It's been a fun festive season, but not one without consequences – and no, I'm not talking about LeBron's weird Spider-Man meme. Lukas and Marco join each other remotely as both have been struck down by the Wiggins Flu aka the coronavirus. Lukas talks us through the Wizards' recent resurgence to form, we celebrate Josh Giddey's first career triple double and Marco discusses the path of MVP-calibre form DeMar DeRozan, LeBron James and Joel Embiid are finding themselves in.

Christmas has come and gone, and so has another year of underwhelming Christmas games. Marco and Lukas talk through 2021's festive matchups, reminisce on Ghosts of Games Past and ask whether we still need the Christmas Day NBA games. Then: half the league is out with coronavirus and the quality and personnel on the court are getting worse by the day (unless you're Orlando). Should Adam Silver do the unthinkable and postpone the league? We also chat what makes a classic team (barring title winners and supersquads) and what to expect during Kyrie Irving's first game (and post-game interview) back!

After last week's bumper ep the boys are a bit tired – but are still on the mic's to casually run you through the week's news. Steph Curry puts Ray Allen's career three-point record to bed; Marco and Lukas discuss his achievement and legacy. Kyrie Irving, hilariously, has gone into COVID protocols just hours after his return to the Nets was announced. And Isaiah Thomas has shown some flashes at the beginning of his 10-day-contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. Also: JiDion meets DeMarcus Cousins, Fred Vanvleet starts some point guard beef and LeBron is surprised by a fact on Twitter.

It's that time of year again: twentyish games into the 2021-22 NBA season and the identities of teams across the league are starting to form. Some are struggling for wins as they push for the playoffs, some are breezing towards contention and some are hitting the big red "HARD RESET" button a few months too late. Marco and Lukas take you through their picks for this season's contenders, pretenders, emerging, rebuilding and limbo teams – plus a special new category for one other.

It's a VC sorta episode as the boys talk you through some of the latest news in the NBA on a balmy Melbourne evening. John Wall wants to hit the court for Houston, but isn't happy with the bench role offered to him by management. DeMarcus Cousins is joining the Milwaukee Bucks to fill in for the injured Brook Lopez, but is he more than just a body on the floor? Kemba Walker has been demoted from the Knicks rotation entirely by Tom Thibodeau. And Lukas beats the traffic.

If there's one thing we love more than basketball over at the JVG NBA Tribute Show, it's fighting on a basketball court. Marco and Lukas break down the LeBron James and Isaiah Stewart showdown in the Lakers-Pistons game, talk about the good and the bad of officiating and broadcasting so far this season and finally answer a mailbag question about the best roleplayers and most stacked rosters of recent memory.

Newly-christened NBA fan Chiara joins the pod with a fresh perspective on the good (and the bad) of the individual-driven league. She discusses with Lukas and Marco whether to discuss the Knicks or the Heat, the best and worst fits and fashion around the league ,and the Derrick Rose situation and the NBA's propensity for sweeping controversy under the rug. Also the boys recap the first Wizards-Pels matchup of the season.

It's a very specially-numbered episode this week, and to mark the occasion some 7-foot-tall MVP candidates are throwing hands! Lukas and Marco revel in Nikola Jokic's retaliation on Markieff Morris and Joel Embiid's swing-and-a-miss on Lonzo Ball. The Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt a 72 offsuit in terms of roster chemistry, but they've put together one of the most disruptive defences in the league and an absolute matchup nightmare. Then we go back: which players were at their peak when they played with LeBron James, and Lukas re-evaluates the strange draft class of 2010.

In-person pods are back baby! Lukas and Marco share both a room for the first time since Lonzo Ball and Steven Adams were Pelicans and their early thoughts on the nascent 2021-22 NBA season. The Miami Heat are the best team in the league, the Golden State Warriors have got it together, Ja Morant is powering the Memphis Grizzlies to success and Lukas's Wizards aren't too shabby neither. Meanwhile, the chemistry on the Lakers is all off, Russell Westbrook isn't conducive to winning basketball games and the New Orleans Pelicans are in the worst shape of anyone in the NBA.

Angus Ryan aka the other Ryan aka Goomaster 6000 joins the show to serve up some of his signature hot takes and immediate reactions to the nascent 2021-22 NBA season. Press play to find out who's going to be the MVP based on two games of play, who's paying child support and what the hell Kelly Oubre could possibly win. Also: we celebrate Lukas's second JVG birthday!