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On today's episode of the Premium Hoops Podcast, Mark is joined by Mike Richman to discuss the Portland Trailblazers and Damian Lillard. Mike is the host of Locked on Blazers and covers the team for NBC Sports NorthWest. Major thanks to him for coming on to talk about Portland's offseason.

Discussed on the Pod:

First, diving into the Blazers' injury-riddled season and how it impacted their outlook. What could Portland have done with a fully healthy roster?

Then, discussing how the Blazers canb maximize Damian Lillard's prime. Dame put up gaudy numbers to drag Portland into the eighth-seed. While it's clear that the roster was banged up, Lillard needs more talent around him to blow open the contention window. Could the Blazers have done things differently this year in making that happen?

In looking at the youth on the roster, Gary Trent Jr. took the step that most expected Anfernee Simons to take this season. Where are both players at in their career's, roster spot, and marketability? Did the Blazers damn Simons?

The frontcourt was a mess this season. Jusuf Nurkic missed the majority of the ruglar season. Zach Collins played three games pre-hiatus. Also, Rodney Hood dealt with an Achilles injury that led to his season ending. This resulted in signing Carmelo Anthony and eventually trading for Trevor Ariza and Wenyen Gabriel.

Is Carmelo Anthony going to be on the team next year? Can a Collins/Nurkic frontcourt work long term?

Of course, discussing CJ McCollum's place on the team is a must. Is he the best fit next to Damian Lillard? Does it matter? Would the Blazers even consider moving him or SHOULD they?

Lastly, what is Portland's dream offseason? In honesty, a perfect offseason is almost impossible, but how can they maximize the roster around Damian Lillard? What is Portland's outlook headed into next season?

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

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Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's episode of the Premium Hoops podcast, Mark & Nate are joined by Brandon aka @AZSportsZone to discuss the Phoenix Suns.

After a promising regular season pre-hiatus, the Suns took the Orlando bubble by storm. However, the Suns 8-0 seeding game record was just shy of getting them into the playoffs. What's the next step for the Phoenix Suns?

Topics Discussed:

Devin Booker's growth and place in the league's top tierDeAndre Ayton's defensive improvementsDraft targets for PhoenixKelly Oubre on the outside looking in?Mikal Bridges burst the bubble with his length and flashed offensive upsideImproving the benchRicky Rubio's impact on the Suns and getting Devin Booker off-ballHow do the Suns handle Aron Baynes' impending free agencyand much more!

Major thanks to Brandon for joining, be sure to follow him and check out his work!

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

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Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's edition of the Premium Hoops podcast, Mark and Nate are joined by Harrison Wind of DNVR to discuss the future of the Denver Nuggets. After making theire first Western Conference Finals since 2009, the Nuggets have many question marks leading into next season. What will the Nuggets do regarding the free agency of Jerami Grant and Paul Millsap? How will Will Barton fit in after missing the Bubble? Can Murray and Jokic continue to build off this stretch of excellence?

First, breaking down the awesome run by Denver to reach the Conference Finals after going down 3-1 in the first round. The Nikola Jokic & Jamal Murray two man game reigned supreme. After falling to the Lakers, what's the next step for a team that doesn't skip them?

Will Barton missed the bubble due to injury, what's his role with Denver moving forward?

Down to the Utah Jazz, Gary Harris returned to bolster Denver's defense. However, he struggled offensively particularly against the Lakers. This highlights a steep drop in his offensive ability over the past few years. Will the Nuggets look to move on from Harris, or move forward with him?

In the frontcourt, Jerami Grant solidified his ability as a do it all defender and floor spacer. He's going to be one of the top free agents this off-season; the Nuggets are going to have to pay up. Michael Porter Jr. impressed in the playoffs anbd played through rookie mistakes. His impending stardom is undeniable. Paul Millsap, the veteran presence in Denver, saw a drop in play during the bubble. How will the Denver Nuggets look to address Millsap's future with the team?

We also discuss ultimate long boy, Bol Bol and much more!

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

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Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's edition of the Premium Hoops pod, Mark is joined by Robert Flom of 213 Hoops. The Clippers suffered a disappointing second-round exit to the Denver Nuggets; what's next?

To start off, Rob and Mark discuss initial expectations for the Clippers season and where there were hiccups. There were many roster decisions that impacted the postseason and ups and downs throughout the year. Did Doc Rivers deserve to be fired and where should blame of the season go?

Also, diving into the play of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the playoffs. Why is Paul George receiving so much of the blame? Is it deserved?

With free agency right around the corner, what decsions and options do the Clippers face? Should they re-sign Montrezl Harrell?

This kicks off Premium Hoops' offseason reviews! More will be coming in the next few weeks! For now, enjoy the first review on the Clippers!

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

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Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

Game one of the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat is tonight! To kick off finals coverage, Nate and Mark are joined by Jabari Davis of Dunks& Discourse to break down the series.

First, we start up by talking about the Clippers' dismissal of Doc Rivers. Was this a failure by Doc, roster building, team chemistry, or a mix? We debate whether or not Rivers deserved to be axed.

Next, we dive full on into the NBA Finals.

Matt Moore's Top 10 Players list in the series.Anthony Davis shiningHow can Miami defend LeBron and AD?Miami regression candidatesWhich team's role players will hit shots?Does Miami return to "big ball" againts LA?Vogel vs. Spoelstra

Enjoy the pod and the NBA Finals! Be sure to follow Jabari on Twitter, and check out Dunks & Discourse!

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

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Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's edition of the Premium Hoops podcast, Nate and Mark dive into the Conference Finals series. First, they discuss Denver's game 4 lossin the Western Conference Finals:

What's been going well for Denver and LA?What can they adjust?Is the 3-1 lead a death knell?How has Jamal Murray's stock improved?Can the role players start to hit shots?Anthony Davis' ankleThe mastery of LeBronHow can Denver win game 5? Is Nikola Jokic a top 5 player?

Next, they break down the Boston vs. Miami series in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Can Boston climb back?Will Gordon Hayward return to the starting lineup?How freakin good is Bam?How can Boston counter Bam Adebayo?What is Tyler Herro?Marcus Smart's shot selectionGoran Dragic's driving forceJae Crowder back down to earth?

Mark and Nate include much more in the pod and bring unabashed passion to the coverage to the conference finals. Enjoy the pod!

Disclaimer: This was recorded before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference FInals (Boston win, series at 3-2 Miami).

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

Be sure to Rate and Review Premium Hoops on Apple Podcasts!

Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's episode of the Premium Hoops podcast, Mark is joined by Harrison Faigen to discuss the Western Conference Finals and Los Angeles Lakers. Harrison covers the Lakers for Silver Screen & Roll and is the Editor-in-chief as well.

Mark and Harriosn give full creedence to the Denver Nuggets while putting on spotlight on the play of the Lakers; primarily LeBron and Anthony Davis.

How can the Lakers continue to roll? What adjustments can Denver make to even the series? Enjoy the pod!

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

Be sure to Rate and Review Premium Hoops on Apple Podcasts!

Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

The Denver Nuggets dropped Game One of the Western Conference Finals and play Game Two Sunday night. Mark is joined by Ryan Blackburn, Site Manager over at Denver Stiffs.

They dive into what happened in the first game of the WCF and the similarities to the first game against the Clippers. When looking back, Denver really struggled in transition and defending the lob. Are there any improvements/adjustments that can be made to stem the flow?

Also Included:

Can Gary Harris and Jerami Grant hit their shots?Should we expect foul trouble?Do you want to force LeBron or AD to beat you?and much more

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

Be sure to Rate and Review Premium Hoops on Apple Podcasts!

Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

On today's edition of the Premium Hoops Podcast:

The Denver Nuggets blast the Clippers in game 7Western Conference Finals previewGame 1 Eastern Conference Finals RecapNikola Jokic's brillianceJamal Murray's ascensionBam Adebayo's game-saving blockHow will Boston shift to defend Miami?Kemba, are you ok?

We do not dive into the Clippers much and will do so at a later date. This is Denver's moment and we won't slight it by talking about the other team.

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

Be sure to Rate and Review Premium Hoops on Apple Podcasts!

Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman

The Houston Rockets were ousted in the playoffs after a gentleman's sweep at the hands of the Lakers. Capped out, aging, and with Mike D'Antoni walking away, where is this team headed? Regardless, this team has hit a definite turning point. Whether that's for better or worse remains to be seen.

Disclaimer: This was recorded before the Houston Rockets announced that Daryl Morrey's job was safe.

We also hit on the weirdness of the bubble and how that impacts our view of the teams both in and out of Orlando. Will teams that weren't in the bubble see negative returns or be behind in player development?

On the pod today: Scott Levine, Evan Zaucha, and Mark Schindler.

Check out our articles at https://premiumhoops.org and follow us on Twitter @PremiumHoopsNBA

Be sure to Rate and Review Premium Hoops on Apple Podcasts!

Credit to BRBeats Podcast Music @BenRauman