On the NBA Beat Ep. 2.2: Previewing the 2016-17 NBA Season With James Herbert - a podcast by Lineups

On this episode, James Herbert, NBA Writer at CBSSports.com, joined us to run through the most compelling storylines for the fast approaching 2016-17 NBA season. After an offseason filled with player movement and coaching changes, James helps us navigate the new landscape of the NBA, including which teams he thinks improved their chances and which he has lower expectations for. He also opines on possible breakout players, gives his season award predictions and offers his thoughts on the increasing social activism among NBA players and in professional sports in general.1:40-4:38 Herbert is very high on the Utah Jazz’s prospects for the season. Here’s a taste:“I just think they’re gonna be a monster this year. I think a lot of people really expected them to be that breakout team last year -- some thought it would even happen the year before, they’d make it to the playoffs -- but I think this is really the year that it’s going to happen. They should have been a playoff team last year. They just barely missed out, and that was when they didn’t really have a point guard for the whole season...so I’m a bit more bullish on them than I think even most NBA hipsters are…I think they’re seen as this big team, this enormous team that plays power basketball because of [Derrick]Favors and [Rudy] Gobert, but they can put Trey Lyles and Boris Diaw there as their frontcourt with their bench unit, and they can match up with small teams too. I think it’s really about versatility in the modern NBA, not just going small, and the Jazz have the pieces to play pretty much any way.”11:03-11:50 Like many analysts, Herbert sees a significant drop-off after the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. Here’s what he had to say concerning the near-inevitability of another Cavs-Warriors Finals:“I know that’s kind of a bummer. I know most people going into a season would like to think that there’s some sort of chance that we don’t already know who’s going to meet in the Finals. But to me, I’m just like, ‘Alright, the Finals are gonna be awesome.’ I want to see these two super-teams go at it again for the third straight time when now the Warriors have what looks like the best roster I’ve ever seen constructed in my whole life.”13:30-13:40 Good news, Houston. Our guest believes the Rockets will show considerable improvement this 2016-17 campaign“Watching them in the preseason, the way that they’re spreading the floor, the way that they’re pushing the pace, the way that they’re empowering James Harden. I think he’s become a popular MVP pick going into the season for a reason. He’s just got the perfect setup for him to have a huge year. And I think just based on the talent they have on the roster there’s no way they should have been as bad as they were last year, so I think they were naturally going to rebound anyway. And now you put Harden in a [coach Mike]D’Antoni offense and you add Ryan Anderson there to stretch the floor. Yeah, this might still be a bad defensive team, but I think they’ll for sure be one of the best offensive teams in the NBA.”18:45-19:38: Regarding the Atlanta Hawks, Herbert can envision many scenarios in the wide-open Eastern Conference:Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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