2025-26 NBA Playoffs

[mtr]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

Absolutely. It's only been 2 years and that draft has created some of the biggest blunders I can think of:

- Risacher over Sarr
- Sheppard over Castle
- Williams over Buzelis

It's telling that I had no idea who "Williams" was referring to without googling the 2024 draft.

[exitmusicblue]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

No, Houston is not bad now... They've been pretenders all year and most people said that. That said, they should still be winning the series. It's not like LeBron has gone nuclear this series. He's averaging 23/8/10 on 49% shooting. You live with those numbers from him any day. You don't let Luke Kennard average 25 on 64% or Marcus Smart 20 on 50%.

The funny thing is, I don't mind if LeBron wins... It's his fans that make it unbearable because they are so over the top and act like he's doing it by himself.

Hermano is taking applications for LeResistance.

[rhigh2390]

Kennard is playing his way to a nice payday at the end of the year.

[BoSoxFan1999]

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBATalk/com...t=share_button

[blackbears86]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

No, Houston is not bad now... They've been pretenders all year and most people said that. That said, they should still be winning the series. It's not like LeBron has gone nuclear this series. He's averaging 23/8/10 on 49% shooting. You live with those numbers from him any day. You don't let Luke Kennard average 25 on 64% or Marcus Smart 20 on 50%.

The funny thing is, I don't mind if LeBron wins... It's his fans that make it unbearable because they are so over the top and act like he's doing it by himself. It's obviously impressive that he's still at this level at this age.

Love the back handed compliment to Lebron who, at 41 is averaging almost a triple double this series.

I agree, not nuclear but pretty damn impressive.


I also agree, Houston is still a mess, but was favored to win this series (and still could)

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

No, Houston is not bad now... They've been pretenders all year and most people said that. That said, they should still be winning the series. It's not like LeBron has gone nuclear this series. He's averaging 23/8/10 on 49% shooting. You live with those numbers from him any day. You don't let Luke Kennard average 25 on 64% or Marcus Smart 20 on 50%.

The funny thing is, I don't mind if LeBron wins... It's his fans that make it unbearable because they are so over the top and act like he's doing it by himself. It's obviously impressive that he's still at this level at this age.

The regular season thread was a Houston obituary thread by January. But I also thought they’d beat this Lakers team somewhat comfortably.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by blackbears86

Love the back handed compliment to Lebron who, at 41 is averaging almost a triple double this series.

I agree, not nuclear but pretty damn impressive.


I also agree, Houston is still a mess, but was favored to win this series (and still could)

Problem is Houston can't shoot outside of KD. Guys like Amen Thompson just getting dorked all game long with 0 reprecussions.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by eastbayak

And damn, KD really hasn’t done #@#@#@#@ since Curry gifted him 2 rings lol.

Literally played with every superstar in modern BKB too.

I'll give KD credit for 2021. He had 48 in the game 7 against the Nuggets, who went on to win the title. Harden (5-17 shooting) really screwed him over in that game.

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Problem is Houston can't shoot outside of KD. Guys like Amen Thompson just getting dorked all game long with 0 reprecussions.

Amen improved his FT% from 68.4% to 77.9%. Not really sure why that hasn’t translated into betting shooting splits also because it typically does.

[msink28]

Harden played with a level 2 hamstring strain in that game.

Originally Posted by cms11

I'll give KD credit for 2021. He had 48 in the game 7 against the Nuggets, who went on to win the title. Harden (5-17 shooting) really screwed him over in that game.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Problem is Houston can't shoot outside of KD. Guys like Amen Thompson just getting dorked all game long with 0 reprecussions.

I'm skeptical that any team will win a title with Amen as a starter. His lack of shooting hurts everyone else on the court. He has to play immaculate defense to make up for it.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by msink28

Harden played with a level 2 hamstring strain in that game.

Thanks for the reminder.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by Chryghst

Amen improved his FT% from 68.4% to 77.9%. Not really sure why that hasn’t translated into betting shooting splits also because it typically does.

He has really poor pull up form and you're not gonna ask him to stand in the corner and take C&S 3s. He also doesn't really have a good enough handle in the half court to generate his own good looks from 3.

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by cms11

I'm skeptical that any team will win a title with Amen as a starter. His lack of shooting hurts everyone else on the court. He has to play immaculate defense to make up for it.

Warriors won 4 rings with Draymond.

[exitmusicblue]

Rockets fans, it can always be worse.

You could be the Mets.

[the mesiah]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

Warriors won 4 rings with Draymond.

Terrible comparison … Thompson and the rockets for that matter are no where near in the same stratosphere of warriors and draymond overall

[rustywest]

Happy for Scoot to have a moment like that. Scoot Daddy, Skeet Skeet

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

He has really poor pull up form and you're not gonna ask him to stand in the corner and take C&S 3s. He also doesn't really have a good enough handle in the half court to generate his own good looks from 3.

Fair points. I’d always hoped for a Jimmy Butler trajectory (work in mid-range) more than a PJ Tucker one (corner C&S). I can’t remember if Bulls Butler had the pull up and handling issues. Miami Butler could definitely get his shot off much faster than current Amen.

[cms11]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

Warriors won 4 rings with Draymond.

Good point, but Amen will need to dominate defensively like him and the team will need an elite 3PT shooter or two.

[BoSoxFan1999]

Originally Posted by Chryghst

Fair points. I’d always hoped for a Jimmy Butler trajectory (work in mid-range) more than a PJ Tucker one (corner C&S). I can’t remember if Bulls Butler had the pull up and handling issues. Miami Butler could definitely get his shot off much faster than current Amen.

Is he even a realistic catch and shoot 3 guy though? The Rockets games I watched this season he'd be all alone without a guy within 5 feet of him, but he'd still not pull the trigger and look to pass. I don't know how many "0-1 from 3" box scores I've seen of him. Like he takes 1 3, and if he misses it, decides not to take another 3 rest of game. I swear his woes from 3 are more mental than mechanics.

edit: 20 games this season where he logged an 0-1 from 3 line. Both games against the Lakers he's gone 0-1.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by Chryghst

Fair points. I’d always hoped for a Jimmy Butler trajectory (work in mid-range) more than a PJ Tucker one (corner C&S). I can’t remember if Bulls Butler had the pull up and handling issues. Miami Butler could definitely get his shot off much faster than current Amen.

a lot of it (player development) is role based and so it very well could just be part of the game plan to not have him shoot 3s. With such poor percentages, teams are gonna be fine living with it and you're certainly not going to experiment in the playoffs.

He's really efficient at the rim but only a low percentage of those are self created and his off ball movement numbers are really bad across the board so he's just really living in transition

His offensive efficiency numbers in general are just not good



He needs to improve his shooting dramatically if he wants to be a ball handling forward

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by BoSoxFan1999

Is he even a realistic catch and shoot 3 guy though? The Rockets games I watched this season he'd be all alone without a guy within 5 feet of him, but he'd still not pull the trigger and look to pass. I don't know how many "0-1 from 3" box scores I've seen of him. Like he takes 1 3, and if he misses it, decides not to take another 3 rest of game. I swear his woes from 3 are more mental than mechanics.

edit: 20 games this season where he logged an 0-1 from 3 line. Both games against the Lakers he's gone 0-1.

He absolutely isn’t right now. Projecting forward, there’s really 2 ways for that player-type to stay in the league. Traditional 3+D CS guy (Dort, Caruso, KCP, Smart, PJ Tucker) or mid range assassin with playmaking chops (Jimmy Butler, Westbrook, Siakam, early Jaylen Brown). If you don’t fall in either camp (Kuminga, Mathurin, Thybulle), the league doesn’t really know what to do with you.

Jimmy is 12.5 FGA, 2.4 3PA per game but impacts the game in a lot of ways despite low usage. But teams still have to respect his shot, which like you said isn’t true for Amen. I’m *hoping* he can develop into a Jimmy Butler and not just a 3+D CS, but right now he spends most of his time in the dunker spot hoping his defender has to step up to help on a KD or Sengun drive.

[Chryghst]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

a lot of it (player development) is role based and so it very well could just be part of the game plan to not have him shoot 3s. With such poor percentages, teams are gonna be fine living with it and you're certainly not going to experiment in the playoffs.

He's really efficient at the rim but only a low percentage of those are self created and his off ball movement numbers are really bad across the board so he's just really living in transition

His offensive efficiency numbers in general are just not good



He needs to improve his shooting dramatically if he wants to be a ball handling forward

Thanks for the graphic. Definitely supports the eye test. The other system-based point is he’s one of the best rebounding guards in the league, so it probably does make more sense to stick him in the dunker spot than the corner.

Would be kind of fun to see him paired with a Jaren or Porzingis or Myles Turner. Sort of invert their respective roles offensively.

[ninjacookies]

Hmmm.


Turns out this is what happens when Lando's entire starting 5 doesn't score 16+ and Duren's actually involved on offense. Who woulda thunkit.




Ocho mile en cinco.

[gomiamigo]

Originally Posted by mjekase

The problem is you'd have to attach picks to dump them in the short term, and they just replenished their draft capital with the Harden/Clips deal. Better off holding for at least another year, see what PG has left in the tank, and go into Summer '27 with him as an expiring.

Yeah, that OP has no clue what he's talking about. He never does.

Probably 3 1st round picks to get off Embiid's contract. So you subtract him, have no picks, let PG expire, and you're left with two great guards, maybe Oubre, Bona, Edwards, Barlow whatever playable C you signed, and 2-way guys who got turned into contracts.

Seems highly unlikely any top tier FA will want to join that.

At least PG will have some value at the trade deadline next season, esp if he keeps playing solidly.

VJ might turn out to be the best rookie in this class. Probably Flagg, but you never know.