NBA 2025-26 Season Thread: THE NY KNICKS ARE CHAMPIONS! BING BONG!
Lettuce NBA!
and lettuce lol @ James Harden
Dray had 5 fouls 1 flagrant and 1 tech
That’s some all-world toe’ing the line. Curious if it’s ever happened
Dray had 5 fouls 1 flagrant and 1 tech
That’s some all-world toe’ing the line. Curious if it’s ever happened
He should've added a delay of game warning, and uninform warning for an untucked shirt, and a tech for hanging on the rim. Collecting violations like Infinity Stones
First tech on Draymond was ridiculous, so they call a non-existent flagrant foul during the next dust up rather than a tech for grabbing Eason's jersey. Makes sense. What a ****ing joke.
I really hate how the NBA hands out double techs like candy. Some dude starts something and is physical, so the other player is supposed to just not do anything and risk an injury? Defending yourself should not be a technical. NBA is so soft.
Kind of interesting that in both the Lakers and Rockets games a very pivotal play by the losing team was a horrible ticky tack foul on missed 3 point shot. And the Knicks probably only won because a similar ticky tack foul wasn't called.
In both cases there was really no defense for the foul. Luka should be happy he is holding Anthony to a tough 3 and live with the result without trying to block it. And Butler is a poor enough 3 point shooter no good reason for Brooks to challenge him so aggressively on a tough shot like that.
To this end, Dillon Brooks should just drop the People's Elbow on Steph the first time Steph hits the floor while Draymond is out of the game. Any NBA player will instinctively fight back in that situation, even Curry, and Draymond definitely would come flying off the bench, which is an automatic ejection. If the rest of the Rockets team is willing to run toward the tunnel after Brooks drops the elbow and let Brooks get his ass beat by Draymond and whoever else, you could end up with a very favorable trade of Dillon Brooks for Draymond, Steph, and whoever else jumps in to pound Brooks.
Memo to Minny players:
Hide your girlfriends.
To this end, Dillon Brooks should just drop the People's Elbow on Steph the first time Steph hits the floor while Draymond is out of the game. Any NBA player will instinctively fight back in that situation, even Curry, and Draymond definitely would come flying off the bench, which is an automatic ejection. If the rest of the Rockets team is willing to run toward the tunnel af
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McMuffin is a big fan of the People’s Elbow.
Absolute horrow show of a start for the Rockets. They are panicking for no reason. They aren't going to get shot off the floor by Draymond and Podz. And it's clear Butler is only at 60-70%. Rockets just need to settle down.
only position of the night was rockets 1q ml and they almost got there too lol
This is how you win in today's NBA. I'm not sure why other teams still go to models of ball dominate players.
Speaking of Ball dominate.... and Luka.
Name some HOF players that don't have at least one 500+ +/- season? The only ones you'll find are controversial players...
Melo, Iverson, McGrady.
Luka's best +/- was this season... 344. And while not the best stat to measure a players impact, it is pretty decent over a large sample size - like a career.
When you play both sides of the ball, and make a lot of the little plays on a good team, you'll easily have a 500+ +/-.
There's also only one player in NBA history w/ a usage rate over 32%, and a TS% under 62% that has won a championship. That guy is MJ.
I'm not sure why people don't understand this. It's really difficult to win when you have a ball dominate player that doesn't have GREAT shot selection. This should be common sense... but apparently it's not.
This is how you win in today's NBA. I'm not sure why other teams still go to models of ball dominate players.
Meh, joking aside, I think the downside is pretty obvious.
With Haliburton, the Pacers generate more open looks than any other team in the league. More open looks=more made shots= more points.
Shut down/disrupt Haliburton and the whole thing grinds to a halt. You're going to see it in the CLE series. They're going to blitz Tyrese off every screen, throw two guys at him, whatever it takes to make Nembhard the primary ball handler. Indiana can't keep up with Cleveland if Tyrese isn't running the offense 35+ min/gm
Meh, joking aside, I think the downside is pretty obvious.With Haliburton, the Pacers generate more open looks than any other team in the league. More open looks=more made shots= more points.Shut down/disrupt Haliburton and the whole thing grinds to a halt. You're going to see it in the CLE series. They're going to blitz Tyrese off every screen, throw two guys at him, whatever
This is what ball movement, pace, and players accepting their roles does. It's beautiful bball to watch.
I'm sure you're correct, and CLE's main goal will to force others to be playmakers. I don't know if CLE has enough defense for it to matter. Not that they are horrible, they are top 10 in DE, but they have some holes. It will be an interesting series, but CLE has a big edge.
Almost none of this matters though. I really can't see anyone beating OKC this year. They are just too good on both sides of the floor. The fitment of their role players is pieced really well together.
The only people beating them, are themselves, and/or injuries.
Curry has been weirdly passive on the offensive end. I'm shocked that he has taken only 12 shots.
It's why I thought Game 3 was must win for the Warriors. Playing Steph 40+ minutes a night works when there is 2 days off between games, but now we are every other day it's hard for a 37 year old who is constantly being grabbed, pulled & hit off the ball to have it all the time late in games.
Speaking of Ball dominate.... and Luka. Name some HOF players that don't have at least one 500+ +/- season? The only ones you'll find are controversial players...Melo, Iverson, McGrady.Luka's best +/- was this season... 344. And while not the best stat to measure a players impact, it is pretty decent over a large sample size - like a career.When you play both sides of the ball,
Luka turned 26 a month ago.
So you're thinking he's going to learn how to play team bball at some point, and improve his shot selection?
The Mavs needed Luka to play the role he did, because they were a mediocre team. But if Luka ever wants to win a ring... ever... he's going to have to change his game.
I don't see that happening, even though he's only 26, as you point out.
Speaking of Ball dominate.... and Luka. Name some HOF players that don't have at least one 500+ +/- season? The only ones you'll find are controversial players...Melo, Iverson, McGrady.Luka's best +/- was this season... 344. And while not the best stat to measure a players impact, it is pretty decent over a large sample size - like a career.When you play both sides of the ball,
Kobe cleared those marks in both of his non-Shaq titles
Going back a decade or so, the only player the TS% condition even matters for is Giannis. All the other champions just didn't have a player over 32% usage. Even Lebron's past two. Because in general, championship teams are stacked and it gets shared around more.
Harden in 17-18 had the most similar usg/TS combo to Luka that I could find and that team would've been title favourite in just about any other season (and would have won with just with a bit more injury/3pt variance luck)
There is absolutely a blueprint for winning that way. It's not the optimal style for a championship, sure, but acting like Luka has to completely overhaul his game to ever have a chance when he's only just turned 26 as mentioned is just silly
No coincidence Luka has had the most success with teams that most resemble the 17-18 Rockets. He needs a CP3 (Brunson/Irving), a Capella (Powell/Gafford/Lively) and some good defenders. Right now Lebron can do a bit of a CP3 impression but they don't have their Capela or their defenders.
how in the hell did they blow that game lmao
Castle getting 92% of the ROY votes while being actively bad at basketball all year is something. What a terrible rookie class. They should just give the trophy to Chet.
odds that was was giannis last gm as a buck? ill say 75-80%ish
some chance they deal dame contract and maybe picks depending on who it is for win now guys like say lavine or herro or beal, i doubt it but something like that
Doc rivers is without question the stupidest ****ing idiot who has a ring to his name
Giannis should just clear out his locker tonight and go home
odds that was was giannis last gm as a buck? ill say 75-80%ish
some chance they deal dame contract and maybe picks depending on who it is for win now guys like say lavine or herro or beal, i doubt it but something like that
You cannot deal Dame. He's got like $60M for next year and a player option after. All of that is basically dead money. And the Bucks have no FRP until 2031. What can they package to get someone to take him??
