In this episode of Finding The Seams, longtime analyst Ric Bucher and NBA champion Brendan Haywood celebrate Brendan’s Thanksgiving birthday before diving into the surging heat around Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, why former players are suddenly tearing them down, and whether this era is uniquely toxic—or whether microphones just got louder. Brendan reveals how older players used to talk, how locker-room hierarchy works, why respect matters, and what really defines a great defender in today’s NBA.

They also break down:

• Reed Sheppard’s breakout week and whether his shooting is enough for Houston’s playoff hopes

• Why effort and angles matter more than athleticism on defense

• Why Toronto’s new lineup and chemistry are quietly legitimate

• How hierarchy, sacrifice, and coaching actually separate contenders from pretenders

🔥 FULL EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

01:28 – Brendan’s Thanksgiving birthday & family traditions

06:40 – Why Draymond & Klay are getting attacked

11:55 – The myth of Draymond “not surviving in other eras”

17:20 – Why comparing NBA eras is pointless

23:18 – Draymond’s real Hall of Fame case

29:44 – Klay Thompson vs. the Miami Heat bench

34:00 – The importance of veteran respect

40:15 – Brendan’s Antoine Walker story

47:10 – Reed Sheppard’s rise & Houston’s point guard question

55:05 – What makes a defender “bad”?

1:01:18 – Toronto Raptors: real or early-season mirage?

1:12:30 – Why hierarchy & sacrifice make teams winners

1:18:55 – Brendan’s birthday “daddy” moment (must-hear)

1:22:40 – Closing & how to join the live show

#FindingTheSeams #RicBucher #BrendanHaywood #NBA #NBAPodcast #DraymondGreen #KlayThompson #Warriors #NBALegends #BasketballCulture #NBAEras #HoustonRockets #ReedSheppard #TorontoRaptors #NBAAnalysis #BasketballPodcast

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Ric Bucher and NBA champion Brendan Haywood dig into some uncomfortable truths about the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James and Luka Dončić, then pivot to why Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons might be more dangerous than last year’s Cavs.

LeBron makes his season debut for the Lakers alongside Luka and Austin Reaves, but Ric and Brendan ask the big question:

Is this team actually built to win playoff series or just regular-season games? They break down why taking minutes from Marcus Smart, playing three poor defenders on the perimeter, and relying on a 40-year-old LeBron could be a fatal flaw come May and June.

From there, the guys get into free throws and foul-drawing as a real NBA skill. They compare Luka, Austin Reaves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to James Harden, explain why some stars keep getting to the line in the playoffs while others don’t, and how defenses should really be guarding elite scorers who “live at the line.”

Then it’s on to the East: why Cade Cunningham’s playmaking, size and IQ make the Pistons more than just a feel-good story, why the Eastern Conference is wide open, and how veterans with championship experience (think Alex Caruso) can elevate a young contender. Brendan also pulls back the curtain on the 2015 Cavaliers’ switch to drop coverage, how that changed their season, and what “good teams” really care about during the regular season.

To close, Brendan shares a scouting report on Georgetown’s KJ Lewis, then walks through exactly what NBA scouts look for in bigs, guards and wings in today’s positionless league — and why Summer League is where the truth comes out.

Timestamps – Finding The Seams w/ Ric Bucher & Brendan Haywood:

• 01:30 – LeBron’s Lakers debut vs Jazz: Fit with Luka & Austin Reaves
• 06:30 – Can LeBron be a third option? Age, defense & lineup trade-offs
• 11:30 – “Three cones on defense”: Why Lakers’ wing defense is a playoff problem
• 18:30 – Luka & Reaves at the line: Free throws, foul-baiting & James Harden comparisons
• 24:30 – Playoff whistle: Why SGA’s foul game holds up and Harden’s didn’t
• 27:30 – How Boston beat Luka: Take away lobs & corner threes, then make him guard
• 31:30 – Why OKC is built to punish the Lakers: Dort, Cason Wallace, J-Dub & Caruso
• 33:30 – Detroit Pistons & Cade Cunningham: Are they more than last year’s Cavs?
• 38:30 – Playmakers vs pure scorers in the playoffs: Why Cade’s “mismatch ability” matters
• 41:00 – The value of championship vets: Caruso, locker room truth-tellers & habits
• 41:45 – 73-win Warriors cautionary tale: Winning vs real execution
• 44:30 – Inside the 2015 Cavs: Ty Lue’s drop coverage change and why it worked
• 47:00 – Georgetown vs Clemson recap: KJ Lewis scouting report
• 48:30 – How scouts evaluate prospects: What translates from college to NBA
• 51:00 – Closing: Tech issues, family cameos & how to watch the show live

👉 Like what you hear? Follow Finding The Seams on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen, and leave a rating and review so more hoops fans can find the show.

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Breaking news (sort of): Brendan Haywood’s mic is finally fixed—and so is our clarity on the NBA’s biggest storylines. Bucher and Haywood unpack why OKC’s culture (Shai’s leadership, buy-in, role acceptance, “ball finds energy”) is steamrolling veteran teams; how the Mavericks’ Nico Harrison exit and the Luka-to-Lakers trade reflect ownership, roster building, and a full pivot to Cooper Flagg’s development; why home-crowd toxicity (the “Fire Nico” chants) drains players; and whether Steve Kerr is the problem—or Father Time is—for the Golden State Warriors. Plus inside-the-locker-room culture stories (Dirk’s post-practice grind, Jason Kidd setting standards) and why Sam Presti’s Spurs-style talent filter has OKC miles ahead.

Topics: OKC culture & defense, Lakers/Thunder beatdowns, Mavs front-office reset, Luka’s legacy vs. usage, Cooper Flagg’s “bag,” Warriors’ window, Kerr vs. roster, fan impact.

Featuring: Ric Bucher & Brendan Haywood • United WeCast Network

#FindingTheSeams #NBA #OKCThunder #SheaGilgeousAlexander #Mavericks #LukaDoncic #Lakers #KyrieIrving #AnthonyDavis #CooperFlagg #Warriors #SteveKerr #SamPresti #NBACulture #NBAPodcast

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Ric Bucher and Brendan Haywood get spicy on Finding The Seams: how the Los Angeles Lakers should (and shouldn’t) re-integrate LeBron James alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura; why defense—not touches—will be JJ Redick’s biggest headache; whether Ja Morant is salvageable in Memphis and real landing spots; and how teams are already throwing exotic schemes at Victor Wembanyama—with BWood breaking down the exact counters bigs need when smaller defenders front and crowd the lane. Plus: why international stars (Jokić, Wemby, Luka) keep trending up, the league’s shift from iso to motion-and-depth, and what it really takes to win in May.

• 00:00 – Intro & What This Show Covers
• College-to-pro jump, bench-to-starter battles, and why this week revolves around the Lakers.
• 01:05 – Lakers Without LeBron: Keep the Flow or Reset the Hierarchy?
• Austin Reaves’ rise, Luka’s control, Rui’s fit, and why any ball-dominant star (even LeBron) changes the ecosystem.
• 06:40 – The Real Problem: Defense with LeBron, Luka & Reaves
• Playoff matchups, who guards elite wings/guards, and why lineups need two-way answers.
• 12:10 – LeBron’s Bench Demeanor: Message or Nothing?
• Reading the body language and what it may signal about the integration plan.
• 16:45 – Reinserting Stars 101
• Linsanity vs. Melo, Philly’s guard-centric surge with Embiid ramping, and hard-earned lessons from the locker room.
• 22:00 – Copycat League? Motion, Depth & Smaller Usage
• Are teams overcorrecting from iso-ball? Why some stars must cook for your system to scale in the playoffs.
• 29:15 – The Ja Morant Question
• Salvageable or time to split? Organizational guardrails, market realities, and fits (Wolves, Heat, Rockets, more).
• 36:20 – U.S. vs. International Development
• How habits, maturity and focus show up on the floor; why Ant & Tatum are the U.S. counters that do get it.
• 44:00 – Wemby’s Growing Pains (and Wins)
• Phoenix/Lakers coverages, elbow touches, San Antonio’s spacing, and why these early puzzles are gold.
• 49:10 – How Bigs Beat Smalls Fronting the Post
• Run-and-seal, weak-side timing, cutters/screens, and forcing the help into lose-lose decisions.
• 54:30 – Why Teams Are Showing Schemes Early
• Special players draw special defenses; coaches testing A/B/C/D plans now to bank data for May.
• 58:40 – Is Wemby Already “Elite-Elite”?
• The two-way package, offensive ceiling still to come, foul-drawing, and the Denver/OKC context. Tease: Bronny talk next episode.

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In this episode of Finding The Seams, hosts Ric Bucher and Brendan Haywood sit down with Yaron Weitzman, author of A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers, for a candid look at how superstar power, ownership agendas, and front-office politics shaped the LeBron–Lakers era. Weitzman details alleged legal threats (“lawfare”) from the Lakers/Jeanie Buss, why publisher Doubleday pushed back, and how the pressure actually made his reporting sharper. The conversation dives into Rob Pelinka’s orbit, Magic Johnson dynamics (including the infamous no-desk anecdote), the tension-filled Russell Westbrook chapter, and the surreal Will Smith film-session story that captures the team’s internal friction.

Why has eight seasons of LeBron in Los Angeles produced just one title? The crew explores image control, PR strategy, and roster-building tradeoffs that defined the LeBron Lakers, offering context you won’t hear elsewhere. If you’re into NBA power structures, the Lakers, LeBron James, front office decision-making, and behind-the-scenes reporting, this episode is essential listening.

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This week’s show reacts to reports surrounding Chauncey Billups and a gambling investigation, breaks down Victor Wembanyama’s monster night, the Thunder vs. Rockets double-OT thriller, and Lakers vs. Warriors—including what Luka Dončić and LeBron James signal about the league’s power shift. Insight on playmaking, two-way wings, and modern roster construction. Subscribe for sharp, searchable hoops content: NBA podcast, college to NBA, player development, roster battles, draft prospects, Euro/US game trends.

#nba #sanantoniospurs #lakers #houstonrockets #portlandtrailblazers #gambling #okcthunder

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Ric and Brendan discuss their expectations for the Indiana Pacers this season without Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner, Rick Carlisle's evolution as a coach, how coaches get players to buy into a game plan, the East's top four teams and where the Miami Heat fit into the Eastern Conference picture.

1:38 Ric and Brendan compare notes on the ability to sleep on planes and travelling commercial vs. charter vs. private jet

8:57 Optimism about the Pacers despite the loss of Tyrese Haliburton and Myles Turner

14:25 Does Rick Carlisle qualify as a genius? The hosts give the same answer. Also: Brendan shares the Carlisle game plans that won the Mavs' 2011 title

19:39 The secret to a coach getting players to buy into a game plan

24:28 What hurts young teams the most

30:00 Carlisle's connection with players in Dallas

38:00 Why the Bennedict Mathurin-Rick Carlisle relationship has worked

48:32 Who the top 4 teams in the East are going into the season

55:00 Where the Miami Heat are in the equation

#nba #dallasmavs #indianapacers #washingtonwizards #miamiheatbasketball

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