NBA 2025-26 NBA Thread

[Hyrup]

Bam just dropped 31 in the first quarter.

 

[JMarkJohns]

What the fuck, Bam?!

 

[spursistan]

I love Ime's brutal honesty. Most disgraceful fugazi big performance I've ever seen in any sport

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031585376632979558

 

[mudyez]

I like Bam getting with his Mum in attendance...but well, as much as I dislike Kobe, his 81 are worth far more. Other era, less tanking involved.

 

[O_V]

I like Bam getting with his Mum in attendance...but well, as much as I dislike Kobe, his 81 are worth far more. Other era, less tanking involved.

Two less actually.

 

[Quentin_Compson]

Pretty crazy that Bam as a big took 22 threes compared to Kobe's 13 attempts back in 2006. I mean, these kinds of scoring-records games are always a travesty in a way, I guess, so definitely kudos to Bam. But the Heat fouling the Wizards in the 4th quarter to stop the clock and be able to get the ball back into Bam's hands was pretty embarrassing stuff, in my opinion.

 

[JMarkJohns]

Imagine paying for an NBA ticket and watching a FT contest.

 

[spursistan]

Damn without the lube

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031685072114405788

 

[O_V]

Pretty crazy that Bam as a big took 22 threes compared to Kobe's 13 attempts back in 2006. I mean, these kinds of scoring-records games are always a travesty in a way, I guess, so definitely kudos to Bam. But the Heat fouling the Wizards in the 4th quarter to stop the clock and be able to get the ball back into Bam's hands was pretty embarrassing stuff, in my opinion.

I guess I was watching different highlights. I admit I didn't watch the game, but it sure like like the wizards were doing everything they could to try to deny him and the Heat were just countering it.

Frankly, the Wizards played a lot harder against Bam than the Clippers did against Robinson when he scored 71.

 

[Fabbs]

Anyone got the stats on what the prop bet of Bam over 40 paid?
50 60 70 80?

 

[spursistan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031825722185302394

 

[scott]

One of my employees has a child in the hospital in LA and just shared a picture of Austin Reeves and Jaxson Hayes stopping by to visit her and give her a signed basketball. FTL and all, but much respect to those two dudes.

 

[OK Computer]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2031918295214145819

 

[wEmBoY]

Kawhi going for 84pts

 

[wEmBoY]

Jokic quadroupke double watch. Need 2 rebounds and 5 steals

 

[scott]

Hot take: if you're going to be concerned about tanking, you should be equally concerned about blatant stat padding (Bam, SGA today)

 

[LeBowen]

Hot take: if you're going to be concerned about tanking, you should be equally concerned about blatant stat padding (Bam, SGA today)

Completely disagree.
What does stat padding actually accomplish? Absolutely nothing outside the statline in that given game.
I'd say that in almost every case stat padding is actually hurting that player's chances of winning the game because it usually means taking inefficent shots and forcing the issue.

Tanking changes the landscape of the league and the long term future of those franchises, Bam scoring 83 or SGA chucking until he got 20 has absolutely no impact on anything whatsoever other than the single game accolades which are in my opinion irrelevant.
Are we going to pretend that a lot of Wilt's records weren't blatant stat padding?
Or how Lebron chucked his way to 10 points in some blowouts to keep the streak he had going?

We're Spurs fans and I think that individual game records and accolades are beneath us.
We're fans of ethical basketball and the only thing that matters is actually winning the game and not trying to cheat the rulebook while doing so.
Everything else is irrelevant, at least for me.

The only individual accolades that matter are playoff performances.

 

[scott]

Completely disagree.
What does stat padding actually accomplish? Absolutely nothing outside the statline in that given game.
I'd say that in almost every case stat padding is actually hurting that player's chances of winning the game because it usually means taking inefficent shots and forcing the issue.

Bam and SGA stat padding when up by huge margins late in the game hurt their chances of winning the game by exactly 0%

You're entitled to your opinion though, no matter how wrong it is

 

[LeBowen]

Bam and SGA stat padding when up by huge margins late in the game hurt their chances of winning the game by exactly 0%

And what does it accomplish?
What's the goal of this sport? To win the championship.
I'm not sure how does stat padding in irrelevant games that are already decided impact that?
And it's not like shameless stat padders that did it on regular basis ever profited from it.
I don't recall Hassan Whiteside winning any DPOYs because he was blatantly stat padding blocks and rebounds in most games.
In fact, that's what got him out of the league.

You're entitled to your opinion though, no matter how wrong it is

I'm not sure how can either of us be right or wrong on this matter. There's no objective way to measure this.

 

[scott]

And what does it accomplish?
What's the goal of this sport? To win the championship.
I'm not sure how does stat padding in irrelevant games that are already decided impact that?
And it's not like shameless stat padders that did it on regular basis ever profited from it.
I don't recall Hassan Whiteside winning any DPOYs because he was blatantly stat padding blocks and rebounds in most games.
In fact, that's what got him out of the league.

What does what accomplish? Stat padding? It makes the records less meaningful. Bam's 83 will always be met with a chuckle because of what a farce it was.

One could say "well, there has always been stat padding." This is true, but the same can be said about tanking. That's not really an argument that means anything.

The goal is to win championships, sure... I'll tell you that tanking has never impacted a championship, because tanking teams aren't in the playoffs. You might argue about playoff seeding... but teams have 81 other games to do what they need to do to earn their seeding. Tanking is irrelevant to determining this year's NBA champion.

So once again, if you are concerned about tanking (which I'm not), then you should be also be as concerned about blatant stat padding (spoiler alert, I'm also not)

I'm not sure how can either of us be right or wrong on this matter. There's no objective way to measure this.

It's a joking expression, don't think too hard about it

 

[JMarkJohns]

Tanking is a 40 year problem, which means it’s not really solvable in any “be bad get advantages” process.

The only process that allows for equity is every team gets every draft pick in the 1st Round every 32 years, with the lottery for 5 years into the future decided 5 years early so there’s no reasonable “Super Prospect” when orders are determined. So every 5 years the next five is determined until every team has gone and then add new teams or restart.

So I said 32 because I assume that’s the next Total Number of Franchises for 5 years down the road.

 

[LeBowen]

What does what accomplish? Stat padding? It makes the records less meaningful. Bam's 83 will always be met with a chuckle because of what a farce it was.

As I said, it's just my opinion, but I don't really rate most of the regular season records.
Admiral's 71 point game? Was it that much different from what Bam did?

One could say "well, there has always been stat padding." This is true, but the same can be said about tanking. That's not really an argument that means anything.

As I said, I don't think those two can be compared because Bam's 83 points aren't hurting anyone, while Jazz sitting out their max contract player every other game for no valid reason ruins the integrity of the game and directly impacts the draft odds.

Tanking is a 40 year problem, which means it’s not really solvable in any “be bad get advantages” process.

The only process that allows for equity is every team gets every draft pick in the 1st Round every 32 years, with the lottery for 5 years into the future decided 5 years early so there’s no reasonable “Super Prospect” when orders are determined. So every 5 years the next five is determined until every team has gone and then add new teams or restart.

So I said 32 because I assume that’s the next Total Number of Franchises for 5 years down the road.

Yeah, there's no good way to solve it unless it's something overcomplicated.

I still believe something like 3 year windows could be a solution.
For example, 2027 draft odds being based on the 2024+2025+2026 combined records.
Getting better picks significantly lowers your odds and getting a top3 pick prevents you from getting another one a year later.
Winning playoff series in previous seasons also lowers your odds.
But it would be too complicated to find the right formula and odds for everything.

 

[scott]

As I said, I don't think those two can be compared because Bam's 83 points aren't hurting anyone, while Jazz sitting out their max contract player every other game for no valid reason ruins the integrity of the game and directly impacts the draft odds.

This is something people like to say but I haven't seen anything to suggest is actually true. The "integrity of the game" is no more damaged by guys sitting out than by just having a shit roster. The same shitty team ends up on the court and that results in a loss 75% of the time. The fact that maybe the Jazz might have been better if there guys were playing? Sure... but the Spurs might have been better had their GM not intentionally tanked multiple seasons with a shit roster. The "integrity of the game" is mostly just a made up grievance for people to distinguish between the things they like (my team getting a high pick... my guy setting a record) and the things they don't like (another team getting a high pick... another guy setting a record).

 

[LeBowen]

Jazz – OUT – Ace Bailey (concussion protocol); Kyle Filipowski (rest); Keyonte George (hamstring); Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee); Walker Kessler (shoulder); John Konchar (calf); Lauri Markkanen (hip); Jusuf Nurkic (nose).

Kings: OUT – Patrick Baldwin Jr. (G League); Devin Carter (calf); Drew Eubanks (thumb); De’Andre Hunter (eye); Zach LaVine (finger); Malik Monk (ankle); Keegan Murray (ankle); Domantas Sabonis (knee); Russell Westbrook (foot).

I rest my case.

 

[scott]

Jazz – OUT – Ace Bailey (concussion protocol); Kyle Filipowski (rest); Keyonte George (hamstring); Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee); Walker Kessler (shoulder); John Konchar (calf); Lauri Markkanen (hip); Jusuf Nurkic (nose).

Kings: OUT – Patrick Baldwin Jr. (G League); Devin Carter (calf); Drew Eubanks (thumb); De’Andre Hunter (eye); Zach LaVine (finger); Malik Monk (ankle); Keegan Murray (ankle); Domantas Sabonis (knee); Russell Westbrook (foot).

I rest my case.

Spurs Starting Lineup: K Bates Diop - M Branham - T Jones - R Langford - S Mamukelashvili