The Control Room with Esrael Yohannes

This week, Esrael breaks down the start of the Mavs' longest homestand of the season and their huge victory against the Knicks without Luka Doncic. He also looks at the hot offense and suffocating defense of the Pelicans while diving deeper into the Thunder's issues with second chance points.

In the first episode of 2024, Esrael breaks down the Mavs' post-Christmas struggles, then he talks about their first win of their 7-game homestand. He then gives out advanced stats about the Pelicans' recent rise through their 4-game win streak, and then he looks at the Thunder's big win against the Celtics. He'll also give news on NBA All-Star voting.

For the last episode of 2023, Esrael recaps Week 9 in the NBA for the Mavericks, including all the milestones Luka Doncic hit on Christmas Day in Phoenix, as well as for the Pelicans and the Thunder throughout the week. He also takes a quick look at the NBA Christmas slate and previews what's to come in 2024.
 
What We Learned From The NBA Christmas Day Games | The Dunker Spot

It's the holiday season, and Christmas in the NBA is almost here! Esrael recaps Week 8 for the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Thunder as they each navigate their trials and triumphs and look to solidify their standing in the loaded Western Conference. He also previews the NBA Christmas slate.
 
Merry Christmas!

With the first quarter of the NBA season completed, Esrael breaks down Week 7 for the Mavs, Pels, and Thunder, and he identifies some key traits of these teams through their stats. He also puts a bow on the In-Season Tournament and provides an update on Mark Cuban's sale of the Mavericks.
 
Links to Articles/Documents about Dallas Mavericks sale:
Dallas Morning News Article
D Magazine Article
Land Deed near Texas Stadium
Winston & Strawn LLP Locations
Village Walk RE 2 LLC - Company Information
Tax ID Match - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

The Mavericks and the Thunder had one of the wildest game endings ever, and Esrael breaks down everything that happened on the floor and behind the scenes in the control rooms for both the Pelicans and Thunder shows from that night. He also updates the In-Season Tournament bracket with New Orleans advancing to Las Vegas in the Semifinal.

With the In-Season Tournament Group Play all wrapped up, Esrael recaps the last week for the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as previews the Quarterfinal Round for all the remaining teams looking to win the inaugural NBA Cup. He also touches on the news of Mark Cuban selling a majority stake of the Mavericks.
 
Josh Bowe's Article (Mavs Moneyball): Luka Doncic Got Back Into The Paint Against The Rockets
Marc Stein's Article (The Stein Line): Mark Cuban Has a Deal

After the NBA's games in Week 4, Esrael breaks down the Mavs' recent 3-PT shooting trends, as well as looks at how the Pelicans and the Thunder have improved their records. He also gives an update on the In-Season Tournament as two teams have already clinched their groups.

As the NBA season reaches 10 games for most teams, Esrael breaks down the most recent week for the Dallas Mavericks and the New Orleans Pelicans, and he also takes a look at the Oklahoma City Thunder in their most recent game. He also provides updates on the In-Season Tournament standings for both groups in which these teams play.

In this third episode, Esrael breaks down the Dallas Mavericks' hot start through the second week in the NBA. Then, he shares his thoughts (and stats) on the New Orleans Pelicans' season so far. He will also preview the upcoming In-Season Tournament matchups for both teams, including the LA Clippers with newly-acquired James Harden against Dallas.