January 14, 2021
James Harden pushes the Houston Rockets to a breaking point, and the team ships him to Brooklyn in a four-team blockbuster that sends Caris LeVert to Indiana, Jarrett Allen to Cleveland, Victor Oladipo and a boatload of draft picks to Houston, plus more. The Nets bring in one mercurial superstar the same week philosopher-king Kyrie Irving goes AWOL (seemingly violating COVID-19 protocols during his sabbatical), making the team's attempt to form a three-star marriage all the more volatile. Oh, and the NBA is desperately trying to keep the season going in the midst of a deadly pandemic that shows no signs of slowing down.
January 7, 2021
We've got two weeks of regular season basketball to recap (after a brief pizza debate, of course). Who looks good, who looks bad, what we like, what we hate, you know the drill.
December 22, 2020
They're baaaaaack! Warriors-Nets was a dud but the rest of the NBA's opening week slate holds many tantalizing matchups both on Christmas Day and beyond—let's be honest, we're all elated just to have basketball back regardless of who's playing. Plus, a deep dive on the James Harden situation, his trade prospects, and a never before reported ShotTakes insider story from 2012 on Harden's recreational habits that now seems prescient [eyes emoji]. Tune in to hear the sauce—and happy holiday season from the ShotTakes family to yours! Stay safe.
December 15, 2020
The irreversible tide of cannabis legalization is sweeping across America and the National Basketball Association as the U.S. House of Representatives votes to OK pot at the federal level and Adam Silver suspends random marijuana testing for at least this season. Plus, Giannis agrees to the five-year, $228 million supermax extension to remain in Milwaukee and, oh, yeah, we assess the entire Western Conference. Tune in and remember: two-thirds of Americans support legalizing it.
December 3, 2020
The small lineup is here to kick off the fourth season preview of the ShotTakes Era with a look at this year's Eastern Conference. Can the Heat back up their remarkable showing in the Bubble by defending the conference crown? Has Milwaukee made the upgrades necessary to reach the Finals—and earn Giannis' commitment? Who else can stake a plausible claim to contention? And which other feisty squads, well, are worth talking about? Believe it or not, there are less than three weeks until Opening Night—so there's not time like the present to tune in for our perspectives on all the above.
Stay safe, everyone.
November 24, 2020
We're used to dramatic offseason developments in the NBA, though not necessarily during November nor condensed into an action-packed week that saw the draft, free agency, trades, failed trades (plus investigations?), and even an audience with Pope Francis for a delegation of NBA players. We've got the full starting lineup here with thoughts on all the above—tune in!
November 20, 2020
The NBA offseason is in full swing: the draft has been completed, trades are flying left and right, and free agency is set to begin in less than 24 hours. We've got reactions, analysis, and speculation on all of the above—tune in.
November 16, 2020
We want Joe Biden—NEED JOE BIDEN! Also it's about time ShotTakes mentions the 2020 NBA Finals and the outlook for a very unorthodox 2020-21 season. Thanks for hanging with us—it's great to be back!
September 29, 2020
The NBA's Orlando bubble has been a smashing success, and now it's time for an unlikely Finals in more ways than one: an October showdown between LeBron & AD's Lakers and the ascendent Miami Heat enable cast. We recap how the two teams earned their spots in the championship round, and shoutout and/or roast the squads they downed on the way to the Finals.
Welcome to title season.
September 2, 2020
We've got lots of game action to discuss and preview, but first, a conversation about the games that weren't played on schedule: the Bucks' refusal to take the floor in protest of the Jacob Blake police killing sparked a wildcat strike that yielded major results, both in the commitments NBA players were able to secure from the league as well as powerful demonstrations that reverberated throughout the sports world and beyond. We fully support the players' actions and are proud to be loosely affiliated with this sport. Plus, a look at the two Western Conference first round Game 7s (one of which has already concluded) and a preview of the conference semifinals.
