NBA 2025-26 NBA Thread

[LeBowen]

Another great video by Thinking Basketball.

 

[Valparaiso]

Cedric Coward ranks #1 in latest ESPN ROY ranking

NBA rookie rankings: Where do Flagg, Edgecombe and more land early this season?

From top-10 picks to late first-round draft steals, who are the top rookies that have impressed early this season?

www.espn.com

NBA.com has it:
1. Kneuppel
2. Coward
3. Flagg
4. Edgecombe

Kia Rookie Ladder: Hornets' duo makes its mark in Top 5

Changes mark the Rookie Ladder as Charlotte big men Kon Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner stand tall in the Top 5.

www.nba.com

The Athletic posted their rookies rankings today.

1. Kneuppel
2. Coward
3. Edgecombe
4. Flagg
5. Harper
6. Kalkbrenner
7. Queen

NBA Rookie Rankings: Kon Knueppel, Cedric Coward stand out early

Unlike last season, several first-year players are positively impacting their team's bottom line.

www.nytimes.com

 

[JMarkJohns]

JMark your suns are looking very good. I had them in the bottom end of the play-in fight coming into the season as I felt like it would be a positive for them swapping out Durants old no defense playing ass with quality size in the middle (Williams), defense and off ball shooting on the wings (Brooks) and putting the ball in Bookers hands more and moving defenses around with penetration as opposed to Durants stagnant isolation type offense.

When Suns traded Durant for that package I was surprised. I legit didn’t anticipate the Rockets to give up Brooks. He’s been a program/franchise raiser every place he’s gone. Oregon was its best with him. Grizzlies best in a long while. Rockets, best version of the young core. He’s a known pest, but a good 3/D leader with a voice in the lockerroom.

He will matter big picture.

Williams has always had talent and if the Suns can keep him 65-70 games healthy, he’s a real asset on Offense.

Allen finding his use and strike again is the biggest reason they are playing well as it gives Point Book a legit Outlet on the perimeter.

Green looked great first game back and should fit in nicely with the Space and Pace pressure Suns put on teams.

With Green, Dunn, Oso, Williams they have some real athletes again.

But biggest transformation is system. The push to play fast has helped a lot. Last year was such a slog.

Book needs to be Alpha to be his best. His percentages are regressing to his typical 48-36-85 range after starting season with 2023 Playoffs level efficiency, but he’s been great and is second in the league in potential assists.

Realistically I think they fall short but 40-42 wins is doable and maybe 43-45 with good health. Upside tops out around 48 wins if health and Green’s fit is ideal. But that’s probably not likely.

9-10 feels doable, 7-8 outside chance.

 

[scott]

SAS and ORL with the only tolerable NBA Cup courts based on what I've seen so far

 

[STAT88]

Kon Knueppel is ridiculous.

Best player on Duke last season, going to be rookie of the year and an absolute stud moving forward.

 

[djohn2oo8]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1989579195320570024

Can’t believe we off loaded Jalen Green for this.

 

[LeBowen]

Pistons keep winning without their entire starting lineup.
Must be nice having a front office that finds unknown talent instead of selling second rounders.

 

[Shmurs]

A bit of a coaching gap as well

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1989831183338017065

 

[STAT88]

Tari Eason out 4-6 weeks with hip injury.

Absolute glass man. Rockets made the right move not giving him an extension. But missing him will hurt.

 

[Valparaiso]

Scouring the odds of a betting site for fun, I stumbled across the category of Eastern Conference Finals MVP, where the favorites are Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell both at +400. Next are Giannis and Banchero at +1200. Cade Cunningham is at +2000. To me, the East is so wide open, and Detroit is the surprise leader, so I looked to see where Jalen Duren was at, as he's the leader on that team in impact stats and averaging 19.4/12 in a breakout season, and I was amazed to see that he's at +50,000! That means a $1 bet wins $500. A $20 bet wins $10,000. Michael Porter Jr is at +30,000, and his team is 1-11. I'd say that's a nice little glitch in the system.

 

[djohn2oo8]

Sengun and Durant man. Turned that shit off after the Scott Foster special

 

[scott]

Zaccarie Risacher just killed himself on a dunk... hope he is okay, but looks like it might be a significant back injury...

 

[scott]

Meanwhile, Shaedon Sharpe is having a game against DAL in OT... and UTA is giving CHI a tough time. Lauri looks good this season.

 

[scott]

PHX completely shitting the bed against ATL... had a 21 point led, now its a 3 point game. ATL might have expended all they have to crawl back in it though, Book with 5 unanswered to extend the lead back to 6.

Some good afternoon games.

 

[scott]

Utah gets called for a technical for the dudes who come out and wipe up sweat... never seen that before

Meanwhile, Draymond Green is allowed to accost a ref without a T

40 bomb for Lauri

 

[scott]

Atlanta takes the lead in Phoenix with a minute to play... Spursian level collapse if PHX loses this

 

[DAF86]

Udoka with his usual regular season try hard style.

-4 guys with 40+ minutes.
-40 year old at 45.
-7/8 men rotation.

I know it was OT, but the point still remains with regulation minutes.

The Rockets are once again going to get an inflated regular season record and crash out when it really matters, tbh.

 

[Corso]

Udoka with his usual regular season try hard style.

-4 guys with 40+ minutes.
-40 year old at 45.
-7/8 men rotation.

I know it was OT, but the point still remains with regulation minutes.

The Rockets are once again going to get an inflated regular season record and crash out when it really matters, tbh.

Tom Thibodeau-esque

 

[DAF86]

Tom Thibodeau-esque

Exactly.

 

[djohn2oo8]

Udoka with his usual regular season try hard style.

-4 guys with 40+ minutes.
-40 year old at 45.
-7/8 men rotation.

I know it was OT, but the point still remains with regulation minutes.

The Rockets are once again going to get an inflated regular season record and crash out when it really matters, tbh.

Tends to happen when you are missing your starting PG and top 6th man and DFS. But don’t let facts get in the way.

 

[Valparaiso]

Looking at Sacramento's team, it's hard to believe it wasn't assembled by an internet troll. How on earth could a professional NBA front office executive not strongly consider committing ritualistic seppeku while watching the defense of the Purple Beam Team starting five with Sabonis at center, defensive stalwart DeRozan at PF, and then LaVine, Keon Ellis, and Westbrook. Poor Keon Ellis should get a handwritten apology from the owner and GM for putting him in that situation.

 

[STAT88]

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

 

[DAF86]

Tends to happen when you are missing your starting PG and top 6th man and DFS. But don’t let facts get in the way.

The Spurs are missing their starting PG, their 6th man and their franchise player and didn't do that shit, tbh. In fact, quite the opposite, had 7 guys in double figures.

 

[djohn2oo8]

The Spurs are missing their starting PG, their 6th man and their franchise player and didn't do that shit, tbh. In fact, quite the opposite, had 7 guys in double figures.

Wait what? Missing who??? I know you are not talking about plahing against the 3-11 Kings!!!!!!!!!