No more talk of load management or the Groundhog Day nature of NBA regular season — the playoffs are here. The games matter, the intensity is high and coaching strategies — and team roster building — are put to the ultimate stress test. 

Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into the play-in games — particularly the Lakers win over the Timberwolves — and then get into all the first-round matchups. Can the Lakers upset the Grizzlies? What about the Warriors knocking off the 3-seed Kings? Will there be any upsets in the East.

Corey's Jukebox gets into LaMelo Ball and what's next for the star in Charlotte.

It's the busy season in the NBA with the playoffs about to start, but Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports focus on the big picture this week. They talk about a deep Hall of Fame class — Gregg Popovich, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker and more — then slide into talking about the new CBA and what it might mean for players and fans of elite teams. 

Corey's Jukebox this week uses the classic rock music of Heart to explain what is going on with the Dallas Mavericks.

After that, the duo gets into the NBA MVP and other end-of-season awards. Should it be Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokić or Giannis Antetokounmpo with the hardware this year? Did Jaren Jackson Jr. play enough games to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, or should it go to Brook Lopez and all he has brought to the Bucks? Can anyone top Paolo Banchero as Rookie of the Year? They discuss it all and more.

The NBA is very good at backloading its schedule with games between its best teams, and that makes the final weeks of the regular season interesting. This week the suddenly-hot Timberwolves — who have come together with Mike Conley running the point — face the Lakers with LeBron James back from his foot issue.  Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets take on Kevin Durant and the Suns in what could be a Western Conference second-round preview. Just how sideways are things in Dallas? Can the Heat beat the Knicks — and how big a threat is New York?

Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin get into all that, and while talking Mavericks, Corey's Jukebox talks Mavericks and some classic rock from Deep Purple. Then the conversation turns to players being shut down for the season — Damian Lillard and Ben Simmons among them — and how that sparks trade talk. Especially for Lillard, even though he has done nothing but be loyal to Portland. Then that discussion evolves into talking... karaoke? Yes, Karaoke. 

The last time the Sacramento Kings were in the playoffs, there was a Bush in the White House and Pixar released the first "Cars" movie. They are back with a vengeance this season, going into the playoffs with a top-three seed and an elite offense, but how far can they go once in there? Maybe a long ways if things break right, and Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports get into all of that. They discuss the passing of Knicks legend Willis Reed, then Corey's Jukebox compares Jayson Tatum to Eddie VanHalen's "Eruption." Finally, they focus on some possible free agents this summer maybe making their final runs with teams — will Draymond Green be back with the Warriors? What about Kyrie Irving with the Mavericks? The Knicks want Josh Hart back but are not getting a discount, and don't be surprised if the Heat and Trail Blazers try to make some big moves.

Ja Morant and his gun incident at a club have understandably drawn the headlines — and an eight-game suspension from the NBA — but the issues with the Grizzlies are larger than that. There are the injuries to Steven Adams (he could return for the postseason) and Brandon Clarke (torn Achilles), but also there is what NBC Sports' Corey Robinson describes as a "punk rock attitude" about the team that can be a source of strength but also lead to undisciplined moments. [Editor's note: This podcast was recorded just a couple of hours before the NBA handed down Morant's suspension.]

Robinson and NBC Sports' Kurt Helin dive into that and what steps the Grizzlies need to take in a tight West playoff race. From there it is Corey's Jukebox segment, with some underground Los Angeles hip hop for the Clippers, and some classic Irish music for the Knicks' Julius Randle.

Finally, the  duo discusses the changes at USA Basketball under Grant Hill — now players don't have to play in a World Cup to play in the Olympics? It's a concession to the modern game, but is it good for the American squad in an era where the gap between them and the world's other top teams has shrunk dramatically? The duo also talks a little March Madness — go UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

Kevin Durant has the kind of game that will plug-and-play with any team, but how will his presence impact the rest of the Phoenix Suns? Does Devin Booker get better matchups and more open looks? Will Chris Paul be more of a passer and shoot less? Will Deandre Ayton be happy in his new role? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports dive into all of that, followed by Corey's Jukebox with some Marvin Gaye for the Chicago Bulls and a little George Frideric Handel for the Suns. Then the duo fall into a discussion about loyalty in the NBA, and why Damian Lillard is a bit of an anomaly.

There are good things with the NBA All-Star Weekend: The 3-point Contest, this year the Dunk Contest and Mac McClung, and the many NBA-themed events that come up around it such as a Basketball Without Borders event, clinics and events with the youth of Salt Lake City, the Legends Breakfast and much more. But the actual All-Star Game itself is unwatchable. 

Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports dive into the weekend and discuss if anything can be done to fix it. From there the topic turns to the Atlanta Hawks firing Nate McMillan and their coaching search. If McMillan was a scapegoat for bigger problems, will a new coach fix them? 

Then they dive into the buyout market and the moves of Kevin Love to the Heat and Russell Westbrook to the Clippers. Mixed in with that is Corey's Jukebox music and NBA connections, plus a quick look ahead at the final quarter of the season.

The NBA is still reverberating from the shockwaves of the NBA trade deadline, and specifically the blockbuster that sent Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns. Does this make the Suns contenders? Favorites to come out of the West? What do they need to do to prove they belong on that level? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports dive into all of that, plus where the Nets go from here. On this week's Corey's Jukebox segment it's more Suns talk, with a little Britney Spears thrown in, and a nod to the Jazz. Then the duo discusses All-Star Saturday night and what to look for in the Skills Competition, the 3-Point Contest, and the Dunk Contest. Finally, they end with a little Super Bowl halftime talk (and avoid the end-of-the-game talk). 

It's one of the craziest weeks in the NBA — the week before the trade deadline is always insane — yet that is maybe the third biggest story in the league right now. First, we dive into LeBron James chasing history and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record — what does that say about LeBron and his legacy? And his conditioning to be doing this 20 years into his NBA career. From there, Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports dive into the biggest move in the basketball world this week — Breanna Stewart shaking up the WNBA and choosing the New York Liberty in free agency. She formed a superteam in New York, there's another one in Las Vegas, and this is an opportunity for the WNBA to grow – and get charter flights for their players. From there, it's Corey's Jukebox and time to talk some Damian Lillard. Then the duo gets into trade rumors from around the league and everyone waiting on the Raptors to open up the market.

Rui Hachimura is a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, which is a win for the Lakers front office — "Look! We're doing something!" — but how much of a win was that for the Lakers? Does it change much of anything for them on the court? Corey Robinson and Kurt Helin of NBC Sports discuss that, then talk about the Orlando Magic and the return of Jonathan Isaac to the floor. Corey's Jukebox ties together the Magic and the Phantom of the Opera, and from there the duo get into Kurt's selections for the NBA All-Star Game, both starters and reserves. Plus, who would you want to star as if you were in a movie?