Hooper's Almanac

The conversation delves into Kevin Durant's career, from his beginnings to his controversial moves and polarizing nature. It explores his impact on the league, his future, and his NBA legacy. The conversation methodically explores Kevin Durant's trajectory, including his MVP season, iconic playoff games, and the 2017 Finals. It examines specific games, pivotal moments, and how Durant's performance shaped the outcomes. The conversation explores Kevin Durant's impact as a player and his legacy in the NBA. It explores his playing style, influence on other players, and his potential future in the league. The discussion also touches on his career milestones and the significance of his presence in the basketball community.Chapters00:00 The Anatomy of Superstar: Kevin Durant's Career Beginnings03:27 Kevin Durant's Scoring Versatility and Controversial Career Moves05:04 The Polarizing Nature of Kevin Durant's Career08:31 Kevin Durant's Move to Golden State and Impact on the League15:12 Kevin Durant's Future and Legacy in the NBA29:24 Kevin Durant's Trajectory32:02 2014 Western Conference Second Round Game Six, Thunder at Clippers33:01 Kevin Durant's MVP Season and Playoffs51:12 2017 Finals Game Three, Warriors vs. Cavaliers57:45 The Impact of Kevin Durant01:19:13 Kevin Durant's Legacy and Future

Adam and Mitch discuss the sport's most dominant scorer, Wilt Chamberlain. A player who, in one season, averaged more minutes than in a regulation game. A player who averaged over 50 points per game. The Player who has the highest-scoring game in NBA history.Chapters00:00 The Dominance of Wilt Chamberlain02:34 The Impact of Wilt Chamberlain25:22 The Dominance of the Play-by-Play Commentator26:30 Wilt Chamberlain's Performance in the 1970 NBA Finals28:01 Wilt's Dominance on the Boards and Around the Rim29:06 The Aesthetic of the Lakers-Knicks Game43:15 Reflections on Wilt's Legacy and Impact

Adam and Mitch bring on a new guest, Ryan Leiss, to talk about one of his favorite players who inspired the college player he would become: Steve Nash. A player whose playing style designed new offenses, created more possessions, and was truly one of the top point guards in sports history.Chapters00:00 The Influence of Steve Nash06:07 Defining Moments in Nash's Career13:30 Game Analysis: 2003 Western Conference Semifinals Game 723:46 Game Analysis: Sean Bradley's Impact24:01 Post Defense and Player Performance24:30 Player Performance: Pager and Jim Jackson25:11 Broadcast and Sideline Reporters25:38 Nostalgia and Middle School Memories26:08 Cheryl Miller's Broadcasting Career26:30 Mavs Fan and Noisemakers27:14 Behind-the-Scenes Broadcast Moments28:17 TNT Broadcast with Kenny and Charles29:51 Context and Background of 2007 Western Conference Semifinals33:11 Game Sequence: Steve Nash's Performance36:50 Game Sequence: Robert Ory's Hit on Steve Nash42:26 Impact of Suspensions on Series Outcome43:13 The Suns' Championship Deserve44:19 The Impact of Suspensions45:24 Nash's Iconic Jerseys46:26 Jersey Comfort and Design48:01 Pairing Nash with Top 50 Players52:15 Players in the Family Tree of Nash56:36 Nash's Influence and Legacy57:36 Nash's Shooting Prowess

Adam and Mitch bring back Austin Johnson to talk about one of the best players to never win a title, Charles Barkley. "The Round Mound of Rebound" has been an impactful player and voice to the NBA from the mid-80s all the way to the modern game. We are excited to break down his career in this episode.Chapters00:00 Charles Barkley's Impact on the Game30:02 Charles Barkley's Dominance and Impact on the Game35:07 NBA Playoffs and Historical Context49:22 Technical Difficulties and Banter

Adam and Mitch finally crack into the Mount Rushmore of their player rankings. The duo discusses one of the greatest scorers of all time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and one of the most unstoppable shots ever. Chapters00:00 Kareem Abdul Jabbar's Dominance and Impact30:58 The 1980 NBA Finals32:08 Kareem's Injury and Comeback33:03 Kareem's Fourth Quarter Dominance34:14 Kareem's Impact on the Game35:23 The Lakers' Victory and Magic's Performance36:18 Broadcast Crew Excellence37:44 Kareem's Legacy and Impact43:32 Kareem's Jersey and Top 50 Player Pairing45:20 Pairing Kareem with Top 50 Players48:05 Players from Kareem's Family Tree50:29 Kareem's Current Endeavors53:21 Next Episode: Charles Barkley

Adam and Mitch are back, talking about one of the best point guards in the league's history, Isiah Thomas. Chapters00:00 The Babyface Assassin03:18 On-Court Impact and Leadership05:46 Game Analysis: Pistons vs. Lakers (1985)13:55 Game Analysis: Pistons vs. Blazers (1990)26:17 Leadership and Maturity of Isaiah Thomas28:05 Strategic Gameplay of the Pistons30:10 Dramatic Finish of the Game43:28 Post-Career Challenges of Isaiah Thomas

Adam and Mitch move forward through their summer series with one of the most dominant scorers in the history of the sport, Shaq. One of the players in our Top 10 tier, Shaq's impact on the league is hard to quantify.Chapters00:00 The Dominance of Shaquille O'Neal02:45 The Anatomy of a Superstar05:56 Shaq's Career and Legacy08:52 Game Analysis: 1994-95 Regular Season25:01 Game Analysis: 2000 NBA Finals Game 127:13 Shaq's Dominance and Impact27:49 The Lakers Team Dynamics28:43 Shaq's Offensive Prowess29:12 Shaq's Value as a Player30:08 Shaq's Lasting Legacy

Adam and Mitch bring on the biggest Russell Westbrook fan they know, Evan Soell. As he retires this summer, it becomes more and more real how important a player he has been to this generation of players.Chapters00:00 The Anatomy of a Superstar03:13 The Impact of Russell Westbrook05:52 The Unstoppable Force09:00 The Peak of Russell Westbrook11:54 Defining Moments15:01 The Legacy of Russell Westbrook18:02 The Broadcast Experience21:11 The Full Russ Experience23:52 The Final Moments26:55 Reflections and Legacy32:51 Emotional Investment in Basketball34:03 Attending Thunder Games35:27 Disastrous Night at the Game41:12 Russell Westbrook's MVP Season43:25 Game-Winning Shot and Celebration52:33 Russell Westbrook Jerseys54:18 Pairing Russell Westbrook with Another Player56:12 The Toxic Mix56:49 Trade Regrets and Fan Hate57:06 Better Team Fit57:33 Russell Westbrook's Career58:08 Ideal Team for Westbrook59:11 Dwight Howard Comparison01:13:00 Ranking Point Guards01:10:35 Russell Westbrook's Legacy

Adam and Mitch bring back Austin Johnson to talk about one of the greatest "sidekicks" in NBA history, Scottie Pippen. The trio discusses one of the greatest perimeter defenders in league history as well as one of the first point forwards. We discuss the highs of one of the greats, but also some of the lows that stopped him from being a true first option.Chapters00:00 The Legacy of Scottie Pippen05:37 The Undisputed Leader27:38 The Mind-Grain Game33:40 Game Analysis and Decision-Making35:17 The Last Dance and Emotional Impact41:32 The Brawl and Its Aftermath49:23 Pairing Scottie Pippen with Other Players53:23 Scottie Pippen's Post-Playing Career

Adam and Mitch return to talk about one of the great clutch players, two-way stars, and underrated point guards in the history of the sport, Walt Frazier. Chapters00:00 Introduction to Walt Frazier03:17 Walt Frazier's Defensive Prowess07:05 Five Games That Define Walt Frazier's Career12:10 1969 Eastern Division Finals Game One17:13 Walt Frazier's Complete Performance36:07 Walt Frazier's Legacy

Adam and Mitch bring on a first-time guest, Brayden Neubauer, to discuss the first of the Top 10 players in the Top 50 Players list, Larry Bird. Everything from the incredible shot-making, the all-around dominance, to the incredible shit talking gets covered in this episode.Chapters00:00 The Legend of Larry Bird01:59 The Impact on the NBA07:11 Defining Games21:00 Career High Performance26:39 Exceptional Shot-Making36:15 Influence on Other Players

Adam and Mitch break down one of the most underrated players in NBA History, Moses Malone. An NBA Finals MVP, a multi-time regular-season MVP, and is considered the best offensive rebounder of all time, Malone's impact on the sport is undervalued.Chapters00:00 The Underrated Legacy of Moses Malone03:01 The Impact of Team Hopping and Lack of Consistent Support21:07 The 1983 Sixers Team24:39 Moses Malone's Impact27:02 Commercial Breaks and Legacy32:33 Upcoming Episode on Larry Bird

Adam and Mitch bring back Austin Johnson to talk about the Point God, Chris Paul. Everything from his time in New Orleans to Lob City, to all the stops where he ends his career.Chapters00:00 Chris Paul's Impact03:05 The Evolution of Chris Paul's Role33:37 Setting the Stage: Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets34:06 Chris Paul's Dominant Performance34:53 The Evolution of Chris Paul35:22 Chris Paul's Fourth Quarter Performance35:55 Chris Paul's Impact on the Game36:23 Chris Paul's Leadership and Influence36:53 Chris Paul's Performance and Impact on the Jazz Team37:23 The Impact of Chris Paul's Performance on the Rockets37:38 Chris Paul's Fourth Quarter Performance and Leadership38:07 Chris Paul's Impact on the Jazz Team38:23 Chris Paul's Performance and Influence on the Game39:12 Chris Paul's Impact on the Jazz Team39:31 Chris Paul's Performance and Influence on the Game

Adam and Mitch are back to discuss the 90's Knicks titan, Patrick Ewing. A player whose dominance on both sides of the ball continuously put the New York Knicks franchise in a place to win. 00:00 The Dominance of Patrick Ewing01:15 Two-Way Dominance and Athleticism03:07 Reliability and Underrated Legacy04:37 Challenges and Rivalries06:27 Ewing's Best Season and Game26:04 Setting the Stage: The Roster and the Duo26:44 The Trade and the Impact of Charles Oakley28:06 The Knicks vs. Pistons: A Tough Matchup29:05 The Heartbreaking Game 7 Against the Pacers30:01 The Missed Game-Winning Shot and the Aftermath32:34 Reflecting on the Game and the Players40:37 Pairing Ewing with Other Top 50 Players

The conversation delves into the legacy of Bob Cousy, his impact on the NBA, rewatching his games, his final game, and his influence and legacy.Chapters(00:00) The Legacy of Bob Cousy(03:06) Bob Cousy's Impact on the NBA(08:13) Rewatching Bob Cousy's Games(13:10) Bob Cousy's Final Game(22:02) Bob Cousy's Influence and Legacy

The left-handed offensive engine, James Harden, cracks our Top 50 Players of All-Time. Adam and Mitch break down his regular season success, his playoff shortcomings, and everything in between for this episode of Anatomy of a Superstar

Adam and Mitch move on to their second player for their Anatomy of a Superstar, Dr. J. A player who dominated two different leagues, won titles in both leagues, and has guaranteed a spot in our Top 50 Players of All-Time List.

Adam and Mitch bring on Carl Baltimore to discuss their first player in the Anatomy of a Franchise series: Kobe Bryant. A player who is one of the most influential players in the 21st century and has become an icon for fans of all ages and all across the world.

Adam and Mitch introduce their new summer project: Anatomy of a Superstar.

Adam and Mitch do a quick breakdown of each of the 30 NBA teams and their offseason acquisitions.

Adam's return from World Cup travels gave the perfect opportunity for the guys to catch up on a few trades that happened while he was gone. Focusing mostly on the deals that were made out of Charlotte and Minnesota, Adam and Mitch provide their insight on each of the moves.

With Adam still making his way back home, Mitch brings on Carl Baltimore to talk about the NBA Draft and the trades that occurred the day before the draft.

Adam is galavanting the country and watching World Cup games, but Mitch brings on Austin Johnson to talk about Jalen Brunson's place in Finals history. They also discuss the abundance of talent and contenders we have had in the 2020's.

Mitch is running solo tonight and talking about the end of the NBA Finals. He does a light Game 5 recap, where does Brunson rank in Knicks Lore, and what the Spurs should be proud of.

Adam is back, going solo tonight, but breaking down last night's Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The resurgence of the Spurs, the questionable officiating, and the rise of Wemby are all addressed on today's episode.Give it a listen!

Adam and Mitch are back together, talking about the Spurs' win over the Thunder in Game 7. They also start to dive into the Finals Matchup against the Knicks.

Mitch drives solo tonight as he talks about the first two games of both Conference Finals Series. It has been a fun 16 quarters of basketball so far, and Mitch breaks down each one of them. He also provides the Hooper Almanac squad's All-Time Broadcast crews.

Adam and Mitch begin the episode talking about the two Game 6's as well as a Game 7. They also discuss the state of the NBA's media, the announcement of SGA's MVP win, and who would be their All-Star broadcast team. They wrap up the episode discussing both Conference Finals and giving their predictions.

Adam and Mitch bring on their Wolves expert, Andrew Carlson, to talk after game 5 of the Spurs v Wolves Series. Calrosn shares his thoughts on the beat-up Minnesota team as well as the state of officiating in the league. The guys do discuss the other three series briefly as well.

Adam and Mitch wrap up the first round, discussing each of the series and how they concluded. The guys then predict the second round matchups, and give insight into who they think will make it to the conference finals

Adam and Mitch are back with some recaps of every series through Game 4 and 5. We have our one sweep, a few 3-1 series, and a 2-2 sweep. There are gross games, high-scoring games, and blowouts. All get discussed on this episode.

Adam and Mitch stay up late to break down each of Game 1's after a long NBA weekend. A few blowouts, a few close games, and the few in between. Adam starts the pod talking about the in-person experience of Game 1 in San Antonio. The guys then work in reverse order and cover each game.Give us a Follow on X, Instagram, TikTok

Adam and Mitch are back, giving the people this year's NBA Playoff Preview. Everything from Play-In discussions to first-round predictions, your hosts have it all here. Enjoy the pod, give us a follow wherever you listen, and subscribe as always.

Adam and Mitch are back and talking about Mitch's Celtics after a win over the Hornets. They break down both that game and recap the NCAA National Championship that was played on Monday. After talking about both games, the guys give their Award Winners for the NBA Season.

Adam and Mitch talk about a team that neither of them has a lot of love for, the Los Angeles Lakers. Discussing their great March, the rise of Luka's MVP case, and how their trio is truly impressive. They then dive into the comparison of SGA vs Luka.To wrap up the episode, Adam and Mitch announce their summer project, "The Anatomy of a Superstar"

With all the talk of expansion in the NBA, it felt only right to do a draft. Adam and Mitch put on their GM Hats to create their theoretical expansion teams.

Adam and Mitch bring on to cover a wide range of basketball topics. They start by discussing the impact of Bam Adebayo's 83-point game last week. The trio then dives into the NBA's opportunity to expand and bring two more teams into the league.Carl then gives Adam and Mitch his prospects to watch in the March Madness tournament.The episode wraps up with the guys discussing the WNBA's CBA agreement, where it stands currently.

Adam and Mitch are back and to the roots of the Hoopers Almanac. They are comparing former NBA champions to this year's crop of contenders.

Adam and Mitch cover a lot to make up for some lost time. Adam breaks down the game he just got back from, Pistons v Spurs. The duo talks about the Spurs, their contender status, and the problems they bring to each team. Mitch shares his thoughts about the Bucks v Celtics game that he went to on Monday night. They also talk about the crazienss of Adam's trip and the joy they felt to spend some of the time together.They move on to go over the Unrivaled Championship game, wrapping up with a review of the show "Industry"

Adam and Mitch are back talking about the Trade Deadline and how they think all the new players look in new places. The guys discuss their thoughts on the All-Star Weekend and whether or not they will be watching the festivities. They wrap up the pod by discussing the trip and finally getting the whole Hooper's Almanac crew together.

Adam and Mitch start the pod by discussing the under-discussed and underrated Detroit Pistons. They then talk about what rookies since 2020 have been "NBA Ready" when they join the league

Adam and Mitch both went to games this past week, and it only felt right that they'd get to share their experiences. Mitch got to see his Celtics play the Bulls Saturday night, which happened to be the night the Bulls were retiring Derrick Rose's number. Adam was able to drive to Houston to see his Spurs play the Rockets in what felt like a playoff game in a non-playoff atmosphere. They also comment on the Giannis situation in Milwaukee and wrap up the pod, sharing their love and wishes to the people of Minnesota.

Adam and Mitch return to their preseason predictions and retier the NBA at its halfway point. They go over each conference's contenders, playoff teams, and lottery hopefuls.

Adam and Mitch bring back Carl Baltimore to talk about the most recent NBA trade of Trae Young to the Wizards. The trio then throws out various trade ideas across the league before discussing the opening week of Unrivaled. Adam and Mitch wrap up the episode talking about the Celtics vs Spurs matchup that happened this past Saturday.

Adam and Mitch start 2026 by talking about what they want from the NBA this coming year. They discuss the news of Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks working towards a trade. Mitch is given his time to talk about the Celtics and why he thinks they have been so successful. They wrap up the episode discussing the things they want to see from the NBA and its fans this coming year.

Adam and Mitch come back from a holiday break and recap the Christmas Day games. They go over the 5 matchups and where each of the ten teams stands in the NBA right now. To wrap up the episode, the duo discusses which teams have the best rivalries throughout the 21st century.

Adam and Mitch bring on Andrew Carlson, their Minnesota Timberwolves expert, to go over so much on today's episode. They break down the NBA Cup Final that is on Tuesday night, before diving into the Wolves' season. Everything from Edwards' continual advancement, McDaniels' improvement, and Mitch offers some possible traded names to see if they fit the mold of this years team.Check out our pieces on https://www.hoopersalmanac.com/Follow us on wherever you listen to podcasts and follow us on social media everywhere

Adam and Mitch bring on Evan Soell to discuss his OKC Thunder and how dominant they have looked to start the season. They also talk about the start of the NBA Cup Quarterfinals and the importance of the tournament. They wrap up by discussing Mitchell's list of "Playoff Players". Players that teams can count on to play in at least 15 minutes of playoff game.

Adam and Mitch return this week to talk about the teams they were right about in their season preview. Whether it was predicting a historic season or knowing that age might catch up to some teams. Then Adam goes into why there are too many jerseys in today's NBA or has oversaturation of courts and jerseys killed team fandom in the NBA.Go check out our website at https://www.hoopersalmanac.com/

Adam and Mitch bring on Carl Baltimore from the District of Buckets to cover a wide range of topics. They talk about this year's rookie class and the range of great talent that has come from it. They rant about some star point guards who are in possible trade rumors and question their roles within a true NBA team's ecosystem. They also discuss Carl's recent games that he's attended around the DMV area. They wrap up the pod talking about the upcoming Unrivaled year that kicks off at the beginning of 2026.Check out the District of Buckets Blog here --> https://www.districtofbuckets.com/aboutCheck out the Hooper's Almanac Site here --> https://www.hoopersalmanac.com/