Fantasy basketball preview, BUY or SELL injury-prone players & NBA conference finals predictions | Good Word with Goodwill

Kevin O'Connor and Tom Haberstroh discuss the worrying Mavericks and Timberwolves, Victor Wembanyama's and LeBron James's hot shooting, and their rankings of the top NBA rookies so far this season. (00:40) - Are the Mavericks in trouble?(12:20) - Are the Timberwolves worse off than the Mavericks?(17:45) - Is Donovan Clingan the best rookie in this class?(22:35) - Victor Wembanyama's red-hot 3-pt shooting(30:30) - LeBron James continues to amaze(41:10) - 2024-25 NBA rookie rankings On this episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show, Kevin is joined by Tom Haberstroh. The guys kick off the episode by talking about the Dallas Mavericks, who have lost four consecutive games and don't look like the defending Western Conference Champions.Similarly, the Minnesota Timberwolves do not look like a team that would've made it to the Western Conference Finals. Is it Anthony Edwards' fault? Do they miss Karl Anthony-Towns? Should the Timberwolves be concerned about the clunky fit of their current roster?Portland Trail Blazers' rookie center Donovan Clingan racked up 8 blocks against Minnesota on Wednesday, and he's starting to look like he might be the best big man in this year's draft class.Victor Wembanyama must've been listening last week when Kevin and Tom told him to stop shooting so many 3s, because he's made 20 of them in his last 3 games and seems to be breaking basketball on both ends of the floor.LeBron James has posted three consecutive triple-doubles, as he nears his 40th birthday. Tom has an incredible stat that doesn't feel real but sums up just how productive this season has been for James. However, the Lakers still have major issues they need to work out.Finally, the guys go through a way too early look at the 2024-25 NBA rookie rankings. There's a big surprise at the #1 spot and a few guys that are ready to jump up the list in a hurry. Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

On the latest episode of The Big Number, Tom Haberstroh & Dan Devine look at Steph Curry’s incredible offensive impact on the Golden State Warriors. With just as much offensive dominance both on and off the ball, is Steph the greatest offensive player since Michael Jordan? Even more so than LeBron James?But it’s not just Steph Curry giving the Warriors the boost they need to be title contenders—Golden State is over a dozen players deep with other stars with as Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins which Dan highlights with four more numbers.Tom & Dan end the show with some over/under predictions for Golden State throughout the rest of the NBA season. (2:00) The Big Number: 124.2(15:39) 4 stats that prove Golden State are title contenders(30:11) Warriors over/unders 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 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. Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

Kevin O'Connor is joined by Adam Mares to break down the biggest storylines from around the NBA, including Nikola Jokic's early bid for another MVP, Luka Doncic's struggles with the Dallas Mavericks, the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers, whether Oklahoma City should go all-in, some key injury news and much more.Kevin and Adam start with Nikola Jokic's big night, as the duo break down what's changed about the Joker's game this year that's made him even more dangerous and why Russell Westbrook fits so well in Denver's scheme. On the other side of Sunday night's game, the Dallas Mavericks are now 5-5, and Luka Doncic's lack of development so far this season is starting to catch up with them.Joel Embiid makes his return Tuesday night, and Kevin and Adam discuss how the Philadelphia 76ers can best utilize him if they want to be a legitimate playoff team. The Sixers aren't the only team affected by injuries so far this season, as the Oklahoma City Thunder are treading water without a few key players. The hosts discuss whether or not OKC needs to break the bank and go all-in this season with a player like Giannis.Later, Kevin and Adam discuss the Cleveland Cavaliers starting the season 12-0 and how far that could last, plus what's not clicking with the Milwaukee Bucks. The duo finish up by answering a mailbag question on how Jayson Tatum's early successes could raise the ceiling for the Boston Celtics.(0:50) - Why Nikola Jokic is already playing at an MVP level(16:15) - Luka Doncic's early struggles(22:30) - How Sixers can best build around Joel Embiid(29:30) - NBA injury madness: time for OKC to make a move?(39:55) - How long can the Cavaliers stay undefeated?(45:10) - Things just aren't clicking yet in Milwaukee(47:20) - Does Jayson Tatum's play raise Celtics ceiling?Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

The 2024-2025 NBA season is around its 9-game mark as of Thursday night, so Kevin O'Connor is joined by Tom Haberstroh to share 9 observations about the league and its trends at this roughly 10% completion point in the season.Can the Philadelphia 76ers survive their atrocious start without Tyrese Maxey and with Joel Embiid slated to play his first game of the season this Tuesday against New York? What adjustments need to be made in San Antonio to get Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul playing complementary basketball that bolsters Wemby's strengths? Will Zion Williamson ever be Zion Williamson again? All that and more on today's Kevin O'Connor Show.(0:50) - Sixers aren't who we thought they were(5:10) - Can anything fix the east vs. west conference imbalance?(7:10) - Cavs are 9-0, can they get to 60 wins?(10:30) - Should NBA abandon conferences and go to 58 games?(16:00) - How can CP3 and Wemby get on the same page?(25:45) - Kings can reach a new level with DeRozan add(28:40) - Can Zion ever be Zion again?(34:20) - Jalen Johnson's usage is crazy(38:22) - Ja Morant is back with a vengeance🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTubeCheck out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

On this week's episode of The Big Number, Tom Haberstroh and Dan Devine dive into the numbers on the Oklahoma City Thunder. OKC has a team of DAWGS on defense that create chaos all over the court and that defensive prowess might just give them the edge to be title favorites.Dan counters Tom’s bullish attitude toward the Thunder with a few other teams who could best OKC like the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors & Phoenix Suns.The two wrap with some Oklahoma City over/unders worth keeping an eye on.(1:10) THE BIG NUMBER: 85(15:13) The Number Crunch(15:40) The Number Crunch: Boston Celtics(18:29) The Number Crunch: Golden State Warriors(21:55) The Number Crunch: Cleveland Cavaliers(24:46) The Number Crunch: Phoenix Suns(28:13) OKC over/unders 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 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 PooleOn 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

On today's episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show, Kevin is joined by True Hoops' David Thorpe to discuss the biggest headlines from the start of the NBA season. They break down the reason for the Golden State Warriors' hot start this year and what has held back Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.Also on today's show, they discuss the emergence of Gradey Dick for the Toronto Raptors and what will happen to the San Antonio Spurs without Gregg Popovich. They wrap up the episode with mailbag questions from listeners, ranging from how the Pistons can become competitive and which team will turn into a soap opera. (5:54) The Warriors hot start(13:30) Gradey Dick's big second year(21:47) Gregg Popovich's health issue(24:22) What is wrong with Tyrese Haliburton?(33:25) Pacers trade targets(40:02) Fixing the Pistons(43:03) Soap Opera teams(51:31) Bright future teams

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

Kevin O'Connor, along with Tom Haberstroh, wonders if it's time for the Bucks to trade away Giannis and Damian Lillard, how many 5x5 games Wembanyama will have and why aren't rookies playing more?(00:00) - Time for the Bucks to panic?(08:05) - Should Milwaukee trade Giannis and Damian Lillard?(18:00) - Can the Grizzlies survive more injuries?(24:00) - Victor Wembanyama gets another 5x5(33:00) - Paolo Banchero is one of several stars facing injury(37:00) - Why aren't the NBA's rookies playing more?(44:20) - Ryan Dunn for Rookie of the Year?(52:00) - Is Anthony Edwards shooting too many 3s?On this episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show, Tom Haberstroh joins Kevin and the show starts with a conversation about the 1-4 Milwaukee Bucks and whether it's time for them to panic and start looking for trade destinations for Giannis, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez.The Memphis Grizzlies, coming off of a definitive win over the Bucks, seem to be the picture of stability but their injury issues from last year might be crashing the party yet again.Spurs' center Victor Wembanyama became the 3rd player in NBA history to net more than a single 5x5 game. How many will he have in his career? And why isn't the Spurs offense better when he's on the floor?The guys use the news of Paolo Banchero's oblique injury to talk about the six players that were all-stars last season and are currently dealing with injuries at the start of the NBA season.Things are trending upward, but Tom points out that rookies are playing fewer minutes than ever to start the season. How can we get the Rockets to free Reed Sheppard? And is Ryan Dunn the favorite to win Rookie of the Year right now?Finally, the guys talk about why they're worried about Anthony Edwards shooting more 3-pointers and discuss why nobody is noticing the uptick in dunks as well as long-range shots. Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts