Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open by discussing the excellent feedback for Michael's SI Daily Cover story about Spurs guard Dejounte Murray. Then, they make a major show announcement: Ben will be stepping down on May 17 after a five-year run as co-host of "Open Floor." From there, Ben and Michael look ahead to the upcoming 2021 NBA playoffs by ranking which star players are facing the most pressure. Does any player need to win a title more than James Harden? Can Giannis Antetokounmpo's reputation survive another early exit? How far do the 76ers need to advance before Joel Embiid starts to be labeled as a postseason underachiever? What has Kawhi Leonard done for us lately? Are Rudy Gobert and the Utah Jazz about to run head first into a referendum? 

Note: Ben will continue podcasting about the NBA. For more information, visit www.greatestofalltalk.com. For comments, questions and concerns about Ben's departure, please email [email protected]. More details about what's next for Open Floor will be released next week.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open by discussing Luka Doncic's attempted low blow on Collin Sexton. Is Doncic's temper becoming a problem and does an unsportsmanlike act like that change how we should view a player? Then, a discussion of Pelicans executive David Griffin's rigorous defense of Zion Williamson after the second-year star broke his finger. Were the NBA's referees really to blame for the injury and did Griffin deserve to be fined? From there, the guys preview Michael's piece on Spurs guard Dejounte Murray and then dig into responses to their All-NBA debates from last week. Was Russell Westbrook snubbed? Should Ben be judged for listing Joel Embiid at forward? Is Michael a LeBron James hater?

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina turn their attention to the 2021 All-NBA selections. How do the NBA's positional designations impact this year's teams? Is it okay to treat Joel Embiid as a forward rather than a center if the NBA allows it? Is Embiid deserving of a first team spot because he's been a top-five player this season? How many players are no-brainers for the first team? Is Damian Lillard or Luka Doncic more deserving? Has Ben come around on Stephen Curry and has Michael changed his mind on Chris Paul? How should voters handle players like LeBron James, James Harden, Kevin Durant and others who have missed extended stretches of the season? Is it okay to snub LeBron entirely? Does Zion Williamson or Julius Randle deserve to make it? Both? Neither? Who are this year's biggest snubs? Should the NBA do away with positional designations for All-NBA? 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina pick up the pieces from a wild weekend of basketball to discuss the crumbling Los Angeles Lakers, the streaking Denver Nuggets, and the exciting duel between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. What's wrong with Anthony Davis? Did LeBron James return too quickly? Does Andre Drummond even fit? Should Nikola Jokic be viewed as the best player in basketball, not just this year's MVP? Can Giannis Antetokounmpo sustain his monster 49-point effort against Brooklyn across an entire playoff series or will the Nets adjust their defensive approach to stopping him? Would James Harden have made a difference on Sunday? At the end, Michael helps Ben preview his first book, "Bubbleball," which releases on Tuesday. How will the bubble be remembered? What was Ben's writing process like? What are the worst questions he's gotten during promo interviews?  

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina break out their crystal balls in an attempt to handicap the 2026 NBA MVP race. What will the NBA look like in five years? Which types of players will have the inside track on the league's most coveted award? Will any players who are currently 30 or older be in the mix? Will playmaking forwards still dominate the discussion. Once they've set the parameters, Ben and Michael break out their top five lists. Luka Doncic or Zion Williamson? Where should Anthony Davis rank? Do any current rookies like LaMelo Ball or incoming 2022 rookies like Cade Cunningham crack the top five? Can Bam Adebayo be the next Kevin Garnett? Can Ja Morant be the next Derrick Rose? Should Michael Porter Jr. be included among the dark horse contenders?

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina search for silver linings during the NBA's pandemic season by highlighting two interesting awards races: Coach of the Year and Most Improved Player. Which criteria should matter more in Coach of the Year: results or overachievement? Will Utah's Quin Snyder and Phoenix's Monty Williams be held back by skepticism about their teams' playoff capabilities? Will Tom Thibodeau carry the day thanks to big-market bias? Does Steve Nash have a case? What about Doc Rivers or Nate McMillan? Who is the League Pass Alert Coach of the Year aka the underrated coach who doesn't get enough attention? Is MIP going to Julius Randle no matter what? Do Zion Williamson and Michael Porter Jr. have cases despite their relative youth? And is Michael crazy for suggesting Joel Embiid deserves a look? 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina open with a rundown of the NBA community's response to the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Was this "justice" for George Floyd? What role did current and former NBA players play in ensuring that this prosecution took place? Did the league and its teams strike the right notes in their statements and what were the Oakland Raiders thinking? From there, Ben and Michael shift to a discussion of teams hitting newfound turbulence. Will the Hawks fall into the East's play-in round after Trae Young's ankle injury? Are the Blazers doomed to be passed by the Mavericks and lose control of the coveted sixth seed? The guys wrap with Open Floor Globe suggestions for the NBA Clone Wars, the power of positive reinforcement in coaching players, and our habits towards the referees in pick-up games. 

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina reflect on Stephen Curry's torrid April by taking a fresh look at the Golden State Warriors guard's place in the MVP, All-NBA and "Best Player Alive" conversations. Then, they shift gears to imagine a world with NBA clones. Could 5 LeBrons beat 5 Durants or 5 Kawhis? Would 5 Zions beat 5 Stephs? What's the ideal combination of clones to form a superteam: 1 LeBron, 2 Durants, 1 Steph and 1 Anthony Davis? Would a Zion/Zion pick-and-roll combination be unstoppable? How do Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and James Harden factor into this conversation? At the end: Playing matchmaker in the Eastern Conference playoff field. Which play-in candidates should the favorites root for as first-round opponents and which teams are looming as potential spoilers? Can Miami climb out of the play-in round? Will Washington sneak in to make things interesting?

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina gather themselves during a storm of NBA news to discuss LaMarcus Aldridge's sudden retirement due to an irregular heartbeat. How will Aldridge be remembered? How will the Nets adjust without him? From there, Michael presents his research findings on Joel Embiid's incredible shooting numbers. Which factors are driving Embiid's shooting and can they be trusted in the playoffs? Will the new-and-improved Embiid be able to win the match-up game in a way that he wasn't able to in postseasons past? Then, the guys discuss whether James Wiseman's injury clarified the Golden State Warriors' goals in the short-term. Can they transform into the Stephen Curry Show as they eye the play-in tournament and are they a sneaky threat if they claim the 8th seed? The episode closes with Ben trying to get Michael to admit that he secretly loves Luka Magic after the Dallas Mavericks' miraculous last-second win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ben Golliver and Michael Pina catch their breath during the dog days of the NBA's regular season to look ahead to the 2021 NBA playoffs. Which players are looming as X-factors in the title chase? Can LaMarcus Aldridge hold up against big centers or will size be the Nets' undoing? Is Bojan Bogdanovic the key to a properly-balanced offense for the Jazz? Can Aaron Gordon transform the Nuggets from very good to great? How heavy will Donte DiVincenzo's load be in Milwaukee's new backcourt? Can Rajon Rondo step forward for the Clippers in ways that Patrick Beverley and Reggie Jackson can't? Is Deandre Ayton ready for primetime? Will Tobias Harris finally show up? Why has less Kemba Walker been more for the Boston Celtics and should that continue? Can the Hawks win a first round series if Bogdan Bogdanovic shows up big?  

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy