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In what is our final episode of the Catch & Shoot 2.0 podcast, our hosts Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong discuss what the NBA is doing to curtail the rising Covid cases around the league, including whether or not the league should take a pause. On a lighter note, with Christmas approaching, we thought we should give out gifts to NBA players, coaches, fans, etc., and we incur the help of some special guests -- former hosts Adam Stanco & Noah Coslov, former producer Scott Turken, current producer Daniel Kramer and Pure Hoops CCO and Executive Producer Bruce Bernstein -- to help out. We wrap things up by having our hosts and special guests talk about their favorite memories, guests and what it was like to work with each other. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can the Philadelphia 76ers move Ben Simmons and get the pieces around superstar Joel Embiid to contend for a championship? This and other questions were posed by our guys Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong to Serena Winters, the host and producer of the Locked on Sixers podcast. Serena and the guys explore what is the best potential move for both Simmons and the team, plus check on whether or not, considering his health and injury history, if Embiid is the man to trust to lead Philly to their first title since 1983. The guys also give their appropriate props to Stephen Curry after surpassing Ray Allen as the all-time 3-point king. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The defending champs Milwaukee Bucks got off to a slow start this season, mainly due to injuries, but have been hot of late, winning 11 of their last 12 games. In fact, the team is undefeated when their "Big 3" -- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday -- have been on the court. The Athletic's Sr. NBA Editor Rob Peterson -- who happens to be a Wisconsin native -- explains to our Otto Strong and Bruce Bernstein how winning the title last season has given the team some "house money" in being patient with any of the injuries and not rush any of the guys back. The guys discuss with Peterson how the team seems to enjoy being under the radar despite having won the title last season, plus, how the Greek Freak's game has continued to evolve. Otto and Bruce also discuss what we can glean from the 2 match-ups between the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors last week, the mess going on in Portland, the struggles of the Knicks, and the red-hot.... Rockets??? Come check it out! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There have been some lean years of late for the Chicago Bulls, but so far this season, they have played great basketball and have one of the better records in the NBA's Eastern Conference. Former Chicago Bull and NBA Champion Will Perdue, now Studio Analyst for the Bulls telecasts on NBC Sports Chicago, joined the show and tells our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong that the team's intensity on defense has been the spur behind the Bulls fast start. Perdue also explains who the "alpha dog" is on the team (is it Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan), how other new players are adjusting to head coach Billy Donovan's style (Nikola Vucevic, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso) and what he thinks the ceiling is for the team this year. Also, with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors facing off twice this week, Aaron and Otto tell us whether they'd go with either team to win it all ...or the field. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

College Basketball is back and who better than Howie Schwab to tell us what to expect from the coming season. Schwab joins our Aaron Berlin (flying solo this week) to give us a preview of the recently started season. #1 Gonzaga looked pretty formidable in their dominant win over UCLA, but Schwab isn't so sure if they're better than last year's edition. That said, he still feels they deserve to be the favorites to cut the nets down at the Final Four in New Orleans. Schwab also expresses his thoughts on Duke and the final season of Coach K, Aaron's beloved Kansas Jayhawks, other teams he sees making noise this season (like Texas, Kentucky ...and St. Bonaventure?) and how the enlarged transfer portal has affected how team rosters are now being put together. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Robert Sarver, the owner of the Phoenix Suns (and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury), is under investigation by the NBA for alleged racist and misogynistic comments and fostering a hostile and toxic workplace. Despite all that, the team keeps winning on the court, having won 9 in a row as of Monday night. Duane Rankin, the Suns beat reporter for the Arizona Republic, tells our Otto Strong and Bruce Bernstein how the team has been able to keep focus on playing great basketball while all the controversy swirls around their owner. Rankin credits the leadership of head coach Monty Williams and point guard Chris Paul. Rankin also gives us what the mood is from the fans about the team and the Sarver allegations and what he thinks will be the timeline for how long the league investigation will take. Plus, Bruce and Otto also discuss the drama going on with the Lakers and 76ers, and the surprising starts of three teams in the East -- Washington Wizards, Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scottie Pippen was one of the greatest players in NBA History, but he had to overcome a lot in his early life just to make it to the league. Michael Arkush, who co-authored the just-released autobiography Unguarded with Pippen, joined our Aaron Berlin and Bruce Bernstein to discuss how Scottie's relationships with his father, 11 siblings and his high school & college coaches helped shape the player and person he became. We also get into his complicated relationships with Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson and Jerry Krause. Plus, Aaron and Bruce talk the Nikola Jokic/Markieff Morris scrape (and, now, family beef) and is it good to see some physicality return to the league; Steph Curry and the rolling Warriors; the latest with the 76ers and Ben Simmons (could he be traded to the Celtics?) and the Robert Sarver situation in Phoenix. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Otto Strong & Aaron Berlin are joined by Bruce Bernstein this week as they play 3 on 3 with 3 topics. Should Celtics Nation be in panic mode? Are Zion Williamson & Ja Morant repeating the history of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant? And with gambling now such a big business for the NBA, are there issues that will emerge and place a cloud over the sport? Will the league implement measures to keep fans who bet on games fully informed? Three provocative discussions this week on Catch & Shoot 2.0. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NBA season has tipped off, and our guys Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong are back from their hiatus to give us the lowdown on what's happening around the league. They discuss if the new-look Lakers will gel on the court, can the Nets survive without Kyrie, what's going on with the 76ers and Ben Simmons, and who got "snubbed" on the NBA 75 team. We also get the guys to give their predictions on some of the league awards and who will win it all. Some of these picks might surprise you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Training camps are opening up, and our Catch & Shoot 2.0 crew are also using their time off to get ready for the grind that's coming ...but we here at Pure Hoops Media want to make sure you're still entertained and informed. So we’re sharing some of our favorite shows you may have missed. Vice President of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Ann Meyers Drysdale joined our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong a while back and explained how the Suns were able to make a deep run in the NBA Playoffs (eventually making it to the Finals). She also gave her thoughts on the state of the WNBA and Women's Basketball, and how soon we might see a woman head coach in the NBA. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All of the Catch & Shoot 2.0 crew is enjoying their time off, getting recharged for the upcoming season ...but we still want to make sure you get your Pure Hoops Media fix. So we’re sharing some of our favorite shows that you might have missed. Back in June 2nd of this year, news broke that Mike Krzyzewski was to retire from Duke at the end of the 2021-2022 season. On the same day, the Celtics announced Danny Ainge was stepping down as President of Basketball Operations, with head coach Brad Stevens taking the reins. One man in the middle of all this was Stadium Basketball Analyst Jeff Goodman. Jeff broke the news on Coach K while also covering the news of the Celtics moves. Jeff joined our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong and gave us his thoughts on why Krzyzewski is stepping away and what to expect of the Blue Devils when Jon Scheyer takes over, plus how long he thinks Stevens -- always a coach at heart -- remains in his front office role in Boston. Summary See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Catch & Shoot 2.0 crew is taking some time off to get ready for next season, but we’d never leave you high and dry. So we’re sharing some of our favorite shows that you might have missed. Matt Doherty played for North Carolina Head Coach Dean Smith and was teammates with Michael Jordan, James Worthy, & Sam Perkins on the 1982 NCAA Championship team. He also coached the Tar Heels from 2000-2003. In this appearance from February of 2021, Matt  joins Aaron Berlin and Bruce Bernstein to talk about his new book "Rebound: From Passion to Pain." Doherty shares important leadership lessons he learned after he left UNC and how his old teammate Michael Jordan was one of his first friends to offer support. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Catch & Shoot 2.0 crew is taking some well-deserved time off as we get ready for next season. But we have a lot of fun shows from the past year that you may have missed the first time around. Jared Greenberg of Turner Sports was immersed in the Orlando Bubble last season as the NBA restarted in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this interview from September of 2020, Jared's observations and experiences help us relive one of the most remarkable societal and sports experiences of our lifetime. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Team USA in Men's Basketball won their 4th straight gold medal at the Olympics, but it was a struggle at times. Our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong discuss the performance of Team USA, including how great Kevin Durant was in leading it to the top prize. It's also been a week since the league opened for business on the 2021-22 league year, and the guys look on how some of the top title contenders (Lakers, Nets, Heat) and other teams (Wizards, Blazers, Knicks) fared in free agency. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NBA was officially open for business for the 2021-22 season on Monday with the beginning of free agency. The Miami Heat made a big splash by agreeing to a sign-&-trade deal with Toronto to acquire 6-time All-Star Kly Lowry. The man who broke the story, Yahoo! Sports Senior NBA Writer Vincent Goodwill, joined our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong to discuss why this was good fit for Lowry (think Monopoly board game) and why Pat Riley continues to put his team in position to contend. Goodwill also chats about his hometown Pistons drafting Cade Cunningham and gives us his thoughts on the Lakers acquiring Russell Westbrook. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oklahoma State's Cade Cunningham is expected to be the #1 pick in the NBA Draft (whether or not it's the Pistons who make the pick) and our old friend Adam Stanco joins Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong to discuss what makes him so special. Stanco tells us Cunningham's elite level of scoring and passing abilities puts him on track to at least be a multi-time all-star ...and, perhaps, the ultimate individual honor. Stanco, VP and Executive Producer at 247 Sports, gives us his views of other high-level prospects expected to go early in the draft (Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Evan Mobley, Jonathan Kuminga, Scottie Barnes), some sleepers (like Tennessee's Keon Johnson), and also gives us interesting insights on how the draft evaluation process works for many teams. We also discuss with him his own evaluation 8 years ago of a certain prospect from Greece. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bucks steal (literally!!) Game 5 of the NBA Finals and look to close out their first NBA Championship since 1971. ESPN Radio's Marc Kestecher has been on the call for the entire Finals and describes for us what it's been like to return to NBA arenas during these playoffs, as well as his call of Giannis Antetokounmpo's already iconic "Block" in game 4. Marc also breaks down with our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong how the Bucks can close out the series or how Phoenix can keep it going. Plus, what a Milwaukee win would mean for the Greek Freak and head coach Mike Budenholzer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It seemed like the NBA Finals were already over when the Phoenix Suns took a 2-0 lead on the Milwaukee Bucks. However, continued inspired play by Giannis Antetokounmpo and a little-home cooking has the Bucks back in the series. Meadowlark Media and Sirius XM NBA Radio's Amin Elhassan helps break down what's taken place so far in the Finals with our Aaron Berlin and Otto Strong, and what to look forward to for the rest of the series. Elhassan, who worked in the Suns front office from 2006-2012, tells us, if Phoenix had to do it all over again, would they still take Deandre Ayton with the #1 pick in the 2018 draft over Luka Doncic. The guys also discuss the struggles of Team USA in their tune-up games for the Tokyo Olympics. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the new Catch & Shoot 2.0, co-hosts Otto Strong and Aaron Berlin welcome Dave Wohl, a former player, coach, and GM as well as the host of Pure Hoops Media's "Dave's Front Office" for a deep dive preview of the NBA Finals. They size up key matchups, the relative health of both teams, the "under the radar" players who will make a difference, & the coaches for both teams. And of course, the guys share their predictions for the series. After a 50 year NBA career, Dave cuts through all the clutter and provides rare insight into how this series will play out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Milwaukee Bucks have taken control of the Eastern Conference Finals versus the Atlanta Hawks, and NBA Senior Editor for The Athletic Rob Peterson -- who happens to be a Wisconsin native -- explains what it means for the area to see the Bucks potentially make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974. Peterson goes over how Khris Middleton has become the closer for this particular squad and his interchangeability with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Our hosts Otto Strong and Bruce Bernstein (filling in for Aaron Berlin) also get Peterson to reflect on his growing up in Wisconsin as a Bucks fan, then eventually working for the team, and how cool the old Mecca court used to be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.