Official NBA General Discussion 2025-26 V1.0

[Los_29]

The more I think about this, the more I like the Thunder. Their defense is just incredibly good. Historically good.

Either way, great to see two teams who built their teams around non-top 10 picks and trades. Chet is the only significant piece drafted inside the top 10 for both teams. Pacers built their team beautifully. Haliburton, Pascal, Nesmith, Nembhard, TJ and Toppin are all players they added through trades, free agency or late in the draft. Say what you want about Presti, yeah he got his two best players in the once in a lifetime Paul George deal, but he put great pieces around them and their defense is why I think they’ll win the series.

Either way, great to see two small market teams in the finals.

Thunder in 6.

[sidsid]

It's pretty striking that you'll see two diametrically opposed team building approaches in this finals, both from small market teams.

You've got the Hinkie The Process Thunder, the Sith Lord approach to the Masai Pacers Jedi Master approach.

The Thunder building their potential dynasty around an utterly commited shameless look to the future.

- no OG/Norm trades for now players. Pure focus on far off picks and early youth until you contend (the Giddey trade). You develop SGA from scratch.
- No BI/Jak trades of your or other teams draft picks. You pick JDub with that other team's pick and hit the jackpot. Something Masai would have loved to have done in the SGA/Giannis years, but never had them.
- the shameless tank leading to one top 5 pick, where the majority of the talent is, and you hit on it (Masai got one of those too, with some luck in a worse draft spot).
- no spending up to the tax so that you have to give up assets in your Young type trades. You have cap space and sign your need at C outright on your terms and length.

And you still have all those picks from your Westbrook to Kemba cycling to forge a long contending window instead of relying on Kawhi trades the evaporate immediately.

A complete repudiation of one style of team building depending on who wins this series. Should be fun.

[Boogie!]

I just had this thought, but if scottie barnes was on the Thunder, how impactful would he be? Would he even fit on that team? Would they have traded him like they did with Giddey?

[Psubs]

I just had this thought, but if scottie barnes was on the Thunder, how impactful would he be? Would he even fit on that team? Would they have traded him like they did with Giddey?

He would be similar to Hartenstein.

[Loso04]

I've had thoughts about how the composition of the team would look if the Raptors had drafted Suggs instead of Barnes. Don't get me wrong I like Scottie as a player on team, just a thought I ponder from time to time.

[sidsid]

Did Screamin' A just début "Shae Buttah" or am I just old?

[Syd-TK3]

I'll be shocked if this goes more than 5

[Brinbe]

they need to bring back the trophy logo

[Boogie!]

It’s hard for me to give a **** when I’m not really rooting for a specific team. I’m sort of rooting for the pacers as the underdogs but also wouldn’t mind Shai and the thunder winning.

I think im just gonna officially commit to the pacers.

[dozo]

I just had this thought, but if scottie barnes was on the Thunder, how impactful would he be? Would he even fit on that team? Would they have traded him like they did with Giddey?

He would be similar to Hartenstein.

Really? He would be an all-star, a finalists for DPOY and 1st team all defense.

One stagnant year (@ 23yr) and people acting like he's peaked.

His stats were similar 2 JDub this year.

[Boogie!]

I just had this thought, but if scottie barnes was on the Thunder, how impactful would he be? Would he even fit on that team? Would they have traded him like they did with Giddey?

He would be similar to Hartenstein.

Really? He would be an all-star, a finalists for DPOY and 1st team all defense.

One stagnant year (@ 23yr) and people acting like he's peaked.

His stats were similar 2 JDub this year.

Jalen Williams shoots 37% from 3 and also has superior shot creation ability.

[sidsid]

Early notes.
- Love the pregame adjustment of Wallace in. Throws off all plans.
- JDub settling for middies when there is nothing stopping penetration to the hoop, as SGA has shown. Looking like Denver J early.
- Rebounding not a strength of either, but Dort finding where he can contribute

Pacers
- find the matchup you can, and straight to Siakam on Wallace is the smart plays you expect.
- Nembhard just might not have a role in this series, but the bench doesn't have an alternative
- turnovers early. Not sure if they can clean that up.
- gotta pack the paint. Can't have these line drive layups

[Boogie!]

Indiana needs to spam siakam he’s the only advantage they have

[Boogie!]

Indiana is trying to dribble around the perimeter on okc no shot. Post up siakam when he has a little guy on him wtf are they doint

[Coco Costanza]

OMG, take Obi out already.

[Brinbe]

okc is totally fine playing fast too. pacers got no plan b

going about as expected

[SnotoriousBIG]

Obi Toppin has been a disaster so far...

[PhilBlackson]

You gotta love how relentless OKC's defence is.

Guys are always digging in on drives, have their hands/arms in passing lanes, contesting everything. Absolutely smothering - just a clinic of how to defend.

[Brinbe]

timeout dallas

[sidsid]

You gotta love how relentless OKC's defence is.

Guys are always digging in on drives, have their hands/arms in passing lanes, contesting everything. Absolutely smothering - just a clinic of how to defend.

They force you to make the third pass, and that third pass ends up with a guy like Topping, or Nesmith, or whatever and they have to make a play and a decision. It's where a beautiful passing offense is forced to show what it's made of.