We’re starting a new podcast! It’s called The Lab, and it’s a weekly conversation about the NBA that will come to you all season long. In this week’s episode (Oct. 4, 2017), FiveThirtyEight writers Neil Paine, Chris Herring and Kyle Wagner break down the NBA’s draft lottery reform and discuss how it might affect tanking. Then they review every team in the Western Conference — the good, the bad and the ugly. How long can the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty last — and would it withstand a serious injury to one of its key players? Will the Oklahoma City Thunder find a way to utilize its new star power? Can anything be done to improve the Sacramento Kings? We answer these questions and more. Next week, we’re on to the Eastern Conference.
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Here are links to what we discussed this week:
- The Ringer’s Haley O’Shaughnessy wrote about how the NBA’s draft reform changes tanking strategies.
- ESPN’s Kevin Pelton takes a look at why Vegas and ESPN projections differ on eight NBA teams.
- Chris argues that the Timberwolves might have too many stars.
- The Ringer compiled the important, very serious questions facing each Western Conference team.
