Open Floor: Si's Nba Show

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina preview Zion Williamson's upcoming season debut on Wednesday. What's the baseline for a successful return to the court? What should we expect from the No. 1 overall pick? Can he alter the West's playoff race? From there, they pivot into a discussion of the top five franchise players who are 23 and under. Is it Luka Doncic and everyone else? Zion Williamson or Ja Morant? Donovan Mitchell or Ben Simmons? Brandon Ingram or Jayson Tatum? Ben and Michael close with questions from the Open Floor Globe. Is Al Horford a sleeper agent for the Boston Celtics? Who are the most pretentious fan bases? How can a Sacramento Kings fan convince his girlfriend to follow the NBA? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina pick their 2020 NBA All-Star teams. They stick tightly to the official rules, naming their starting lineups, reserves, injury replacements and snubs. Do Trae Young, Devin Booker, Brandon Ingram and Ja Morant deserve spots? How many Celtics, Raptors and Bucks should make the cut? Should the Jazz get both Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell? Should Karl-Anthony Towns be snubbed because of his recent injury? At the end, who are the toughest players to leave off this year's teams? Which players would drive Ben and Michael the craziest if they were to make the real rosters thanks to the coaches' vote? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina dig into Kyrie Irving's return to the court for the Brooklyn Nets. How did he look and can he pair effectively with Spencer Dinwiddie? Will the Nets salvage the rest of this season and are they potential playoff spoilers? What percentage chance does Kevin Durant have to win a championship in Brooklyn? From there, Ben and Michael take questions from the Open Floor Globe. What factors are driving the perception of Russell Westbrook in Houston? Which players and teams are bound to win titles in the 2020s? Which players and teams never will? The episode closes with a check-up on former Open Floor co-host Andrew Sharp, who has launched a new NBA podcast project with Ben called "Greatest Of All Talk." For more information, visit GreatestOfAllTalk.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina discuss the John Beilein controversy in Cleveland. Is his "thugs vs. slugs" explanation believable? What do these repeated leaks say about his job security? How should the Cavaliers handle the next month until the trade deadline? From there, Ben and Michael consider RJ Barrett's rough rookie existence and launch into their rankings of the NBA's biggest dead end destinations. For elite NBA draft prospects, what's the worst place to land: Cleveland, Charlotte or Detroit? Do the Bulls and... gasp... the Spurs deserve mention too? They close by taking questions from the Open Floor Globe on the value of defensive highlights, the resurgent Utah Jazz and the Australia brush fires. Please consider donating to Celeste Barber's Facebook campaign to raise money for Australian firefighters. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redc

On today's episode, Ben Golliver opens with exciting news about former Open Floor co-host Andrew Sharp, who has made his triumphant return to the NBA podcast world. From there, Ben and Michael Pina dive deep into Russell Westbrook's upcoming return to Oklahoma City. Would the Rockets undo the Westbrook trade if they could? Was Thunder GM Sam Presti the biggest winner from last summer? Should Presti be an Executive of the Year candidate? Aside from Chris Paul's all-star play, what has driven Oklahoma City's success this season? From there, they take emails from the Open Floor Globe, weighing different ways to honor former Commissioner David Stern and discussing whether the NBA's season has reached an extended lull. Ben and Michael close with big news from Poland: Listening to Open Floor while practicing basketball has turned one listener there into a potential superstar. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/bra

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open with a remembrance of former NBA Commissioner David Stern, who died this week at age 77. What were some of Stern's most memorable moments and accomplishments? What is Stern's legacy? How should the NBA honor him? From there, Ben and Michael shift gears to make bold predictions for 2020. Will the Houston Rockets win the title or blow up completely? Will Zion Williamson come back to claim Rookie of the Year? Will Giannis Antetokounmpo shock the world by signing the Supermax? They close by taking questions from the Open Floor Globe, handing out alternative all-decade awards for the 2010s like "Most Iconic Performance" and "Best feel-good story." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina reconvene after a short holiday break to run through 10 takeaways from the NBA on Christmas. Did Kawhi Leonard seal his spot as the greatest player in basketball? Are LeBron James and the Lakers finally showing some cracks? Has anyone actually forgotten about Joel Embiid? How should the Bucks react to their humbling loss? Should Al Horford regret his decision to leave Boston? Why wasn't Luka Doncic scheduled to play on Christmas? Was Masai Ujiri the NBA's Executive of the Decade? Was Steve Kerr the Coach of the Decade? Has the criticism of Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets gone too far? Has the criticism of the Rockets not gone far enough?  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina offer a full preview of the NBA's 2019 Christmas quintuple-header, ranking the games in terms of watchability. What's at stake for LeBron James's Lakers and Kawhi Leonard's Clippers in their rematch? Could a holiday showdown with Philadelphia be one of the most important days in Giannis Inc.'s history? After breaking down the headline match-ups, Ben and Michael offer one key stat for each of the 10 teams playing on Christmas, highlighting Jayson Tatum's insane RPM, the Nuggets' unmatched continuity, Lonzo Ball's inefficiency and the Warriors' very depressing team leaders. Programming note: Open Floor will be off for the rest of the week and will resume regularly scheduled programming on Dec. 31. Happy holidays. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina are joined by special guest Captain Accountability, who has many thoughts on Deandre Ayton's return from a 25-game drug suspension. From there, Ben and Michael dig into Kevin Garnett's comments about LeBron James. Did the Celtics break LeBron in 2010? Did KG leave out some important details from the conversation? KG was an all-time NBA heel, but who are the best NBA heels right now? And will the Lakers, Clippers, Rockets or Sixers emerge as the league's most hated team come playoff time? Then, the Open Floor Globe checks in with fake trades involving Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, plus an extended riff on John Coltrane and player development.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina celebrate the Dec. 15 NBA trade-eligibility deadline by compiling their favorite fake trades. DeMar DeRozan to the Bulls? Kevin Love to the Suns? Kyle Lowry to the Jazz? Aaron Gordon to the Hawks? JJ Redick to the Bucks? Derrick Rose to the Sixers? From there, they propose rule changes that would make the trade deadline more fun. Ben and Michael close by taking questions from the Open Floor Globe on what it means to be a "real fan." Can a Thunder fan hop on the Grizzlies bandwagon? Can a LeBron James fan use "we" to describe the Lakers? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina discuss Kawhi Leonard's return to Toronto for ring night. Did Leonard and the Clippers make a statement? Are they engaged in a "tortoise and the hare" race with the Lakers? Is sizing a championship ring to fit the middle finger cool or lame? From there, they dig into Michael's feature on Bam Adebayo, Miami's breakout star. How does he change the Heat's offense, defense and long-term planning? Should the Heat swing for the fences at the trade deadline? Ben and Michael close out by pondering Adebayo's All-Star chances and nominating other potential first-time all-star candidates. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina ask the questions no one else is asking about the New York Knicks' coaching change. Who, really, is to blame for the players' lack of effort? If Masai Ujiri were to actually consider becoming Knicks president, what type of ludicrous negotiation demands should he make? Can we safely assure an Australian listener that the Knicks won't make the 2020 playoffs? From there, they switch gears to digging into the narrative possibilities of a 2020 NBA Finals match-up between Giannis Antetokounmpo's Milwaukee Bucks and LeBron James's Los Angeles Lakers. Which factors make this potential showdown of juggernauts so exciting? Would it be more like the 1991 Finals or the 2007 Finals? Ben and Michael close with questions from the Open Floor Globe about Trae Young's true value and Brandon Ingram's remarkable rise, plus a passionate case for eschewing player fandom in favor of being a team fan through thick and thin. Learn more about your ad-ch

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina dig deep into Bronny James and the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers. After Ben's visit to the elite high school in California, they discuss the different environments faced by LeBron James and his son, the hype that has built around the Southern California powerhouse, how the ambitious school positioned itself to land Bronny and whether a LeBron/Bronny NBA connection is possible. From there, they open it up to the Open Floor Globe for another batch of hilarious plans for cheating in the NBA. They close with questions about how Giannis Antetokounmpo can reach his absolute peak and whether Kawhi Leonard made one of the worst free agency decisions of all time.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina reconvene after the long holiday weekend to hand out first-quarter NBA awards. LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo or James Harden for MVP? Is Luka Doncic both an MVP candidate and the MIP favorite? Who are Michael's off-the-radar picks for Most Improved and Sixth Man? From there, they shift gears to discuss the evolving ethics of stat-hunting in blowouts. Should Harden have chased Kobe Bryant's 81-point mark or did the Houston Rockets do the right thing by shutting him down? To close, Ben and Michael take emails from the Open Floor Globe on the dwindling prospects of the San Antonio Spurs and a snowy sunrise at Bryce Canyon National Park. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina vote up or down on the NBA's three major schedule proposals: reseeding the conference finals, adding a midseason tournament, and incorporating play-in games for the playoffs. From there, they dive into a wide-ranging debate about cheating in sports. Should honor be a bigger deal? What can be done to curb flopping and other acts that violate the spirit of the game? What crazy methods, like Deflate-Gate in football or sign-stealing in baseball, could prove to be successful strategies in the NBA? They close with a discussion of James Harden's double teams, an absolutely epic takedown comparing Vlade Divac to POTUS, and a bunch of emails explaining how various Open Floor Globe listeners partake in the show. Note: Open Floor will take off on Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday and resume next Tuesday with the usual schedule. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy &

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Michael Pina run through the top five basketball stories of the 2019-20 season so far, highlighted by LeBron James's resurgence and Luka Doncic's emergence as an MVP candidate. From there, they take questions from the Open Floor Globe. How did Kawhi Leonard and Paul George look in their first game together? If the Warriors had the "Death Lineup," do the Clippers have the "Coma Lineup"? How good of a shooter does a 5'6", 220-pound listener need to be to make the NBA? Ben and Michael close by expanding their understanding of podcasting genres, adding "listening while cooking" and "listening while working on shooting mechanics."  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's episode, Ben Golliver welcomes his new co-host: Michael Pina, NBA writer for SB Nation. With Open Floor's bi-coastal balance restored, Ben and Michael dig into two teams at the top of the Eastern Conference: the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers. Are the Celtics as good as their record indicates? Does their hot start, coupled with Brooklyn's challenges, shine a new light on Kyrie Irving? How does Philly fix its offense? Are Al Horford and Joel Embiid a fit? Is the clock ticking on Ben Simmons again? From there, Ben and Michael take questions from the Open Floor Globe on Carmelo Anthony's resurrection with the Blazers and Paul George's strong start for the Clippers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's podcast, Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney discuss the dilapidated state of the Knicks. Is there any coach, or person, alive who could replace David Fizdale and find success? Why did the front office shift its expectations between July and November? Which of New York's young building blocks are keepers? From there, Ben and Rob debate James Harden's place in the NBA hierarchy and dissect Russell Westbrook's dismissal of Patrick Beverley. After discussing the relative importance of shot location and shot distribution, they close with a painful email from a British listener whose 2016 USA road trip was ruined by Klay Thompson. Note: This is Rob's last episode as co-host. Ben will welcome a new co-host on the next episode, which will be released on Tuesday. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney open with extended comments on Pascal Siakam and the Toronto Raptors. Where does Siakam rank right now? Is he actually Giannis-like? Does Toronto's player development program get enough credit? From there, Ben and Rob shift gears to discuss Damian Lillard's MVP start, the Blazers' roster problems, Ja Morant's Rookie of the Year chances and the fan's perspective on load management. To close, Rob reflects on his favorite stories and games as he prepares to leave Sports Illustrated after seven years. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's show, Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney go deep on the Milwaukee Bucks after their recent win over the Los Angeles Clippers. They engage in comical Giannis Antetokounmpo hyperbole on the following topis: his revenge mission, MVP defense, pre-game grunting, winning plays and leadership intangibles. From there, they tackle pressing questions from the Open Floor Globe on everything from NYC marathon attire to the utility of the phrase "two-way player." Ben and Rob also debate the many ethical issues surrounding the load management question and how teams should determine which stars to honor with statues outside their arenas. They close by checking the temperature on Mike D'Antoni's seat in Houston. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy