2025-2026: Around the League

[Last Guardian]

Trying to figure out how we’re supposed to beat the Thunder. Without an elite playmaker like Haliburton I’m not sure it’s possible.

I have no clue. They are a 2 point loss on a road back to back without Chet and Jalen Williams from being 25-0. I don't know if anyone is supposed to beat them. I think you just load up on Shai and pray the role players miss 3s and that you shoot 50% from 3 while limiting their transition points. Good luck doing that 4 times.

Full strength Nuggets maybe can give them a run if their starters can play 40 minutes without a drop off

Rockets gave them a problem first game, they are a tough team with that size. Would love to see them take them down.

[Idiosyncratic]

Trying to figure out how we’re supposed to beat the Thunder. Without an elite playmaker like Haliburton I’m not sure it’s possible.

I have no clue. They are a 2 point loss on a road back to back without Chet and Jalen Williams from being 25-0. I don't know if anyone is supposed to beat them. I think you just load up on Shai and pray the role players miss 3s and that you shoot 50% from 3 while limiting their transition points. Good luck doing that 4 times.

Full strength Nuggets maybe can give them a run if their starters can play 40 minutes without a drop off

Rockets gave them a problem first game, they are a tough team with that size. Would love to see them take them down.

Anything can happen. Even the Warriors lost when they had the best record ever. 16-0 Patriots lost in football. There is precedent. Doesn't mean it is likely and may take a lot of luck, but it's not impossible. I'm not viewing it as a forgone conclusion they win it all, but I can recognize that it is probably pretty likely given how things typically shake out in the NBA.

Also where Giannis goes is potentially a big wild card.

[drsd]

Trying to figure out how we’re supposed to beat the Thunder. Without an elite playmaker like Haliburton I’m not sure it’s possible.

[RookieStar]

Trying to figure out how we’re supposed to beat the Thunder. Without an elite playmaker like Haliburton I’m not sure it’s possible.

HA!! Its OKC sweeping the leg but somehow the opponents fetting the foul call

[pepe1991]

You can't.
They are best team in NBA by historical margin.

It's like those first title of Shaq + Kobe & KD + Curry.

It's just matter of who will be their version of Nets in finals, since nobody on East has their Lebron.

They have DPOY candidate, MVP and all star, plus elite role players across a roster.

They are elite defensive team that limits rebounding, attacks rim, makes 3s, plays on passing lines due several elite defensive players , defends rim and generates A LOT of FTs.

They won title and got better. This is their time. That is why teams like Spurs or PIstons refuse to make win now move. Because they know it's pointless. Let them ride it out and go all in when actual window opens.

[Skybox]

Grayson Allen is kind of a menace...even Dillon Brooks is looking at him like "white boy is crazy".

Betting against a Lebron fairy tale playoff resurgence is like betting against Batman or Jason Bourne. It's ALWAYS in there, just not available every night.

[thelead]

Gary 'Cardio' Harris has played 29 minutes so far and has 0 points (0-1) but is a +23 for the Bucks tonight. Some things never change.

[SOUL]

You can't.
They are best team in NBA by historical margin.

It's like those first title of Shaq + Kobe & KD + Curry.

It's just matter of who will be their version of Nets in finals, since nobody on East has their Lebron.

They have DPOY candidate, MVP and all star, plus elite role players across a roster.

They are elite defensive team that limits rebounding, attacks rim, makes 3s, plays on passing lines due several elite defensive players , defends rim and generates A LOT of FTs.

They won title and got better. This is their time. That is why teams like Spurs or PIstons refuse to make win now move. Because they know it's pointless. Let them ride it out and go all in when actual window opens.

The right injuries can derail a season. Or you have bad matchup(s).

Denver could've beaten them last year with a few different bounces. Indiana had a chance until Hali's injury.

[RookieStar]

Gary 'Cardio' Harris has played 29 minutes so far and has 0 points (0-1) but is a +23 for the Bucks tonight. Some things never change.

Also Cole with the irregular good game to help wallop BOS

[thelead]

Gary 'Cardio' Harris has played 29 minutes so far and has 0 points (0-1) but is a +23 for the Bucks tonight. Some things never change.

Also Cole with the irregular good game to help wallop BOS

Cole is so inconsistent. His splits for the season are 43/27/55. 55 from the FT line is wild.

[RookieStar]

Gary 'Cardio' Harris has played 29 minutes so far and has 0 points (0-1) but is a +23 for the Bucks tonight. Some things never change.

Also Cole with the irregular good game to help wallop BOS

Cole is so inconsistent. His splits for the season are 43/27/55. 55 from the FT line is wild.

Hence the key word i put in is "irregular" kinda like coin toss Ross. You never know which will show up.

[pepe1991]

You can't.
They are best team in NBA by historical margin.

It's like those first title of Shaq + Kobe & KD + Curry.

It's just matter of who will be their version of Nets in finals, since nobody on East has their Lebron.

They have DPOY candidate, MVP and all star, plus elite role players across a roster.

They are elite defensive team that limits rebounding, attacks rim, makes 3s, plays on passing lines due several elite defensive players , defends rim and generates A LOT of FTs.

They won title and got better. This is their time. That is why teams like Spurs or PIstons refuse to make win now move. Because they know it's pointless. Let them ride it out and go all in when actual window opens.

The right injuries can derail a season. Or you have bad matchup(s).

Denver could've beaten them last year with a few different bounces. Indiana had a chance until Hali's injury.

Injuries ofc play role, but as long as SGA + at least one of J Will and/or Chet are healthy, with so much talent from rest of a team they are complete favorites.

I don't really agree or understand "few different bounces".



It's Nuggets, not OKC that won 2 games within 2 possessions differential, OKC wins were mostly very comfortable. Including 2/4 wins being brutal beatdowns ( +45, including+ 32 in game 7).

Is it scenario where OKC loses to Denver this year ? Sure. But only because Nuggets have best player in a game. For rest of a teams, i just don't see it.

Problem with all this is that OKC won 68 games, won title and got better..
Where Celtics, probably only team that could beat them, had to tear roster apart.

Ben & me talked this summer, and i pretty much said that NBA title will be won by one of only 3 possible teams. OKC, Denver and Houston (before FVV injury). Half year later, i still don't see how any other team aside from those 2 + Houston ( long shot) can actually win it. With new season & evidence i just lean heavily on OKC repeat than any other "new champion". Because they flat out beat living s*** out of everybody.

For crying out loud, they lost 1 game whole season, single possession loss to Blazers on a road, without Chet, J Will, Dort and Caruzo


Worst case: they chase 74 wins too hard and burn out from doing so.
Best case: they are most dominant regular season team of all time.

Objective scenario: they won't win 74 games but will win title rather easy.

[GelbeWand09]

You can't.
They are best team in NBA by historical margin.

It's like those first title of Shaq + Kobe & KD + Curry.

It's just matter of who will be their version of Nets in finals, since nobody on East has their Lebron.

They have DPOY candidate, MVP and all star, plus elite role players across a roster.

They are elite defensive team that limits rebounding, attacks rim, makes 3s, plays on passing lines due several elite defensive players , defends rim and generates A LOT of FTs.

They won title and got better. This is their time. That is why teams like Spurs or PIstons refuse to make win now move. Because they know it's pointless. Let them ride it out and go all in when actual window opens.

Offensively there aren't really that talented historically but they are probably the first team with 4 DPOY caliber (Caruso, Chet, Hart, Dort) players at the same plus 3 or 4 other top 30 defenders. All their stars are high level 2way players and can score, pass and defend. They just doesn't need to be as talented on offense as Golden State because they create so many easy offense and just overwhelm teams with their waves of defenders over 48 minutes. + All their defenders can shoot. It's just the perfect synergy team where everything fits perfect, everyone can play with everyone, no lineups has weak points, no one needs to be hide, no 1way players...
You need the best playmakers(Jokic, Hali) to even have a chance not to be overwhelmed.

[GelbeWand09]

Also Cole with the irregular good game to help wallop BOS

Cole is so inconsistent. His splits for the season are 43/27/55. 55 from the FT line is wild.

Hence the key word i put in is "irregular" kinda like coin toss Ross. You never know which will show up.

More like one of the coins that are the same on both sides, because his bad games are more 8 or 9 times out of 10.

When you are as small as him and you aren't a high level passer you have to shoot at a really high level and he just can't shoot. Without his personality and NBA father he probably would be in the g leaque now and not on a NBA team.