According to ESPN, “The Hoop Collective,” hosted by Brian Windhorst, releases episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the NBA season, with the show breaking down on- and off-court developments around the league.
The podcast is available on multiple platforms, per the report, including ESPN, Spotify, YouTube, Apple, Amazon, iHeartMedia and TuneIn. The report lists recent episodes dated May 6, May 4, May 1, April 29, April 27, April 24, April 22 and April 20, and includes quick links to schedule, standings, stats and transactions.
The report says Windhorst was joined by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Vincent Goodwill to discuss what the Cleveland Cavaliers must do to respond after a Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons, including what they need from James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Tim MacMahon also joined to examine the New York Knicks’ rout of the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 and whether that result will prompt changes for the 76ers in Game 2. The episode also touched on a standout Minnesota–San Antonio matchup and what ESPN described as an “imperfect” Game 1 win for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Per the report, the episode ran through specific segments with timestamps, including a late Pistons close on the Cavaliers (1:30), a Windhorst anecdote labeled “Windy Storytime” (23:57), the Knicks’ win over the 76ers (28:02) and a Timberwolves victory in San Antonio (38:28), followed by a breakdown of OKC’s performance (54:02) and takeaways from Masai Ujiri’s introduction with the Mavericks (1:03:46).
The report summarizes Bontemps’ view that Ausar Thompson could wear down Donovan Mitchell over a series, shifting playmaking responsibility onto Harden, and that Cade Cunningham proved decisive in the Pistons’ win. MacMahon, per the report, said the Knicks create major matchup problems for the 76ers, especially on Joel Embiid defensively when he must close out on perimeter shooters. The report also relays Bontemps’ assessment that the Timberwolves have shown an ability to elevate their play in the postseason and bring a physical, tough-minded approach.
Another report episode cited by ESPN has Windhorst, Bontemps and MacMahon breaking down recent Game 7s, including the 76ers’ comeback versus Boston and that team’s upcoming matchup with the Knicks, before moving on to discussion of the Cleveland Cavaliers, per the report.
