Usually the weeks between the All-Star break and the final mad scramble for the play-offs are some of basketball's most boring – not this year! Marco and Lukas break down the game between the two leading MVP candidates, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, in their first head-to-head matchup in three years. Then, KAT and Kyrie Irving drop back-to-back 60 point games, firmly on each side of vaccine and COVID. And finally, Draymon Green's return to the Warriors boosts Steph Curry to a 46 point effort on his 34th birthday – just how much better does Draymond make this side?

The dust has settled on the WNBA off-season and Marco and Lukas go through the moves, signings and retentions of their Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm. The Storm are bringing back the Big Three for one last championship tilt, the Aces are lacking in the centre department and Liz Cambage's departure has again raised the issue of the abysmally low salary cap. Then, the boys move on to their favourite topics: the Brooklyn Nets, LeBron James, the Washington Wizards and Zion Williamson – but this time they can only talk about each topic for three minutes tops! Live studio audience member Sean Carroll rounds off the conversation with a quick bit of Seamesque trivia.

Real NBA basketball is back and Marco and Lukas shape up a couple of things they've been thinking about over the All-Star break. The Boston Celtics are on a great run of form and making a serious play-off push, but is it sustainable? James Harden and Joel Embiid are looking unstoppable in Philadelphia and they've barely played two games together. In two very different situations two big-name players are pushing for a trade: could entering the post-LeBron era be best for the Lakers, and what do the Pelicans look like if Zion Williamson calls it way-too-early quits? And finally, are New York's woes perhaps outside of Tom Thibaodeau's control? Also, why don't people use their car horns these days???

The travesty that is the NBA All-Star Weekend is behind us, and apart from the odd moment (Curry hitting 16 threes, anything Evan Mobley) it was another bust. The boys talk through the weekend's proceedings, what it feels like to have a favourite player traded at the deadline, the new Zo and G Honcho joint, and finally who looks likely to come out of each conference after the shakeup of the trade deadline.

The JVG boys smash the glass ceiling again, this time by having their first Denver Nuggets fan on the show. Janaya talks through the season so far, what the team looks like when Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr return, if Nikola Jokic is having another MVP season and whether Denver should've pulled the trigger at the deadline. Then, a bit late, we get to the biggest trade before the deadline. What do the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers look like when their new acquistions finally suit up? And finally, Lukas's Wizards have traded for Kristaps Porzingis, an accused rapist previously sheltered in one of the most toxic and misogynistic franchises in the league: why does this guy still have a job?

Marco, although undefeated by covid, is back in isolation so it's another Zoom episode for the boys. They go through their favourite AI Narrative Devices before discussing the All-Star reserve selections, Caris LeVert's trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the move that sent Norman Powell and Robert Covington to the Los Angeles Clippers for a bag of peanuts and a second-round pick.

JVG's favourite older brothers Jimmy and Angus join the show once again for an unhinged 80+ minutes. First on the chopping block is Andrew Wiggins' All-Star starting appearance before the crew pivot to trades Jimmy's New York Knicks and Angus's Minnesota Timberwolves could make before the deadline. Domantis Sabonis in New York? Myles Turner next to KAT? Dejounte Murray? Brandon Ingram? Russell Westbrook???

It's that time of year where the streets of Melbourne fill with the exasperated grunts of tennis players and the racist groans of Fairfax columnists. Lukas and Marco celebrate pod idol Nick Kyrgios, dissect the latest "thinkpiece" moaning about his "antics" and pat themselves on the back for cancelling Novak Djokovic over his donkey milk monopoly a year ago. Then, after Grayson Allen's awful foul on Alex Caruso, should he even be in the league? Plus: Bryn Forbes join the Nuggs and Marco suggests another trade to Lukas.

With the Lakers barely floating at .500 and looking in big doo-doo for the 2021-22 NBA season, the JVG NBA Tribute Show's equal-most featured guest and Lakers tragic Darrel Osir joins the pod once again. He and the boys discuss: the good, the bad and the mostly bad of the season so far; how to navigate away from the Russell Westbrook problem; and what pre-deadline trades would bring the Lakeshow some respite. Of course in classic Darrel style the conversation rollicks across the Wizards' recent success, former Lakers around the league and the mean-muggin' Memphis Grizzlies.

Two very Special Ks returned to the NBA this week (perhaps one more special than the other): Klay Thompson returned to the Warriors after almost 1000 days off injured and Kyrie Irving featured for the Nets after sulking about a widdle needle for the last few months. Lukas and Marco discuss how they looked on their returns and what it means for the two contenders going forward. Then: the Kings are willing to trade both De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton but do either (or both) move the needle for a contender? Lukas does his best Thinking Basketball impression to talk us through the Hornets' stinging zone defence. And after Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro combined for 60 off the bench for the Heat against the Phoenix Suns, could their best roles be as tandem Sixth and Seventh Men?

We still have plenty (but they're going fast!) official JVG NBA Tribute Show x R.SPORTS hats for sale! DM us on Instagram @jvgnbatributeshow and we'll happily drop one off for you.