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Coach Nick and Combo are back on a Monday live show to talk Cade Cunningham’s leap into the MVP conversation and whether the Pistons’ hot start is actually sustainable or just a friendly schedule bump. They dig into Cade’s finishing at the rim, his improved drive numbers, how Duren fits next to him, what happens when Jaden Ivey returns, and whether Detroit is really just one Lauri Markkanen type move away from becoming an Eastern Conference Finals regular.

From there, the guys pivot to the chaos in Dallas, wondering how badly the Mavs butchered their franchise by moving on from Luka, why the roster around Cooper is such a mess, and whether it is already time to tear it down and rebuild. They also break down OKC’s suffocating defense, Mitchell’s under-the-radar impact, Reed Sheppard’s wild shooting start, Rockets intrigue, and what is really going on with Russell Westbrook and Zach LaVine’s value on winning teams.

To close, Coach Nick and Combo debate which legend can get closest to his prime in the playoffs between Steph, KD, and LeBron, then wade into a spicy LeBron theory around his absence and whether the Lakers are actually better without him. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories from Coach Nick’s House of Highlights Fan vs Hater James Harden debate, fan recognition in random lobbies and Chipotle lines, and Combo popping up in national commercials.

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Coach Nick and Combo kick off the week with a fast look at why Chicago opened hot, what the schedule says about how real it is, and which tweaks are driving the pace and screening volume. Then it is a Knicks vibes check featuring Brunson’s usage, KAT’s role confusion, and whether the defense can hold up. We break down Miami’s new motion and double gap concepts with Bam as the hub, and ask what happens when a team almost never calls ball screens. Josh Giddey’s early three point spike, Amen vs Cooper at point guard, and a quick word on why modern officiating finally matches the rulebook all make the rundown. Drop your questions in Super Chat and come hang for the next Playback watch party.

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Coach Nick and Combo go deep on a wild NBA week: the Giannis “travel” discourse and how gather rules really work, whether SGA is a true point guard or a scoring guard, and why LaMelo Ball’s film says more about Charlotte’s stagnant offense than it does about his talent. They hit Austin Reaves’ handle and whistle, Rockets double-bigs and spacing, KD’s workload, the refs’ impossible sprinting angles, Kuminga’s encouraging evolution, and Harden’s lasting impact on skill development.

Chapters

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Coach Nick and Combo jump on for an emergency live show after a gambling scandal detonates across the league. We break down what the FBI says is a years-long illegal betting and rigged high-stakes poker operation involving current and former NBA players and coaches — including Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier, and Damon Jones — plus alleged ties to multiple organized crime families and millions skimmed with tech like marked cards, x-ray poker tables, and tampered shufflers. AP News

We go through how the feds say it worked: insider injury info, prop bet manipulation (like leaving a game early to cash the “unders”), and why even role players and assistants can move lines in today’s gambling economy. The FBI’s indictments span 30+ people in 11 states, and the NBA has already put Billups and Rozier on leave while calling it “deeply disturbing” and an integrity crisis.

From there we zoom out:

Is legal sports betting and nonstop prop action creating the perfect environment for this kind of corruption, or was this always happening and we’re just finally seeing it? opb

How bad could this get for the league if it reaches into locker rooms, training staffs, even rotations?

Could fans start treating the NBA more like “sports entertainment” than pure competition?

Then we pivot to hoop: Victor Wembanyama just cooked Anthony Davis and Derek Lively, hitting pull-ups, going coast to coast, erasing shots, and turning defenders into “French Toast” and “French Fried.” We talk about how soon teams are going to have to junk their normal coverages and start throwing gimmick defenses at him, whether San Antonio is way ahead of schedule, and if Wemby is already creeping into real MVP talk.

We close with Lonzo Ball’s lasting influence on pace, outlet passing, and early offense, plus where Spurs guard/wing talent like Castle, Harper, and Vassell fits around Wemby going forward.

It’s chaos, it’s basketball, it’s the integrity of the league on one side and the rise of a potential GOAT on the other — and yes, we’re watching the Lakers too, because if the FBI is naming specific teams in the indictments, this may just be the start.

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Download PrizePicks and use code CLNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. PrizePicks is the best way to play daily fantasy across tons of sports, and it’s the only app with Stacks—pick the same player up to three times (think passes, yards, fantasy score for one QB… or Steph on opening night 👀). Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS

Steph Curry’s suddenly getting to the line—what changed? Combo and Coach Nick debate the “new whistle,” break down Cooper Flagg comps (KG vibes? Bird feel?), celebrate Lonzo Ball’s preseason dime factory, kick around Wemby’s scary two-way leap (early GOAT chatter?), and react to Russell Westbrook to the Kings—fit, role, and why Denver never made sense. Plus: Warriors–Lakers foul chatter, SGA’s foul drawing vs. foul baiting, ref points of emphasis, and live show kinks on the new platform.

Chapters (add actual timestamps after upload):

PrizePicks read & tonight’s card

Steph’s FT surge

Cooper Flagg comp debate

Lonzo’s vision back on display

Russ to Kings: fit & risk

Warriors–Lakers whistles, SGA discourse

Wemby dominance & GOAT ceiling

Q&A + Super Chats

BBALLBREAKDOWN— It's Not A Channel, It's A Conversation.

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Coach Nick and Andrew “Combo” Salas break down preseason takeaways that actually matter. They dive into New York’s new handoff-heavy offense, why parking Jalen Brunson in the corner only works if the actions hit closer to the nail, and who should really be the high-post hub (hello, KAT). Then it’s Warriors talk with Al Horford’s pick-and-pop balance next to Draymond, Kuminga’s best usage in transition, and whether the vibes can stay clean. They hit the Lakers frontcourt with Ayton’s rim protection and lob finishing, what Austin Reaves brings as a secondary handler, and a sober look at Bronny’s development curve under extra pressure. Plus: practice vs. drills, Bobby Knight’s “freedom” paradox, and a quick nod to the upcoming Netflix “Starting Five” doc. Drop your questions on the YouTube side via Super Chat to get on the show next tim

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Coach Nick and Andrew “Combo” Salop kick off the 25–26 season live: the Jonathan Kuminga contract standoff, why his non-rim paint and rim finishing numbers clash with a bigger role, and whether a sign-and-trade (Suns/Kings?) makes sense. Then we dig into Mike Brown’s Knicks—Princeton touches, two-guard fronts, handoff chains, and how a real Brunson–KAT two-man game changes their ceiling. We react to ESPN’s Top 10 (Steph over LeBron, Wemby at 5), plus Michael Jordan to NBC and what he’ll actually bring on air. The Cade Cunningham debate returns: can you be Top 10 if you’re below-average at the rim? We also hit defensive “peel-to-corner” rotations, Horford’s fit, and why watch-party season is back.

Chapters

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Coach Nick is joined by Tommy Tempesta, a trainer with a deep knowledge of both biomechanics and skill development and someone who understands how to unlock the most potential from any athlete with some of the most cutting edge techniques and methods you'll see. This discussion into shooting will help your coaching both from a practical standpoint but also to grasp specific concepts that can lead you on your own journey to discover even more about the jump shot.

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Coach Nick and Combo discuss the on court issues that led to the shocking dismissal of the most successful Knicks coach in 20 years. There was a delicate mix of lineup balancing and clock management issues that ultimately led management to feel that Thibs wasn't the guy to get them all the way to a title.

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Coach Nick and Combo discuss the Game 7 between OKC and Denver, and how Jokic couldn't handle being guarded by the much smaller Alex Caruso.

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