NBA Season/Playoffs 2025-26

[Donoghus]

NBA Finals here we come- Thunder vs Spurs.

We might potentially get an NBA Finals rematch too...Spurs vs Knicks lol

The NYK appear to be playing better than either CLE or DET.  Could be their year.

I do wonder how the long layoff will affect them.  They were shooting lights out that Philly series. Just wonder if the layoff will disrupt things to an extent.

[Moranis]

I know the Spurs did well in the regular season against the Thunder, but I don't think this will be a particularly close series. Games won't be blowouts, but don't see the series as ever being in doubt.

[Goldstar88]

I know the Spurs did well in the regular season against the Thunder, but I don't think this will be a particularly close series. Games won't be blowouts, but don't see the series as ever being in doubt.

Based on what? Spurs play well against them and Jalen Williams is injured.

[SparzWizard]

I know the Spurs did well in the regular season against the Thunder, but I don't think this will be a particularly close series. Games won't be blowouts, but don't see the series as ever being in doubt.

Based on what? Spurs play well against them and Jalen Williams is injured.

OKC says he is healthy for WCF.

[Who]

I know the Spurs did well in the regular season against the Thunder, but I don't think this will be a particularly close series. Games won't be blowouts, but don't see the series as ever being in doubt.

I think San Antonio will play OKC tough. Wemby's shot blocking at the rim will keep SGA more in the midrange and less at the rim. San Antonio do a great job avoiding fouls. They will be able to minimize his FTAs. They will turn SGA from a highly efficient scorer to an average efficiency scorer. When that happens, OKC's often offense drops off a cliff.

That will make San Antonio competitive in the series. Like Indy was in the Finals last year. And if SAS find a way to get their offense going, they'll be the better side.

[Who]

Over the past four seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26), the Jazz lost more games - 221 - than they had since their first four seasons in Utah, from 1979 to 1983, when they lost, oddly enough, exactly 221.

In the 39 years between those two collapses, the Jazz had 31 winning seasons and just eight losers. 

That is impressive

1984-1986 = Adrian Dantley & Mark Eaton era
1986-2003 = Stockton & K Malone era
2006-2011 = Deron & Boozer era
2017-2022 = Rudy Gobert & D Mitchell era

They had that brief rebuild (2004 .500, bad 2005, 2006 .500) around AK-47 after Stockton and Malone left before signing FAs Carlos Boozer & Memo Okur and drafting Deron Williams.

The loss of Boozer in 2010 and trade of Deron in 2011 led to a middling era built around Millsap, Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward. They finished above .500 once but were mostly a losing team. Hayward was part of the first Gobert team that made the playoffs with D Mitchell replacing him.

[Who]

Julius Randle's numbers in WCSF against Spurs

12.8ppg 7.7rpg 1.5apg in 33mpg
34.2% FG 4-21 on threes 19% 3PT 73% FT 42.6% TS
18 turnovers in 6 games. 3 tov per game.
Double the turnovers (18) to assists (9).

He was 4th in scoring on the team. Jaden McDaniels has 14.8ppg and Naz Reid had 14.3ppg. Randle is supposed to be your 2nd option. Ant hobbled with an injury and your other star / scorer doesn't show up.

It is the 2nd playoff elimination series in a row where Randle has been a no-show. His performance against OKC looks good by comparison. 17.4ppg 5.8rpg 3.0apg on good shooting numbers (48% FG 48% 3PT 63% TS) but with 18 turnovers in just 5 games that time (3.6 tov per game).

Minnesota has got to be thinking about moving on from Randle but I have no idea how they find a better 2nd option. Maybe take a punt on Durant if he is available given it would likely be a low price. Other than that, Minny look in trouble.

[Goldstar88]

Julius Randle's numbers in WCSF against Spurs

12.8ppg 7.7rpg 1.5apg in 33mpg
34.2% FG 4-21 on threes 19% 3PT 73% FT 42.6% TS
18 turnovers in 6 games. 3 tov per game.
Double the turnovers (18) to assists (9).

He was 4th in scoring on the team. Jaden McDaniels has 14.8ppg and Naz Reid had 14.3ppg. Randle is supposed to be your 2nd option. Ant hobbled with an injury and your other star / scorer doesn't show up.

It is the 2nd playoff elimination series in a row where Randle has been a no-show. His performance against OKC looks good by comparison. 17.4ppg 5.8rpg 3.0apg on good shooting numbers (48% FG 48% 3PT 63% TS) but with 18 turnovers in just 5 games that time (3.6 tov per game).

Minnesota has got to be thinking about moving on from Randle but I have no idea how they find a better 2nd option. Maybe take a punt on Durant if he is available given it would likely be a low price. Other than that, Minny look in trouble.

I think Minny needs to move on from Randle. He?s not a good enough second option.

[Goldstar88]

Piston/Cavs game 7 is about to start. Should be interesting..

[Who]

I like SVG making a big deal about D Mitchell's early assists and how he already surpassed his playoff average in the first 3min. It is shocking how bad his playmaking has been.

He is surrounded by finishers. Two big man finishers in J Allen and E Mobley. Loads of shooters. Merrill, Strus, Harden, Keon Ellis, H Tyson. Even D Wade and Schroder. D Mitchell has not been utilizing those guys at all so far in the playoffs.

[Who]

Merrill's shooting is amazing. Like a smaller Sam Hauser.

[Phantom255x]

Pistons might be in trouble

[radiohead]

I did not expect Detroit to falter like this. Wow.

[Phantom255x]

Duren has been very mediocre this postseason and he's been invisible again tonight

[Who]

Merrill's shooting is amazing. Like a smaller Sam Hauser.

Merrill has outplayed our young wings Scheierman, J Walsh and Hugo (did not really play) in the playoffs. I was curious how Merrill measured up against Hauser.

Hauser = 23.4mpg 7.7ppg 4.3rpg 41.3% FG 42.1% 3PT
Merrill = 18.3mpg 6.6ppg 1.3rpg 41.7% FG 36.7% 3PT

Assists about even at 1 apiece. Steals and blocks neglible.

Merrill gets to the foul line more than Hauser with 2.4 FTAs per game in the playoffs to Hauser's 0.5 FTA. That pushed Merrill ahead of Hauser in overall TS% despite Hauser shooting better from 3. 61.2% TS for Merrill to 58.7% for Hauser.

Both guys take similar volume shots. About 10 shots per 36 minutes with 8 of those 10 shots coming from three point range.

Hauser with the clear advantage in rebounding and a better defender at SF than Merrill is at SG.