Thinking Basketball
369 episodes listed below
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Ben Taylor, creator of the popular YouTube channel Thinking Basketball (and author of Thinking Basketball the book) goes deeper on basketball analysis, history, philosophy and theory with co-host Cody Houdek, and a variety of guests ranging from journalists to former players. Ideal for fans interested in Xs and Os, stats & analytics, coaching and team strategy and adjustments, in-depth breakdowns on player strengths and weaknesses, and who is better and who is best in the NBA. (GOAT debates!)
Scottie Barnes's closeout gets cross-examined before your top-25 take gets airtime.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
Analytical Finals talk with personality, a prediction, and a few pleasant detours.
The discussion opens with the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers, then moves through all-playoff teams, Pacers validation, and a call on who wins and by how many points.
Bill Simmons debates NBA tanking, MVP races, and movies with Zach Lowe and friends.
Zach Lowe and ESPN colleagues dissect NBA trades, cap rules, and roster fit.
Big Cat and PFT Commenter cover the NFL, March Madness, and NHL for laughs.
Ryen Russillo runs weekly NFL and MLB recaps with beat reporters like Jeff Passan and Mike Sando.
Two hosts break down the ATP and WTA tour week, daily through every Grand Slam.
Race journalists and Damon Hill break down F1 driver markets, team history, and car tech.
Ben and Cody preview the 2025 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers, discussing the matchup's implications for small-market teams, analyzing the Thunder's historically great defense and the Pacers' innovative offense, and debating the Pacers' playoff run in historical context.
Ben and Cody preview the 2026 NBA playoffs, discussing contenders, matchups, and the impact on player legacies.
Ben Taylor and Cody Houdek host the annual Thinkies awards, discussing and voting on the best defensive players in the NBA.
Ben and Cody discuss the NBA Coach of the Year race, analyzing surprising teams like the Celtics, Pistons, Spurs, and Hornets.
Ben Taylor and Mike De La Rosa discuss NBA playoff series, focusing on Xs and Os, player performances, and strategic adjustments.
Ben and Cody discuss the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs, analyzing multiple series and key games.
Thinking Basketball's Ben and Cody frame the 2024 top-10 debate around 13–15 plausible candidates, overlapping player-quality ranges, and injury context.
The host gives a PSA about being kinder on the internet, then transitions into basketball analysis and discussion of playoff narratives.
Ben Taylor and guest Eric Pincus discuss the NBA playoffs, focusing on the Thunder-Mavericks series and team analysis.
Ben Taylor and Cody Houdek discuss the surprising playoff performance of the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Denver Nuggets, analyzing team strategy and player impact.
Ben and Cody discuss NBA playoff results, super team experiments, and basketball terminology.
Ben and Cody discuss the long NBA regular season, excitement for the playoffs, and Victor Wembanyama's impact.
Thinking Basketball revisits its controversial top-25-under-25 draft after roughly 30 games of the 2024 season, emphasizing uncertainty over fixed rankings.
Ben and Cody replace rigid rankings with ranges tied to championship impact and historical player seasons.