Good Word with Goodwill

Vincent Goodwill and Isis "Ice" Young discuss the turmoil surrounding Joel Embiid and the 76ers, the Celtics beating the Cavaliers and the biggest disappointments (so far) of the NBA season.

(02:05) - Turmoil with Joel Embiid & the 76ers

(18:50) - Revisiting the Haliburton/Sabonis trade

(24:00) - Biggest disappointments: Zion Williamson

(31:00) - Biggest disappointments: Luka Doncic

(36:10) - Celtics end Cavaliers' winning streak

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Isis "Ice" Young to talk about some of the biggest disappointments in the league so far this season.

They start in Philadelphia, where the 76ers blew a huge lead to the Heat before having a team meeting where Tyrese Maxey called out Joel Embiid for a lack of professionalism. Is Embiid upset about something else? Why didn't Nick Nurse or Daryl Morey get involved?

Speaking of disappointments, Tyrese Haliburton has been struggling with the Indiana Pacers this year. Vinnie talks about an injury Haliburton picked up when playing for Team USA in the Olympics before revisiting the trade that sent Haliburton to Indiana in exchange for Domantas Sabonis. Are we sure the Pacers won that trade?

Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic are two players that faced big expectations this season and, so far, neither one is living up to the hype. For Zion, the issue is staying healthy and staying in shape. For Luka, the issue has been a lack of effort and focus during games.

Finally, Vinnie recaps the Celtics' thrilling 120-117 win over the previously undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers and explains why the Cavs should still be excited about how they're playing. Also, maybe we should be making plans to be back in Boston for the Finals this year.

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Vincent Goodwill and ESPN's Chris Herring go through the biggest surprises in the NBA about one month into the season. Can anyone catch Jokic for MVP? Is it time for the Bucks to trade Giannis? Are the Cavaliers really this good?

(02:45) - The 15-0 Cleveland Cavaliers
(13:25) - Can anyone catch Jokic for MVP?
(22:55) - The suddenly competent Detroit Pistons
(30:30) - Is it time for the Bucks to trade Giannis?
(45:00) - The upstart Houston Rockets

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill podcast, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by ESPN senior writer Chris Herring to go through their biggest surprises a month into the 2024-25 NBA season.

Chris and Vinnie start in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are off to a blazing 15-0 start and look the part as one of the Eastern Conference's best teams. Is it sustainable? Is it all the new head coach? How has Donovan Mitchell's role changed?

After wondering if Donovan Mitchell will get MVP votes, the guys dig through the outrageous numbers Nikola Jokic is putting up for the Denver Nuggets and declare Jokic the MVP until further notice. Vinnie goes into the crates to try and figure out if anyone has had a better 5-year stretch than what Jokic is doing right now.

Vinnie talks about the Detroit Pistons, who are significantly better than they were last season with mostly the same roster, and asks Chris to check him if his Detroit bias is out of control.

Later, the guys talk about the Milwaukee Bucks, who look lost and have no real way to improve their franchise outside of trading one of the two superstars on the roster. Is it time for the Bucks to consider trading Giannis? If so, where would he even go?

Vinnie has an idea for a Giannis trade destination, and it's the #3 team in the Western Conference. Look out for the Houston Rockets, who are loaded with talent and playing hard for head coach Ime Udoka.

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Vincent Goodwill is joined by Jason Goff for a fun conversation about Klay Thompson's return to the Chase Center, making NBA regular season games special and Bronny James skipping road games in the G League.

(05:10) - Steph Curry spoils Klay's return to GSW

(25:20) - Emirates NBA Cup night 1 reaction

(32:20) - Can the NBA get fans to care about regular season games?

(43:45) - Bronny James to skip G League road games

(49:55) - Will the Chicago Bulls finally tank?

(56:45) - Which cities would embrace Cooper Flagg?

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Jason Goff from Chicago Sports Network and The Ringer to react to a fun night 1 of the NBA Cup.

The guys start by talking about the Golden State Warriors' classy handling of Klay Thompson's return to the Chase Center before diving into the competitive way that Steph Curry went after his former teammate and stole the show in a Warriors' win.

Then, after discussing the way the Miami Heat botched the end of their game against the Detroit Pistons, Vinnie and Jason wonder how the NBA can get away from the highlight and drama culture surrounding the league to make fans care more about the regular season games.

During the recording, news broke that Bronny James wouldn't be playing road games for the Los Angeles Lakers G League affiliate, raising new questions about his preferential treatment and whether this is as good a situation for him as it is for his father, LeBron James Sr.

Vinnie finds time to ask Jason about the team he covers, the Chicago Bulls, and whether this is finally the year they go all-in on tanking to preserve their top-10 protected 1st round pick. This leads to a conversation about which cities would embrace Cooper Flagg as the face of their NBA team.

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Vincent Goodwill and Isis "Ice" Young discuss Joel Embiid's suspension and how the Nuggets can survive without Aaron Gordon before combing through the 2019 NBA Draft class.

(02:00) - NBA suspends Joel Embiid for 3 games
(10:05) - Anthony Davis questionable (heel injury)
(14:00) - Aaron Gordon to miss multiple weeks (calf injury)
(17:30) - Zion Williamson
(23:00) - Ja Morant
(26:30) - RJ Barrett
(29:30) - Darius Garland
(31:30) - The Last Word: Draymond vs. Jordan Poole

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Isis "Ice" Young to discuss everything that's going on in the early part of the 2024-25 NBA season.

Vinnie and Ice start with the NBA suspending Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for shoving a reporter in the locker room. Ice talks about the lines that were crossed and Vinnie explains why the reporter might've felt comfortable mentioning Embiid's family in his article before pointing out that the star player will make his season debut during the opening game of the NBA Cup.

Anthony Davis is dealing with an injury of his own, but Vinnie explains why he doesn't expect Davis to miss any time while Ice points out that the Lakers have become reliant on their big man and need him to stay healthy.

Speaking of, the Nuggets will be without Aaron Gordon for a few weeks due to a calf injury. Vinnie says why calf injuries in NBA players make him nervous before explaining why he thinks Gordon is the 2nd most important player on the Nuggets.

Vince and Ice then turn their attention to the 2014 NBA Draft class, which seems to be finding its footing in the NBA. Whether it's maturity (Ja Morant), opportunity (RJ Barrett) or simply health luck (Darius Garland), everyone seems to be finding success this season...except for Zion Williamson, whose struggles to stay healthy make Vinnie and Ice wonder how long his NBA career will be.

Finally, Draymond Green shared some funny (and cute) moments on the court against his former teammate Jordan Poole, leading us to wonder if he has finally matured enough to avoid causing the Warriors any issues with his behavior.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Vincent Goodwill is joined by Amin Elhassan for a conversation about Joel Embiid shoving a reporter, where the Spurs go after Gregg Popovich and what has gotten into the red got Cavaliers.

(01:10) - Joel Embiid shoves reporter, NBA investigating

(19:55) - Spurs' Gregg Popovich out indefinitely following health scare

(28:00) - Are the Cavaliers party-crashers in the East?

(34:30) - Are the Giannis trade rumors for real?

(38:30) - Grant Williams ejected after tackling Jayson Tatum

(43:00) - How long will Embiid be suspended?

(47:45) - The Last Word: The crumbling relationship between players and media

On this episode of The Good Word with Goodwill, former NBA front office member Amin Elhassan joins Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill to discuss Joel Embiid shoving a reporter in the 76ers locker room and the possible fallout of that situation.

This morning, it was announced that Gregg Popovich is out indefinitely following a health incident. At 75 years old, it's hard to imagine him as the Spurs' head coach for much longer. Has San Antonio missed the window to set up succession after Pop?

Vinnie and Amin address if the Giannis trade rumors are real or if rival GMs are dirtying the waters in Milwaukee before talking about Grant Williams picking up a flagrant 2 against former teammate Jayson Tatum.

Finally, after talking about what the Joel Embiid suspension might be (and wondering if Joe Mazzulla deserves one, as well), the guys spend a long time talking about a changing media landscape and the effect it is having on the relationship between players and the media.

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Vincent Goodwill and Isis "Ice" Young list off the best NBA players under 28 years old and then address why fights in the NBA are not as frequent, or as violent, as they used to be.

(01:50) - Chet Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama

(08:35) - Luka Doncic vs. Anthony Edwards

(18:15) - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

(21:20) - Jayson Tatum

(25:40) - Paolo Banchero

(29:30) - Tyrese Haliburton & Tyrese Maxey

(38:10) - Who is the best player under 28 years old?

(38:45) - The Last Word: Mazzulla wants to fight

On this episode of The Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Isis "Ice" Young to talk about the best players in the NBA under 28 years old.

They start off with tonight's matchup between the Spurs and Thunder, headlined by Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. How has Chet grown his game? Is Wemby already the favorite for DPOY?

Vinnie and Ice then recap last night's Mavericks win over the Timberwolves, highlighted by big performances from Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards.

They go through five more names of under-28 stars around the league before talking about fights in the NBA, which Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla would like to see more of.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Vincent Goodwill is joined by one of the newest members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, J.A. Adande, to overreact to the first week of the NBA regular season.

(00:00) - J.A. Adande's Hall of Fame induction
(11:40) - Who is on the Lakers' Mount Rushmore?
(17:35) - Did JJ Redick fix the Lakers?
(24:35) - Have the Clippers finally escaped the Lakers' shadow?
(31:00) - Can any team stop the Celtics?
(33:20) - Can any team in the West stop the Thunder?
(39:15) - Are the Warriors contenders again?
(43:40) - Is 3-pt shooting ruining basketball?

On this episode of The Good Word with Goodwill, legendary basketball journalist and columnist J.A. Adande joins the show and tells us about his weekend, where he was honored with the Curt Gowdy Print Media Award and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

After that, Vinnie hits J.A. with some overreactions to the first week of the NBA regular season to find out which ones are real and which ones are foolish. First up, the guys talk about J.A.'s Lakers team. They discuss LeBron James' place in Lakers history before deciding if JJ Redick has fixed all of the team's issues from last season.

The guys stay in L.A., talking about "The Wall" at the Los Angeles Clippers' new arena and wondering if moving to Inglewood might finally get the Clippers out of the Lakers' shadow.

Vinnie wonders if any team can beat the Boston Celtics besides themselves while J.A. Adande gets so excited about the Oklahoma City Thunder that he reveals his NBA Finals prediction.

After talking about the Warriors' chances of contention this season, the guys talk about the evolution of the NBA and how prevalent 3-point shooting is becoming. 

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Vincent Goodwill is joined by best-selling author Mirin Fader, who recently published a biography of Hakeem Olajuwon, to talk about Hakeem's legacy and some of the most intriguing NBA storylines heading into the season.

(01:30) - Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon

(20:30) - Revisiting the 1984 NBA Draft

(30:50) - Jalen Brunson & the New York Knicks

(33:30) - Is Anthony Edwards ready to be the face of the NBA?

(36:00) - Did the championship window close on the Denver Nuggets?

(38:00) - How did Hakeem end up in Houston?

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by best-selling author Mirin Fader to talk about her latest book, Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon.

Vinnie and Mirin talk about Hakeem blazing a trail that has since led guys like Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo to find their way into the top tier of NBA players. They also discuss the blatant racism that Olajuwon faced when he first got to Houston and wonder if things have gotten any better for young players coming to America from Africa.

Vince points out that Hakeem is a connector to NBA history. He played against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Outside of Wild Chamberlain and Bill Russell, Olajuwon played against almost every great center that has ever played in the NBA.

Mirin revisits the 1984 NBA Draft, where Hakeem was picked #1 by the Houston Rockets before the Chicago Bulls selected Michael Jordan with the 3rd overall pick, to talk about all of the potential trades that were up in the air that night and all of the league-altering outcomes that were narrowly avoided.

Later, Vincent and Mirin talk about the stories they find most intriguing in the NBA heading into the 2024-25 regular season. For Mirin, she is fascinated by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and can't wait to watch him take another leap this year. For Vinnie, he's worried that Anthony Edwards is facing the same challenges that failed Ja Morant three years ago.

The two of them finish the podcast on the Denver Nuggets, who are locked into a core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. for the foreseeable future. A little over a year removed from winning the championship, has their window already closed? And has any team been hurt more by the new CBA?

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Vincent Goodwill and Bomani Jones continue their conversation from last week, discussing the biggest NBA storylines heading into the start of the 2024-25 regular season.

(05:15) - Are the 76ers or Knicks bigger threats to the Celtics?
(11:05) - Who is the best player in the Eastern Conference?
(18:55) - Can the Boston Celtics repeat?
(23:00) - Can the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs?
(34:30) - Does Bronny James belong in the NBA?
(38:40) - Is parity good for the NBA?
(46:05) - Preseason predictions for MVP & NBA champion

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Bomani Jones to continue the conversation they were having about the NBA last week.

The guys start with the champion Boston Celtics. With the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers making major changes to their rosters to try and catch Boston, which one is the bigger threat to win the Eastern Conference this year?

Who is the best player in the Eastern Conference? Are we sure it's not Jayson Tatum? And, if it's not, why isn't it Jayson Tatum after he cemented himself as the best player on the best team in the league? Whether or not the Celtics can repeat might end up determining how we think of Tatum for the rest of his career.

Switching over to the Western Conference, are the Los Angeles Lakers good enough to make the playoffs? They have talent, but they might not have enough to compete in one of the deepest conferences in NBA history. And adding Bronny James to theoretically play real minutes during his rookie season shows that their priorities might not be in order.

Finally, before we let Bomani go, Vinnie was wondering how Adam Silver's push towards more parity in the NBA sits with someone who has watched the NBA closely for decades. Also, since we have him, we asked Bo to give us his predictions for MVP, NBA champion and Finals matchup for the upcoming season.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Vincent Goodwill and Isis "Ice" Young discuss the 76ers' injury issues, Lonzo Ball's long-awaited return, WNBA Finals thoughts and a lot more!

(01:15) - Can Paul George carry the 76ers?

(12:05) - Lonzo Ball's long-awaited return to the NBA

(21:00) - WNBA Finals: Liberty & Lynx tied 1-1

(28:15) - Which NBA team will jump into the playoffs this year?

(36:25) - Which NBA coaches are already on the hot seat?

(40:20) - Capture the Flagg: Who is tanking for the #1 pick?

On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Vincent Goodwill and Isis "Ice" Young get caught up on the WNBA Finals and the NBA's preseason.

They start with the Philadelphia 76ers, who found out that Paul George's knee injury is a bone bruise and announced that Joel Embiid wouldn't be playing until the start of the regular season. More importantly, Embiid told a reporter that he likely won't play back-to-back games for the rest of his career. Vince and Ice have thoughts on big men who don't play every game.

Lonzo Ball is slated to be on an NBA court tonight for the Chicago Bulls, almost three years and three knee surgeries removed from the last time he played. Ice has been through similar knee injuries, and she talks about the mental part of recovery.

Game 3 of the WNBA Finals is tonight in Minnesota, and Ice still likes her pick of the Lynx to win it all in 5 games....or maybe even 4? Find out why she still thinks the Liberty can't keep up with the Lynx, even after their impressive game 2 victory.

When discussing which NBA team could jump from outside the playoffs into title contention, both Vinnie and Ice focused on the Memphis Grizzlies. If they can stay healthy, and if Zach Edey is the player they think he can be, this team could be really good right away.

Finally, Vinnie and Ice break down the NBA coaches starting the season on the hot seat before wondering which teams will have the most success tanking their way to the #1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, where Cooper Flagg remains the biggest prize.

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts