Welcome back loyal listeners, fellow NBA enthusiasts and first timers to the Below the Rim Podcast. We'll be the first to admit, we're equally shocked that we've made it into 2025. Today's episode is a first for the Below the Rim crew, as we broaden our pool of contributors and bring on sixth man Connor Freeman!

With Connor onboard, we'll do some rapid reactions to the marquee Cavs win over the Thunder on Tuesday, January 9th. We also jump into the messy middle of the Eastern Conference, and have each member of the starting five take a stab at predicting the finishing order for the 6 teams (Pacers, Hawks, Bulls, Heat, 76ers, Pistons) vying for 5 play-off + playing spots. We do a deeper dive on the pros and cons of each of these teams, and make our case for why we believe or don't believe.

We then shift gears and give some flowers to guys that we wish we got more of. Introducing the Below the Rim all-time "what-if" team, and some great reflections on formative basketball memories.

As always, thanks for listening!