The Unrestricted Area Presented by Basketball Intelligence

Basketball Intelligence's Mike Shearer (@bbballispoetry) and Ray LeBov (@RayLebov) speak with Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey (who authored a story suggesting these changes) and former Director of Officiating Ronnie Nunn about some potential rule changes the NBA could adopt to improve the game. The conversation covers the feasibility of live-ball rebounds, the impact of fewer timeouts (and...

Basketball Intelligence is joined by NBA analyst Seth Partnow and intellectual property expert Mike Kasdan to discuss the wild Knicks-Raptors lawsuit. It's a fascinating deep dive filled with legal and basketball nuances as they discuss trade secrets, how much of a competitive edge the Raptors could really gain, how common this is within the league, damages, and much more.  Check out the dail...

Ray LeBov and Mike Shearer speak with the godfather of NBA analytics, Dean Oliver. He discusses why we're talking about defense wrong, his new book, how coaching is different than a front office role, Kristaps Porzingis' love of numbers, and how the four factors have changed over time. Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-cura...

Ray and Mike speak with The Box And One's Adam Spinella, the multitalented coach and scout. We discuss his favorite picks, his issues with quiet personalities being unfairly judged, an awesome Cam Whitmore story,  Anthony Black's shooting mechanic, second-round steals, and more! Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-curated fro...

Ray LeBov and Corban Ford talk with Krysten Peek, draft expert from Yahoo Sports. On the eve of the draft, she talks about Brandon Miller vs. Scoot Henderson, some risers and fallers, how she navigates the flood of misinformation at this time of year, what it's like watching these young men grow up over the years, and more!  Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for...

Mike Shearer and Ray LeBov interview Fran Fraschilla, the longtime coach, scout, and analyst, to discuss his new role coaching the USA Men's 3x3 team. They talk about the upcoming Olympics, the thrill of representing the USA, the shadow of the Serbians, how Fran developed his international scouting expertise, and how he shut down Michael Malone in college. Check out the daily newsletter at ww...

Basketball Intelligence's Ray LeBov and Mike Shearer host Scott Rochelle, head of the National Basketball Retired Players Association, for a fascinating conversation about players' lives after basketball. They talk about the evolution of the NBRPA, the health, educational, and community work it provides for members and communities, how it presents emerging business opportunities to membe...

Ray LeBov of Basketball Intelligence is joined by No Ceilings' Nathan Grubel to discuss some of the most interesting future NBA players in the NCAA Tournament today. Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-curated from around the web!

Basketball Intelligence's Mike Shearer talks with Stephen Cagan from NBA University about all things Magic. Come for the discussion about Franz Wagner's upside, Paolo Banchero's defense, and Markelle Fultz's surprisingly positive fit on the team, but  stay  to hear about Wendell Carter's weirdly normal proportions! Stephen also offers his insights into Jonathan Isaac, Jale...

Hosts Mike Shearer and Ray LeBov speak with Maxwell Baumbach, from the No Ceilings NBA draft collective, about eight rookies who have exceeded expectations. They discuss what expectations were coming out of college, how they've been successful in the NBA, and what circumstances have allowed them to succeed in the league. In order: Andrew Nembhard Dyson Daniels Walker Kessler Tari Eason AJ Gri...

We get into the the Kings' offseason additions, the impact of coach Mike Brown on the team's defense, De'Aaron Fox's resurgence, the repercussions of the Tyrese Haliburton trade for Domantas Sabonis, and, of course, the victory beam (and just how bright that thing is!). Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-curated fr...

Mike Shearer and Ray LeBov talk with Chris Hine from the Star Tribune about the  Minnesota Timberwolves' start to the season. We cover KAT, Gobert, rebounding, meeting expectations,  Anthony Edwards, the popularity of Jordan McLaughlin, D'Angelo Russell, Popeyes, and more! Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-curated from arou...

Ray and Mike talk with Jason about all things Blazers, including the team's surprising defense, Shaedon Sharpe, Chauncey Billups, Damian Lillard, Joe Cronin, and why Josh Hart might be Jason's favorite Blazer this year Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories hand-curated from around the web!

Ray and Mike talk with analyst nonpareil Caitlin Cooper of Indy Cornrows about the surprisingly fun Indiana Pacers. We dive into the Haliburton/Mathurin backcourt, the Pacers’ unconventional lineups, why Buddy Hield is the best option to guard power forwards, Tyrese’s tricky low gather, and much more! Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballintelligence.net for all the best NBA stories han...

Today, Basketball Intelligence’s Ray LeBov and Mike Shearer talk with Utah Jazz reporters Sarah Todd, of Deseret News, and Eric Walden, of The Salt Lake Tribune. We cover the end of the old Jazz, coach Will Hardy, the team’s fast start (and its sustainability), Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, and why Eric’s vacations are a good luck charm for Utah. Check out the daily newsletter at www.basketballi...

Today on The Unrestricted Area, we interview Adam Finkelstein, the director of scouting at 247Sports and college basketball insider at CBS Sports, who wrote a fascinating piece interviewing front office executives and scouts about the early draft process. He touches upon how teams play the misinformation game, when teams actually start ranking players on their big board, how front offices feel abo...

Hosts Mike Shearer and Ray LeBov talk to former NBA All-Star and current color analyst for the Milwaukee Bucks Marques Johnson for a Central Division Preview. We cover all five teams, touching upon the Bucks' injury situations (and opportunities they open for younger players), Patrick Williams' struggles, Johnson's high-ish hopes for the Pacers, why you should never wear an earring...

Hosts Ray LeBov and Mike Shearer have a wide-ranging chat with coach and TrueHoop analyst David Thorpe.  0'-23': Which teams are contenders? What should Golden State do with Draymond? 23': Which teams have the widest variance? 35': Who are the most impactful new additions? 46': Vic Wembanyama and the possibility of a tankathon 56': Why coach Thorpe thinks NBA coaching...

Ray LeBov and Michael Shearer of Basketball Intelligence talk with Syl Sobel, who co-authored a book on the Eastern Professional Basketball League, an early competitor to the NBA. They discuss the EPBL's rise and fall, racial quotas in the nascent NBA, and much more in this fascinating look back at the oldest professional basketball league in the country. Check out the daily newsletter at www...

Just days ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft, Ray is joined by two goliaths in the basketball world—ESPN Draft Analyst Fran Fraschilla and Yahoo Sports Draft Analyst Krysten Peek—for their thoughts on the upcoming class and the nuances of their craft. They start by discussing players who challenge the consensus (1:09) before moving on to the ideal landing spots for 'the big three' of Chet Holmg...

While most people are looking ahead at the 2022 NBA Draft, The Unrestricted Area is looking back at a surprising 2021 draft class and its performance versus pre-draft expectations. To break down the action, Ray and Dylan are joined by Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. They discuss each of the following prospects: Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Green, Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kumi...

Ray is joined by basketball analytics pioneer Seth Partnow to discuss his new book, 'The Midrange Theory,' and related topics. These include what makes analytics abstract to some sports fans & professionals (4:02), how the concepts dissected in Seth's book apply to the NBA and most recent rule changes (13:56), and how NBA teams apply analytics (28:36). Follow Ray on Twitter @tic...

Defense is returning in a big way this NBA season and a new generation of star perimeter defenders is carving its path. To discuss this revelation, Ray is joined by Head Coach Adam Spinella of Boys' Latin School (MD) and 'The Box and One.' The tandem discusses six players: Luguentz Dort (3:58), Matisse Thybulle (5:50), Davion Mitchell (8:38), Gary Payton II (13:11) Devin Vassell (15...

Ray is joined by Head Coach Adam Spinella of Boys' Latin School (MD) and 'The Box and One' to discuss his recent piece entitled  If I Ran an NBA Scouting Department , which considers the intricacies of professional basketball scouting and a few rules of thumb to ensure a successful operation. Subscribe to Basketball Intelligence on Substuck: basketballintelligence.substack.com Follo...

The Athletic's John Hollinger joins Ray LeBov to look around the league and share some insight regarding the nuances of modern-day team-building. The conversation was sparked by a recent article published by Hollinger entitled In a suddenly win-now NBA, what happens later?    Subscribe to Basketball Intelligence on Substuck: basketballintelligence.substack.com Follow Ray on Twitter @ticketrul...