Open Floor: SI's NBA Show

In today’s episode of Open Floor, Michael Pina and Rohan Nadkarni discuss the fallout of Game 4 between the Nets and Bucks, including how Kyrie Irving’s injury affects the series moving forward, Milwaukee’s frustrating offense, and if Mike Budenholzer is the League Pass of NBA coaches. They also ruminate on the end of the Nuggets’ season and what they should do to the roster this summer, and what...

In today's episode, Michael and Chris answer a few listener emails about Nikola Jokic's chance of winning multiple MVP awards, along with a few interesting fake trades. From there, in honor of how unpredictable these playoffs feel, they power rank the remaining eight playoff teams from least to most likely to win it all.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork...

In today's episode, Michael and Rohan went deep on the instant classic Mavs-Clippers series and talked about where each organization goes from here. What did we learn about Dallas as they try to build an actual contender around Luka? Will they trade Kristaps Porzingis? Where? And how will the small Clippers fare against Rudy Gobert's Utah Jazz in the second round? From there they discussed...

In today's episode, Michael and Chris look at what went wrong for the Lakers, Anthony Davis' decision to play while injured in Game 6, why it's so hard to picture the Suns actually winning the championship even though they're clear title contenders, why the Blazers are positioned to blow everything up, the (new) Brad Stevens' era in Boston, and rapid fire questions to preview B...

In today's episode, Michael and Rohan discuss the impact injuries are having on the NBA playoffs, whether the Miami Heat can get back to the Finals with Jimmy Butler on their roster, if the Brooklyn Nets are officially the most unstoppable offense in NBA history, if the Atlanta Hawks can (gasp) reach the conference finals, and who they'd rather build a team around if given the chance: Trae...

On today's episode of Open Floor, Michael and Chris discuss unruly fans, the struggling Clippers, how Kawhi Leonard's free agency may be impacted if Los Angeles is eliminated in Round 1, Nate McMillan vs. himself, which players have disappointed them the most so far in these playoffs, and more! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Advertising Inquiries:...

In today's episode, Michael Pina welcomes his (other) new co-host, Sports Illustrated staff writer Rohan Nadkarni to the show! The two recap several games from the weekend, and ask how concerned the Lakers, Suns (get better, Chris Paul!), Heat, Jazz, and Clippers should really be as they approach Game 2. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Advertising Inqui...

In today's episode, Michael Pina welcomes his new co-host, Sports Illustrated Senior Writer Chris Herring to the show! The two talk play-in developments—the punchy Wizards, whether or not they still believe the Lakers should be considered a contender, and what's next for the Pacers—before previewing the NBA playoffs with a discussion around the series and matchups they're most looking...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina wrap up a wild final weekend of the regular season by asking 10 questions about the upcoming play-in tournament and playoffs. As teams jockeyed for seeds down the stretch, did any cross the line and anger the basketball gods? Which play-in teams were the biggest winners and losers once the dust settled? Does a match-up between LeBron James and Stephen Curry guarantee...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open by discussing the excellent feedback for Michael's SI Daily Cover story about Spurs guard Dejounte Murray. Then, they make a major show announcement: Ben will be stepping down on May 17 after a five-year run as co-host of "Open Floor." From there, Ben and Michael look ahead to the upcoming 2021 NBA playoffs by ranking which star players are facing the...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open by discussing Luka Doncic's attempted low blow on Collin Sexton. Is Doncic's temper becoming a problem and does an unsportsmanlike act like that change how we should view a player? Then, a discussion of Pelicans executive David Griffin's rigorous defense of Zion Williamson after the second-year star broke his finger. Were the NBA's referees really...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina turn their attention to the 2021 All-NBA selections. How do the NBA's positional designations impact this year's teams? Is it okay to treat Joel Embiid as a forward rather than a center if the NBA allows it? Is Embiid deserving of a first team spot because he's been a top-five player this season? How many players are no-brainers for the first team? Is Dami...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina pick up the pieces from a wild weekend of basketball to discuss the crumbling Los Angeles Lakers, the streaking Denver Nuggets, and the exciting duel between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. What's wrong with Anthony Davis? Did LeBron James return too quickly? Does Andre Drummond even fit? Should Nikola Jokic be viewed as the best player in basketball, not j...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina break out their crystal balls in an attempt to handicap the 2026 NBA MVP race. What will the NBA look like in five years? Which types of players will have the inside track on the league's most coveted award? Will any players who are currently 30 or older be in the mix? Will playmaking forwards still dominate the discussion. Once they've set the parameters, Ben...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina search for silver linings during the NBA's pandemic season by highlighting two interesting awards races: Coach of the Year and Most Improved Player. Which criteria should matter more in Coach of the Year: results or overachievement? Will Utah's Quin Snyder and Phoenix's Monty Williams be held back by skepticism about their teams' playoff capabilities?...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open with a rundown of the NBA community's response to the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Was this "justice" for George Floyd? What role did current and former NBA players play in ensuring that this prosecution took place? Did the league and its teams strike the right notes in their statements and what were the Oakland Raiders thinking? From there, Be...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina reflect on Stephen Curry's torrid April by taking a fresh look at the Golden State Warriors guard's place in the MVP, All-NBA and "Best Player Alive" conversations. Then, they shift gears to imagine a world with NBA clones. Could 5 LeBrons beat 5 Durants or 5 Kawhis? Would 5 Zions beat 5 Stephs? What's the ideal combination of clones to form a supe...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina gather themselves during a storm of NBA news to discuss LaMarcus Aldridge's sudden retirement due to an irregular heartbeat. How will Aldridge be remembered? How will the Nets adjust without him? From there, Michael presents his research findings on Joel Embiid's incredible shooting numbers. Which factors are driving Embiid's shooting and can they be trust...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina catch their breath during the dog days of the NBA's regular season to look ahead to the 2021 NBA playoffs. Which players are looming as X-factors in the title chase? Can LaMarcus Aldridge hold up against big centers or will size be the Nets' undoing? Is Bojan Bogdanovic the key to a properly-balanced offense for the Jazz? Can Aaron Gordon transform the Nuggets...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina take stock of the Phoenix Suns after a signature win over the Utah Jazz. Should Chris Paul be an all-NBA selection? Can Devin Booker be trusted in the clutch? Will Deandre Ayton be their playoff X-factor and did his play against the Jazz inspire newfound confidence? Who can the Suns beat in the first round and would drawing the Lakers be their worst nightmare? From th...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open by recapping Baylor's NCAA title game triumph over Gonzaga and discussing Jalen Suggs' strong tournament run. Does Suggs have a shot at being the first pick? Did the NCAA tournament prove its worth from a visibility standpoint compared to the G-League? Then, the guys dig into Suggs' best NBA fits. Should he ride shotgun to Zion Williamson in New Orlea...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina take a look at the NBA's best and worst contracts after the trade deadline and the round of buyout agreements. Who is delivering the most value in the league this year? Should LeBron James be the automatic No. 1? Or should all-stars on rookie deals like Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson top the list? Which veteran all-stars are delivering max production on non-max d...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina analyze the latest buyout moves, including LaMarcus Aldridge to the Brooklyn Nets and Andre Drummond to the Los Angeles Lakers. What roles will Aldridge and Drummond play in the postseason? Which factors influenced their decisions? Does the recent acceleration of buyouts harm small-market teams? Should the NBA institute rules governing buyouts to help limit the flow o...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina react to Thursday's NBA trade deadline, handing out their grades for a busier-than-expected day and running through the winners and losers. Were the Orlando Magic smart for pulling the plug? How do Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier fit in their new homes? Which aspiring contenders in the West made moves that could tilt the title chase? Will the Miami...

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina dig into a depressing weekend of NBA injury news concerning LeBron James and LaMelo Ball. How will the Lakers manage without LeBron James and how far will they slide in the standings? Does the high ankle sprain end his MVP pursuit, and which players are the new favorites? Will top teams try to tank down the stretch to avoid the Lakers in the playoffs? From there, Ben...