Flipping the panic meter — this time we rate how much we believe the hot starts, one to ten. Grizzlies at 6-1, Rockets at 7-1, Blazers at 5-1, Lakers at 6-2, the Mavs, and a Pistons team leading the NBA in defense by a mile.

Two of us admit we were dead wrong in the preseason. Deon has his own team at a two.

We also get into the Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum situation — no beef, just lamb chops and gravy.

Plus Hooper of the Week and the Good Hustle Award: Luka’s last five games, Yaxel Lendeborg, the Suns falling apart, and a Charlie Villanueva's cold take.

New episodes weekly.

Instagram: @the.daggerpodcast
TikTok: @the.daggerpodcast
X: @thedaggerhoops

A week and a half in and it’s time to overreact. We go team by team and rate how much we’re panicking on a scale of one to ten.

The Heat at 1-4 and Deon taking back everything he said about them. The Knicks, the Timberwolves without Ant, the Raptors without Kawhi, the Thunder losing J-Dub and Cason Wallace, the Jazz, and the Magic — who broke the scale entirely.

Plus Hooper of the Week and the Good Hustle Awards: Cooper Flagg, the rookie class, Ty Jerome, Pat McAfee getting his feelings hurt, and the Knicks sending employees a fake championship ring email that turned out to be a phishing test.

New episodes weekly.

Instagram: @the.daggerpodcastTikTok: @the.daggerpodcastX: @thedaggerhoops

Opening week is here, so we’re putting our names on every award — Most Improved, Sixth Man, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP. A favorite and a dark horse from each of us.Three different MVP picks. Three different Rookie of the Year picks. The only thing we agree on is Wemby for Defensive Player of the Year.Plus Hooper of the Week and the Good Hustle Award — the Knicks rings, the Jalen Hurts situation, and a middle school football game.