The Just Basketball Show

The Sacramento Kings took both home games against the Golden State Warriors as Draymond Green was ejected late in Game 2, while the start of the NBA playoffs saw several highs (Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Lakers role players) and lows (the Phoenix Suns offense and the Cleveland Cavaliers depth). Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning break down the first three days of the NBA playoffs from every an...

The NBA play-in tournament ruled once again led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the NBA playoffs tip off this weekend. Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning discuss the highs (SGA, the Hawks’ gameplan) and lows (Anthony Edwards and the Raptors’ gameplan) of the play-in, then discuss What Matters Most in each NBA playoffs series, including how great Kawhi Leonard can be and how the Knicks adjust without...

The NBA playoffs field is set and NBA awards ballots are rolling in (hello Joel Embiid)! Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen react to the postseason bracket by giving out NBA playoffs superlatives including favorite 1-on-1 matchup, favorite series, player with most at stake, and first-timer we’re most excited to see. But first, a closer look at what just happened to the Minnesota Timberwolves with pun...

As the NBA season wraps up, Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning break down their favorite moments from the season, including LeBron James breaking the all-time scoring record, the Sacramento Kings ending their playoff drought, the Kevin Durant trade, Donovan Mitchell scoring 71 points, and more! Plus, a look at how LSU slowed down Caitlin Clark and Iowa to win the NCAA women’s championship, and what c...

The NBA and players agreed on a new CBA that seems to benefit mid-market owners and star players, but why? Plus, the Mavericks are in danger of missing the play-in, this era of the Raptors might be done, and more key NBA storylines. Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen forecast the final week of the NBA season, looking at Dallas and Toronto as well as whether Nick Nurse is a fit in Houston, who gets th...

This week in the NBA saw Kevin Durant and LeBron James return while Damian Lillard, Paul George and Zion Williamson may not play the rest of the season. Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen discuss how each injury situation will affect the NBA playoff race. Could LeBron and the Lakers win a first-round matchup? Are the Suns still the favorites in the West? Do the Pelicans or Clippers have any hope if Z...

It’s time to look back at this year’s class of extension eligible NBA players with a 2020 NBA Redraft. Where do Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, and others land in hindsight? Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning are joined by Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation to redraft the 2020 class. But first, a look at the big NBA MVP clash that wasn’t, where the race is now, and what it means for Caitli...

On a new episode of the Just Basketball Show, Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning open the show by discussing a recent star's visit to Phoenix and the ground rules for seeing famous people in public. Then, they look back at 10 big NBA offseason topics — including James Harden sacrificing to help the 76ers win, the NBA's mega trade era and if the Knicks should have regrets over not trading for...

Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning first touch on news that Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is headed for a new operation and could miss all of next season and reports that Michael Jordan is going to sell his stakes in the Charlotte Hornets and give up majority ownership of the franchise. Then, in the main topic of the show, they look at two Western Conference teams (the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nugg...

 Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning take a close look at veteran standouts around the NBA including Damian Lillard, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and De’Aaron Fox. Are these vets truly having the best seasons of their careers as the stats show, or is team success and modern NBA offense allowing them to blossom? But first, a game of What Matters Most looking at recent NBA news and gam...

Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen look across the NBA at the trends stacking up across the standings and team injury reports to analyze what’s real and fake, including the Kevin Durant-less Phoenix Suns, the Luka Doncic-less Dallas Mavericks, an impressive Golden State Warriors win, a smaller role for Russell Westbrook on the Clippers, and Joel Embiid bolstering his MVP case against Portland. Then,...

With Nikola Jokic likely headed toward his third straight NBA MVP trophy, Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning are joined by Adam Mares of DNVR to talk about the Denver Nuggets' season, the changes in the league that have led to Jokic's dominance the past three seasons, and how Jokic compares to other MVP candidates like Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But first, a discussio...

Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen take a look at four dark horses for the NBA championship who are making runs recently in the Knicks, Cavs, Warriors and Kings. But first, they catch up on the weekend's wild NBA slate including the Sixers beating the Bucks in a comeback shootout as well as the Suns taking down the Mavs on the road as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker combined for 73 points. Plus, a...

The NBA stretch run is heating up and the basketball has been fantastic. Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning are joined by Wes Goldberg (@wcgoldberg) to draft their top NBA contenders, but first, a closer look at two huge games from the weekend. Damian Lillard scored 71 to continue an insane scoring binge in the NBA this season, and the Clippers and Nuggets previewed a possible second-round playoff se...

Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning dig into the breakout players of the NBA season including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, Lauri Markkanen and Nic Claxton, as well as what comes next for each young star. Then, a look at some of the young NBA players who have had their stock fall most this season in Trae Young and LaMelo Ball. But first, a breakdown of the biggest recent games from a thr...

As the second half of the NBA season begins, Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen dive deep on their key teams to watch during the stretch run, including Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, the upstart Orlando Magic, Zion Williamson and the questionable New Orleans Pelicans, the eternally frisky Miami Heat, and the unconventional Oklahoma City Thunder. First, a look at the Atlanta Hawks firing Nate McMi...

Coming off another busy NBA All-Star Weekend, Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning give their highs and lows of the festivities, including Giannis Antetokounmpo front and center, the death of the NBA Skills Challenge, the fun of the All-Star Game draft, Mac McClung breathing life into the Dunk Contest, and the positive signs coming from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about the collective bargaining agree...

On a new episode of the Just Basketball Show, hosts Brendon Kleen (@BrendonKleen14) and Chris Manning (@cwmwrites) talk about two recent bits of news (Kevin Love hitting the buyout market and Mikal Bridges setting a new career-high with 45 points) before looking at how Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have worked so far in Dallas before hitting their main topic: The biggest lessons learned so far in t...

On a new episode of the Just Basketball Show, hosts Brendon Kleen (@BrendonKleen14) and Chris Manning (@cwmwrites) dive into the controversy surrounding the Gary Payton II trade to the Warriors, James Harden talking about Kyrie Irving without saying Kyrie's name, Zion Williamson's injury and what it means for the Pelicans season, and, in the main event, pick out some of the key X Factors f...

On a new episode of the Just Basketball Show, hosts Brendon Kleen (@BrendonKleen14) and Chris Manning (@cwmwrites) dive deep into all angles of the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline with a focus on Kevin Durant getting dealt to the Suns and what the means for the Suns' title chances; other Western Conference teams - the Clippers, the Grizzlies, the Lakers and the Warriors - shaking things up; the Celtic...

Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen break down Kyrie Irving being traded to the Dallas Mavericks from all angles, including how it affects Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Then, 10 players everyone should want at the NBA Trade Deadline, the fallout from another long-term Steph Curry injury, and what the formation of a WNBA superteam on the New York Liberty means for basketball. Follow Just...

Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning dissect some key rumors ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline before evaluating the top of the NBA's Western Conference and predicting which four West teams will be the las tones standing in the second round this season. Follow Just Basketball on Instagram Follow Just Basketball on Tiktok Follow Just Basketball on Twitter Subscribe on YouTube Follow us on Twitter: @Br...

Chris Manning and Brendon Kleen break down the top teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference and predict which four East teams will be the last ones standing in the second round this season. But first, some talk about Lakers-Celtics and 76ers-Nuggets as NBA Rivalry Week lost its mind over the weekend, thoughts on Candace Parker joining the Las Vegas Aces to form another WNBA super team, and why My...

Brendon Kleen and Chris Manning give out 5 NBA trades they need to see happen before the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline. But first, a big welcome to the Just Basketball Show and a breakdown of the latest basketball news, including the Lakers trading for Rui Hachimura, Breanna Stewart taking meetings in WNBA free agency, and the Toronto Raptors seemingly trying to get all the picks in the 2024 NBA Draft...