2025 Regular Season Thread Vol. 9

[3ammy3uck3ts]

“DPOY finalist and SPG merchant Dyson Daniels of the 18th ranked best defense Atlanta Hawks”

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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Yep. Everyone becomes more efficient here. Durant would do well.

Now, if Spo could just manage a 4th quarter......

Luckily KD is an elite isolation player and 3 level scorer. I believe he was the best mid range shooter in the league this year, that’s huge for 4th quarters

[DayofMourning]

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Yep. Everyone becomes more efficient here. Durant would do well.

Now, if Spo could just manage a 4th quarter......

Luckily KD is an elite isolation player and 3 level scorer. I believe he was the best mid range shooter in the league this year, that’s huge for 4th quarters

Yep. Thats why I jokingly had KD coming off the bench for us in my dream lineup. I had him playing 12 minutes per game. All in the 4th.

Would feel a lot better giving the ball to KD up 15 entering the 4th quarter.

[greg4012]

“DPOY finalist and SPG merchant Dyson Daniels of the 18th ranked best defense Atlanta Hawks”

Bam and the DPOY and All-D teams is just like the multiple All-Defense teams and 1st team All-NBAs that Wade lost to Kobe or others due solely to narrative bullsh*t. We all know in the moment that the accolades are warranted, but with them not being received, the more time that passes the more that their legacy will be diminished by not getting the award nods. It f**kin sucks.

[twix2500]

Hot prediction


Heat gets eliminated in round two game 6.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Beenie]

It's believed the team was open to discussing an extension with Jimmy pending his availability for the 24-25 season, there's nothing unreasonable about that. For context, this is coming off two seasons where he was available for 64 and 60 games. KD has played 75 and 62 games the last two years, didn't quit on his team no matter how bad they were, is nowhere near the headache to deal with for team personnel, and is a far superior offensive player. It isn't a contradiction, its apples and oranges.

For context, sample size I provided dates back to when Jimmy joined the organization and within that period of time, he's been more available on average than Durant has.

The quitting on team point happened after it was already understood that Jimmy wasnt gonna be getting a max extension this season so its a moot point.

The far superior offensive player point is valid, certainly in the regular season, but, in the playoffs, when it matters most, the gap closed significantly in some of the years that Jimmy has been with this team.

Do we think that if Jimmy averaged 2 or 3 more points in the playoffs the FO would of then agreed to the max extension?

Also provided dates that included the season Durant was coming back from an achilles tear and missed half of the 2021 season as a result. Past 4 seasons: Durant averages 60 games per season. Jimmy averages 59 games per season.

Let me pull up a prior post with regards to this false equivalency--including with playoff performances (take note of the bold/underlined):

KD has the 4th highest playoff ppg in NBA history, and he's still putting up playoff stats commensurate with those averages.
Durant's career playoff stats are 29.3 ppg (48% fg, 36% 3pt), 4 assists, 8 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks.


KD made it to the conference finals 4 out of his 6 seasons with OKC, including the finals once (the only times OKC has been to either).

KD then went full front runner and joined GS. Lame move. I agree. But, he went on to win 2 straight championships where he was finals MVP for both. They went to a 3rd championship and lost to the GOAT after KD tore his achilles. Seemed he was kinda important to their success huh?

For those keeping track, that's 3 more conference finals appearances and 3 more finals appearances for KD. Now up to 7 conference finals through 9 seasons and 4 finals appearances through 9 seasons in the NBA.

KD then signed with Brooklyn. In season 1, they lost in round 2 to the eventual champions--Milwaukee Bucks. As many may recall, Brooklyn was a KD toe away from knocking out MIL in round 2 and likely proceeding to win it all. This is the same MIL team that swept Miami in round 1.

Jimmy's stats vs the 2021 Bucks in playoffs (4 games): 14.5 ppg (29.7% FG , 27% 3p%), 7 assists, 7 rebounds, 1.6 stocks
Durant's stats vs the 2021 Bucks in playoffs (7 games): 35.4 ppg (49.7% FG, 35 % 3p%), 5 assists, 10. rebounds, 2.7 stocks

The following season, KD's Nets flopped as drama mounted and Harden forced a trade to Philly mid-season. Nets got Ben Simmons in return who did not play a game for them that season.

KD demanded a trade in 2023 and spent the back half of his season on the Suns. Suns lost to the eventual champs in the Denver Nuggets in 6 games in round 2 of the playoffs. Phoenix was the only team to take that Nuggets squad past 5 games in a playoff series. As you all recall, Miami lost to Denver in 5 games in the finals.

Jimmy's stats vs the 2023 Nuggets in playoffs (5 games): 21.6 ppg (41.3% fg, 36.8% 3 pt), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.6 stocks
Durant's stats vs the 2023 Nuggets in playoffs (6 games): 29.5 ppg (45.3% fg, 22.2% 3pt), 5 assists, 10 rebounds, 2.4 stocks

That brings us to last season, where a poorly built Phoenix squad lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in round 1 of the playoffs in 4 games. In that series Durant averaged 27 ppg (55% FG, 42% 3pt), 3 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 stocks. Phoenix's frontcourt got decimated by Minnesota's size as no one on PHX did anything aside from Durant and Booker.

Durant has made it to the playoffs 13 of his 16 active seasons in the NBA. Has made it past the first round 10 out of the 13 times he's been in the playoffs. Has made it to the conference finals 7 out of his 13 times in the playoffs (54% of the time), has made it to the finals 4 out of his 13 times in the playoffs (31% of the time), and has won 2 championships.

Durant's career playoff stats are 29.3 ppg (48% fg, 36% 3pt), 4 assists, 8 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks. And he's put up numbers as good or better than his career averages in each of the 4 playoff appearances he's had since leaving GS (including the last 2 seasons). KD has the 4th highest playoff ppg in NBA history, and he's still putting up playoff stats commensurate with those averages.

Let's stop with the false equivalency of comparing Kevin Durant and Jimmy as equal pieces to work with this Miami core.

Yes, I'm concerned about any aging superstar and durability. But, Kevin Durant is the exact archetype of the exception to concerns about age. Jimmy is not.

Disagree with your last sentence.

Jimmy keeps himself in emasculate physical shape and his game is based mostly on intelligence and not ball skills therefore, imo, he qualifies as an exception to the aging archetype falloff rule.

KD however is frail and there always has been a concern about general durability which becomes even more of an alert with age. If he gets ran into a hard screen as an example will he crumble into a pile of bones at age 37 and beyond.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

“DPOY finalist and SPG merchant Dyson Daniels of the 18th ranked best defense Atlanta Hawks”

Bam and the DPOY and All-D teams is just like the multiple All-Defense teams and 1st team All-NBAs that Wade lost to Kobe or others due solely to narrative bullsh*t. We all know in the moment that the accolades are warranted, but with them not being received, the more time that passes the more that their legacy will be diminished by not getting the award nods. It f**kin sucks.

The Kobe over Wade name recognition stuff used to fire me up. Didn’t Wade get 2nd team all defense behind Kobe when he finished 3rd in DPOY? Didnt Wade finish 3rd for MVP in 08-09 because of Kobe when the award was really only between Wade and LeBron (I think Wade got shafted)? The voters are just flat out terrible and biased

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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[Shewasfly]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44686403/nba-awards-2025-mvp-top-rookie-all-nba-selections

Dont click the link 3ammy.

JJJ gets a ton of shine. Mobley too.

Bam 5th team all defense.

Bam not even being on the all defensive team is insanity. Him not being top 3 in DPOY is to be expected based on our team defensive ranking. But as an individual defender, you have to give him more respect than that. I'm skeptical that he doesn't make one of the teams. He will at least make 2nd team.

[DayofMourning]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44686403/nba-awards-2025-mvp-top-rookie-all-nba-selections

Dont click the link 3ammy.

JJJ gets a ton of shine. Mobley too.

Bam 5th team all defense.

Bam not even being on the all defensive team is insanity. Him not being top 3 in DPOY is to be expected based on our team defensive ranking. But as an individual defender, you have to give him more respect than that. I'm skeptical that he doesn't make one of the teams. He will at least make 2nd team.

It just proves that the voters arent up to the task.

Bams been on my 1st team for a while and would be this year too. Hes unparalleled. Coaches and players know it, yet the media picks. Makes any award pointless tbf.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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[SoFlaKingReal]

The league-leader averaged less than 3 box-outs per game?

That's hard to believe.

[oreon]

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Jokic 3rd in deflections is surprising

[DayofMourning]

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Good to see JJJ leading several categories;)

[greg4012]

For context, sample size I provided dates back to when Jimmy joined the organization and within that period of time, he's been more available on average than Durant has.

The quitting on team point happened after it was already understood that Jimmy wasnt gonna be getting a max extension this season so its a moot point.

The far superior offensive player point is valid, certainly in the regular season, but, in the playoffs, when it matters most, the gap closed significantly in some of the years that Jimmy has been with this team.

Do we think that if Jimmy averaged 2 or 3 more points in the playoffs the FO would of then agreed to the max extension?

Also provided dates that included the season Durant was coming back from an achilles tear and missed half of the 2021 season as a result. Past 4 seasons: Durant averages 60 games per season. Jimmy averages 59 games per season.

Let me pull up a prior post with regards to this false equivalency--including with playoff performances (take note of the bold/underlined):

KD has the 4th highest playoff ppg in NBA history, and he's still putting up playoff stats commensurate with those averages.
Durant's career playoff stats are 29.3 ppg (48% fg, 36% 3pt), 4 assists, 8 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks.


KD made it to the conference finals 4 out of his 6 seasons with OKC, including the finals once (the only times OKC has been to either).

KD then went full front runner and joined GS. Lame move. I agree. But, he went on to win 2 straight championships where he was finals MVP for both. They went to a 3rd championship and lost to the GOAT after KD tore his achilles. Seemed he was kinda important to their success huh?

For those keeping track, that's 3 more conference finals appearances and 3 more finals appearances for KD. Now up to 7 conference finals through 9 seasons and 4 finals appearances through 9 seasons in the NBA.

KD then signed with Brooklyn. In season 1, they lost in round 2 to the eventual champions--Milwaukee Bucks. As many may recall, Brooklyn was a KD toe away from knocking out MIL in round 2 and likely proceeding to win it all. This is the same MIL team that swept Miami in round 1.

Jimmy's stats vs the 2021 Bucks in playoffs (4 games): 14.5 ppg (29.7% FG , 27% 3p%), 7 assists, 7 rebounds, 1.6 stocks
Durant's stats vs the 2021 Bucks in playoffs (7 games): 35.4 ppg (49.7% FG, 35 % 3p%), 5 assists, 10. rebounds, 2.7 stocks

The following season, KD's Nets flopped as drama mounted and Harden forced a trade to Philly mid-season. Nets got Ben Simmons in return who did not play a game for them that season.

KD demanded a trade in 2023 and spent the back half of his season on the Suns. Suns lost to the eventual champs in the Denver Nuggets in 6 games in round 2 of the playoffs. Phoenix was the only team to take that Nuggets squad past 5 games in a playoff series. As you all recall, Miami lost to Denver in 5 games in the finals.

Jimmy's stats vs the 2023 Nuggets in playoffs (5 games): 21.6 ppg (41.3% fg, 36.8% 3 pt), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 1.6 stocks
Durant's stats vs the 2023 Nuggets in playoffs (6 games): 29.5 ppg (45.3% fg, 22.2% 3pt), 5 assists, 10 rebounds, 2.4 stocks

That brings us to last season, where a poorly built Phoenix squad lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in round 1 of the playoffs in 4 games. In that series Durant averaged 27 ppg (55% FG, 42% 3pt), 3 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 stocks. Phoenix's frontcourt got decimated by Minnesota's size as no one on PHX did anything aside from Durant and Booker.

Durant has made it to the playoffs 13 of his 16 active seasons in the NBA. Has made it past the first round 10 out of the 13 times he's been in the playoffs. Has made it to the conference finals 7 out of his 13 times in the playoffs (54% of the time), has made it to the finals 4 out of his 13 times in the playoffs (31% of the time), and has won 2 championships.

Durant's career playoff stats are 29.3 ppg (48% fg, 36% 3pt), 4 assists, 8 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks. And he's put up numbers as good or better than his career averages in each of the 4 playoff appearances he's had since leaving GS (including the last 2 seasons). KD has the 4th highest playoff ppg in NBA history, and he's still putting up playoff stats commensurate with those averages.

Let's stop with the false equivalency of comparing Kevin Durant and Jimmy as equal pieces to work with this Miami core.

Yes, I'm concerned about any aging superstar and durability. But, Kevin Durant is the exact archetype of the exception to concerns about age. Jimmy is not.

Disagree with your last sentence.

Jimmy keeps himself in emasculate physical shape and his game is based mostly on intelligence and not ball skills therefore, imo, he qualifies as an exception to the aging archetype falloff rule.

KD however is frail and there always has been a concern about general durability which becomes even more of an alert with age. If he gets ran into a hard screen as an example will he crumble into a pile of bones at age 37 and beyond.

I believe Jimmy would be the first non-top 10 player of all time or top 5 scorer of all time to be the exception to the age cliff in warranting a max salary at age 37 and beyond. Slim odds but would be happy for Jimmy if he accomplishes that.

KD "crumbling" has been a false flag since before he was even in the NBA. I bet Portland wishes they didn't buy into it, then they'd have drafted a 1st ballot HOFer instead of Greg Oden.

Kevin Durant has played in 77% of potential games since entering the NBA (through 18 seasons). Jimmy Butler has played in 76.9% of potential games since entering the NBA (through 14 seasons). And that's with taking into account the fact that KD missed the entire 2020 season AND half the 2021 season with a torn achilles.

Over the past 4 seasons, Jimmy has played in 71.9% of potential games and KD has played in 72.8% of potential games.

It's not usually the player that requires imposing physicality, foul drawing, and paint play that endures beyond 35 in the NBA. It's the best scorers in NBA history.

You can believe Jimmy is destined to be a better player at age 36, 37 and 38 than KD will be at age 37, 38, and 39 but it's backed by nothing but hope and sentimentality IMO.

Jason Kidd played until he was 39 specifically because his intelligence and floor game allowed him to continue to impact the game. But, the version of Kidd after age 36 was a single digit scoring facilitator and defender. Not close to warranting a max contract. I see Jimmy aging on the Kidd spectrum in terms of leveraging his strengths to continue playing positive ball. Hopefully he bucks the odds and can be superstar impact. He'll be the first ever non-top 10 all time player to do so. I still bet Durant will be better (as he always has been).

[3ammy3uck3ts]

The league-leader averaged less than 3 box-outs per game?

That's hard to believe.

Must be fake made up numbers

[SoFlaKingReal]

The league-leader averaged less than 3 box-outs per game?

That's hard to believe.

Must be fake made up numbers

They must just have a really high threshold for what is considered a box out. I feel like Bam is boxing out a dozen plus times per game lol

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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Good to see JJJ leading several categories;)

They forgot to include total fouls which shafted him from leading the list in that category, hate that for him.

[DBurks2818]

Without opening the full image I saw Evan Mobley as #5 in Contested Shots, and excitedly thought it was Highsmith for a second lol. The resemblance in the thumbnail is pretty strong.

[MettaWorldPanda]

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