Around The NBA : 2025-26

[DASMACKDOWN]

Welp, Wizards just blownout ATL. Time for them to blow it up /s

An obvious bad loss for Atlanta. But its the NBA. I know people get mad when you lose to a bad team but nay team can turn it on if its their night. They wont go 0-82

[Hangtime84]

No nights of in the NBA

[MGB8]

Looking at the standings, what a weird season it is. West is much better than the East, but a lot of things seem exaggerated, even like it is a mirage.

OKC is great, even without Williams, but they don’t strike me as unbeatable. Detroit with only 2 losses seems wild - decent and balanced talent all around but just not that sold on Cade as some sort of uber megastar. Reaves I’ve never been fully sold on but he is scoring like Kobe. Toronto I’m not that surprised by - thought they really underachieved last year. Miami also not surprised - Spo. Orlando turning it on - but doing so without Banchero, which is interesting. Cavs not quite struggling but not building on last year. Ditto NYK. Bucks were doing pretty well when Giannis got hurt, so we will see. Philly very up and down.

Does Golden State improve or crash? Minnesota (dealing with Ant injury)…

Standings seem more stratified than should be - things seem more open this year.

[MrSparkle]

Looking at the standings, what a weird season it is. West is much better than the East, but a lot of things seem exaggerated, even like it is a mirage.

OKC is great, even without Williams, but they don’t strike me as unbeatable. Detroit with only 2 losses seems wild - decent and balanced talent all around but just not that sold on Cade as some sort of uber megastar. Reaves I’ve never been fully sold on but he is scoring like Kobe. Toronto I’m not that surprised by - thought they really underachieved last year. Miami also not surprised - Spo. Orlando turning it on - but doing so without Banchero, which is interesting. Cavs not quite struggling but not building on last year. Ditto NYK. Bucks were doing pretty well when Giannis got hurt, so we will see. Philly very up and down.

Does Golden State improve or crash? Minnesota (dealing with Ant injury)…

Standings seem more stratified than should be - things seem more open this year.

What’s more weird is OKC has the best point differential in history, with their 2nd best player out, and they currently have 3 lottery picks going to them (LAC unprotected, PHI top-4 prot., UTA top-8 prot.). Presti might’ve broken the NBA.

OTOH, the fragility of basketball… despite the team being loaded… Their success entirely rides with Shai, who is basically the new Jordan.

Jerry West has been called the architect of that Kawhi/George coup, but he also downplayed his role, and was on record saying moving Shai was difficult and that he’ll be a future star. Well, he passed away soon after the Thunder lost by a point in G7 to the Mavs (24 WCFs), but I’m sure he could see by that point the Clippers trade was a closed-case/disaster.

[kodo]

What’s more weird is OKC has the best point differential in history, with their 2nd best player out, and they currently have 3 lottery picks going to them (LAC unprotected, PHI top-4 prot., UTA top-8 prot.). Presti might’ve broken the NBA.

OTOH, the fragility of basketball… despite the team being loaded… Their success entirely rides with Shai, who is basically the new Jordan.

Jerry West has been called the architect of that Kawhi/George coup, but he also downplayed his role, and was on record saying moving Shai was difficult and that he’ll be a future star. Well, he passed away soon after the Thunder lost by a point in G7 to the Mavs (24 WCFs), but I’m sure he could see by that point the Clippers trade was a closed-case/disaster.

With as few games as we've had, OKC's incredibly easy SOS is the main factor here for the historical point differential. Not that they're aren't a great and possibly historic team anyway, but the number value is probably off. Easiest schedule in the league. Pacers, Hawks, Mavs, Kings, Wizards, Pels, Kings, Grizzlies, Charlotte, Pels (AGAIN), Kings (AGAIN), Jazz.

They'll probably end the season with the best differential, but I'd wait til the schedule evens out to measure it historically.

[MrSparkle]

What’s more weird is OKC has the best point differential in history, with their 2nd best player out, and they currently have 3 lottery picks going to them (LAC unprotected, PHI top-4 prot., UTA top-8 prot.). Presti might’ve broken the NBA.

OTOH, the fragility of basketball… despite the team being loaded… Their success entirely rides with Shai, who is basically the new Jordan.

Jerry West has been called the architect of that Kawhi/George coup, but he also downplayed his role, and was on record saying moving Shai was difficult and that he’ll be a future star. Well, he passed away soon after the Thunder lost by a point in G7 to the Mavs (24 WCFs), but I’m sure he could see by that point the Clippers trade was a closed-case/disaster.

With as few games as we've had, OKC's incredibly easy SOS is the main factor here for the historical point differential. Not that they're aren't a great and possibly historic team anyway, but the number value is probably off. Easiest schedule in the league. Pacers, Hawks, Mavs, Kings, Wizards, Pels, Kings, Grizzlies, Charlotte, Pels (AGAIN), Kings (AGAIN), Jazz.

They'll probably end the season with the best differential, but I'd wait til the schedule evens out to measure it historically.

Yeah, I don’t disagree, although similar things were said about the Warriors and Bulls in their hot runs.

I do think the general level of competition this season has been high… despite some “bad” teams. Especially that opening week; everybody (but the Pelicans) was on fire. The injuries have been extreme the past few weeks, though.

[2weekswithpay]