25-26 NBA Regular Season thread.

[oldgoldy97]

I thought Mobley being all NBA 1st team and DPOY this year would overcome Jaylen Brown and “Good Hair”.

[Jed Clampett]

Bulls 4-0 🏆

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

I thought Mobley being all NBA 1st team and DPOY this year would overcome Jaylen Brown and “Good Hair”.

Who ever said he'd be 1st team NBA or DPOY this year? I think it's pretty much unanimous that Wemby is taking both spots as long as he stays healthy.

As for Mobley, defense isnt the problem. 2.0 blocks and 1.6 steals a game with a team leading defensive rating that's equal to last year's. His defense has been excellent like always. It's his shooting that hasn't been pretty to start.

[Ismael80]

Originally Posted by tjforce

That'll happen when the Cavs are without the guy who makes the offense run... as well as Strus and Merril. The team is down a few guys and experimenting with a few things. Rather have it happen now than in April again.

It's not like the C's have the 2024 championship squad out there yesterday. Tatum,(injured) Horford, KP, Jrue, Kornet all gone. They have a totally new (and not very good) team. But yeah i get it. It's a long season and even the good teams lose from time to time. Just enjoying the win because there ain't gonna be a lot for Boston this year. lol

[jcardstore]

Evan Mobley just isn't taking another leap this year. If this what he is, it's still a very good player, just not what Cavs fans were hoping for.

[boxbuster7]

kneesmith lit it up LAST NIGHT

[kipgen]

Rockets looked really impressive vs the Raptors

KD doing his thing and Sengun/Amen backing him up

Amen looks like he's coming along as a point guard but I'd still like to see him be more confident in his shot (though I imagine he has enough on his plate already)

Somehow now the #1 offense in the NBA, crazy

[mtr]

Playing the Nets and Raptors back to back will make any offense look great. 2 of the worst defensive teams in the league.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Evan Mobley just isn't taking another leap this year. If this what he is, it's still a very good player, just not what Cavs fans were hoping for.

Yeah, this doesn't look like a leap season, maybe a gradual improvement.

Defensively I actually think he's been playing a bit better than last season, which is big since he won DPOY.

Offensively he's taking more high difficulty shots, and the efficiency metrics show it. The crazy stat is that for his career his dunk % was 22% (meaning 22% of his shots were dunks), and this year it's just 5.6%. It was lower than that before he had two last night, including a put back on a miss.

Also, his corner 3% is down from 26% to 3.3%. So think about that. Up unto this point 48% of his shots were dunks and corner 3s. This year its been just 9%. My hope is that once Garland gets back those number of easier buckets head back up and we get more of a mix of those and some of the shot creation attempts.

[auctionjmm]

I don't think Mobley's ability is in question. I see it as a psychological matter. Even though everyone around him sees that he has another level in him, I don't think he sees it. He sees himself as a 2 or 3 on any given night. I don't know if it's fear, pressure, or not wanting to steal the spotlight from Mitchell, but there is something preventing him from entering beast mode, and it's not ability.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by auctionjmm

I don't think Mobley's ability is in question. I see it as a psychological matter. Even though everyone around him sees that he has another level in him, I don't think he sees it. He sees himself as a 2 or 3 on any given night. I don't know if it's fear, pressure, or not wanting to steal the spotlight from Mitchell, but there is something preventing him from entering beast mode, and it's not ability.

Yea I agree with this.

People call him soft but I think it’s more that he’s just not assertive, at least not consistently. He looks like a beast for the 1st quarter and then randomly at some other point in the game but it really never persists

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by auctionjmm

I don't think Mobley's ability is in question. I see it as a psychological matter. Even though everyone around him sees that he has another level in him, I don't think he sees it. He sees himself as a 2 or 3 on any given night. I don't know if it's fear, pressure, or not wanting to steal the spotlight from Mitchell, but there is something preventing him from entering beast mode, and it's not ability.

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Yea I agree with this.

People call him soft but I think it’s more that he’s just not assertive, at least not consistently. He looks like a beast for the 1st quarter and then randomly at some other point in the game but it really never persists

There are certainly signs that he's being more assertive early on here.

-He's averaging 6.0 3 point attempts per game vs 3.2 last year and a career average of 1.9
-His usage continues to trend higher at 24.5 compared to 23.2 last season
-His assists are up to 4.6 per game from a career high of 3.2 last season, and his assist % to 21.2 from 15.1.

The issue has been his shots just not going in here early. If he were making them at the same percentages as he was last season, he'd be averaging 21.7 ppg. That combined with the uptick in assists and his defensive prowess would be some pretty high level output.

[ninjacookies]

San An and OKC keep rollin. Sucks their first showdown has to come 2 days short of Xmas.

Much, much cleaner game by Castle. This is the trade value audition the Spurs wanted.

[ninjacookies]

Actually very surprised to see Slemby a current 3:1 dog for MVP on most books. Wondering if they're heavily weighing the absence of Jdub for SGA. I do think Victor will win if he doesn't miss significant time and continues this pace as voter fatigue *may* come into play. But I think a lot of that hinges on whether or not San Antonio can maintain a top 3 spot in the west.

Yoker actually seems like sneaky good value right now. We know he's going to be steady Eddie and put up his usual 3d line while logging 70+.

[spurs50fan]

Fox, Sochan, Kornet and Olynyk's return will be much welcomed

First 5-0 start for the team

[oshmeehan]

Ryan Rollins making it hard for Giannis to leave Milwaukee....

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

Actually very surprised to see Slemby a current 3:1 dog for MVP on most books.

NBA gave SA an incredibly soft opening schedule:
Mavs
Pelicans
Nets
Raptors
Heat
Suns
Lakers
-Rockets-
Pelicans
Bulls

Bookies rightfully aren’t falling for it. 1 playoff team in first 10? Let’s see how they do against Houston.

[ninjacookies]

Originally Posted by Chryghst

NBA gave SA an incredibly soft opening schedule:
Mavs
Pelicans
Nets
Raptors
Heat
Suns
Lakers
-Rockets-
Pelicans
Bulls

Bookies rightfully aren’t falling for it. 1 playoff team in first 10? Let’s see how they do against Houston.

My perceptive skills are lackin.

I had not even realized how much of a cakewalk their opening week was. If they can somehow escape past Houston, they have a very high probability of hitting 10-0 before their 2 game square-off with GS.

Or perhaps I'm not buying Chitown's scorching start either...

[blackvodka]

I love the great team win by the Bucks. It was so nice to see them play so well without Giannis.

Sent from my motorola razr 2024 using Tapatalk

[spurs50fan]

Originally Posted by Chryghst

NBA gave SA an incredibly soft opening schedule:
Mavs
Pelicans
Nets
Raptors
Heat
Suns
Lakers
-Rockets-
Pelicans
Bulls

Bookies rightfully aren’t falling for it. 1 playoff team in first 10? Let’s see how they do against Houston.

They have to prove it. Thing is, last year at least two of those games would have been lost. Including last nights. It’s how they are playing and how they weather adversity, not such much who they are playing that gives me some hope. For instance, the Magic, another young team, were a playoff team and had similar opening schedule. Sitting at 2-4 in a down East. We’ll see how it plays out. Should be seeing Fox next game

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

My perceptive skills are lackin.

I had not even realized how much of a cakewalk their opening week was. If they can somehow escape past Houston, they have a very high probability of hitting 10-0 before their 2 game square-off with GS.

Or perhaps I'm not buying Chitown's scorching start either...

Happens to us all. I was on record against Magic (can’t shoot) and Pistons (turnover every other possession) but fell for the Hawks again hook, line, and sinker. Bulls’ wins perhaps a bit better than SA, but NYK will be litmus test. Seems like teams always split these home and home 2 game series tho…

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by ninjacookies

My perceptive skills are lackin.

I had not even realized how much of a cakewalk their opening week was. If they can somehow escape past Houston, they have a very high probability of hitting 10-0 before their 2 game square-off with GS.

Or perhaps I'm not buying Chitown's scorching start either...

Bulls have been incredibly lucky on defense. Shot making specifically.

[jcardstore]

I don’t care how soft or not the Spurs schedule has been. They have the best player in the league and honestly, I’m ready to say the best player ever barring injury.

Wemby should be MVP and DPOY favorite for the next decade+

He’s the best player I’ve ever seen. Obviously LeBron is great, and I never personally saw MJ play but Wemby is just a different level

[asujbl]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

I don’t care how soft or not the Spurs schedule has been. They have the best player in the league and honestly, I’m ready to say the best player ever barring injury.

Wemby should be MVP and DPOY favorite for the next decade+

He’s the best player I’ve ever seen. Obviously LeBron is great, and I never personally saw MJ play but Wemby is just a different level

You’re that young? I’m learning so much stuff today

[Chryghst]

Would like to retract my Knicks finals pick. Forgot they fired Thibs and appointed Mike Brown. Thanks.