Brian Windhorst

The Thunder, Timberwolves, and Nuggets title windows will stay open through the end of the decade.

SGA is like 26. Jalen Williams is the third season, Chet, this is technically his third season, but he's only played two seasons. I could see these three guys, us talking about these three guys in playoff games like this for the rest of the decade.

The Timberwolves will likely be forced to break up their core roster next season due to the salary cap.

I don't think they can keep this team together. The core, the big piece is they can, but, so Julius Randle's a free agent, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a free agent, and Naz Reed is a free agent. He has an opt-out... I would be surprised if they were able to re-sign all three guys.

Aaron Nesmith's ankle injury is a more significant X-factor for the Knicks-Pacers series than any tactical adjustment.

Another thing I'm gonna say is that a big factor is Aaron Nesmith's ankle. That potentially is a huge X factor. And another reason why, if you're a Knicks fan, you think that you can do it. That to me, more than any Xs and O thing or whatever lineup you wanna play or who's ever got a hot shot, that potentially is a huge X factor.

LeBron James will not take a pay cut on his next contract with the Lakers

I do not think it's in the cards that he's taking less money. It's not that necessarily he wants every dime, although he does want every dime. I don't think he believes that free agency is got anybody in it where if he takes less money that the Lakers could go use their mid-level and like have a transformational player. The intention is for him to continue to make all of the max which he has earned.

Kawhi Leonard is currently playing like a machine

I watched Kawhi go through some pre-game shooting routines where he was as impressive... all Kawhi does is look like a machine. I remember watching him make like 96 out of a hundred 17-footers. That's what Kawhi looks like right now.

Oklahoma City and Boston are the clear favorites for the NBA Finals

I booked a certain hotel that I want in Boston. I booked it in October for the finals. And Oklahoma City... I booked that sucker. If you had to pick one from the west, Oklahoma City and Boston [for the finals].

The Los Angeles Clippers are more likely to win the West than the Lakers

I favor the Clippers to do it [win the West] more than the Lakers.

The 'Rule of 5' is the mandatory limit for a group dinner to be productive

Rule of five, no dinners more than five people. I will maybe sometimes allow a sixth if it's somebody's spouse... I want everybody at the table to hear the other people. If I go to a dinner and there's four of us and they call back later and say we're adding people, I'm like 'okay, you guys have fun. I'll go someplace else.'

Amen Thompson is a 'freak amongst freaks' and will soon be a household name

I feel like the basketball public is going to figure out who Amen Thompson is over the next two, three weeks. This guy is an absolute freak amongst freaks. Like all the great athletes that you see in the NBA, he's like the great athlete's great athlete.

The Lakers' roster is not currently built to win the 12 playoff games necessary to win the Western Conference

I don't think there's a lot of pressure on the Lakers... they're not built. The roster isn't built out to win 12 playoff games to win the West, in my opinion.

Donovan Mitchell faces immense pressure to prove he can carry a team deep into the postseason

I think there could be a little bit of pressure on Donovan Mitchell... he has spent this whole year as the Cavs racked up 64 or 65 wins saying, none of this matters if you don't win. I think people are gonna look at him and go, well are you really a type of guy who can carry a team?

NBA players do not respect the Oklahoma City Thunder because they haven't won in the playoffs yet

The thing I've noticed about Oklahoma City is that the players [in the league] don't respect them... they're not afraid of them. Even though they won 68 games this year... you just don't respect young guys who haven't done it before.

The Bulls are currently rebuilding and don't even realize it

The Bulls are in a rebuild and they don't know they're in a rebuild. And that's almost the worst position to be in... If you don't have the dude, you're not going anywhere. You gotta kill yourself to get the dude and the Bulls aren't doing things to get the dude.

The Luka Doncic trade is one of the most shocking transactions in American sports history

It's one of the most shocking transactions in American sports history for the magnitude and the way it came out of the blue. I've never had my phone go crazy like this. I'm talking about players, head coaches, assistant coaches, executives, referees, agents, lawyers, workout guys, and they all had the exact same question: 'We don't understand what's going on.'

The Mavericks potentially made a catastrophic mistake trading Luka Doncic

I don't understand this, and I think this is potentially a catastrophic mistake. Nico Harrison has got some capital with the Mavs fans, but my God, if Luka turns into this... and the Lakers have another era and Luka has a statue outside Crypto.com and Luka puts up more banners, Nico Harrison will live in infamy.

Anthony Edwards is the best player on Team USA

[Steve Kerr] came to Ant [Edwards] before they played. And he's like, 'Hey, you know, when team USA sometimes star players come off the bench'... and Ant was like, 'I was cool, but I didn't see Kobe on the roster.' And by the maybe the third exhibition game... Steve Kerr was like, 'yeah, actually he's our best player.'

Anthony Edwards wearing a microphone in Game 7 on the road proves he is fearless

He wore the microphone in game seven. Game seven on the road. I'll take that mic, put it right here. That before the game, he's like 'yeah I'm not worried at all, go ahead and record everything I say.' ... His leadership and his belief, I don't know, maybe he can carry it.

The Mavericks' team defense is much better than their reputation suggests

They were the number one defensive team for the last six weeks of the season, which is one of the most amazing things that we saw happen... Maverick fans are really pissed off that Luca... didn't get more credit. there was like one game against the Clippers where I was like, 'oh my God, Luca's like making game-changing defensive stops.'

NBA GMs would likely choose Luka Doncic over Jayson Tatum or Anthony Edwards to start a franchise

Rank the players [for a GM]... Luca, Tatum, Ant, Haliburton... I think they probably take Luca because he's six-eight and he can be such a difference maker in a single game. Then Tatum and Ant is interesting because Ant defends, man... Not only does Ant defend, he wants to defend.

Mike Conley is the Timberwolves' third most important player

Conley always does the right thing... Mike Conley playing well and being healthy and doing his job. I think he's third most important on the [Timberwolves]... He gets them organized. Because that team gets a little wild.

If the Celtics do not win the title this year, it will be a terrible missed opportunity

If Boston doesn't win, it's a terrible missed opportunity. Because LeBron's not in their way. The Warriors are not in their way. Giannis didn't make it there cause he was hurt. The only team that handled them all year long was the Nuggets... they're gone. It's sitting there in Boston's lap. They gotta take it.

The Nuggets losing Game 2 of the NBA Finals was a 'good loss' that they needed to wake up

It sounds like what you're saying is... the Nuggets losing [Game 2] was a good loss. It woke them up. They needed something like this. [Windhorst]: That's exactly the way Michael Malone phrased it. You won't see it on television because it had to be bleeped, but... it's exactly what he said. I imagine the bus just pulled up to Jeff Green's house and they had a bonding dinner... and then today they had a film session where Malone showed 'em 17 clips where they screwed up. So they're saying they're gonna do better.

The NBA Finals will be tied 2-2 by the weekend

Right when you think you got it figured out, the Heat will put you right on your backside. So my guess is that we'll be 2-2 by the weekend, but that's just a guess. I don't have like a great feel for it.

Victor Wembanyama will be embarrassed by highlights at times because of his high center of gravity

He is very, very light. He's got a very high center of gravity. It's very easy to get him off balance. So he is going to get embarrassed at times. You know, there will be highlights where people will laugh at him and say, this guy can't play and then he is going to bust your ass.

Victor Wembanyama can defend the basket and the three-point line at the same time

He can defend the basket and the three point line at the same time. And I tell that to people and they go, you are out of your mind. Why would you even bother saying that? Because I'm telling you, I saw it. He'd be in the protecting the front of the rim. Kick it out to the corner and he would get out there in time to block it.