The Control Room with Esrael Yohannes

The Mavericks responded to their 4-game losing streak with a 4-game winning streak, and Esrael has the stats to break down why Dallas has been more successful despite losing Luka Dončić. He'll also look at new teams to watch as they start to build identities, and he'll provide an update on the NBA Cup standings in group play.

After Dallas lost consecutive games in the clutch, Esrael breaks down the stats showing where the Mavs are having the most trouble. He'll also give his assessment on the Oklahoma City Thunder and how they will fare without Chet Holmgren. Then, he'll look at the standings and the return of the Emirates NBA Cup.

With the first week of the NBA completed, Esrael has some notes about a couple games from the Dallas Mavericks and where he's noticed some struggles. Later, he breaks down Klay Thompson's historic achievement and gives 3 other teams to watch for as they've impressed early on in the season.

The Control Room returns for Season 2! Esrael is back to break down plenty of stats and milestones from the Dallas Mavericks' incredible season, culminating in the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. He will also talk about some high-profile players who have moved on to new teams, as well as give his take on who is the frontrunner to win the 2025 NBA championship.

*Recorded May 21, 2024*

 

A member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Nancy Lieberman joins Esrael to talk about her basketball career, both as a player and a coach, and how she translates her skills to broadcast television. She also breaks down the evolution of the point guard and the state of the women's game.

In this episode, Esrael is joined by Mavs Live Host Dana Larson, who has covered the Mavericks for 22 seasons in its 44-year existence! She talks about her sports TV career, how she stays prepared, her favorite memories of the Mavericks, and she and Esrael recap Dallas's 2023-24 NBA Season after falling short in the NBA Finals.

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The 2024 NBA Finals are set between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics! First, Esrael puts a bow on the Conference Finals, then he breaks down stats pertaining to both teams' strengths and weaknesses. He gives his official Finals prediction at the end of the episode. Here's to the Finals!

We've reached the Conference Finals, and the Dallas Mavericks are still dancing! Esrael breaks down how they've succeeded against the Minnesota Timberwolves to take a 2-0 series lead by laying the foundation with their success against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He'll also share his Conference Finals predictions and celebrate the All-NBA selections for this season.

The Dallas Mavericks & the Oklahoma City Thunder will face off in the Western Conference Semifinals! Esrael breaks down how the Mavs took down the Clippers, as well as his main concern for the upcoming series against the Thunder. He'll also recap his picks from the 1st round and give predictions for the 2nd round.

 

Mavs-Thunder Series Preview: S01E20 - Apple Podcasts

 

Mavs-Thunder Series Preview: S01E20 - Spotify

The one and only Erin Hartigan joins Esrael to talk about their experiences in athletics and broadcasting and how they use their skillsets to create a compelling show for the basketball fan. They also break down what went wrong for the New Orleans Pelicans in their first two games in Oklahoma City and what they need to do to bounce back and avoid elimination.

The NBA Playoffs have begun! Esrael revisits what he wanted the Mavs to improve from last season and gives his prediction for how they'll fare in their 1st-round series against the LA Clippers. He then recaps the Pelicans' and Thunder's seasons and predicts who wins the series between New Orleans and Oklahoma City. He also gives his early playoff predictions for every series in the NBA.

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As March Madness continues, Esrael takes a look at the red-hot Mavericks and what's helped them win 9 of their last 10 games. He also looks at the Pelicans and CJ McCollum to fill the void left by Brandon Ingram as well as the Thunder and their recent 2nd Chance success. Plus, a preview of some potential playoff matchups.

Luka Doncic and Daniel Gafford both made NBA history in the last several games, and Esrael has all the stats to break them down. And as the NBA season reaches the last 16 games, Esrael takes a look at what the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder all have ahead of them as they all make a playoff push.

The Mavs are broken, and it's partly because of the Strus juice. Esrael breaks down Dallas's plays and mistakes from the last 5 minutes of the Mavs-Cavs game. He also takes a look at the high-flying Pelicans after their wins against the Knicks & Pacers as well as the Thunder's quest for best in the West.

 

Mavericks vs Cavaliers: Final 5 Minutes

76ers vs Mavericks Highlights

The NBA All-Star Weekend is in the rearview mirror, and the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder each have interesting paths to the playoffs. Esrael breaks down where each team has improved and/or where they may have trouble as contending teams look to finish the season on a high note.

The NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone, so Esrael breaks down what the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Thunder did or did not do at the deadline, and he also provides a brief outlook for what each team must look out for. Then, he recaps Week 16 for those three teams, and he also provides a tease to what's coming the next couple of weeks as well as a Super Bowl LVIII prediction.

One of the hottest debates in the basketball world right now is the NBA's 65-game rule, and Esrael has some thoughts on it. He'll explain the purpose of the rule as well as its biggest flaw. Plus, he'll touch on how he feels about Luka being 6th in the MVP race, and he'll also look at the best games from the Mavs, Pelicans, and Thunder from Week 15.