[Podcast] WHAT Leadership and Locker Room Chemistry Look Like

Tara and Cassidy have a quick chat aboutJusuf Nurkicand add their best wishes to the outpouring of support from Portland fans. Then they are joined by Nitz Bluvstein (@nitzbluv), a frequent guest of the Daily Dings podcast and general Twitter instigator.

Get to know Nitz and hear her takes on NBA Twitter and how basketball kept her in touch with friends when she was far away. Then she gives us her outsiders perspective onDamian Lillardand how he will perform in the playoffs. Finally she tells us what she really thinks about theGolden State Warriorschemistry and whereKevin Durantmight end up.

All this plus our very first listener email!

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8:00 Icebreaker: For your favorite player, if he was not a celebrity basketball player, what profession do you think he would be really good at?

Nitz:Allen Iversonas a teacher, Tara: Damian Lillard as the Executive Director of a non profit and Cassidy:Evan Turner, morning show host.

12:50 Why do so many NBA players look so happy and relaxed when hanging around kids?

14:00 Getting to know Nitz who grew up in the Bay Area hating theLakersbecause her dad thought were way too flashy. Moved to Israel and followed the team as a good way to keep up with everyone back home.

17:05她向人加入推特是什么?You get direct access to the stars and media, and also get to hang out with other people who are passionate about the same things that you are.

18:40 A sidebar about why Tara likesJaVale McGeeso much.

20:35 Outsiders perspective on Damian Lillard. He is just all around better, and he seems like he will be more successful in the playoffs.

22:30 A big part of wanting to go on into the playoffs is that we just want more basketball.

23:20 How much of the coverage of the Warriors this year is just noise and how much of it is true? They truly seem like they don’t like to play with each other any more?

25:30 You can work with someone every day in an intense situation and make a great product but you will all hate each other after a while, even if you are friends.

26:30 How much does continuity matter? Chemistry might be more the thing. And someone who can set the culture.

28:30 Why Tara spent a year not saying the name of the Golden State Warriors and how Girls Inc benefited.

31:00 Whose game will age better, Stephen Curry orKlay Thompson?

36:00 Where does she thinkKevin Durantwill end up? Where will he hold his free agency meetings? What can top theWarriors’ virtual reality glasses?

37:00 Blowing a three-one lead still hurts.

38:00 Listener emails! Keep writing in please!

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Follow Blazer’s Edge on Twitter@blazersedge, WHAT Pod@HoopsAndTalks, Tara@tcbbiggs, and Cassidy@CassidyGemmet. This week’s guest:@nitzbluv

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Music used in the episode: “Happy Alley” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed underCreative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License