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
Grading the Extensions; Season Predictions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:14
Hollinger & Duncan sift the rookie-scale extension rush—what looks smart vs. risky—and then dive into 2025’s biggest questions: true title equity, matchup landmines, awards races, hot-seat candidates, and which front off…
Not Going Kawhietly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:29
John weighs in on the Kawhi Leonard no-show contract that has the LA Clippers in hot water. He and Nate discuss the next steps for the league and possible avenues for this saga to turn down as the league investigates. Th…
2024 Re-Draft; More Summer League Awards; How Many Will OKC Win? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:05
John Hollinger & Nate Duncan take a look back at the 2024 NBA Draft after Summer League and redraft the top-10 picks. Where does #1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher land? How about RoY Stephon Castle? What does Nate think…
Summer League Superlatives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:39
John and Nate pick their standouts from summer league in the following categories: Who will be the best rookie this year, and who will have the best career? Who changed your opinion the most for the better? Most disappoi…
Summer 2025 Mailbag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:36
John and Nate discuss the Mikal Bridges extension and potential implications for the Knicks before answering listener mailbag questions covering NBA comparisons to tennis legends, potential first-time All-Stars, NBA expa…
Best & Worst of the Offseason [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:24
Nate and John hand out their offseason superlatives across the NBA. They pick the best and worst trades, contracts, and minimum signings, and dig into what made those moves stand out. They also explore broader trends lik…
Wacky Start to Free Agency [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:08
Nate and John dive into NBA free agency, headlined by Denver’s bold roster shake-up and what it means for their title aspirations. They unpack Houston’s flurry of moves and debate where the Rockets stand in the West. The…