On the NBA Beat
by Aaron Fischman, Loren Lee Chen
A show bringing you nuanced perspectives on the NBA's most important stories, hosted by USC alums Aaron Fischman, Joshua Jonah Fischman and Loren Lee Chen. Find us on our website at OnTheNBABeat.com or our Twitter page (@OnTheNBABeat).
Episodes
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 195: "Interstate '85" Book Special With Marshall Garvey
Marshall Garvey, author of Interstate '85: The Royals, the Cardinals and the Show-Me World Series, joins the show. Enjoy! Here are some highlights – 3:26-4:39 : “The ’85 Series always stuck in my mind in a really weird way just because of all the emphasis on Don Denkinger’s missed call. It just...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 194: "Moses Malone" Book Special With Paul Knepper
Paul Knepper, author of Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet, joins the show. Enjoy! Here are some highlights – 7:02-7:42: “He realized very early on that these people... were trying to get something out of him. He was cautious and kind of withdrawn before that, and I think that maybe...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 193: "Mike Donlin" Book Special With Steve Steinberg
Steve Steinberg, co-author of Mike Donlin: A Rough andRowdy Life From New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen, joins the show. Enjoy! Here are some highlights – 8:34-9:55: “Our interest is what was really ticking in the guy’s mind, what was he feeling, what was he thinking. And the years that…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 192: "The New York Game" Book Special With Kevin Baker
Historian, journalist and novelist extraordinaire Kevin Baker, author of the 2024 CASEY Award-winning book on the history of New York and baseball, The New York Game, Baseball and the Rise of a New City, joins the show. Enjoy! Here are some highlights – 6:23-7:28: “I had this contract some…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 191: "Charlie Hustle" Book Special With Keith O'Brien
New York Times bestselling author Keith O'Brien, author of the widely acclaimed Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball, joins the show. Enjoy! Here are some highlights – 9:32-11:24: “From a process standpoint, what the records really helped me to do...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 190: "The Original Louisville Slugger" Book Special With Tim Newby
Writer and historian Tim Newby, author ofThe Original Louisville Slugger, a fun, thorough and important narrative covering the life and baseball career of Pete Browning, joins the show. Browning, one of the best hitters of the 19th century, a deeply flawed but charismatic and pioneering man, has...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 189: "Season of Shattered Dreams" Book Special With Eric Vickrey
Nonfiction baseball writer Eric Vickrey comes on to discuss his terrifically poignant and inspiring book, Season of Shattered Dreams, which recounts the deadliest accident in the history of American professional sports, the 1946 Spokane Indians’ tragic crash as their bus was passing over...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 188: "Not When, But If?" Book Special With Evan Ream
Evan Ream, Communications Manager for NorCal Premier Soccer, comes on to discuss his colorful and inspiring debut book, Not When, But If? Here are some highlights – 8:35-9:17: “Nobody really knows what Sacramento is, especially from a national standpoint. The chapter of branding the team there,...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 187: "The Six Pack" Book Special With Brad Balukjian
Sports writer and scientist Brad Balukjian stops by to discuss his fascinating, thought-provoking and important new book, The Six Pack: On the Open Road in Search of WrestleMania. Here are some highlights – 5:29-5:49: “The book really is about the line, the border between fiction and fact or myth...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 186: Jason Gallagher: Dallas "Has an Identity" Around Luka Again
On the heels of the Dallas Mavericks’ 9-3 start, Jason Gallagher returns, and you bet the head of production at The Old Man and the Three (and ThreeFourTwo Productions more broadly) comes ready with analysis of the Mavericks’ scalding start as Luka Doncic has led the way with 30.7 points per…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 185: Alex Kennedy Winds Through the West
Alex Kennedy, Chief Content Officer at BasketballNews.com and host of Running Up the Score, a biweekly live sports show airing every Tuesday and Friday night, stops by to wind through the Western Conference just as the league readies for tipoff. The Nuggets are Alex’s leading squad but far from…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 184: Jake Fischer Explores the East
Jake Fischer, Yahoo! Sports senior NBA reporter and the author of Built to Lose, makes his fourth appearance to break down the Eastern Conference's biggest storylines as the season approaches. Tune in to hear why he regards the Celtics as favorites, his thoughts on Evan Mobley's next leap…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 183: Andy Liu on Warriors’ 2023-24: “This Thing Is Tenuous”
Andy Liu of the Light Years podcast is back yet again; for a record ninth time, in fact. His task this time? Helping Aaron preview the Golden State Warriors as they attempt to bounce back from a 44-38 campaign in which just six games separated them from 11th-place Utah and they were eliminated by...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 182: "Freedom to Win" Book Special With Ethan Scheiner
Enjoy Ethan Scheiner discussing his new book, "Freedom to Win." Here are some highlights: 3:23-6:23: “The thing that is so incredible about this story is that it is an unbelievable marriage of politics and sports. That really is the thing that jumps right out. … This communist country,...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 181: Sean Highkin: Portland Is "the Perfect Spot" for Jerami Grant
In a tightly packed Western Conference, where only a handful of games separate the first- and thirteenth-place teams, Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report is encouraged by the Portland Trail Blazers’ start. Specifically, the Blazers have gotten All-Star-caliber, not to mention career-best,...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 180: Jason Gallagher: “Right Now, The Pieces Don’t Fit” for Mavericks
On the heels of a 2022 Western Conference finals berth, the 9-10 Dallas Mavericks are mired in mediocrity despite receiving historically brilliant contributions from superstar point guard Luka Doncic. Emmy Award-winning director Jason Gallagher, now head of production at The Old Man and the…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 179: Justin Rowan: Donovan Mitchell Provides “Massive Boost for the Cavs”
After an 8-1 start to the season that had some prognosticators pegging them as dark horse title contenders, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been hit with the On the NBA Beat curse and have lost their last four games. To help us get into the ins-and-outs of this enigmatic team, we've brought on...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 178: Molly Morrison: "It's a New World for Grizzlies Fans"
Last season's Memphis Grizzlies announced their arrival by earning the 2nd seed in the Western Conference and with the fifth-youngest roster in the NBA and proven success building through the draft and player development, there's no reason to believe their upward trajectory should not continue…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 177: Derek James: "No Idea What [Anthony Edwards'] Ceiling Is"
After their 2021-22 season ended with a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Minnesota Timberwolves retooled by trading for three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in what many called the most surprising and impactful move of the offseason. They also...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 176: Law Murray: The Clippers Are "Pretty Injury-Proof"
After a grueling, injury-marred 2021-22 season, in which the Los Angeles Clippers clawed their way into the play-in games but failed to advance any further, the Clips have returned for NBA preseason with a clean bill of health and championship expectations. We’ve brought back our friend Law…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 175: Andy Liu: “More Mature” Warriors “Come at You Without Shooting 3s”
After two seasons of missing the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors are back on the main stage, making their sixth Western Conference finals appearance in the last eight years. Ahead of Sunday night's Game 3, they find themselves with a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks and…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 174: Parish: Desmond Bane Is “Absolutely Key for the Grizzlies”
With the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors tied through two games of an intense Western Conference semifinal series, we're joined by Keith Parish, host of Grind City Media‘s Fastbreak Breakfast and Grits and Grinds podcasts, who provides insight from the Grizzlies' perspective.…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 173: John Karalis: Celtics "Cutting Durant's Legs Off"
With the Boston Celtics (arguably) improbably leading the Brooklyn Nets 3-0 in an opening-round 2-7 matchup, we're joined by John Karalis, host of Locked on Celtics, Celtics beat reporter for The Boston Sports Journal and author of The Boston Celtics All-Time All-Stars 5:07-5:45: Most…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 172: Shamit Dua: “If You Had to Offer (Zion) the Max, You’d Do It”
Shamit Dua, host of the In the NO podcast, discusses the promising, young New Orleans Pelicans, whose vastly improved defense and deadline acquisition of guard CJ McCollum has them tentatively in a play-in spot. Shamit discusses McCollum's arrival, including what it's unlocked for star wing…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 171: Caitlin Cooper: “The Way [Haliburton] Can Freeze Defenders” Boosts Pacers
Caitlin Cooper, contributing writer for SB Nation’s Indy Cornrows, has experienced quite a memorable 2021-22 Pacers season so far. Although the team stands at 20-40 at the All-Star break, well below expectations, it boldly traded 25-year-old two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis, just days before…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 170: Zach Weiss on Cavs: “We Are Real”
Zach Weiss, host of the “Across the Cavs” podcast, is back to provide Loren an update, and boy, is it an exciting one! As the Cavaliers ready to host the 2022 NBA All-Star game, they just received word that Darius Garland will be playing in the showcase event for the first time. On the heels of…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 169: NBA Power Rankings (1/19/22)
We have officially crossed the halfway point of the NBA's 1230-game regular season and to celebrate the occasion and welcome our show back from its hibernation, Aaron is excited to present a special solo episode of his (subjective) power rankings of the league's 30 teams, organized into five…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 168: Zach Weiss: Sexton’s Injury a “Mega, Mega Issue” for Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers outperformed everyone's expectations during a blistering start that saw them near the top of the Eastern Conference standings and rookie Evan Mobley as the odds-on favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Recently though, they've fallen on harder times with six of…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 167: Nick Denning: LaMelo's Hornets "Worth the Price of Admission"
In Year 2 of 20-year-old point guard LaMelo Ball’s NBA career, the Charlotte Hornets are playing with one of the league’s fastest paces while managing to score efficiently. Their successful high-octane offense has provided a breath of fresh air, although their defense ranks among the league worst...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 166: Andy Liu on Warriors: “It's Safe Now to Love Steph" Curry
The Golden State Warriors have made their triumphant return to the upper echelon of the Western Conference behind an MVP-caliber start of the season from their star, Steph Curry. On this episode, Andy Liu of the Light Years podcast has made a similarly triumphant return to this podcast to discuss...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 165: "Built to Lose" Book Special With Jake Fischer
Enjoy Aaron's one-on-one conversation with Bleacher Report writer Jake Fischer on his debut book, "Built to Lose: How the NBA’s Tanking Era Changed the League Forever." 4:47-5:23: “There was a long Google doc of probably 600 names of people that were this player and his agent and the player’s...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 164: Sarah Todd on Jazz: “It’s Not About the Regular Season Anymore”
Sarah Todd, Utah Jazz beat reporter for the Deseret News and host of the Unsalvageable podcast, sheds light on last season's best regular-season team. How can the Jazz take their pre-playoff success and parlay it into a deep postseason run? 4:48-6:28: “I think it all has to do with versatility…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 163: Paul Garcia: The Young Spurs “Finally Get the Keys to the Car”
Gregg Popovich finds himself in an unfamiliar position after a quarter-century of coaching the San Antonio Spurs. For the first time, he’ll be tasked with leading a youthful group packed with promising but largely unproven players – a group projected by most to miss the playoffs by a landslide.…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 162: Keith Parish: "There's a Lot Riding on Jaren Jackson Jr.”
The Memphis Grizzlies, particularly outside of franchise cornerstone Ja Morant, haven’t received much national attention in recent years, but they increasingly should. They’re a fascinating youthful team that’s kept quite busy this offseason. According to Keith Parish, host of Grind City Media's...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 161: "From Hang Time to Prime Time" Book Special With Pete Croatto
Author Pete Croatto, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, GQ and SportsIllustrated.com, among other places, discusses his debut book, "From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA." Check out some of the highlights below: 5:13-5:45: “You…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 160: Blake Murphy: "There's a Million Things to Say" About Kyle Lowry's Raptors Impact
Blake Murphy of The Athletic joins the show to delve into the performance of the Toronto Raptors during Las Vegas Summer League, especially regarding the newly drafted Scottie Barnes. Additionally, we discuss the Kyle Lowry trade, what he meant to the city and the Raptors franchise, and how they...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 159: Schroeder Recaps Draft: "Evan Mobley Is Like Water"
A couple days after the 2021 NBA Draft, independent draft analyst Brian Schroeder brought his insight and expertise as he ran through the most notable storylines surrounding this year's class. Among a slew of other topics, he addressed why Sharife Cooper fell precipitously, what makes the...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 158: Madden: “Still Pinching Myself” After Bucks’ Title Feat. Jewell Graham
In honor of the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2020-21 NBA championship, the franchise’s first in 50 years, two longtime Bucks fans share their joyous feelings and thrilling experiences from the past week. First, Frank Madden, host of Locked on Bucks, details his long journey as a fan, including what it meant…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 157: Frank Madden: Bucks Should “Use Their Size” in NBA Finals
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Greek Freak, led his Milwaukee Bucks to the franchise’s first NBA Finals in 47 years. Along the way, he received critical help from talented teammates Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez, among others. But through the first two Finals games, the...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 156: Espo: “There’s No Asterisk” on Suns’ Finals Berth
The Phoenix Suns are headed to the 2021 NBA Finals, and there absolutely should be no asterisk attached to their stellar run, according to guest Greg "Espo" Esposito, host of the Solar Panel Podcast. And why should there be? Phoenix bounced back from a 2-1 deficit to dethrone the defending...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 155: Dan Morgan: “Ben Simmons” Will Be “the Guy Blamed" for 76ers' Exit
Dan Morgan of the Process Potables podcast joins Loren and Aaron to break down the Philadelphia 76ers’ heartbreaking Game 7 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks. From Ben Simmons’ offensive disappearing act to Joel Embiid playing through injury to Dan’s faith (or lack thereof) in head coach…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 154: Mike Singer: Stopping Phoenix an “Impossible Equation” for Nuggets
Nikola Jokic earned 2020-21 MVP honors and was presented with his trophy before Denver’s home Game 3 against the Phoenix Suns. But an epic individual performance from the skilled center was not enough for the team to avoid another double-digit loss, its third in as many games of the series.…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 153: Pratik Patel: “This Is the Loosest the Bucks Have Been”
Despite a dominant performance by reigning, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nets star James Harden going down with a hamstring injury in the first minute of Game 1, the Milwaukee Bucks were not able to take advantage and secure the first victory in this highly anticipated second-round...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 152: Milholen: “Lethal” Nets Boast “Arguably Most Prolific Offense Ever”
As soon as eight-time All-Star James Harden was acquired by the Brooklyn Nets in January, "title" flashed on everyone's minds. The addition paired the talented lefty with fellow superstars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, forming one of the most talented Big 3s in NBA history. Only, the trio were...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 151: Law Murray: Clips Have “Not Enough Good” Options Vs. Doncic
In an opening-round rematch from the 2020 playoffs, the Mavericks have stunned many by stealing the first two games in Los Angeles. As the Clippers scramble for answers as to how to slow down Luka Doncic and company’s electric offense, The Athletic’s Law Murray breaks it all down. Is the series…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 150: Espo: Suns Registered a “Cinderella Story” Season
The 2020-21 NBA regular season has officially come to a close, and one of the most pleasant surprises was the year the Phoenix Suns recorded. Suns fans already had reason for optimism after an 8-0 performance in last year's Orlando bubble, but rarely does a team make the jump so quickly from...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 149: Seth Rosenthal: Randle’s “Rare” Turnaround Fuels Knicks’ “Dream of a Season”
Seth Rosenthal, video producer for SB Nation’s Secret Base, makes his triumphant return to discuss his beloved Knicks’ superb season in the face of extremely low expectations coming into the year. They’ve done it through seismic shooting improvements from Julius Randle and second-year guard RJ...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 148: Kevin Cottrell: “Ball Don’t Lie” Reporting “Felt Like Therapy"
NBA TV producer Kevin Cottrell Jr. joins the show to discuss his debut book, Ball Don’t Lie, a collection of detailed conversations with 10 legends of the game. 9:23-9:42: “I never wanted to be the forefront of the book. I wanted to be the writer, but I wanted to share other people’s stories that…
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 147: Sarah Spencer: Hawks Have “Caught Fire”
Going into the 2020-21 season, the Atlanta Hawks revamped their roster, hoping a few high-profile veteran additions would help their talented young core finally make the playoffs. The plan didn’t exactly work out as intended, as the team incurred a slew of key injuries and fell to 14-20, which...
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On the NBA Beat Ep. 146: Jared Weiss: The Nets "Have a Giant Frickin' Laser Beam"
Just in time for the start of the season, The Athletic’s Jared Weiss broke down the most striking storylines around the Eastern Conference with an emphasis on the Boston Celtics, whom he covers so closely. Among a slew of timely topics, Jared discusses his favorites to emerge out of the East,...
About this show
A show bringing you nuanced perspectives on the NBA's most important stories, hosted by USC alums Aaron Fischman, Joshua Jonah Fischman and Loren Lee Chen. Find us on our website at OnTheNBABeat.com or our Twitter page (@OnTheNBABeat).
Hosted by
Aaron Fischman, Loren Lee Chen
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