being in a front office is like this time of year, start to pivot to which of these huge moves has shaken up the league the most–but then react LIVE to the stunning Jaylen Brown trade. Then…
Giannis Antetokounmpo trade reaction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:55
Nate and John react to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s move to Miami, breaking down whether the Heat overpaid, Milwaukee’s return and Boston’s pursuit.
Draft Boards; Finals Takeaways; Should BOS Trade for Giannis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:45
John joins Nate to compare our draft boards. Hear why John has Cameron Boozer number 1, and Nate disagrees. Where do they disagree with the consensus on Darryn Peterson? Why does Nate have AJ number 1? Plus, we sort thro…
Veteran Extensions 2026-27 Part Un [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:14
Hollinger & Duncan open with brief Knicks-Spurs Finals picks, then spend the episode on veteran extension decisions around the league: who should be extended now, who should wait, and where player options or trade value…
Changing the Game to Reduce Injuries; The Playoff Crucible Week 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:01
In the wake of a series of depressing playoff injuries, John and Nate take 30 minutes to brainstorm some potential rule changes they think would help. Then we look back on week 3 of the playoff crucible and discuss the c…
The 2026 Crucible Week 2, Lottery Reform [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:19
Hollinger and Duncan react to Minnesota’s stunning series win over Denver, the Knicks’ historic Game 6 destruction of Atlanta, the proposed lottery reform, and the biggest strategic developments of the playoffs so far. T…