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
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…
The Playoff Crucible Outlook 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:25
John and Nate look ahead to the playoffs, picking all 4 rounds and the eventual champions. Plus, they pick their: Most interesting series Least interesting series Best Individual Matchup Star player with the toughest mat…
Star Movement Draft; Milwaukee Drama; Reaves’ Market [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:55
John and Nate do their 3rd annual Star Movement Draft, as they pick the stars they think are most likely to be on another team by the start of the 2027-28 season. But first, they catch up on Giannis’ latest comments on t…
Top-10 Players in the NBA 2025-26 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:27
John Hollinger joins Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux in a special crossover episode to discuss the top-10 players in the NBA. Is Jokic or Shai at the top of the league? Where does the ascendant Victor Wembanyama fit in? The…
Coach Rankings 2025-26 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:35
John Hollinger and Nate Duncan do their annual coach rankings based on all the criteria that go into making a great (or terrible) coach. It’s a clear group of four at the top for both of them, but then it gets murkier wi…
First Annual Playoff and Tankoff Wins Draft [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:42
We actually do NEW episodes even 7 years in. John and Nate draft the nine tanking teams to see who can draft the most wins the rest of the season. Where does your favorite tanking team land in the rankings?